Purple Heart to Malmady Massacre victim

[emccomas]

A recent TV show got me thinking about this....

 

Does anyone know of a named Purple Heart awarded to one of the Malmedy Massacre victims (Battle of Bulge time frame)?

 

Just wondering...

[tarbridge]

I had one which now resides in a collection.

[Dave]

I have photographed two of them for my book.

[firefighter]

A different question. Does anyone know if those soldiers received or were eligible for the POW medal, technically they were POWs before being murdered.

[emccomas]

Thanks Robert and Dave.

 

Dave, I (and many others) are anxiously awaiting the publication of your book.

[Dave]

A different question. Does anyone know if those soldiers received or were eligible for the POW medal, technically they were POWs before being murdered.

 

 

There's no reason they shouldn't have gotten the medals, albeit posthumously. However, the groups to those killed are so rare that I don't know of anyone who has actually seen a "complete" Malmedy group, and that's assuming they had a NOK who applied for the POW medal 40 years after the fact...

[unclegrumpy]

Firefighter's POW medal question was never addressed. It came out in the late 1980's, and in most cases the veteran's had to request them. They are often seen named in 1990's era reissue medal groups, because the veterans requested everything to be replaced.

 

That leads to a more pointed question, which is, how often are these medals seen for POWs that died or were killed before they were repatriated? One would think that if their families requested replacement medals, a POW medal might be included, but I have never actually seen a replacement group like that. Dave?

 

The Malmedy guys are interesting to consider, because I don't know that they were formally processed to the point of technically being considered POWs....captured yes, but prisoners maybe not. There are a number of Japanese atrocities that would fall in this category as well. Robert?

[unclegrumpy]

Always a step ahead Dave, always a step ahead

[tarbridge]

They were held against their free will by enemy forces...I would not understand why they would not fit POW status.

[unclegrumpy]

Just wondering if the Government might not have officially thought so, and it brings up an interesting question to get confirmation on.

 

The below is from the NARA POW database:

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Record Group 389
Series: Records of World War I1 Prisoners of War, 1942 – 1947

 

What information is in these records?

 

These records about U.S. military officers and soldiers and US. and some Allied civilians who were prisoners of war and internees provide serial number, personal name, branch of service or civilian status, grade, date reported, race, state of residence, type of organization, parent unit number and type, place of capture (theater of war), source of report, status, detaining power, and prisoner of war or civilian internee camp code.

 

Records of prisoners of the Japanese who died also document whether the prisoner was on a Japanese ship that sank or if he or she died during transport from the Philippine Islands to Japan.

Why were these records created?

 

The Office of the Provost Marshal General used reports from the International Committee of the Red Cross to generate monthly reports on U.S. military and civilian prisoners of war and internees, and some Allied internees.

 

Does the file contain records for all prisoners of war?

 

No. In some cases, for unknown reasons, there are no records for some prisoners of war whose names appear in the lists or cables transmitted to the Office of the Provost Marshal General by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

 

In addition, a small percentage of the original punch cards or other types of cards could not be converted to a contemporary digital format and included in the file because of the poor condition of the cards. Instead, staff have scanned the photocopies of these punch cards or other types of cards and make them available via AAD as part of the scanned technical documentation for these records.

 

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/content/aad_docs/rg389_wwii_pow_faq_revised.pdf

 

[Dave]

Here's the official definition of a POW. The amount of time spent in captivity is not specified...could be five minutes, could be five years...

 

POW. A detained person as defined in Articles 4 and 5 of the Geneva Convention (Reference (aw)) Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949. In particular, one who, while engaged in combat under orders of his or her government, is captured by the armed forces of the enemy. As such, he or she is entitled to the combatant’s privilege of immunity from the municipal law of the capturing state for warlike acts that do not amount to breaches of the law of armed conflict. For example, a prisoner of war may be, but is not limited to, any person belonging to one of the following categories who has fallen into the power of the enemy: a member of the armed forces, organized militia or volunteer corps; a person who accompanies the armed forces without actually being a member thereof; a member of a merchant marine or civilian aircraft crew not qualifying for more favorable treatment; or individuals who, on the approach of the enemy, spontaneously take up arms to resist the invading forces.

[unclegrumpy]

Thanks Dave! I read that during my quick look at the POW medal requirements, but my wheels were still turning.

 

Not being argumentative, I just started to think like one of the Government clerks might, and was thinking they would go to a list or database for confirmation. I can see where someone could then make the case if they were not on the list, but the question is, would a family member many years later do that? And would it take their Congressman to get the low level bureaucrats to comply?

