World War II Honoree

Tony Bennett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New York City, New York

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

He was drafted into the US Army in November 1944. In January 1945, he was assigned as a replacement infantryman to the 255th Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Infantry Division and moved across France and later into Germany. At the end of March, they crossed the Rhine and entered Germany and engaged in door to door combat cleaning out German soldiers. At the end of the war he was involved in the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp near Landsberg, where some American prisoners of war from the 63rd Division had also been held. He stayed in Germany as part of the occupying force but was assigned to an informal Special Services unit that would entertain nearby American forces.