Band of Brothers Doc Uncovers World War II Dog Tags

History Hit has unearthed a pair of dog tags belonging to members of the famed Band of Brothers of World War II while shooting a new documentary.

The Band of Brothers’ discovery and exploratory dig has been captured by History Hit for its forthcoming Uncovering the Band of Brothers doc. An additional podcast, released today, explores the discovery and features archaeologist Richard Osgood.

Discovered at Aldbourne, Wiltshire, where the 101st was stationed during World War II, the dig began looking for items relating to the courageous unit. The two dog tags belonged to Richard A. Blake and Carl Fenstermaker, two previously unknown heroes. Fenstermaker, a certified member of Dick Winters Easy Company, made three combat jumps during his service in the 101st, including D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne.

Joining Osgood in the dig was a team of veterans from Nightingale and Aldbourne Heritage Centre. It was supported by Breaking Ground Heritage in the lead-up to the 78th anniversary of D-Day.

History Hit is an SVOD and content platform founded by historian Dan Snow that was acquired by Little Dot Studios.

Andrew Fenstermaker, the surviving grandson of Carl Fenstermaker, said: “We didn’t know much about [my grandfather’s] service; he wasn’t one to talk much about it. I was really excited to hear about what was found. It’s something that I’m excited to share with my dad and my aunt and uncles. All of his kids are still alive, so it’ll mean a lot to them.”

Snow, founder and creative director of History Hit, said: “We were really honored to be asked to document this dig, as World War II is an incredibly important and emotive period in history, and it’s only right we shed light on those who gave up their lives to protect their own and other countries. As we celebrate 78 years since D-Day, I’m proud we have found further soldiers from within the Band of Brothers who deserve recognition. This is a significant moment as we add more names to this famous group and continue to make their families proud.”

Osgood said: “Being a part of this milestone moment has been a real honor. Adding names and faces to the Band of Brothers enables us to keep their story alive. We are hugely excited to be working with History Hit on the documentary, which will be both moving and informative, bringing history to life.”