 

It would be still interesting to find out if anyone has seen a POW medal to someone who was captured, and then killed before being formally processed as a POW.

[Wharfmaster]

You guys know how the Government works. No official documentation, no medal.

 

 

 

 

Wharf

[GIKyle]

I think with Malmedy being so well documented it would not be too much trouble for those vets to prove qualification. I would not doubt that other vets who may have been held briefly before escape during a fluid invasion may have a tougher time proving eligibility.

 

For reference, a friend of mine was captured in Iraq and held alive for perhaps one hour before he was executed. He was posthumously awarded the POW medal. The action was documented, but goes to show the time captured does not matter.

 

Kyle

[warpath]

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/MalmedyMassacre.html

U.S. Army Personnel Killed in the Malmedy Massacre at Baugnez Crossroads, Belgium, 17 December 1944

Table of Contents

U.S. Army Personnel Killed in the Malmédy Massacre
at Baugnez Crossroads, Belgium, 17 December 1944

Medical Department Personnel:

Killed in Action (7):

200th Field Artillery Battalion:

Pfc. Elmer W. Wald
Medic

546th Ambulance Company (Motor)

Company Headquarters, one-half of the 2d Platoon (5 ambulances), & the 10 ambulances of the 3d Platoon were located in Waimes, Belgium, assigned to the 180th Medical Battalion, 134th Medical Group, V Corps, as a reserve and supporting medical evacuation from 1st Hospitalization Unit, 47th Field Hospital, at Waimes and via Belgian Route N32 through Waimes from the clearing station of the 99th Infantry Division, V Corps, at Nidrum, Belgium, to the 44th and 67th Evacuation Hospitals in Malmédy, Belgium.

The ambulances of both the 546th and 575th Ambulance Companies were headed east on Belgian Route N32 from Malmédy to Waimes when they were captured at Baugnez crossroads by the elements of the Kampfgruppe Peiper, 1st SS Panzer Division, Liebstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler.

Pvt. Keston E. Mullen
Ambulance orderly

Tec 5 Dayton E. Wusterbarth
Driver

575th Ambulance Company (Motor)

Company headquarters and the 3 platoons were assigned to the 180th Medical Battalion, 134th Medical Group, V Corps, located in Waimes, Belgium: 1st Platoon was supporting the clearing station of the 2d Infantry Division, V Corps, at Camp Elsenborn, Belgium; the 2d Platoon was evacuating the 1st Hospitalization Unit, 47th Field Hospital at Waimes; and the 3d Platoon was supporting the 99th Infantry Division’s clearing station at Nidrum. Ambulances of the 575th Ambulance Company used the same evacuation route as those of the 546th Ambulance Company from the front to the evacuation hospitals in Malmédy.

Pfc. L. M. Burney
Driver with Pvt. Anderson

1st Lt. Carl R. Genthner, Medical Administrative Corps (MAC)
Commander, 3d Platoon
Riding with Pfc. Paden

Pfc. Paul “Pappy” Paden
Driver of ambulance with 1st Lt. Genthner

Pvt. Wayne L. Scott
With Pvt. Dobyns

Other U.S. Army Personnel Killed in Action (75):

Battery B, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion

Pvt. Donald L. Bloom

Tec 5 Carl H. Blouch

Tec 5 Charles R. Breon

Cpl. Joseph A. Brozowski

Tec 5 Samuel P. Burkett

Tec 5 Paul R. Carr

Pfc. Homer S. Carson

Pfc. Frederick Clark

Pvt. James H. Coates

Pvt. John H. Cobbler

Tec 5 Robert Cohen

Tec 5 John D. Collier

Pfc. Warren Davis

T/Sgt Paul G. Davidson

Pfc. Howard C. Desch

Pvt. William J. Dunbar

Cpl. Carl B. Fitt

Pfc. Donald P. Flack

Sgt. Walter A. Franz

Pfc. Carl B. Frey

S/Sgt. Donald E. Geisler

2d Lt. Solomon S. Goffman

Tec 5 Charles F. Haines

Pfc. Charles E. Hall

Pvt. Samuel A. Hallman

Tec 4 Sylvester Herchelroth

Tec 4 Wilson M. Jones

Tec 4 Oscar Jordan

Sgt. Alfred W. Kinsman

Tec 5 Howard W. Laufer

Tec 5 Alexander Lengyel, Jr.

