Screenshot 2025-05-03 at 22.29.32.png
 “John Cipolla   101st Airborne Division    May 4th 1945   Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest”
 The flag visible above the Eagle’s Nest, dated May 1945. Note the paratroopers exploring the building and grounds.
 Dated May 1945, showing a 9x5ft. ‘storm’ flag - matching the dimensions of the flag taken by John Cipolla of 501 PIR, 101st Airborne Division. 
 Another photo of the same flag, taken around the same time
 Wartime photo of Mr Cipolla
 Here you can see the flagpole, with the flag already removed. Veteran in the photo is unknown. Date is probably May/June 1945.
 In this photo, dated May 25 1945, the flag has clearly been taken down and removed. Photo credit: Third Reich in Ruins
JC.jpg
 At the Eagle’s Nest, an officer chewed him out for putting his feet up on “Hitler’s desk”
 Mr Cipolla is front row, far left, wearing the baseball cap
 Mr Cipolla’s jump boots
Tags.jpg
 John Cipolla, C Company 501st PIR, 101st Airborne Division
 Mr Cipolla with a photograph he took from Hitler’s home
JC3.jpg
 Cipolla was known to be something of an accumulator himself – and preserved a collection of his own souvenirs and artefacts at his home in Rochester NY. It’s easy to imagine him at the Eagle’s Nest in May 1945 spying the hoisted flag and wanting to
prev / next