German spies shot in Belgium.

German spies shot in Belgium. Three German spies are tied to stakes for execution by an American firing squad after a court-martial by U.S. authorities in Belgium. They are, from left to right: Corporal Wilhelm Schmidt, 24; Officer-Cadet Guenther Billing, 21; Sergeant Manfred Pernass, 23. Dressed in American uniforms, arned with American weapons and driving an American jeep, they were captured during the ill-fated Ardennes offensive launched by the enemy December 16, 1944. They were driving in an American convoy but failed to give the password when stopped. They admitted that their mission was to locate and sabotage communications and reconnoitre bridges and roads over the Meuse. All three men, especially trained for the mission, had familiarized themselves with the American accent by mingling with American prisoners-of-war in Germany. Een bezoeker van de beeldbank schrijft: 'De afgebeelde Duitse soldaat is niet Wilhelm Schmidt maar Manfred Pernass. Vanaf het executiepeloton gezien staat Schmidt helemaal links, Günther Billing in het midden en Pernass staat helemaal rechts (kijk tussen Pernass en de Amerikaan die de schietmarkering aanbrengt, Billing en Schmidt zijn nog te zien). Toch vreemd dat deze bekende leden van Greif nog steeds verkeerd op naam gezet worden.'