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Wednesday 17 April 2019

Army WWII POW Battle Of The Bulge

By Carol Bennett


When it comes to World War Two, most people have read or studied Hitler and the Holocaust in Germany. What many are unaware of is that there were over 350 active GIs taken hostage and held prisoner over the course of the war. One of the most well known of these is an Army WWII POW Battle Of The Bulge.

During the battle for the Belgian city of Bastogone, Bob would endure combat, captivity and slave labor before being liberated from the POW camp at the end of the war. The young GI, while sustaining minimal injuries compared to a number of other soldiers, came home fifty pounds lighter than when first joining the armed forces. At which time, Bob began a public speaking career about experiences including time as a POW which occurred during the war, inspiring future soldiers yet unborn.

Bob Max's story began in 1922 on the East Coast in the seaport state of New Jersey. Born in Newark and raised in Newark and South Orange, Bob won several medals for sprinting. In addition, as a teenager, Bob played in different teenage football leagues, often against local high school teams.

When World War II came to America, Bob enlisted in the Army. On October 26, 1942, the young soldier was placed in what has become known as the Super Sixth Armored Division under Major General Robert Grow. While under the command of Grow, the division fought under General Patton's command while in Lorraine, Brittany and Normandy.

Upon the launch of the Battle of the Bulge by the Germans on December 16, 1944, the Super Sixth was pulled from an attack on Saar and turned 90 degrees northward to fight in the Belgian town of Bastogone. While the 4th Armored Infantry had relieved a number of areas of the town, there was more fighting left to be done before the town could be secured. As such, the 6th and 9th Armored Infantry moved in to take over at the beginning of 1945 and finished what had already been a long and exhausting fight.

After several months had passed, Bob would become a POW at the hands of the German soldiers with over 350 other GIs. The story of Bob's capture is a long one. As such, it is something the elder Bob Max will never forget. For, when attempting an escape only to see German soldiers in black hoods with assault rifles, a shack where other American troops were attempting to hide and flaming tanks, how could anyone whom survived ever forget such things.

Like so many others, Bob attempted to talk with the German soldiers. When the German asked, why the Americans were fighting in the war, Bob explained it had become an American war. Then, the German soldier reached into his pants for what Bob thought was a gun, only to pull out a wallet and share family pictures. After which, the German told Bob that the family would be living in New York City the following year.

Amazed at the confidence displayed by the German solider that Hitler would succeed in winning not only the war but the world, Bob began to sense an attitude change in the German. At which time, the German instructed that Bob would be housed at a local POW camp rather than face artillery fire. Bob was still anxious through elated to know that there would be a chance to return home to America at the end of the war.




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