On Dec. 7, 1946, Colorado National Guard’s 157th Infantry Regiment was deactivated after 511 total days in a combat zone.

The Soldiers’ service saw them in several hard-fought battles such as Anzio, Salerno, Aschaffenburg, and Monte Casino. Finally, the men of the 157th reached the heart of Germany and liberated Dachau Labor Camp, where the Soldiers discovered the individuals who arguably suffered the worst during World War II.