U.S. veteran to mark Russia's Victory Day

[United Press International]

MOSCOW, May 8 (UPI) -- The one -- and perhaps only -- man
who fought for both the Soviet Union and the United States is
looking forward to Russia's Victory Day celebrations.
Joseph Beyrle will be on hand Sunday for the Victory Day
parade on Moscow's Red Square.
Beyrle's long and unusual trip from Normandy, France, to
Nazi prisoner-of-war camps, a Soviet tank battalion, and finally
Moscow began in Muskegon, Michigan. After graduating from high
school in 1942, Beyrle decided to enlist in the army. He ended up
in the 506th Parachute Infantry, and after a year of training in
radio communications and demolition, his unit flew to Liverpool,
England, to begin preparing for an Allied invasion from the west.
After training in England for nine months, Beyrle completed
two missions into France in April and May 1944, delivering gold to
French resistance fighters.
Beyrle was part of the Normandy invasion before being taken
prisoner by the Germans. After escaping he was picked up by a Soviet
tank commander, with whose soldiers he fought the Germans.
Beyrle will be on hand Sunday for Russia's 59th anniversary
of its victory over the Nazis.