Before legendary entertainer Mel Brooks was known as Mel Brooks, he was Corporal Melvin Kaminsky, a combat engineer fighting in Europe during World War II. From facing air raids to artillery rounds bursting in the trees to demining toilets and pickle jars, Mel Brooks witnessed large-scale combat operations from the ground. In this episode of The Spear, Mel shares stories of his training, deployment, combat, and the end of the war in Europe. He also talks about the role entertainment played in returning to some sense of normalcy after VE Day.
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