Visions from a Foxhole: A Rifleman in Patton's Ghost Corps [Hardcover]

William Foley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 2003

An account of the 94th Infantry Division's campaign to break through the Siegfried line at the end of World War II describes the author's experiences as an eighteen-year-old rifleman on the front lines of the war.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Retired commercial artist Foley was an 18-year-old squad leader in the 94th Infantry Division in Europe in the winter of 1945. He led, survived, and drew extensively, creating a portfolio of drawings, many of which are to appear in the finished edition of this memoir. If he draws as well as he writes, the resulting volume should be even more impressive than the text, which already showcases an artist's powers of observation and a keen visual memory. Foley and his comrades came through an underpublicized but thoroughly arduous portion of the northwest European campaign, fighting a still stubborn Wehrmacht while enduring inadequate winter clothing, little air support (it was grounded by the weather), and many officers who, for all the use they were to the GIs, might as well have been on the other side. Foley survived minor wounds, frostbite, green replacements, losing friends, and dealing with fellow soldiers he would rather have lost. Abounding with well-chosen details, his memoir is a harrowing portrait of the infantryman's war. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Inside Flap

An absolutely harrowing first-person account of the 94th Infantry Division's bold campaign to break through Hitler's "impregnable" Siegfried line at the end of World War II

Eighteen-year-old William Foley was afraid the war would be over before he got there, but the rifleman was sent straight to the front lines, arriving January 25, 1945–just in time to join the 94th Infantry Division poised at Hitler's legendary West Wall. By the time Foley finally managed to grab a few hours sleep three nights later, he'd already fought in a bloody attack that left sixty percent of his battalion dead or wounded. That was just the beginning of one of the toughest, bloodiest challenges the 94th would ever face: breaking through the Siegfried Line. Now, in Visions from a Foxhole, Foley recaptures that desperate, nerve-shattering struggle in all its horror and heroism.

Features the author's artwork of his fellow soldiers and battle scenes, literally sketched from the foxhole

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--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Presidio Press; 1 edition (June 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891418121
• ISBN-13: 978-0891418122
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #419,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A,true picture of my war, May 13, 2005

By 

Russell Bryant "WW11 Vet" (Penn Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Visions from a Foxhole: A Rifleman in Patton's Ghost Corps (Hardcover)

My name is Russell Bryant. I was a rifleman B company, 376th regiment, 94th division at the same time as Mr Foley. My war didn't last as long as Foley's as I was seriously wounded in a boat trying to cross the Saar river on 23 February, l945. I saw action around Sinz, took part in the marching fire attack that took Banholz Woods and the attack on the far end of Munzingen Ridge. Mr Foley's drawings more accurately portray the faces and eyes of front line riflemen than any that I have seen. His narrative descriptions of war seem to me to be very accurate. I was deeply moved as I read and re-read the book. I
find ilt strange that some who claim to have their own very unusual experiences find it necessary to criticize some of Foley's experiences. It was my experience that the "unusual" in combat is really the usual. I have given copies of the book to many people who are very interested in "our war" every single one of them expressed their praises. Thankfully, Mr. Foley did not attempt to write a broad "history" of WW11. We have many of those with their broad views and sweeping generalities. Thank you Bill Foley for showing the true story of individuals who literally "ground" out the war.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WW 2 Classic, September 11, 2003

By 

Richard OBrien (newport coast, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visions from a Foxhole: A Rifleman in Patton's Ghost Corps (Hardcover)

This is an American Classic and a must read for anyone who wants live in the shoes of an American rifleman in an infantry platoon. The author is also an excellent artist and his wartime pictures are so compelling that you are living with him.

I am the Historian of the 35th Infantry Div. and served in Normandy till the end of the war and frankly I didn't expect that the book would be so compelling. After all Foley was a replacement who didn't arrive in the battle area until mid January of 1945 when the battle of the Bulge was starting to wind down. I was wrong.

Foley landed in the middle of some of the most vicious small units battles of the war and he tells his story in great detail as his memory draws a picture that brings the reader into the foxhole with him. It is not a pretty picture and he does not hide his faults and the savage instincts that come into play when you are fighting for your life.His pictures are dramatic in impact.
Ater reading this book even a layman can understand why buddies who fought together have such close personal relationsships more like brothers than friends.
Medals for valor go to men like this but not often enough, you have to survive and someone has also survived has to submit the story etc. It just does not get done. Your reward for surviving one viscious fight is to go to the next one until you are a KIA, Mia or the war ends.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, October 4, 2003

By 

Stephan H. Small (Fairfield, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Visions from a Foxhole: A Rifleman in Patton's Ghost Corps (Hardcover)

I've read hundreds of World War II memoirs and none have given as vivid a picture of combat from the grunt point of view as this book. He does what few memoir writers accomplish: he gives us a brutal vision of the inner feelings and changes that take place when a young man is thrust into combat. If you're going to buy any WW II memoir, make it this one.