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CLOSER LOOKIMAGE OF PRISONERS REMAINS VIVID IN MIND OF A COUNTY WORLD WAR II VETERAN.iDavid Burcham/NEWSDelores 'Dee' Elchison displays a bottle of French perfume sent to her 65 years ago by Mike, who served in the Army in World War II.By DAVID BURCHAMd_burcham@ncnewsonline.comAt age 84, Michel “Mike” Elchison has 20/20 vision.But it's what he witnessed 65 years ago in Czechoslovakia that is as clear in his mind as anything he ever saw.He seldom speaks of it.One of Lawrence County’s few remaining World War II veterans, Elchison served in the 3rd Armored Division under the command of Gen. George Patton.Days before Germany’s surrender, he was with a group of soldiers who entered a concentration camp to liberate Jewish prisoners. Elchison pried open one of the gates.“We were warned about what we would see,” he said. “But it was overwhelming. The peoplelooked like walking dead. Their arms and legs were just bones.”Although only a teenager, Elchison was a tough soldier who had managed to keep his emotions in check during difficult times. But seeing their condition choked himup.Weeks later in England, the private first class was told to stand guard over hundreds of German prisoners. He downplayed the task. “It wasn’t like they were going anywhere,” he said.“They’d just lost the war. I’m sure they weren’t too thrilled about going home.”He fought in the Battle of Bas-togne and was aboard the last American ship to arrive for the D-Day Invasion. At the Battle of the Bulge, he was with a group that relieved other soldiers. He described the ordeal as firingand moving forward, stepping over bodies.”Elchison literally rode through Europe on the back of a tank, once cruising on Germany’s famous Autobahn. “But if the tanks couldn’t get it done, we’d go in on foot,” he said.DEVOTED TO PATTONLike many who served under Patton, Elchison admires the late genera]“I would have followed him anywhere,” he said.While on guard duty in Belgium, he watched as Patton rode by on horseback.In the war’s final days, he and others entered Adolf Hitler’s country house in Austria. “Everybody was taking stuff so I, PAG E A2
Newspaper Details
New Castle News
New Castle, Pennsylvania, US
Mon, May 30, 2011
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Sonja B.
USA 14 Jun 2019
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