Page 1 - September Banner 2018_Neat
P. 1

SEPTEMBER 2018     |   Vol. 23   |    Issue 9    |     Mail Run: 8,385    |     Total Print Run: 11,500

















             www.thecatoctinbanner.com     Your Good News Community Newspaper, Serving Northern Frederick County, Maryland, Since 1995     www.epluspromotes.com
            Veteran Receives Long Overdue Commendation





                James Rada, Jr.
               Harry English (pictured right) put                                                                            He didn’t even realize he had been
            his life on the line just to join the                                                                            recommended for commendation.
            U.S. Army, and because he did, many                                                          Photo by James Rada, Jr.  He said his scariest moment in
            other men survived World War II.                                                                                 the war was when he realized that
               English, a Hagerstown native,                                                                                 someone was shooting at him with a
            liked to spend his summers by                                                                                    20-mm gun. One shell flattened the
            himself on a small island in the                                                                                 spare tire on his Jeep, and shrapnel
            Potomac River.                                                                                                   raked across his knuckles.
               “All I had was a knife, a hatchet,       (right) Harry                                     (below) Harry         “I just kept thinking, ‘Man, that
            and a .22,” he said. He would take         English is shown                                    is pictured       was close,’” recalled English.
                                                       with his Bronze
            some produce from a nearby farmer’s       Star Medal in July.                                 with his Jeep         By the time the American crossed
                                                                                                          during WWII.
            farm, with the farmer’s permission,                                                                              the Rhine River in Germany, it was
            and he would fish.                                                                                               obvious the war was over, although
               When war broke out, English                                                                                   there was no official word. German
            knew it was his patriotic duty to join                                                                           soldiers were laying down their
            the military. He and a friend rode                                                                               weapons and surrendering.
            with English’s father to Baltimore                                                                                  Even after the war had ended,
            when English was only eighteen.                                                                                  English stayed on to the help with
               English went to enlist in the                                                                                 the Nuremberg Trials. He drove
            Merchant Marines. During the                                                                                     vehicles for officers and lawyers. He
            physical, the doctor had him jump                                                                                heard parts of the trials that were
            up and down. Then the doctor                                                                                     broadcasted, and he saw Hermann
            listened to his heart.                                                                                           Goering being led in for his trial.
               “He told me to lay down and lay                                                                                  Throughout the war, his heart
            still until my father came,” English                                                                       Courtesy Photo  never gave him any trouble.
            said. “He said I had a bad heart and                                                                                Once he came home, English
            excitement would kill me.”                                                                                       went on with his life. He married
               He thought that was a bunch                                                                                   and worked thirty-seven years on the
            of bunk and tried enlisting in the                                                                               railroad. After his retirement, he and
            Army, Navy, and Coast Guard. They                                                                                his wife moved to Florida, but later
            all turned him down because he                                                                                   returned because they wanted to be
            supposedly had a bad heart.                                                                                      able to watch their grandchildren
               With no other choice, English                                                                                 and great-grandchildren grow up.
            returned to school only to receive                                                                               English now lives in Sabillasville
            a draft notice in April 1944. He      told him, ‘The Army trained me, and   the soldiers who were tasked         with his granddaughter Ann Seiss
            reported to Camp Meade, thinking      the government spent a lot of money   with setting up the telephone        and her family.
            that he would just be sent home.      on me. My unit needs me. What        communications.                          Having earned it seventy-four
            Instead, he became a soldier.         difference does it make whether I die   During one battle, English         years earlier, he finally received his
               “They never said a word about      here or over there?’”                volunteered to go into enemy          Bronze Star Medal in July 2018
            my problem,” said English.              His argument was convincing,       territory with a chaplain to pick up   during a special ceremony at the
               He went through sixteen weeks      and he was sent to fight in Europe.  wounded prisoners, no matter which    Thurmont AMVETS. Maryland U.S.
            of infiltration training in South       For the next two years, he         side they fought on. He didn’t see    Rep. Jamie Raskin pinned the medal
            Carolina, and was then sent to Camp   traveled with Gen. George Patton’s   it as doing anything special, but the   on English’s sports coat.
            McCoy in Wisconsin. A doctor          Army and fought the Germans          chaplain put in for him to receive a     It was a long overdue honor for
            at the camp discovered English’s      in the Battle of Bulge, as well as   medal for his actions.                the ninety-two-year-old Veteran, and
            supposed heart condition and          other battles. He drove Jeeps and       He never received it because       one that he was able to share with
            wanted to give him a discharge. “I    cooked for his unit. He chauffeured   his unit moved around so much.       his family and fellow Veterans.

                                                                                                                                                            12
                                                                                                Community Bids Farewell to Former VHC Fire Chief            43
                                                                                          Inside  this issue  Catoctin High School 50  Anniversary          36
                                                                                                Local Film Producer Launches Documentary
                                                                Residential Customer
                                                                                                                      th
                                                                                                                                                            13
                        E D D M
                                                                                   301-447-2804
                                                                                                An Option for Health Care
                                                                                                                                                            10
                       P A I D
                                                                                   www.TheCatoctinBanner.com
                          U.S.POSTAGE
                                                                                                Western Maryland Railroad History
                                                                                   Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727
                           ECRWSS
                                                                                   515B East Main Street
                                                                                                More Fishy Pics
                                                                                                                                                            22
                            PRSRT STD
                                                                                   The Catoctin Banner Newspaper
                                                                                                                                                     … and much more
                                                   The Catoctin Banner Newspaper •
   1   2   3   4   5   6