World War II Honoree

Harry Ettinger

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Morris County, New Jersey

Honored By

A Grateful American

ASSIGNED TO THE 99TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND ON HIS 19TH BIRTHDAY HE WAS ABOUT TO BE PULLED INTO THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE BEFORE HE WAS TAKEN OUT OF HIS EIGHT MAN SQUAD TO BECOME A TRANSLATOR. AT THE END OF THE WAR HE VOLUNTEERED FOR THE MONUMENTS, FINE ARTS AND ARCHIVES PROGRAM. WORKING DIRECTLY UNDER LIEUTENANT COMMANDER JAMES RORIMER, HE TRAVELED THROUGH FRANCE AND GERMANY TO RETRIEVE STOLEN ARTWORK, INCLUDING A STOP AT HITLER'S 'EAGLES NEST' HOME. SUPERVISED THE SEARCH FOR STOLEN WORKS OF ART WITHIN THE ARCHIVES HUNDREDS OF FEET UNDERGROUND. MANY ARTWORKS WERE STORED IN SALT MINES.