World War II Honoree

Walter Hellendall

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Wyncote, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

BORN IN MOENCHENGLADBACH, NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIAN, HE IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1938 AND JOINED THE ARMY INFANTRY IN 1941, BEFORE WAR WAS DECLARED. AFTER TAKING PART IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN DECEMBER 1944, HE BECAME AN INTERPRETER WHEN THE ARMY ROLLED INTO HIS HOMETOWN IN EARLY 1945. BECAUSE HIS LANGUAGE SKILLS WERE NEEDED, HE WAS NOT SENT HOME UNTIL SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THE EUROPEAN WAR ENDED. HE RECEIVED A BRONZE STAR.