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Reported Killed in Action: An Unexpected Soldier, A Remarkable Life
The Philadelphia Veteran’s Administration mysteriously lost George Beichl’s POW records when he was 92 years old. In a scramble to verify his battle scars, his daughter began a journey of discovery.
Though he was initially deferred, military losses after Normandy were so intense that replacement troops were urgently needed. This was how a 26-year-old from Philadelphia, student of advanced chemistry and sole support of his widowed mother was selected. The subsequent surprise German counteroffensive—the Battle of the Bulge—cost even more casualties. George found himself in the thick of the fight. After a bloody battle in Prüm, he was reported Killed in Action. Miraculously he survived, but was taken prisoner.
He kept a diary in a German book, given to him by a sympathetic guard. In the margins he wrote about interrogations, Catholic Mass, chocolate cake, and his dramatic liberation.
When he returned to Philadelphia in 1945, he was still enlisted. His military clearance was initially challenged because of his German background, but he completed his army tenure as a chemist on the Manhattan Project.
After his death in 2015, another diary surfaced detailing his pre-war experience as a student in 1939 Munich. It reveals history from a point of view seldom seen: an American in Germany as WWII started. When Germany invaded Poland, he and his mother were stranded and struggled to return to Philadelphia.
In this engaging narrative, we find a man proud of both his American heritage and his German roots. Though he never sought recognition, his service to his country earned him a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, and the Commanders Cross from Germany. Through his diaries and subsequent life, we meet an unassuming yet confident man whose intellect, faith, and even temper created the background for a remarkable life.
Though he was initially deferred, military losses after Normandy were so intense that replacement troops were urgently needed. This was how a 26-year-old from Philadelphia, student of advanced chemistry and sole support of his widowed mother was selected. The subsequent surprise German counteroffensive—the Battle of the Bulge—cost even more casualties. George found himself in the thick of the fight. After a bloody battle in Prüm, he was reported Killed in Action. Miraculously he survived, but was taken prisoner.
He kept a diary in a German book, given to him by a sympathetic guard. In the margins he wrote about interrogations, Catholic Mass, chocolate cake, and his dramatic liberation.
When he returned to Philadelphia in 1945, he was still enlisted. His military clearance was initially challenged because of his German background, but he completed his army tenure as a chemist on the Manhattan Project.
After his death in 2015, another diary surfaced detailing his pre-war experience as a student in 1939 Munich. It reveals history from a point of view seldom seen: an American in Germany as WWII started. When Germany invaded Poland, he and his mother were stranded and struggled to return to Philadelphia.
In this engaging narrative, we find a man proud of both his American heritage and his German roots. Though he never sought recognition, his service to his country earned him a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, and the Commanders Cross from Germany. Through his diaries and subsequent life, we meet an unassuming yet confident man whose intellect, faith, and even temper created the background for a remarkable life.
- GenresMemoir
294 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 17, 2016
This was an amazing book! Such an impactful life this man led. I wish younger people would read to understand the importance of appreciation. This was a gentle giant of a man who apparently had quite an impact on those who connected with him. Great life to read about!
December 21, 2020
I have given this book five stars because it coincides extremely well with my interests and was well-presented. It is a memoir/biography of a very intelligent and articulate man who had the opportunity to experience World War II as a German-American. The story of his life is told through third person narration, as well as from his notes, diaries, and correspondence. Documents in German are provided both in the original German and in English translation. His daughter has constructed this book as a labor of love.
It was fascinating to hear the perspective of an American man, George Beichl, reared in a German immigrant enclave in Philadelphia, who traveled in Germany in 1939 (just before the war), had difficulty leaving the country, and then five years later returned as an American soldier at the Battle of the Bulge. He nearly died but amazingly survived to be taken captive by the Germans. Because of the confusion of war, his mother back in Philadelphia was mistakenly informed that he had died in action. In fact, he managed to stay alive and amazingly robust during a trying period of captivity. When the American forces showed up as liberators, George Beichl had just narrowly survived a bombing attack by the allies.
Throughout all his trials, he kept his wits about him and an amazingly clear-eyed perspective on his loyalty to the USA, his German heritage, and his Catholic faith. He found German people who were kind and many German people, including his family members, who were suffering under Nazi oppression. His fluent written and spoken German, complete with Bavarian dialect, was both a blessing and a curse during his captivity. German officials viewed him as a traitor to the Fatherland and the fact that he was an American citizen a mere technicality. However, he was able to befriend guards and others who could help him when he most needed help. One such guard became a lifelong friend.
Since I have a daughter living in Germany, I am particularly interested in learning the language, history, and culture of the country. This book made a significant contribution to my understanding of life in Germany during the war and of the challenges German-Americans faced during WWI and WWII. I recommend it enthusiastically for readers interested in this era and in German-American relations.
It was fascinating to hear the perspective of an American man, George Beichl, reared in a German immigrant enclave in Philadelphia, who traveled in Germany in 1939 (just before the war), had difficulty leaving the country, and then five years later returned as an American soldier at the Battle of the Bulge. He nearly died but amazingly survived to be taken captive by the Germans. Because of the confusion of war, his mother back in Philadelphia was mistakenly informed that he had died in action. In fact, he managed to stay alive and amazingly robust during a trying period of captivity. When the American forces showed up as liberators, George Beichl had just narrowly survived a bombing attack by the allies.
Throughout all his trials, he kept his wits about him and an amazingly clear-eyed perspective on his loyalty to the USA, his German heritage, and his Catholic faith. He found German people who were kind and many German people, including his family members, who were suffering under Nazi oppression. His fluent written and spoken German, complete with Bavarian dialect, was both a blessing and a curse during his captivity. German officials viewed him as a traitor to the Fatherland and the fact that he was an American citizen a mere technicality. However, he was able to befriend guards and others who could help him when he most needed help. One such guard became a lifelong friend.
Since I have a daughter living in Germany, I am particularly interested in learning the language, history, and culture of the country. This book made a significant contribution to my understanding of life in Germany during the war and of the challenges German-Americans faced during WWI and WWII. I recommend it enthusiastically for readers interested in this era and in German-American relations.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews