For Scott Collins, becoming a soldier was a family tradition. His great-grandfather fought in the Civil War, his father fought in World War I. They are heroes to Scott's family and Scott wants to be just like them with his picture displayed, in uniform, alongside theirs on the living room wall. When Scott joins the Army, he and his fellow soldiers have dreams of marching into Germany and freeing the world from the evil plans of Adolf Hitler. He soon finds that being a soldier isn't quite as glorious as he had envisioned.

From the time Scott and his company hit Omaha beach in Normandy, France, the casualties are heavy. With men wounded and dying all around him, Scott turns to his journal to express the emotions and fears he is feeling. He had never seen war up this close; stared death in the face. Far from the comforts of home, the fight against the Nazis becomes a cold, muddy, life-threatening struggle to reach the next foxhole, the next town, the next front line. Will Scott live to see his family again? Read his journal to learn more about World War II and how the brave men and women fought to preserve freedom. As always, an appendix is included that gives more detail about the time period and the events described in the fictional story.