Medal Of Honor Battle Of The Bulge
Coleman John
A party of dignitaries unveiled a plaque Dec. 11 in honor of two Belgian nurses in particular, Rene Lemaire and Augusta Chiwy, who delivered aid and comfort to U.S. military service members during that harsh, more-than-monthlong winter battle.
The German army launched a counteroffensive against the Allied forces in December 1944 in the Ardennes Forest in southeastern Belgium, seeking to split and drive them out. Both Lemaire and Chiwy volunteered at the first aid station of the U.S. 20th Armored Infantry Battalion, 10th Armored Division.
Chiwy, who was in an adjacent building, survived the blast and continued treating the wounded. She built a career in nursing after the war, and her role in the battle went largely unrecognized until late in her life. She was appointed as a Knight of the Order of the Crown and was presented a medal on behalf of the King of Belgium. Chiwy died in 2015.
During the commemorative event at Bastogne Dec. 11, the party unveiled the plaque honoring the two nurses. U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Ronald Gidwitz gave flowers to Cindy Cobraiville, who represented all Belgian nurses working during the pandemic. Police Commissioner Andr Mathieu, representing the Ardennes police zone, gave flowers to the commander of the SHAPE and Brussels health care facilities, Col. Kathy Spangler, who represented the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
Although there were no public events due to COVID-19 preventive restrictions, the Bastogne organizers still felt it important to show their everlasting gratitude and to honor the many soldiers who endured so much in their town in 1944 and 1945 to save Belgium, Europe and the world.
The current global health crisis and the globe-encompassing nature of World War II also held resonance with Spangler. SHAPE Healthcare Facility has the distinction of being the only internationally operated medical facility in the Department of Defense.
Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) recently introduced H.R.7835 to authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Eric Fisher Wood, Jr. for acts of valor during the Battle of the Bulge. Lt. Wood, a Bedford County resident, was killed in action in January 1945, shortly after this pivotal battle.
Lt. Wood's body was discovered in the woods surrounded by seven dead German soldiers. It is believed that he singlehandedly killed the seven Nazis before succumbing to his fatal wounds. Lt. Wood and the group he led are credited with killing more than 200 Nazi soldiers during World War II.
"Lt. Eric Fisher Wood Jr. was an American hero, and it is my privilege to recognize his extraordinary service and sacrifice for our nation," said Congressman Joyce. "His gallant actions undoubtably saved American lives and aided the war effort. On the Western Front, Lt. Wood gave his last full measure of devotion to defend our liberty and American values."
"The Medal of Honor is the highest military award for valor that Congress can bestow, preserving our heroes' selfless and exemplary stories so that generations of Americans will understand the true cost of our freedom. By awarding Lt. Wood the Medal of Honor, we can ensure that this outstanding Pennsylvanian is remembered and honored for years to come," continued Congressman Joyce.
After growing up in Bedford, Lt. Wood attended Valley Forge Military Academy and graduated as valedictorian of his class. He earned a degree from Princeton and served in Pennsylvania National Guard's Artillery Reserve before being called to active duty. He and his wife Margaret had two children, Pam and Eric Fisher Wood III, who was born after his father was killed in action.
"The loss of a father, I never met, has been a constant in my life. The loss of a father to a war of great purpose and meaning gives me some sense of peace. Every time my father is honored, I feel a little closer to him," he wrote. "During these moments, I remind myself that his life had true meaning. He went above and beyond the call of duty at a difficult time in the history of our nation. He went to battle to help the vulnerable citizens of the world overcome atrocities that many will never even fathom of seeing or experiencing?There is no sacrifice that matters more than the sacrifice of one's life."
"On behalf of the entire Wood family, I would like to extend my deep appreciation to Congressman Joyce for offering legislation to recognize my father's actions during the Battle of the Bulge. I also want to thank the veterans of the 106th Infantry Division, living and passed, and the Valley Forge Military Academy community for helping to keep the memory of my father alive by remembering his lionheartedness. We are truly humbled by the abundance of goodwill and support you have all shown us. Thank you for giving my father the recognition and honor he so deserves," Eric Fisher Wood III continued.
