World War II Honoree

Ted Paluch

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY WHEN HE WAS DRAFTED AT 20 YEARS OLD INTO THE U.S. ARMY DURING WWII. HE DID HIS TRAINING IN OKLAHOMA AND WENT OVERSEAS A FEW DAYS AFTER THE D-DAY INVASION. A FEW MONTHS LATER HE WAS MOVING THROUGH BELGIUM WITH THE 285TH FIELD ARTILLERY OBSERVATION BATTALION DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WHEN HIS UNIT WAS CAPTURED NEAR THE TOWN OF MALMEDY. HE WAS ONE OF ONLY A FEW SURVIVORS OF THE MALMEDY MASSACRE WHEN GERMAN SOLDIERS GUNNED DOWN THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN A FIELD THAT THEY HAD CAPTURED. 84 AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE KILLED BUT HE SURVIVED BY PLAYING DEAD AFTER BEING SHOT IN THE HAND. HE LAID MOTIONLESS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND THEN DOVE INTO A ROW OF HEDGES WHERE A COUPLE OF OTHER SURVIVORS WERE HIDING. TOGETHER THEY MADE IT BACK TO THE AMERICAN LINES. HE WAS DISCHARGED ON JANUARY 1, 1946 AND RECEIVED A PURPLE HEART, AMONG OTHER MEDALS.