Henry Joseph Malec was born in 1926 in Detroit, Michigan. He lost two brothers, Rudolf and Bruno, to the flu epidemic of 1921. They were very young at the time of their deaths. The bodies were taken to the cemetery in carts. The epidemic started in the unsanitary conditions in the trenches of France during World War 1. The flu was the worst of the rampant diseases that resulted. Soldiers came home with the virus and spread the disease throughout the world. Rudolf was buried in Rochester and Bruno was interred in Buffalo, New York. Malec was the youngest child in the family. He had two older sisters. The country became the Arsenal of Democracy and thus the war was successfully concluded for the Allies. The armaments knocked out the Japs [Annotator's Note: a period derogatory term for Japanese] and the Germans. Malec attended Catholic schools and graduated from elementary school. He entered high school but stayed for only eight months before leaving. He had to go to work because things were bad at home. His father was sickly and his mother worked multiple jobs. Malec went to work at a pie factory. The pies were fantastic. He started by pushing hot pies to a cooling area. After the pies cooled, he pushed them to a packaging area where they would be sent off to customers. The defense plants consumed a large portion of the pies. The pies were famous. They looked like mountains. When a pie came out of the oven, it appeared to be a volcano with the steam coming out of the top. The defense plant workers loved the pies. Malec's brother-in-law suggested that he go to work at the Chrysler Desoto plant. He was 17 years old and had been out of school for a year. Many of his friends had already been drafted and had left for service. Meanwhile, Malec had been promoted to a baker position. He was hired by the Chrysler Desoto plant without regard for his age. He handled eight by ten foot sheets of metal in the construction of B-26 Marauder [Annotator's Note: Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber] bombers. He reached the position of assistant foreman in shipping and receiving. His father brought a piece of mail to him that said "Greetings and Salutations" [Annotator's Note: a draft notice introduction]. The mail invited Malec to go for his physical. When he was examined, the physician asked him why he was wearing glasses. Malec said that an optometrist had prescribed them for improving his vision. The physician summarily said Malec did not need glasses and proceeded to toss them aside. Malec no longer wore glasses. He was sworn into the military and given something to eat. The meal was special. He had never seen green peas before. He thought they were very good and looked forward to good meals in the military. Meals had been meager at home. Malec and his mother had to combine their incomes to provide food for the family. The quality level of the meals in the service did not continue afterward.

Henry Malec began his training in the Army in Camp Robinson near Little Rock, Arkansas. He was issued his uniform, boots and helmet and then four cartons of cigarettes. That was enough to hook a young man. Malec felt the tobacco companies and the government worked together in the supply of free cigarettes to the inductees. The training was good as far as body building but not in terms of how to fight the enemy. Things were rushed in training because the war was not going too well in Europe. The Battle of the Bulge was beginning. Infantrymen were needed at the front. His voyage from Liverpool, England to Cherbourg, France was aboard a Landing Craft, Infantry vessel [Annotator's Note: also known as an LCI]. There were about 50 men aboard. The trip was at night. Malec could see hundreds of vessels when the dawn came. A Catholic chaplain asked the men if anyone wanted to go to communion. Everyone took communion no matter whether they were believers of alternate faiths or unbelievers. As the infantrymen disembarked the LCI, they spotted a black man with shining teeth holding a beautiful blond. The new arrivals got a kick out of that. The men were placed in a boxcar and shipped to their next destination. As they proceeded, Malec felt a rumbling. Nature called Malec. He went to the open door of the boxcar and turned around and dropped his trousers to do his business. He had diarrhea. In the process, he sprayed a platform full of French civilians. Malec conjectures that the incident could be a driver in the French government not wanting to assist the United States in Iraq.

