Ep 650: The Fog of War and Humanity with Richard Acritelli and guest Mark Drexler P1 on hmTv

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 650: Mark Drexler: Inside a Sherman Tank (Part 1) | HMTCThree Sherman tanks were destroyed beneath Leon Drexler during 11 months of combat. Each time, the young Jewish soldier from Borough Park escaped and returned to battle as Allied forces advanced across Europe during World War II.In Part 1 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli speaks with Leon’s son, educator and military historian Mark Drexler. Mark describes growing up among veterans, restoring his father’s wartime photograph album, and researching the 745th Tank Battalion, which served alongside the 1st Infantry Division, known as the Big Red One.The conversation explores Leon’s decision to volunteer after Pearl Harbor, the antisemitic harassment that contributed to his transfer into the armored forces, and his transformation into an expert marksman and Sherman tank gunner. Mark explains the tank’s five-man crew, Leon’s responsibility for selecting ammunition and engaging targets within seconds, and the advantages and vulnerabilities of the M4 Sherman against German Panther and Tiger tanks.Mark also shares how research and archival footage confirmed stories he once found difficult to believe, including soldiers wearing tuxedos and top hats in a liberated European town. His father’s experiences reveal both the terror of armored combat and the humor that helped young soldiers preserve their humanity during war.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Mark DrexlerExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and guest introduction1:05 Mark Drexler’s career in education and love of history2:15 Leon Drexler volunteers after Pearl Harbor3:22 Growing up among World War II veterans4:56 Reconstructing Leon’s military service5:35 The tuxedos and top hats story confirmed7:52 Humor and humanity during war8:37 Antisemitic harassment and joining a tank crew9:41 Surviving three destroyed Sherman tanks13:19 Operation Cobra and the Allied advance13:40 The 745th Tank Battalion and the Big Red One15:10 Tank training and expert marksmanship15:59 Inside a five-man Sherman tank crew18:30 The split-second decisions of a tank gunner20:53 From Brooklyn civilian to combat soldier21:38 Planning Operation Overlord23:00 Allied deception and the Atlantic Wall24:36 Preparing for D-Day and Part 2 preview25:49 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #MarkDrexler #LeonDrexler #ShermanTank #WorldWarII #Normandy #DDay #OperationOverlord #745thTankBattalion #BigRedOne #JewishVeterans #HMTCSupport the show