GRH Five-O-Deuce (502nd PIR 101st Airborne Division)

As the Russian troops drew closer the battle sounds became louder and louder, one evening finally reaching the camp and blistering the guard towers with machine gun fire. We saw guards desert their posts and run. The morning after, with the camp void of Germans I was able to enter the Russian compound. In the compound those who were physically able were preparing to join their comrades in the battle for Berlin. The invading Russian army had supplied numerous weapons of German and Russian make to the prisoner's, apparently confiscated during their advance. After spending a few hours in the Russian compound I returned to my barracks. The next morning I approached the Russian tanks at the main gate where I received food and hand shakes from the Russian soldiers. It was there that I met a Russian prisoner named Mishka, who spoke German, as did I, which enabled us to communicate. I volunteered to join them in the fight against the Germans. They supplied me with captured enemy equipment, I picked out a German sniper rifle and scope and he picked out a Russian model.(...) Several times we caught enemy troops in a crossfire as they attempted to get from one wooded area to the other.(...) After meeting two other American POWs who had joined the Russians, I decided that my fighting days should come to an end.

On November 10, 1942 at St. Cloud, North Africa I was able to save four others and myself from certain death when an enemy hand grenade was lobbed into our midst. I picked up the active grenade and tossed it through a nearby basement window where it exploded, wiping out the enemy position. For this incident, Sergeant Jones and Lt Howard Maconchi of Company B, 18th Infantry informed me that they were recommending me for the Silver Star. That information was confirmed in person by Major [5] Stockton while I was on guard duty about a week or two later. I never received the Silver Star.