Cpl. Raymond E. Lester

Tec 4 Selmer H. Leu

Tec 4 Alan M. Lucas

Tec 5 James E. Luers

Cpl. Lawrence Martin

Tec 5 Robert McKinney

Sgt. Halsey J. Miller

Cpl. William H. Moore

1st Lt. John S. Munzinger

Pfc. David M. Murray

Cpl. David T. O’Grady

Pfc. Thomas W. Oliver

S/Sgt. John D. Osborne

Pvt. Walter J. Perkowski

Pvt. Peter R. Phillips

Pvt. Stanley F. Piasecki

Pvt. Gilbert R. Pittman

1st Lt. Perry L. Reardon

Tec 5 George R. Rosenfeld

Cpl. Carl H. Rullman

Tec 4 John M. Rupp

Pvt. Oscar Saylor

Tec 5 Max Schwitzgold

Tec 4 Irwin M. Sheetz

Tec 5 John H. Shingler

Sgt. Robert J. Snyder

Sgt. Alphonse J. Stabulis

Tec 4 George H. Steffy

Pfc. Carl M. Stevens

Tec 5 Luke S. Swartz

Pvt. Elwood E. Thomas

Pvt. Louis A. Vairo

Pfc. Richard B. Walker

Tec 4 Thomas F. Watt

Tec 5 Vester H. Wiles

Headquarters Battery, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion

Cpl. Ralph J. Indelicato

Capt. Roger L. Mills

T/Sgt. William T. McGovern

200th Field Artillery Battalion

Sgt. Benjamin Lindt

Reconnaissance Company, 32d Armored Regiment

2d Lt. Lloyd A. Iames

Pfc. John Klukavy

1st Lt. Thomas E. McDermott

Tec 3 James G. McGee

86th Engineer Battalion (Heavy Ponton)

Pfc. John J. Clymire

Medical Department Personnel who escaped (4):

575th Ambulance Company (Motor):

Pvt. Roy B. Anderson
With Pfc. Burney
Wounded in foot
Died 1983

Pvt. Samuel Dobyns
With Pvt. Scott
Wounded in arm and ankle
Died 1983

Pfc. Stephen J. Domitrovich
Assistant driver with McKinney
Not wounded

Pfc. James M. ”Monk” McKinney
Driver with Pfc. Domitrovich
Not wounded
Died 1978

For additional information on the Malmédy Massacre and the U.S. Army personnel involved in it, see John M. Bauserman, The Malmédy Massacre (Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Books, 1995).

[firefighter]

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/MalmedyMassacre.html

 

U.S. Army Personnel Killed in the Malmedy Massacre at Baugnez Crossroads, Belgium, 17 December 1944

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

U.S. Army Personnel Killed in the Malmédy Massacre

at Baugnez Crossroads, Belgium, 17 December 1944

Medical Department Personnel:

Killed in Action (7):

200th Field Artillery Battalion:

Pfc. Elmer W. Wald

Medic

546th Ambulance Company (Motor)

Company Headquarters, one-half of the 2d Platoon (5 ambulances), & the 10 ambulances of the 3d Platoon were located in Waimes, Belgium, assigned to the 180th Medical Battalion, 134th Medical Group, V Corps, as a reserve and supporting medical evacuation from 1st Hospitalization Unit, 47th Field Hospital, at Waimes and via Belgian Route N32 through Waimes from the clearing station of the 99th Infantry Division, V Corps, at Nidrum, Belgium, to the 44th and 67th Evacuation Hospitals in Malmédy, Belgium.

The ambulances of both the 546th and 575th Ambulance Companies were headed east on Belgian Route N32 from Malmédy to Waimes when they were captured at Baugnez crossroads by the elements of the Kampfgruppe Peiper, 1st SS Panzer Division, Liebstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler.

Pvt. Keston E. Mullen

Ambulance orderly

Tec 5 Dayton E. Wusterbarth

Driver

575th Ambulance Company (Motor)

Company headquarters and the 3 platoons were assigned to the 180th Medical Battalion, 134th Medical Group, V Corps, located in Waimes, Belgium: 1st Platoon was supporting the clearing station of the 2d Infantry Division, V Corps, at Camp Elsenborn, Belgium; the 2d Platoon was evacuating the 1st Hospitalization Unit, 47th Field Hospital at Waimes; and the 3d Platoon was supporting the 99th Infantry Division’s clearing station at Nidrum. Ambulances of the 575th Ambulance Company used the same evacuation route as those of the 546th Ambulance Company from the front to the evacuation hospitals in Malmédy.

