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VETERAN PAUSES TO REMEMBERU-B photo by JEFF HORNERWalter Broman pauses for a moment to collect his memories of World War II experiences as a soldier, a prisoner of war and a friend to those who neverlt;No one gets over war.World War II veteran Walter Broman reflects on his time in uniform and as aprisoner of war.By SHEILA HAGARof the Union-BulletinWalter Broman was not like many of the youths in what Tom Brokaw has coined “The Greatest Generation.”Broman, 84, had no burning desire to serve in the military, despite the patriotism attached toWorld War II.“Nothing attracted me. 1 was drafted,” Broman said with a wry glance. At 19, he involuntarily became an infantryman with the U.S. Army’s 84th Division.Going off to war from his childhood home of Salt Lake City frightened him, Broman said from the safe haven of his Walla Walla home.His worst fear was dying far from those he loved, including his sweetheart at the time,Marion Peterson.Had he owned a crystal ball.Broman may have topped his short list of dread with a different matter of war — becoming a prisoner of the enemy.After a year of training in the baking heat of Texas and swamps of Louisiana, Broman was sent to France just as U.S. forces were reclaiming the country from German invaders. He was among the soldiers who went through Paris, cheered and embraced by “jubilant” crowds, Broman remembered.From there it was on to Aachen, Germany, for the men inthe 84th, nicknamed the “Railsplitters.”Aachen, close to the Dutch and Belgian borders, was the first German city of any size to be taken over by the U.S. offensive. On Oct. 21, 1944, the U.S. Army took the city despite severe weather and critical supply shortages.But the German army fought back fiercely. The Salt Lake City man who was unenthusiastic about war was suddenly in the thick of things.Please see v* ASSAULT, A3
Newspaper Details
Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla, Washington, US
Fri, Nov 11, 2005
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Vincent B.
CA, USA 17 Jul 2020
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