Colonel Stuart Helgeson, United States Marine Corps Reserves (Ret.), serves as President of the Valley Forge Military Academy and College. He offered this reflection on Congressman Joyce's efforts to award Lt. Wood the Medal of Honor:
"On behalf of the Valley Forge Military Academy and College, the Military College of Pennsylvania, and our corps of cadets, dedicated alumni, faculty, and community, I want to extend our deep appreciation to Congressman Joyce for offering this legislation to honor one of our nation's fallen heroes, LT. Eric Fisher Wood, Jr., Valley Forge Class of 1937," wrote Col Helgeson. "The Battle of the Bulge was Germany's final counter-offensive to try to turn the course of the war. Our campus is the home to the battle's American monument."
"Cut-off and surrounded behind enemy lines, Lt. Wood mounted his own personal guerilla war over the course of several weeks against the Wehrmacht, frustrating and slowing the German advance, and helping prevent American forces from being overrun. Unfortunately, Lt. Wood did not survive the battle but his actions and heroism contributed immensely to the American victory in the pivotal battle," continued Col Helgeson. "I'd like to recognize the initiative of one of our cadets, Max Ayres Aronson '21, for spearheading this effort, along with Hugh Roberts '56 and Art Lambert '60 for their decades-long research and advocacy to bestow this past-due honor to one of our school's greatest heroes. Thank you, Congressman Joyce."
Recommendations for the Medal of Honor must be thoroughly researched. Under law, the recommendation must be submitted within three years of the valorous act and the medal must be presented within 5 years. Any submissions outside of this timeline require an Act of Congress. Congressman Joyce introduced H.R. 7835 to begin the process of awarding Lt. Wood the Medal of Honor.
Long before the superhero Black Panther made his debut on the silver screen in 2014 alongside the first Avenger, the original Black Panthers were unleashed in the European Theater of WWII in 1944. The African American 761st Tank Battalion, better known as the Black Panthers, arrived in Normandy, France in October 1944 and entered combat shorty after their landing. They would endure a record 183 straight days in combat and would liberate 30 towns on their crusade into Germany. Before they became the first African American tankers in the U.S. Army to see combat though, their quest began back home in the deep south where some of their first battles were with white comrades and civilians who were reluctant to accept them as equals.
The 761st was formed in early 1942 in Louisiana. The battalion was eventually moved to Camp Hood, Texas, where they would train for over two years. The men trained in M4 Sherman medium tanks and the M5 Stuart light tank. Although their extended training was more so the result of Army commanders not willing to give African Americans the chance to prove their worth in combat, the extra training would prove invaluable when they engaged German armor in combat. Once on the battlefields of Europe, the 761st set out to prove they were just as good, if not better, than their white comrades.
Upon arriving in Normandy, France in late 1944, the 761st was assigned to Patton's Third Army. Patton, himself a skeptic of African American tankers in combat, would wind up welcoming the 761st into his Third Army and motivated them with a rousing speech right before they set out to engage German forces. As they fought their way into Germany, the 761st would participate in four major campaigns through six countries, all the while earning several battlefield commendations and honors. From the time they entered combat until the end of the war in Europe, the men of the 761st received seven Silver Stars, 246 Purple Hearts and 1 Congressional Medal of Honor. The battalion would play a major role in the infamous Battle of the Bulge as they successfully countered the German's last-ditch offensive. The 761st helped break out and rescue the encircled American army in the town of Bastogne.
By the end of April 1945, the 761st would be one of the first U.S. battalions to meet up with Soviet forces. On April 26th, 1945, the 761st rendezvoused with the Red Army in Steyr, Austria. The convergence of the Russian and U.S. armies split the final remnants of the German army in two, hastening an end to World War II in Europe.
VE day (Victory Europe) on Tuesday, May 8th, 1945 officially ended hostilities in Europe. The 761st would remain in Germany for another year before being deactivated on June 1st, 1946 and sent home. Although these Black American heroes fought just as courageously as their white comrades, their homecoming receptions were not the same parades filled with streaming ticker tape and grateful open arms. More often than not, returning African American soldiers were greeted with renewed skepticism, disdain and even overt hostility. It would be another three years until the U.S. armed forces began to integrate when then-President Harry S. Truman signed executive order 9981 on July 26th, 1948.