[Jims5543]

George had a fairly high respect for the German soldier, but there were beginning to be rumors of German atrocities against Americans, which turned out to be true. As the Americans advanced on German villages, the Americans’ supply of tank crews began to run out, because so many had been killed. At that time General Patton authorized the use of Black tank crews, which had formally not been used in combat, but only for backup. It was believed that the Black soldiers would not fare well in combat. Patton gave a stirring speech to the Black tankers, telling them how he had fought for their right to enter combat, and he knew they would make him proud (Actually, Patton, up until he ran out of White takers, did not want the Blacks in combat).

In any event, as the infantry units would approach a town, they would wait for the tank crews to come up and lead the way into the town (virtually blasting buildings, etc., out of their path). There has been a lot of controversy in recent years among Black Veterans, who say the major contribution was largely covered up but World War II historians. George always said he thought it was covered up, because he was an eye witness to these advancing Black tank crews, but in World War II history accounts, he never saw any reference to these units. I never did either, and I’ve read a lot about the war.

George said as the Black troops would pass the waiting infantry, they would banter back and for the, with the Black troops yelling, “You White boys just sit there where it’s safe, and wait until we chase those Germans away”. On one very quiet Sunday, when George was off duty, his boss came in a said, “We need all the truck you can get together, were going into a “Detention Camp” that was just liberated from the Germans”.

The said some of the prisoners were sick. George got about 30 trucks together and they went into what turned out to be a “Concentration Camp”. When they got to the gates they were met by British doctors, who told them what they were about to see was the most terrible site they had probably ever seen. They were instructed not to feed any of the survivors, because they were in such back shape, that even a little food could kill them.

George never told me what he saw, but he said it was the most horrifying part of the war for him, and he wished he hadn’t been around that Sunday. He was always outraged at the Neo Nazi groups and Ku Klux Klan, in the United States, that said “there was no such things as these camps and they were fabricated by politicians to gain support for the new state of Israel”.

After that, the war continued, and the 9th hooked up with the Russians, who had fought Germany from the East. George told many stories of transporting German prisoners back from their surrendering points. He said they were mostly polite, tired, and a little hungry, but really appreciated American cigarettes. One day, they were bringing an S.S. soldier back. The S.S. were the fanatical concentration camps administration, who were Hitler’s “Elite Corps”. The truck had to stop because of some obstacle in the road. George and his buddy got out of the truck and asked the prisoners to get out and help move the obstacle. The S.S. soldier would not get out, and said something in German about being an officer. When the S.S. man saw George’s buddy, he was wearing a Star of David chain around his neck, much like the Miraculous Medals of Mary, that Americans used to wear. The S.S. man, seeing the medal, spit in the American’s face.

Soon after, Germany surrendered on May 6, 1945.

Today, you would think that soldiers like George, who had been in combat since 1942, and in the army since 1941, would immediately be sent home. Instead, the units of the 9th and their leaders, General Patton and others, were preparing to leave for the Pacific and the Japanese home islands. In July, 1945, these units were actually moving toward Japan.

Experts said a million Americans would be killed or wounded in the landing and conquest of Japan, and probably two to three times that number of Japanese would be killed or wounded.

Then the Atomic Bomb was dropped in early August, 1945 on Hiroshima, killing 100,000 people. Two days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing 70,000 people. Miraculously, the war had be brought to an immediate end. The Japanese announced they would surrender, and did surrender in early September, 1945.

George had enough “point” to fly home, instead of taking a ship. He was home by early August 1945, and discharged in September, 1945, I believe. In the service, he had achieved the rand of Warrant Officer, and was decorated in Germany (Bronze Star).

George came home, and went to work on his car, which had sat in the garage for 5 years. (A 1936 Plymouth) I took the battery in my wagon down the street to the gas station to get it charged. George went back to work in Hoffman’s in Orangeburgh, then went to work in Stillman & Hoag, a Buick dealer in Englewood, New Jersey. He married his childhood sweetheart, Rita in April or May of 1946. They were a beautiful and handsome couple. He went to work for Inskip Motors in New York City, where Rits and George had their first apartment. Susan was born, and I think it was then, that they moved to Long Island. Then James, Tommy, and Lorraine were born.
They had a nice house in Long Island, and at some point George and a co-worker (Larry Mahoney) bought the business they worked in. It became known as “Adams and Mahoney”. The business prospered, and George made some good money. The business was on E78th Street in New York City, and they specialized in British Sports Cars. Their clientele was fairly affluent, but George always said the cars were no good. I don’t think he ever owned anything but American cars. He drove his 1936 Plymouth well into the ‘50’s. His kids grew; Susan was his princess, James, his athlete and Tommy, his mechanic. Lorraine, his youngest, went to work in Morgan Stanley in New York City. He was very happy and proud of his kids and grandkids. I remember going to picnics out in Long Island, 1st Communions, Confirmations, Weddings, etc. We always had a good time.

I didn’t see George as much as I’d like to, but we always kept in touch. When he retired, he and Rita moved further out on the Island to Islip, I think, and then to Ridge. They did some traveling after George retired, and I know they enjoyed that. When Rita got sick, George took care of her for as long as he could as home, and when the sad time came for her to go into a nursing home, he visited her everyday, and was with her until the very end, when his own failing health resulted in his death in May of 2001.

He was buried in a beautiful mass and James, his oldest son, gave a beautiful eulogy, describing George as the simple, good-natured, loving father and husband that he was. He was buried in the very moving military ceremony in Calverton Veterans Cemetery in Long Island. James received the folded flag from the Military Honor Guard, who delivered in on behalf of the President of the United States. He said the President sent his “Thanks” to George’s family on behalf of a grateful nation.

I have always been interested in George’s Army career, because he played such an important part in one of the major historical periods of all time. If we had not fought and won the war, I think the world would be a much frightfully different place today. If any of you who read this have other facts or write other things about George, I would appreciate a copy to go with the material I have already put together. If I were to write a eulogy for George I would say, Tom Brokaw of CNN has written a book called Greatest Generation, a book about the men and women who fought in the Second World War, and the debt of gratitude we owe them all. George was typical. They were a generation who served. For the most part, they were brought up poor during the Great Depression of the 1930’s.

They had to work hard to help families and any luxuries that kids have, they, for the most part, had to get themselves out of their own money. They didn’t ask, or expect, much, and didn’t get much.
When war came, they went willingly to help because they were needed. They knew they cause was right, and the enemy was clearly identified, and was clearly bad.

They gave up many years to fight for their country, went through untold hardships and were wounded, maimed, and killed. When the war finally ended, they came home to a grateful nation, but they didn’t ask for any special treatment and really didn’t get much special treatment, other than what was the sincere thanks of their country.

They got jobs, worked hard up through the ranks, and some, like George, achieved economic success and could make their families comfortable. George served his country, his customers, and his family. He never bragged. He didn’t think he had anything to brag about. One exception, he bragged about his wonderful kids and their achievements and his wonderful wife, Rita.

When Rita got sick, he was disappointed. He wanted more time to do fun things with her, but he took up the burden of her illness, even though his own health failed, and made her as comfortable as he could, for as long as he could. He served until the end. He was truly one of the “greatest generation”, in fact, the was in the category of the greatest of the great generation. I am proud he was my uncle/brother, my godfather, and proud to have been named after him. I was called “Little George”.