...has passed from this world. It is with the heaviest of hearts that I return to this bbs to post this regarding the passing of a dear friend. Walter J. Gruzas - AKA - "Vilkas". If you knew him you loved him and if you knew his story you were in awe of him. What the man brought to this game and to those who knew him was priceless. From singing the mighty JG11 into battle in German to telling us lucky few the tales of his harrowing experiences as a young man growing up in German occupied Lithuania.
As the CO of the 11th for many years I could not have asked for a more valued and loved member of the unit. He was like a Father to all of us and an anchor that kept the unit dedicated to our cause back in the day.
I could go on forever about the man and his story but for me the grief is too near still. I believe, I may know more about his wartime experiences than any other as we spent many hours just sitting in our pits talking about the past when he finally opened up to me after several years. Perhaps at some point I will commit this tale to ink and paper but for now please join me in just celebrating the man and his life and giving thanks for the time we did have with him.
Blue skies and fair winds my friend. All my love.
Walter J. Gruzas
1930 - 2020.
