My Great Uncle Willie landed in the first wave at Utah Beach as part of the 22nd Regiment, 4th ID, June 6th, 1944. Being fluent in German, he was assigned to HQ platoon, I Company. During the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, he volunteered to his CO to walk out past the line and talk a group of about 35 Germans into surrendering, an act for which he was awarded the Silver Star. A week later he was caught in the open by an 88 barrage, took a piece of shrapnel in his thigh, and the war ended for him. He just turned 99, and 72 years after that 88 got him, he is still absolutely as sharp as a tack.
