I knew that he had served, but I Googled up a little more specific info...
He was among the first wave of U.S. soldiers to land at Normandy during the D-Day invasion and the only member of his Army unit to survive. He killed several Germans and was wounded in the leg. Later he was bayoneted by a young German soldier whom he killed with a rock. He was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and survived a massacre of prisoners.
In later years, he refused to discuss the military service for which he was awarded the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts.
�Too many bad memories,� he told an interviewer in 1997. �I don't want you to see me crying.� from
The LA Times, oddly enough An enemy soldier bayonets him, and he still manages to kill the guy with a rock. That's hardcore...
John
