Take-Off Normandy

In the tense final hours before D-Day, U.S. Army Signal Corps cameramen documented one of the most iconic moments of the Second World War. Their photographs of face-painted paratroopers from the legendary "Filthy 13" would become some of the most recognizable images of the Normandy invasion. Yet the full story behind these photographs - and the men who captured them - has remained largely untold.

In Signal Corps Chronicles: Take-Off Normandy, historian and filmmaker Joey van Meesen reconstructs the complete photographic record created by Signal Corps photographer William S. Nehez and motion picture cameraman Fred Cerfeda during the days leading up to the invasion of Normandy.

Drawing from original archival research, rare Signal Corps negatives, Army Morning Reports, and newly restored 4K film scans, this volume presents a unique visual journey through English airfields, troop staging areas, and airborne preparations before Operation Overlord. Beyond the famous Filthy 13 images, the book reveals many lesser-known photographs and film stills that have remained scattered across archives for decades.

Featuring:

• Rare and high-quality Signal Corps photographs
• Restored film stills from original wartime footage
• Detailed historical context and archival research
• Images of the 101st Airborne Division and other invasion units
• Previously overlooked material connected to D-Day preparations

More than just a photo book, Take-Off Normandy is a tribute to the largely forgotten cameramen whose work helped shape the visual memory of D-Day and the airborne invasion of Normandy.

Perfect for readers interested in:

• World War II history
• D-Day and Operation Overlord
• The 101st Airborne Division
• The Filthy 13
• Military photography and wartime journalism
• Archival and visual history research

Step back into the final hours before the jump through the eyes of the Signal Corps.