Henry Malec, along with three or four other men, was transported by truck to his first combat experience. It was very cold in the open truck. They traveled through the woods on a bumpy road. The driver finally stopped and got out of the vehicle. He had to clip away enemy barbed wire that had become entangled on the front wheels. Malec took the opportunity to eat something. When he opened his can of C rations, the food was frozen. At that time, he observed some men working with lumber. The closer he looked; it became apparent that the lumber had American uniforms on them. The objects were actually several young soldiers about Malec's age who had been killed. The corpses had frozen stiff. Their bodies were contorted in various positions according to how they fell when they died. The men recovering the dead had to crack bones and readjust the remains so that they could be straightened to fit onto the transport truck. The truck already had 30 or 40 bodies in it. With that, Malec lost his appetite. He boarded his transport truck and continued on his journey. He passed a burning American tank. Then he saw four more destroyed tanks. He saw no German tanks burning. He found that demoralizing. Malec's ride pressed on into the woods as darkness came. The truck stopped and the men were put in a single line formation. As they stood there, they were told to take their duffle bags and go into a nearby house and put on more clothes in preparation for front line duty. By the time Malec reached them, the bags had been all taken except for one. Malec thought it was his, but it belonged to another individual. He removed the clothing and found them to be a larger size than he normally required. That was fortunate because he could wear them over his existing uniform. The man who took Malec's duffle bag potentially had problems fitting into the smaller garments. Malec moved to the front and was put into a large foxhole behind a .30 caliber machine gun. Two other soldiers were with him. One was named Longfield. They were to keep watch on a building in front of them. That night, all hell broke loose. There was a profusion of small arms fire. Longfield and Malec held their position. The other soldier decided to abandon the position. Despite urging by Malec for the man to stay, the soldier departed the foxhole. He was killed immediately with a shot through the heart. The round had entered through his back. His name was Hart. Malec realized that the firing was coming from a friendly patrol. They had attacked their fellow Americans. It was demoralizing to Malec and the others. Malec and his section advanced up a hill with a small village off to the side. As he proceeded, he heard the sound of multiple machine gun bursts [Annotator's Note: Malec simulates the sound of a "burp" gun or handheld submachine gun]. Each burst meant another dead American. As he continued up the hill, Malec saw the bark of the trees being shot off by enemy fire. He noticed a lieutenant walking upright while Malec was trying to crouch close to the ground. He felt the idiot would end up being shot. Malec believes that a person does not get killed unless their number is up. They were moving through the woods in a manner similar to hunting deer. One group attempts to drive the deer out while another group waits for the shot. As he moved further, he came upon a German machine gun position that had their weapon pointed directly at his midsection. The two enemy soldiers manning the gun could not shoot Malec. Their hands were shaking [Annotator's Note: Malec motions his hands in up and down fashion]. They were Hitler Youth in beautiful blue uniforms. The frightened youngsters seemed to be 11 or 12 years old. Malec patted them on the head and said "alles good" [Annotator's Note: German for "everything good"], don't worry. Other men behind Malec took care of the two young captives. Malec could have been killed by those two youthful soldiers.

