Staff Sergeant Curtis F. Shoup at Tillet, Belgium, 1945

Beyond the Call: Staff Sergeant Curtis F. Shoup at Tillet, Belgium, 1945 follows a young infantry leader of the 87th Infantry Division through the snow and shellfire of World War II’s Battle of the Bulge, from the moment his company is pinned on a frozen hillside to his lone advance on a German machine gun that turns near-certain defeat into a chance for survival. This episode weaves the battlefield narrative with the story of Shoup’s life, the tactical stakes around Tillet, and a reflection on courage, responsibility, and sacrifice in small-unit leadership. Beyond the Call is the Monday feature of Dispatch: U.S. Military History Magazine, and the podcast is developed by Trackpads.com.