My Father’s War: Finding Meaning in My Father’s World War II Military Service

In February 1945, Roland Hartman, a member of the 417th Infantry Regiment, crossed the flooded, raging Sauer River into Germany’s impregnable Siegfried Line. Lucky to survive the crossing where hundreds of men died, he later became an American POW in Stalag IX-B. He considered the operation “an unnecessary suicide mission” by General George Patton. My Father’s War is an examination of Roland’s experiences as an American soldier and a POW during World War II. Inspired by the stories and writings of Private Roland Hartman, a Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient, My Father’s War depicts a soldier’s experience on the front lines facing enemy fire and swollen rivers, and the interaction and cooperation of various military units. It contextualizes this action in terms of the broader war effort, addresses the reasons for this dangerous operation, and illustrates how this one small part of the Allied front contributed to the ongoing war effort. It also explores the POW experience in Stalag IX-B, one of the worst POW camps in Germany and considers whether Patton deserved the label of great general.