There were several instances when Henry Malec could have been killed. While advancing on the German city of Regensburg in Bavaria, his life was nearly ended. He was walking at arm's length next to an American tank along with several others. Suddenly, two Germans jumped up in front of them. They had a bazooka and fired on the armored vehicle. The round hit right next to Malec but fell to the ground. The beautiful shiny shell was a dud. After the war, Malec saw the movie "Schindler's List" and saw how the slave laborers were forced to make German munitions. The Jews or Poles who made that shell saved his life through their sabotage. Another incident was near the Siegfried Line while being organized for an attack. Malec was ordered to go pick up a box of D rations. It was raining and very dark. He found his way to the kitchen where the rations were stored. D rations were chocolate that looked like a bar of soap but provided nutrition for a whole day. As Malec was returning, a voice called out to him in English. He was addressed by the commonly used nickname of "Mac." As the two conversed briefly, Malec came to realize that the voice could be German. He put down the box he was carrying. He sprayed eight shots in a row from his M1 rifle toward the voice. It was a German scout. Malec did not know if he hit him, but the voice was silenced. Early that morning, preparations were being made to move out. Malec performed an equipment check and noticed that someone had stolen his shovel. He only had a pick. It was very serious to steal someone's shovel. The men marched through the darkened woods in single file holding the man's shoulder in front. The men went into a muddy area with deep muck. The road was not used because of the potential of mines. The procession was well away from the road, but the Germans had mined that area. A staff sergeant nearby stepped on a mine and lost a leg. Malec had been walking prior to that with his hand on Baker's shoulder. Baker looked Malec in the eyes and expressed his concern that he would not make it through the action. Malec tried to reassure Baker, but then the staff sergeant had his leg blown off. Shortly afterward, Baker was shot between the eyes. The entry wound was where Indian women normally have the black spot on their forehead. It was a perfect shot by a German sniper. The enemy had determined where the Americans were when the mine exploded. Malec had witnessed Baker's death. As he struggled through the muck, Malec had his boot pulled off in the mud. He recovered his boot and moved into a tiny village along a jagged concrete wall. He observed a pair of boots hanging out of a window. He saw that it was the German sniper. The shooter's camouflage was perfect for his surroundings. The way the man aimed his rifle was a terrible but beautiful sight. He was six feet from the ground and about 25 years of age and skinny. Malec was under the sniper and held his BAR [Annotator's Note: Browning Automatic Rifle] vertically. He was well set to fire 20 rounds into the enemy. Someone else shot the man and he fell. Malec had to step aside as the dead sniper hit the ground. Malec's ammunition bearer was named Warren Lawrence. Germans were firing their "screaming Mimi" rockets [Annotator's Note: multi-tube Nebelwerfer rocket launcher] toward the Americans. The rockets were demoralizing to the Americans. Warren Lawrence was hit in the back with shrapnel. While a medic treated the wounded man, he looked at Malec and just shook his head. Lawrence was taller than Malec and about the same age. He had beautiful features. Malec saw the launcher, but it was too far away for him to use his weapon. He was going to call for mortars, but a small plane dove on the enemy position and dropped a bomb directly on it. The plane looked like a Piper Cub. Malec was then hit with shrapnel in his left thigh. A soldier named Lewsenski [Annotator's Note: unsure of spelling] yelled for a medic. Malec feared their position would be revealed by the man shouting out. There was no worry since the German knew exactly where the Americans were. Malec's company was the spearhead for the attack. Malec and Lawrence were walked to the rear. They were told by older soldiers that they had a million dollar wound [Annotator's Note: slang for a wound that was worth a million dollars because it was not life threatening but resulted in a soldier being permanently removed from the front]. Both wounded men were put in a potato cellar with other wounded men. Two civilians, a boy and an older man, were also in there. Malec could communicate in English with the two civilians so he asked the boy what they were fed while they worked shoveling the snow off the roads for the Germans. The response was just a bowl of soup made from the peelings of potatoes. The two were hungry and so Malec gave them a hard biscuit that he soaked in water to soften it up. Their appetite was affected by the prolonged lack of nutrition. Lawrence was sitting on Malec's side. He laid his head on Malec's shoulder and went to sleep for the last time. That was how Warren Lawrence died.

