National Archives Honors 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge
By Pete Lewis | National Archives News
WASHINGTON, November 6, 2024 – Next week, the National Archives will host a discussion featuring two WWII veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, Frank Cohn and Harry Miller, who will share their eyewitness accounts of this critical conflict in honor of the 80th anniversary. The program is scheduled for Wednesday, November 13, at 6:30 p.m. ET, in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, and online.
Captain James R. Lloyd, of Lancaster, PA, a 9th AF Air Liaison officer, stands by a "Tiger" tank disabled during the Battle of the Bulge. Pilots and planes of the three Tactical Air Commands of the 9th AF destroyed hundreds of tanks.
The conversation will be moderated by Alex Kershaw, journalist and author of The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon and Patton’s Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith, and Victory in World War II.
“This will be an extraordinary one-off event. Truly unmissable,” said Kershaw. “Getting to be with two Battle of the Bulge veterans—both with incredible stories—will be an honor and wonderful for all those who are watching.”
Frank Cohn—born Franz Cohn—and his family were forced to flee Germany for the United States as the Nazis rose to power. He was drafted into World World War II just a month after his 18th birthday. He would eventually enter the Intelligence community, and spent time overseeing German POWs in support of future war crime prosecutions. At least 11 members of Cohn’s extended family were lost during the Holocaust.
Harry Miller was born in Ohio, and grew up during the Great Depression. He entered the Enlisted Reserve Corps at 15 (claiming to be 18) and later joined the Army as a tank crewman. He would participate in the Battle of the Bulge, and later his regiment would be assigned to search the Alps for Martin Bormann, Hitler’s former secretary. Miller would have a long military career in both the Army and Air Force, including service during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, before retiring in 1966.
The program will feature a special document display of original records related to the battle.
A book signing will follow the program. Register to attend the event in-person, or tune in to the National Archives YouTube Channel to view online.
Visit the National Archives online for more news, and view the Calendar of Events for upcoming programs.
Visit the National Archives Catalog to search digitized federal records in our holdings related to the Battle of the Bulge.
This program is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation and in partnership with the Friends of the National WWII Memorial.