The motto of the 8th Infantry Division comes from the final days of the fight for the port of Brest. The German paratroop General Ramcke had held out in the city until the Americans had shelled the city to ruins and pushed their way past the old city walls. Ramcke evacuated his staff tot he Crozon Peninsula just to the south and prepared for a long siege in those bunker systems. By holding the Crozon he still controlled the approaches to, and the bay and port of Brest itself. 

After the main defensive line along the Crozon was broken on 15 September, the German forces pulled back to the Point Des Espaniols at the top of the Peninsula. They set up another defensive line based around a thick medieval wall that seemed impregnable. The 13th infantry Regiment was given the task of storming the wall, and on the morning of 19 September 1944 they attacked. 14 battalions of artillery were in direct support and blasted the German defenses. The Americans were across the open ground and over the wall before the German defenses had come back out of their shelters.

Ramcke knew there was no longer any hope and sent a message to the Americans under a flag of truce to surrender. On 1700 hours on 19 September 1st Lt. James M. Dunham of Company I, along with Lt. Johnnie Hendrix of Company M,  led a patrol to Racmke's command bunker 75 feet underground at the Pointe de Capucins. Dunham entered the bunker system to make sure it was the correct location and it would safe for a senior officer to follow. At 1830 hours the 8th Division Assistant Division Commander General Charles Canham, the 13th Regiment commander Colonel Robert A. Griffin, and the third battalion commander Lt. Col. Earl L. Lerette were led down the stairs by Lt. Dunham. 

According to the story Ramcke asked Canham ""I am to surrender to you. Let me see your credentials." Canham pointed to some of his infantrymen and replied "Here are my credentials." 

 
Ramcke still did not surrender immediately. He offered the American officers a drink, and said he was worried that not all of his men on the Crozon would get his message to surrender, so he asked for an American escort to bring one of his officers around to all the various emplacements to make sure there would be no misunderstandings or accidental shootings.  This made sense and was done, but Ramcke had an ulterior motive.

Around the corner from Ramcke's headquarters room was the main radio room for the complex. Behind a closed door his signals staff was hurriedly sending a report on the final days of Fortress Brest, to include his recommendations for awards to be given to his men. Ramcke was stalling for time until the message was finally sent off. Only when he received word the final dispatch was finished did he relax and formerly surrender.