It was dark when Henry Malec was removed by stretcher from the cellar where he had been treated after being wounded at the front. He was placed in the middle of the road in the darkness and rain. A cap covered his face to protect him from the rain. He looked to his side and two slits were coming toward him. It was the covered headlights on a jeep. He and another wounded man were placed on the jeep. The other man was badly hurt and would shout out every time a bump was hit. Malec feared it would bring on enemy fire. When the jeep reached the destination, Malec was brought into a barn which served as an evacuation hospital. Inside was a row of tables with mainly American but some German wounded. Malec was placed on a table on his stomach. A doctor dug into his leg with a large spade to remove the shrapnel. What were actually removed were clothes and K rations that Malec had put inside his outer garments. He had placed his rations inside his clothes near his body to prevent them from freezing. He had learned earlier about that [Annotator's Note: when he first arrived in Europe, Malec had opened his can of rations only to discover that the extreme temperature had frozen the contents]. When he awoke in recovery from the procedure, he asked if it was all out. The doctor at the 101st General Hospital said that some of the shrapnel was left in because he feared going too deep and injuring the sciatic nerve. If the shrapnel had gone only a bit off from its final position, it would have shattered Malec's femur. The leg would have needed to be amputated. The K rations helped by slowing down the shrapnel as it entered Malec's thigh. During the process of removal of the foreign objects from Malec, the doctor and nurse debated whether he was tough enough to take the pain. Meanwhile, Malec felt the pain of the spade digging into his leg. He also observed the staff sergeant who had his leg blown away by a mine. The leg was nothing but shreds. The man was dead but was left uncovered as if he was sleeping. To cover him would have been bad for morale. Malec decided not to complain about any probing in his leg. Next, he was transported to a rail station and put on a rack in a boxcar. Other stretchers were placed on the multiple racks. Malec was undressed and covered with a blanket. His personal effects were placed on the blanket next to him. When he arrived at the destination, he observed German soldiers taking the stretchers off the racks and bringing them into a building. The prisoners were very clumsy or weak and dropped the stretchers frequently. Malec was groggy but did not like the idea of the stretchers being dropped. He was not dropped but brought into the hospital and placed in a bed. His personal things were put next to him. Later, he saw his wallet was missing. A German stole his wallet. The only real valuables in the wallet were 40 dollars and a lock of his niece's hair. One nurse in the hospital had the face and body of Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell and Madonna. Her name was Starr. The men would forget their problems when she walked across the ward. [Annotator's Note: Malec tells a bawdy story of one soldier's misfortune as a result of observing this attractive nurse.] One soldier pulled a duck around that was really a bottle with a long neck on it. He tried to show the doctors that he was Section 8, loony. These are funny true stories. One patient went for a drink of water. He spit the water on top of Malec's head. In order to get even, Malec spread shaving cream on the man's crotch while he was in a deep sleep. The man slept without waking. In the morning, Nurse Marie would clean each soldier and then give the cloth to the soldier to clean his private area. When the culprit gave her the cloth back and she rinsed it in the pan, the lather foamed up. The more they exchanged the cloth, the more foam resulted. Everyone got a kick out of that. The laughter was good medicine. For Malec, it was revenge against the culprit.

While in the midst of being released from the hospital [Annotator's Note: Malec had been wounded by shrapnel and was treated for the injuries], Henry Malec noticed that he had back pain in the area of his buttocks. It could have resulted from the way he fell when he was wounded. After a series of examinations, no further injury could be detected. A determination was made by the examiners that Malec was goofing off. He was sent back to the front and his company [Annotator's Note: Company B, 1st Battalion, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division ]. When he returned, he only recognized one man, Jackson. Jackson always sang when the unit rode tanks. He must have been from Kentucky or somewhere that sang about moonshine [Annotator's Note: Malec sings a song about "mountain dew" or moonshine similar to Jackson]. Jackson told Malec that almost all the former company members were either wounded or killed the morning after Malec was wounded and sent to the aid station. The Americans had been on the attack and the Germans were waiting for them. Later, as Malec and two other soldiers were walking on the road, they heard someone calling from the woods. About 200 yards away someone sounded like they were calling for help. It was actually a German. The person was calling out "hilfe" or help. The snow was knee-deep to get to where the voice emanated. The Americans were concerned that it was a trick. Nevertheless, they proceeded toward the voice and found an injured German leaning up against a tree. The enemy soldier wanted water. Malec felt compassion for him and gave him his canteen, but the water was frozen. The older soldier with Malec did not want to leave the wounded man alone so they used a blanket as a stretcher. The men brought the wounded German across the snow with some difficulty. They left the German on the road so that troops behind them could give him aid. Malec and his group were spearheading the American advance. They came upon another enemy soldier who was lying on his stomach under a tree. He was wearing a camouflage uniform that blended in with the environment. The German had been looking at a photograph of his family when he died. It was heart wrenching. Malec pitied the man's wife and children for the loss of the head of the household. The German had his finger cut off and Malec knew that the dead man's ring had been removed. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.] That is war!

