By Murray Leff
Publisher: McFarland
Overview
Lens of an Infantryman: A World War II Memoir with Photographs from a Hidden Camera by Murray Leff captures the gritty reality of World War II through the lens of an infantryman’s personal experiences. As a member of the 137th Infantry Regiment, Leff fought alongside the 784th Tank Battalion in Europe. After arriving in Europe, he traded his cigarette ration for a 35mm camera, which he hid under his field jacket. This allowed him to discreetly capture some of the most intense moments of the war.
The memoir includes 129 photographs taken during key moments of battle, such as while Leff and his rifle squad huddled in a water-filled ditch as enemy shells exploded overhead. Other images show a supporting tank arriving on the battlefield, and later smoldering after a direct hit by German fire. These photographs, along with Leff's detailed recollections, chronicle his journey through the war, from Gremercey Forest to the Battle of the Bulge, the Ruhr Pocket, and the eventual fall of Germany.
Leff now owns an advertising agency and resides in Bellerose, New York.
Publication Details
- Publisher: McFarland
- Publication Year: 2007
- ISBN: 978-0-7864-2867-0
- Format: Softcover (7 x 10)
- Pages: 207
- Photographs: 129
- Index and Appendices: Included