This Cockeyed War Podcast

In the concluding chapter of This Cockeyed War, Lt. Haines finds himself at the very front of the Allies advance following the Bulge. We talk about the situation leading to his wounding and reflect on the story of Ed Haines in WWII.

December 16, 1944—the Germans launch the “Battle of the Bulge,” crashing into Allied lines. We dig into the fight and what Lt. Ed Haines went through as the freezing winter set in, including the Christmas that made him write, “Gee, what a horrible Christmas this has been.” 

Lt. Haines takes some much needed rest and recouperation from the front lines. We talk about the rest camps WWII infantrymen were sent to, and share stories on how Ed Haines used his brief time to recover from the harrowing days of combat.

Nathan Haines and his father, Jeffrey Haines, introduce listeners to the story of Lieutenant Albert "Ed" Haines and the family’s journey to uncover and document his World War II experiences.  They chat about what inspired the project, how the whole family pitched in, and the fun (and sometimes tricky) process of piecing together old letters, journals, and army reports.

In this episode, we follow Lieutenant Ed Haines as he leaves home, gets swept up in the chaos of World War II, and makes his way from basic training all the way to the front lines in Europe. Along the way, there are stories about trading for milk, skipping showers, growing a mustache, and riding a fancy ship that’s seen better days.

Lt. Ed Haines gets acquainted with life on the front lines. From dodging mortar fire and figuring out army hierarchy, to dressing deer for his platoon and navigating the challenges of army life.

The first offense action that Lt. Ed Haines is tasked with. We follow his journey from Thanksgiving dinner on the front lines to the assault on the Brick Factory and Frenzerburg Castle.