Henry Malec and his outfit [Annotator's Note: Company B, 1st Battalion, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division] boarded a tank as his unit prepared to advance. His officer told him that they should ride on the second not the first tank. The first tank was an improved version of the vehicle. It had steel threads in order to better transit through mud. The first tank approached a concrete bridge with no rails. The tank entered the bridge and began to slide to the side. It quickly fell into the stream below. Only one soldier onboard managed to jump from the tank before it fell. He was the only survivor. Malec's life was saved by the officer's order. His time was not up at that moment. At one point, Malec had a bad cold. He was sneezing and coughing. He went to the aid station and observed a wounded man. He decided not to bother the medic with his situation. The medic called him back and gave him some APC tablets [Annotator's Note: aspirin-phenacetin-caffeine]. They worked very well for Malec. Malec later found some binoculars in a deserted house. They were hanging on a wall. He thought they were booby trapped so he tied a string to the case and went outside and pulled it to him. It did not explode. He was then worried that if he opened the case, a bomb might be triggered. He managed to open the snap from a distance and found a brand new German binocular. It may have been used by an artillery observer. Malec still has the wartime souvenir.

When Henry Malec arrived at the 100th General Hospital, he was laid on the floor [Annotator's Note: Malec had been wounded in the thigh by shrapnel]. Other American and German soldiers were also there on the floor. Pain was coming over him as his leg began to hurt. As an MP [Annotator's Note: military police] came by, Malec tried not to show his pain. Malec observed a Red Cross girl with beautiful legs in her stockings. She helped Malec forget his pain. It was a beautiful sight. When Malec entered Czechoslovakia, a man came out of his home swearing at the Americans because he thought the soldiers were Russians. The civilian did not believe him. He thought the Americans were still trying to get into France. The star on the tank was interpreted as being Russian until the American explained that it was a white, not red, star. The civilians went crazy when they came to the understanding of exactly who the advancing soldiers were. They went inside the house and pulled out an individual whom they chased around a pond. The man being pursued eventually dropped. The pursuers then rubbed the man's face into the mud. He evidently had been a collaborator with the Germans. Next, the same thing was done with a girl about 30 years of age. After she tired of running around the pond, she was brought back into the house and her hair was cut to her scalp. She apparently was also collaborating with the Germans. Next, the civilians brought out beer and accordions and had a great time. As the day passed, Malec found himself next to a stage. A man was entertaining the crowd by putting razorblades in his mouth and chewing them up and swallowing. Another part of the show involved a man singing in English [Annotator's Note: Malec sings "Dream and your dreams come true."]. Tears were coming down his face. The people were so happy to have been liberated. The Americans were happy for them. The soldiers were especially happy to help them drink their beer. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.] Malec felt bad for the Czech people when the Russians took over their country. Looking back at being in a foxhole for the Battle of the Bulge, that helped him earn one of his three battle stars. There, he earned one star for the Ardennes. He was also at Hürtgen Forest, and later fought in Central Europe. Men were losing their fingers and ears from the cold. Malec remembered that his father used lard to waterproof shoes. Malec could walk through puddles as a result. He wrote home requesting a large bottle of Vaseline. The bottle arrived quickly. Malec applied it abundantly to his feet, socks and inside his boots. Then, he put it on top of the boots. He used it on his hands, face, ears. He never had any problems with the loss of any appendages. He still recommends using Vaseline today to minimize the impact of extremely cold weather.

