My father T/Sgt. Raymond Heilman. We live in the USA in the State of Pennsylvania. For many years, a couple centuries, Germans were the largest population group in our state. Many did not learn English until attending school for our grandparents. In WWII many German/Americans fought in Europe against Germans who often had the same names and cultural roots.

My father fought in the Pacific in the Army Air Corp and even there many of his Squadron were of German/American Heritage.

My father T/Sgt. Raymond Heilman

my grandfather and hero. he was the recipiant of many medals including the bronze star and two purple hearts

my grandpa

My father, Cpl. Ambrose &quot;Hank&quot; McDonald of Tremont, Pennsylvania - Medic in the 322nd Field Artillery Bn.  of the 83rd Infantry - THE THUNDERBOLTS.  This picture was taken someplace in Belgium, probably the end of 1944 or the beginning of 1945. My dad earned the Bronze Star for going into a mine field in the Hurtgen Forest on Dec. 18, 1944, TWICE,  to rescue and aid each of the 2 badly injured soldiers who had crossed into a  mined field at night,  as the soldiers had fled for cover into in the darkness, while the Nazis were scrafing overhead.  The first soldier who stepped on the mine had his boot blown off and he wound up losing most of his leg. When the boot flew up in the air, the force of it HIT the other soldier so HARD in the face that it deeply DISFIGURED the one side of it. My father drove bother soldiers in his jeep to the field hospital. A month before my father's death, my son did a report where he interviewed my dad. My dad talked about the incident in the mine field and he remarked how he never knew what happened to these two soldiers, like it must have preyed upon his mind... I joined my father's group - the 83rd, as a Descendant Member and just this past April, doing a search on Google about his battalion, I accidentally FOUND a 10 yr. old query on the 83rds bulletin board the SON of the SOLDIER whose FACE was disfigured, who my dad BROUGHT OUT OF THE MINE FIELD, had place....it was AMAZING that after 10 yrs. it was STILL on their BULLETIN BOARD yet !  I took a chance and wrote to the email provided, even though after all that time it could have been no good, but it worked. He had been in contact with the other man, who had lost his part of his leg. The son had told me how his father passed away  some 10 yrs. ago. Mine a little longer than that. The OTHER gentleman is STILL alive ! I couldn't believe it. I spoke to him on the phone and have shared emails with him.  If only my father was alive to know that both soldiers have OUTLIVED him! lol.  Kinda funny when you think about it.