Seventeen year old Walter Ehlers was eager to enlist alongside his brother Roland following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He got his mom's approval only after vowing to serve as a "faithful Christian warrior."
The brothers enlisted in the 1st Infantry Division—the renowned Big Red One—and battled side by side in North Africa and Sicily, though they parted ways prior to D-Day. Heartbreakingly, Roland perished on Omaha Beach, news that reached Walter several weeks afterward.
On June 9, 1944, close to Goville, France, Staff Sergeant Ehlers commanded his unit against Nazi troops. Amid heavy gunfire, he single-handedly neutralized machine-gun positions, eliminated an enemy scouting group, and wiped out mortar crews, yelling, “Press on, soldiers!”
The following day, hit by shrapnel from a mortar, he shielded his platoon's retreat, hauled a buddy to cover, and risked danger to recover a firearm. Declining medical transport, he kept directing his team.
Injured once more at Saint-Lo and within the Hürtgen Forest, Ehlers discovered he'd earned the Medal of Honor while on a train heading back to his group. Following a short stateside break, he rejoined the fray in the Rhine Valley during 1945, enduring yet another injury.
Following three grueling years in battle, Walter came back home, assuring his mother he'd served with integrity for his faith.
Walter D. Ehlers reached 92 years old.
May God watch over this genuine American legend forever 🙏🏼🇺🇲🎖❤️🪖
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