Henry Malec was atop a hill when the war ended. He was with several other men and Lieutenant Lewis [Annotator's Note: unsure of spelling]. It was 8 May 1945 and a beautiful sunny day. Snow started coming down. Malec spotted a village a mile away with German troops getting into formation. Malec wanted to call in the artillery. The American artillerymen told the infantry that the war was over. The Germans knew the war was over before the Americans did. Malec knew the celebration was on in the States, however, he was in Europe with no celebration for him or his fellow soldiers. Malec was assigned to the MPs [Annotator's Note: military police]. He was placed in an open truck on his way to another town. The driver was proceeding recklessly. Malec thought an accident would occur. Just before hitting a tree or something at a high speed, Malec was pulled backwards in the truck. Helvee [Annotator's Note: unsure of spelling] and other men were flying through the air. Malec was the only man not thrown from the truck. Everyone else was in pain and moaning on the ground. One other soldier named Sheridan was uninjured. The two men decided to go opposite directions on the road to find help. When Malec reached the truck's initial point of departure, he sought out the captain. The sergeant said the officer was not to be bothered. Malec emphasized that it was an emergency and barged into the captain's office. The officer and a beautiful, blond woman were behind the closed doors. Both were looking at Malec in shock. Malec conveyed the urgency to the officer. Ambulances were mobilized and directed to the sight of the wreck. Upon arrival, they saw that a German doctor had already treated some of the injured. To this day, Malec cannot believe that he kicked in the officer's door. The officer was really busy, but it was an emergency. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.] At the end of the war, the German 11th Panzer was commanded by a General named von Wietersheim [Annotator's Note: German Army Generalleutnant Wend von Wietersheim]. The German officer opted to surrender to the 90th Infantry Division. The 90th was referred to as the American SS. That was a high compliment bestowed on the division by the enemy. The SS were the top troops in the German forces. Two by two, German and American tanks advanced down the road and parked beside each other on both sides of the road. It turned into a long line of vehicles. Malec was aboard a tank with a German panzer on each side of him. He smiled at the Germans and the opponents smiled back. They were happy the war was over. One German handed a tin of chocolate to Malec. Malec pulled out a D bar which was much larger and offered it to his former enemy. Both men smiled again in recognition. While just sitting there, a German officer approached them doing the goose-step. He was wearing high, shiny black boots and a long, black leather coat just about to his ankles. His headgear and uniform were beautiful. Von Wietersheim approached a table with American General Van Fleet [Annotator's Note: US Army General James Van Fleet] and two aides. The German soldiers were so proud of their general. Meanwhile, Malec thought of his fellow troops injured and killed in the war. He ran up to the general and took his pistol and then signaled him to move forward. There was no more goose-stepping. The German officer had been humiliated in front of his troops. Malec still possesses the pistol he took from the enemy commander. [Annotator's Note: Malec obviously enjoys the memory.] Those were exciting days. The pistol is a German Walther PP, similar to the one used by James Bond.

Henry Malec and his outfit [Annotator's Note: Company B, 1st Battalion, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division] were billeted in apartments repurposed for use as barracks. The apartments had an open area in the middle of the buildings. The troops were called out to form up around the open area. There must have been hundreds of troops in one large circle. Malec spotted an American officer with his aide. They were going from one soldier to the next asking a question. As they approached him, Malec finally heard that the question dealt the kind of directions that would be given to a general if he asked the soldier where a location was. Malec remembered his father's recommendation not to tell an officer anything but offer to escort him where he needed to be. That response was just what the inquiring officer wanted to hear. It was the right answer. Never tell a general where to go. Take him there. Two men were chosen out of the whole assembled group to go to the MPs [Annotator's Note: military police]. One man was named Bracken [Annotator's Note: unsure of spelling] and the other was Malec. They were sent to a German town named Weiden where they joined the MPs. Episodes went on in that town after the war that Malec prefers not to talk about. While standing in a police station, Malec saw someone across the street apparently dressed as a clown. Then again, it was not a clown costume. The individual turned out to be an officer in the Moroccan forces. He was a very large man in a beautiful uniform. Malec took the man's weapon and brought him to the police station. Malec was told to escort the man to the CIC, Counter Intelligence Corps, office. Malec transported the silent man by jeep to CIC. The officers in the room jumped up in shock. They had been looking for that individual for six months. That was an unforgettable experience. The individual looked to be an officer in the Moroccan forces.

