World War II Honoree

Ralph Mottola

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Brooklyn, New York

Honored By

Donald Feldman

Relationship

Fellow Veteran

INDUCTED MAY 6, 1943. BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP SHELBY, HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI WITH 273RD REGIMENT, 69TH DIVISION. SHIPPED TO REPLACEMENT DEPOT AT CASABLANCA, MOROCCO; THEN TO ORAN, ALGERIA AND TO NAPLES, ITALY JOINING H COMPANY, 141ST INFANTRY REGIMENT, 36TH INFANTRY DIVISION. CAPTURED AT RAPIDO RIVER CROSSING, CASSINO, ITALY ON JANUARY 22, 1944. HELD IN POW CAMP IN ITALY FOR 5 DAYS, NORTH OF ROME. PUT IN A BOXCAR FOR A 5-DAY TRIP TO GERMANY. SPENT A FEW DAYS IN A BRITISH POW CAMP AND SHIPPED TO STALAG 2B; LATER STALAG 4B. FROM STALAG 4B WAS SHIPPED TO ARBEITS KOMMANDO WITH 47 OTHER SOLDIERS TO KOPPENOW, EAST PRUSSIA. NEXT WENT TO STRAFE COMPANIE WITH FRENCH FOREIGN LEGIONNAIRES, POLISH AND ITALIAN PRISONERS IN A RUSSIAN COMPOUND. FORCED MARCH JANUARY 28, 1945 TO MAY 3, 1945 WHEN LIBERATED BY THE 8TH DIVISION, ANTI-TANK PLATOON AT 4:15 A.M. AT MIROW, GERMANY. COMMANDEERED A CAR WITH 2 OTHER SOLDIERS, CROSSED THE ELBE RIVER OVER A PONTOON BRIDGE INTO THE BRITISH ZONE. 2 FLIGHTS IN A C-47 AND B-17 TO CAMP LUCKY STRIKE, (DECLINED A PASS TO LONDON OR PARIS) AT LE HAVRE. DEPARTED JUNE 18, 1945, ARRIVED CAMP PATRICK HENRY, VIRGINIA ON JUNE 22, 1945. HAD A 75-DAY FURLOUGH, 2 WEEKS AT LAKE PLACID, THEN ON TO FORT BENNING, GEORGIA IN SEPTEMBER 1945. DISCHARGED OCTOBER 31, 1945.