Pfc. L. M. Burney

Driver with Pvt. Anderson

1st Lt. Carl R. Genthner, Medical Administrative Corps (MAC)

Commander, 3d Platoon

Riding with Pfc. Paden

Pfc. Paul “Pappy” Paden

Driver of ambulance with 1st Lt. Genthner

Pvt. Wayne L. Scott

With Pvt. Dobyns

Other U.S. Army Personnel Killed in Action (75):

Battery B, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion

Pvt. Donald L. Bloom

Tec 5 Carl H. Blouch

Tec 5 Charles R. Breon

Cpl. Joseph A. Brozowski

Tec 5 Samuel P. Burkett

Tec 5 Paul R. Carr

Pfc. Homer S. Carson

Pfc. Frederick Clark

Pvt. James H. Coates

Pvt. John H. Cobbler

Tec 5 Robert Cohen

Tec 5 John D. Collier

Pfc. Warren Davis

T/Sgt Paul G. Davidson

Pfc. Howard C. Desch

Pvt. William J. Dunbar

Cpl. Carl B. Fitt

Pfc. Donald P. Flack

Sgt. Walter A. Franz

Pfc. Carl B. Frey

S/Sgt. Donald E. Geisler

2d Lt. Solomon S. Goffman

Tec 5 Charles F. Haines

Pfc. Charles E. Hall

Pvt. Samuel A. Hallman

Tec 4 Sylvester Herchelroth

Tec 4 Wilson M. Jones

Tec 4 Oscar Jordan

Sgt. Alfred W. Kinsman

Tec 5 Howard W. Laufer

Tec 5 Alexander Lengyel, Jr.

Cpl. Raymond E. Lester

Tec 4 Selmer H. Leu

Tec 4 Alan M. Lucas

Tec 5 James E. Luers

Cpl. Lawrence Martin

Tec 5 Robert McKinney

Sgt. Halsey J. Miller

Cpl. William H. Moore

1st Lt. John S. Munzinger

Pfc. David M. Murray

Cpl. David T. O’Grady

Pfc. Thomas W. Oliver

S/Sgt. John D. Osborne

Pvt. Walter J. Perkowski

Pvt. Peter R. Phillips

Pvt. Stanley F. Piasecki

Pvt. Gilbert R. Pittman

1st Lt. Perry L. Reardon

Tec 5 George R. Rosenfeld

Cpl. Carl H. Rullman

Tec 4 John M. Rupp

Pvt. Oscar Saylor

Tec 5 Max Schwitzgold

Tec 4 Irwin M. Sheetz

Tec 5 John H. Shingler

Sgt. Robert J. Snyder

Sgt. Alphonse J. Stabulis

Tec 4 George H. Steffy

Pfc. Carl M. Stevens

Tec 5 Luke S. Swartz

Pvt. Elwood E. Thomas

Pvt. Louis A. Vairo

Pfc. Richard B. Walker

Tec 4 Thomas F. Watt

Tec 5 Vester H. Wiles

Headquarters Battery, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion

Cpl. Ralph J. Indelicato

Capt. Roger L. Mills

T/Sgt. William T. McGovern

200th Field Artillery Battalion

Sgt. Benjamin Lindt

Reconnaissance Company, 32d Armored Regiment

2d Lt. Lloyd A. Iames

Pfc. John Klukavy

1st Lt. Thomas E. McDermott

Tec 3 James G. McGee

86th Engineer Battalion (Heavy Ponton)

Pfc. John J. Clymire

Medical Department Personnel who escaped (4):

575th Ambulance Company (Motor):

Pvt. Roy B. Anderson

With Pfc. Burney

Wounded in foot

Died 1983

Pvt. Samuel Dobyns

With Pvt. Scott

Wounded in arm and ankle

Died 1983

Pfc. Stephen J. Domitrovich

Assistant driver with McKinney

Not wounded

Pfc. James M. ”Monk” McKinney

Driver with Pfc. Domitrovich

Not wounded

Died 1978

For additional information on the Malmédy Massacre and the U.S. Army personnel involved in it, see John M. Bauserman, The Malmédy Massacre (Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Books, 1995).

INTERESTING. I was always under the impression that only a couple of FA units were involved.I never knew there were ambulance units involved. Had a friend that escaped from being gunned down by the SS. I tried getting information but he never really talked about it.I did talk him into applying for the POW medal, which he did receive.I don’t think it was MELLMEDY.