Henry Malec was sent to Nuremburg, Germany. He was on the palace grounds of the Military Tribunal. The palace was beautifully maintained. It was where the German war criminals were to be tried. Malec's first job was to stand guard in the exercise yard. He observed a prisoner who suddenly stopped while he was walking. He stood in-place and looked up at the sky. Eventually, an airplane flew over. The man had heard the plane much earlier than his younger guard. After the plane flew over, the man resumed his walk. As the prisoner walked by Malec, there were tears in his eyes. Malec recognized the man to be Hermann Göring. Göring was head of the German Luftwaffe [Annotator's Note: the German Air Force]. That was Malec's first job. His second job was guarding the front of the palace courtyard gates facing the streets. There were large gates. Malec's job was to prevent anyone from entering without showing proper identification. Most of the entrants were reporters, but one day a high speed German limousine rushed through the gate. Malec had his hand up for the vehicle to halt. The vehicle zipped right by him. Malec pulled his .45 and aimed it at the back window. The automobile came to a screeching stop. It slowly backed up. The passenger in the front seat had a beautiful uniform. The man's face was red and Malec could tell he was angry. Malec demanded his pass. The driver and passenger showed their identification. The two men on the outside of the back seat showed Malec their ID but the man in the middle was too large to get to his ID in his pocket. One of the men in the back got out of the vehicle. The fat man got out and pulled out his pass. Malec authorized their entry. The fat man said he would walk the rest of the way. The car took off as the fat man walked by himself. Nearly an hour later, Malec saw Colonel Andrus [Annotator's Note: Colonel Burton Andrus] who was head of the guards at the palace. The colonel gave Malec a smile. He asked Malec if he knew who the fat man was. Malec did not. Andrus told him that the individual was Czechoslovakian President Beneš [Annotator's Note: Edvard Beneš]. Malec indicated that he was just following orders and they had completely disregarded him. Malec had leveled his .45 pistol at the President of Czechoslovakia. Malec thought that the individual sitting next to Beneš was General Zhukov [Annotator's Note: Russian General Georgy Zhukov].

Henry Malec brought Hermann Göring into a waiting room prior to some sort of interrogation [Annotator's Note: this was during the Nuremburg Trials of German war criminals]. They sat on a sofa built for two. It resembled a love seat. Göring asked Malec about the ribbons and medals worn on his uniform. Meanwhile, Göring was wearing a uniform without decorations or insignias. Additionally, the German had lost significant weight and the clothes were large on him. Malec did not know whether Göring was playing with him so he retorted by asking the German where his medals were. Göring responded by just looking at Malec and smiling. Afterward, Malec brought Göring into a large room with an oval table so the prisoner could meet with his lawyer. Malec remained in the room with the two men. The lawyer looked to be 100 years old. He was totally bald with no teeth. When the attorney removed a tobacco pouch and his pipe, Göring pulled his corncob pipe out and requested tobacco from his counselor. Malec was shocked that Göring had the pipe that resembled General MacArthur's [Annotator's Note: US Army General Douglas MacArthur] pipe only smaller. The lawyer attempted to hand the pouch to Göring, but Malec grabbed the pouch to inspect it. He sifted through it and found nothing troublesome. Malec passed the pouch to Göring who filled his pipe. The pouch was passed back to the attorney through Malec. To this date, Malec questions if some unsuspecting guard failed to check the pouch as closely. A cyanide pill for Göring might have been hidden in the pouch. There are many ideas about how the transfer might have happened. After the conference between the war criminal and his attorney, Malec returned Göring to his cell. Malec had guard duty at the cells of other prisoners. It became very boring at night. Malec improvised a hangman's noose from string and used it to taunt the inmates. A light shined into the cell and Malec positioned the string in front of it to cast a shadow on Hans Frank's wall. Frank was known as "the Butcher of Warsaw" because he was responsible for murdering a million Jews and a million Poles. Before going to bed at night, Frank would open a window on the opposite side of his cell. He liked the breeze and fresh air at night. Malec would wait for Frank to get comfortable in his bed and then enter the room and close the window. Malec can say that he tortured "the Butcher of Warsaw." The longer Malec had Nuremburg guard duty, the more he learned about what the accused did. Malec took pleasure in torturing the war criminals. He may have been the only person who had that pleasure. Frank thought he was having nightmares. Malec guarded another prisoner who was female. She may have been Ilse Koch. When she went to the exercise area, she would goose-step as she walked about in a circle. She may have been the woman who made lamp shades out of prisoners' skin. A one point, Malec noticed that she was making a sketch of him. When she finished, she asked him what he thought of the likeness. Malec responded approvingly. With that the female war criminal destroyed the image rather than giving it to Malec. She was torturing him as well. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.] Once, Malec heard other guards laughing. Malec saw Rudolf Hess walking quickly. He was cuffed to a guard who was having trouble keeping up with him. They were likely going to court. The sight was humorous. Another prisoner refused to eat for fear of the food being poisoned. Eventually, he would eat. Kaltenbrunner [Annotator's Note: Ernst Kaltenbrunner] was mad all the time. He would frequently yell and scream. He was a leader of the Gestapo and had a different type of open cell. The openness did not allow him any privacy at all. It was very boring being a guard at the Nuremburg Trials. There was an opportunity during the day to talk with other guards on the adjacent cells. When Malec's number came up to go home, he did. When Göring committed suicide, Malec was already in school.

