Major William J. Fedeli served in the European Theater of Operations with the 534 Quartermaster Group from June 1943 to February 1946. Refer to the Library of Congress's Veterans History Project for more biographical information about Mr. Fedeli. He donated his nine 8mm films to the Library of Congress in July 2003.
USHMM originally ordered a digital copy of the reference video (an early transfer of the 8mm films) under 1178645-2-1 in January 2016 as Film ID 4160. USHMM ordered new HD transfers in July 2016 under 2282980-2-2 as Film ID 4260. Refer to SSFVA files for Major Fedeli's notes (ca. 2003) outlining his World War II military experience from 1943 to 1945 with references to the movie reels.
Reel 13: (1945) Germany; Air trip to England; Remagen Street scenes, soldiers marching, gathering in the road amongst crowds of civilians. Church. Planes landing in a field, soldiers conversing next to trucks in the airfield (possibly, the Frankfurt airstrip). Soldiers at leisure outside a home (temporary HQ?), play with a small dog, open a metal trunk, and wave to the camera from trucks. Nice CUs of men. Street scenes and views from moving vehicle. In town, soldiers talk with civilians and children, and hang a sign,"534 QM G". They pose for the camera. Two soldiers in front of the home pictured earlier, then converse in a field. Color: Two soldiers outside the home, smile for the camera. They walk around the house and pick yellow flowers, pinning them to their shirts. Later walk next to a river, CUs of the soldiers smiling for the camera, two other soldiers join them. Black and white: Street scenes. Man exits shop and approaches the camera. Pan of buildings. Soldier with poster. Tanks marked"USA" A group pins medal of honor on a soldier's shirt collar. Soldiers use binoculars. Passing by abandoned planes, trucks. Devastation in a city, some buildings are completely leveled. Cemetery. Boat ferries trucks and soldiers across a river. Pontoon bridge. Views of the river, collapsed bridges (perhaps along the Rhine).
American military moves through Germany