World War II Honoree

Marvin I. Hirsch

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Mount Airy, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE ENLISTED IN 1943. BEFORE LONG, THE INFANTRYMAN SAW ACTION IN EUROPE AND WAS PROMOTED. HE WAS A 34 YEAR OLD SERGEANT WHEN HE WAS WOUNDED DURING THE GERMAN COUNTEROFFENSIVE IN WESTERN EUROPE THAT LATER BECAME KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE YOUNGER SOLDIERS IN HIS 50TH ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION. ON JANUARY 6, 1945 IN BELGIUM, WHEN THE REST OF HIS PLATOON WAS FORCED TO WITHDRAW, HE AND A COMPANION COURAGEOUSLY HELD THEIR POSITION WITH MACHINE-GUNS AND TOOK A HEAVY TOLL OF GERMAN ATTACKERS. FOR THIS HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR. ONE MONTH BEFORE GERMANY SURRENDERED, HE ADVANCED UNDER HEAVY ENEMY FIRE TO A BAZOOKA AND MACHINE-GUN NEST JUST MILES FROM BERLIN. HE KILLED THE MACHINE-GUNNER AND CAPTURED THE REMAINING GERMAN SOLDIERS. HIS BRAVERY AND QUICK THINKING UNDER FIRE EARNED HIM THE SILVER STAR. HE RETIRED IN 1947 AS A LIEUTENANT COLONEL IN THE RESERVE.