The 10th Mountain Division began as a military experiment to train skiers and climbers to fight in the most difficult, mountainous terrain in Europe. Some of the men who joined the division were skiers already, others had never seen a ski in their lives.

The men of the 10th Mountain Division would go on to lead a series of daring assaults against the German army in the mountains of Italy. The 10th Mountain Division would also have one of the highest casualty rates of the war.

Listen to our story, The Ski Troops of World War ll.