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His Replacement Was Killed — So He Stayed
He was supposed to leave the war.
Dr. Raymond Minge, a medic with the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate), had been scheduled for transfer to a larger medical facility during World War II. But when the doctor sent to replace him — Captain Gordon F. Fischer — was killed shortly after arriving, everything changed.
In Part 1 of this special two-part episode of Our WWII Dad, brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla are joined by former U.S. Congressman David Minge and Olaf Minge, the son and grandson of Dr. Minge.
Together, they share the remarkable story of a WWII medic whose path changed in an instant — and how that moment shaped the lives of countless soldiers he would later care for during the war.
The episode follows Dr. Minge’s journey from medical training and Camp Hale to Europe and the growing realities of combat with the legendary 99th Infantry Battalion.
The story also explores the extraordinary experience of Dr. Minge’s sister, Margaret Minge, who escaped Nazi Germany after witnessing Kristallnacht and helped smuggle Jewish valuables to safety before the war intensified.
Through personal memories, family history, and wartime discoveries, this episode reveals how a single moment during WWII could alter the course of an entire life.
Follow Our WWII Dad for cinematic WWII storytelling, battlefield journeys, family history, and untold stories from the Greatest Generation.
CHAPTERS
0:01 — Introduction
0:54 — 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge
1:45 — Dr. Raymond Minge and the 99th Infantry Battalion
4:05 — Chris and Ken’s Research Journey
5:31 — Meeting David and Olaf Minge
6:03 — The Minge Family Story
8:06 — Dr. Minge’s Medical Training
9:12 — Margaret Minge Escapes Nazi Germany
13:18 — Witnessing Kristallnacht
15:40 — Camp Hale Training and Preparation for War
21:19 — A Letter from England — December 1943
26:02 — Journey to Normandy
27:47 — The 99th Arrives in France
35:14 — Was Louis Cangilla in Maastricht?
36:32 — Canal Drive — September 1944
38:54 — Captain Gordon Fischer Is Killed
41:14 — How One Death Changed Dr. Minge’s Fate
45:08 — Lifelong Bonds Within the 99th
45:51 — Reunion Stories After the War
47:16 — The Men Dr. Minge Never Forgot
50:13 — Preview of Part II: The Battle of the Bulge
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By Chris and Ken CangillaHe was supposed to leave the war.
Dr. Raymond Minge, a medic with the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate), had been scheduled for transfer to a larger medical facility during World War II. But when the doctor sent to replace him — Captain Gordon F. Fischer — was killed shortly after arriving, everything changed.
In Part 1 of this special two-part episode of Our WWII Dad, brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla are joined by former U.S. Congressman David Minge and Olaf Minge, the son and grandson of Dr. Minge.
Together, they share the remarkable story of a WWII medic whose path changed in an instant — and how that moment shaped the lives of countless soldiers he would later care for during the war.
The episode follows Dr. Minge’s journey from medical training and Camp Hale to Europe and the growing realities of combat with the legendary 99th Infantry Battalion.
The story also explores the extraordinary experience of Dr. Minge’s sister, Margaret Minge, who escaped Nazi Germany after witnessing Kristallnacht and helped smuggle Jewish valuables to safety before the war intensified.
Through personal memories, family history, and wartime discoveries, this episode reveals how a single moment during WWII could alter the course of an entire life.
Follow Our WWII Dad for cinematic WWII storytelling, battlefield journeys, family history, and untold stories from the Greatest Generation.
CHAPTERS
0:01 — Introduction
0:54 — 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge
1:45 — Dr. Raymond Minge and the 99th Infantry Battalion
4:05 — Chris and Ken’s Research Journey
5:31 — Meeting David and Olaf Minge
6:03 — The Minge Family Story
8:06 — Dr. Minge’s Medical Training
9:12 — Margaret Minge Escapes Nazi Germany
13:18 — Witnessing Kristallnacht
15:40 — Camp Hale Training and Preparation for War
21:19 — A Letter from England — December 1943
26:02 — Journey to Normandy
27:47 — The 99th Arrives in France
35:14 — Was Louis Cangilla in Maastricht?
36:32 — Canal Drive — September 1944
38:54 — Captain Gordon Fischer Is Killed
41:14 — How One Death Changed Dr. Minge’s Fate
45:08 — Lifelong Bonds Within the 99th
45:51 — Reunion Stories After the War
47:16 — The Men Dr. Minge Never Forgot
50:13 — Preview of Part II: The Battle of the Bulge