The March of the XX Corps from Verdun, France to Kremsmunster, Austria

A methodical representation of XX Corps march across Europe.

Many operational maps showing the Allied campaign across Europe generalize the theater; providing little detail about army organization, transportation routes, or locations outside the direct scope of combat. That’s what makes this map of the route of the XX Corps so interesting.

A comprehensive base map provides detail on French and German cities, roads, and railways. Meticulous information is provided about the composition of the corps; including the dates particular units joined or left. The routes of both the entire corps, and individual divisions are shown and distance between bivouacs is provided in miles. Taken together, the image provides a highly strategic (and largely dispassionate) overview of the European Theater, especially when compared to other contemporary combat chronicles published by individual units in the U.S. Third Army.

The map was published in August of 1945 by the 664th Engineer Topographic Company. This particular example was owned by Sgt. Edmund Vincent Kurz, who signed the map on the back, and includes an un-issued XX Corps patch.