Henry Malec felt the BAR [Annotator's Note: Browning Automatic Weapon] was heavy at ten pounds. He took the bipod off his BAR because it got in his way all the time. Malec clearly remembers what he was doing when he heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was about 16 years old and with a buddy exiting a downtown theater when he heard a commotion. Something big had happened. He saw a paper saying the Japs [Annotator's Note: the Japanese] bombed Pearl Harbor. As he heard more, he found out the country had been attacked. He did not know anything about Pearl Harbor and little about Hawaii at the time. Malec received his draft notice shortly after reaching 18 years old. He was painting a wall at home when his father brought the notice to him. He was drafted in August [Annotator's Note: August 1944] after his birthday on 4 April. After viewing war movies depicting the infantry in combat, he did not want any of that. He tried unsuccessfully to join the Navy and the Merchant Marine. He now is pleased he did not enter either of those branches. He was drafted into the infantry because they needed "meat" and he had no choice. He was inducted in the Army in Detroit. His basic training was at Camp Robinson in Arkansas. Basic training consisted of strenuous physical exercise. There was marching with heavy backpacks. It was an effort to build the recruit's body and strength. Bivouac was more miserable than anything experienced in war. There was terrible weather. Malec slept in a pup tent. His boots filled with water. It was lousy. He learned little in way of warfare. There were no tactics taught. He did not learn how to patrol or find the enemy. There was not enough training in his opinion. Basic mainly focused on hardening up an individual and putting on muscles. Malec was trained as a rifleman with some experience on a machine gun. He deployed overseas in the beginning of December [Annotator's Note: December 1944]. He departed Boston on a Liberty Ship. The ship zig-zagged over the ocean. The chow consisted of watery chili. It would pass through a person quickly. The ship rails were loaded with vomiting passengers. They were constantly hungry but then would lose it all after eating. The solution was to lie in a bunk and sleep so the ship's movement was not as obvious. The sailors sold pickles and lemons to prevent seasickness. They charged 50 cents for each although it was a solution that did not work. Malec quickly passed through England en route to France. He transited in what looked like an LCI [Annotator's Note: Landing Craft, Infantry]. He landed in Cherbourg as an infantry replacement.

Upon reaching the port in Cherbourg, France, Henry Malec saw remnants of ships all around. He did not have time to observe much. He transferred from ship to shore quickly. He immediately went into a truck destined for a rail station where he boarded a boxcar for transit closer to the front. It took hours to reach the destination where he boarded a truck to transit near the combat. It all seemed to go fast. One day meshed into the next so it was hard to determine what the date actually was. There was so much excitement. He was busy with one thing or another. He followed orders and went with the bunch he accompanied. He was assigned to an outfit that he determined only after receiving his shoulder patch. He was an 18 year old kid and did not know anything about the 90th Infantry Division. Less than four months after induction, he was already overseas. Everything went so fast. He was assigned to Company B, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division. The weather in Europe was very cold. His water canteen and C rations froze. He could not put his spoon in his food. He wore multiple layers of clothes. He put his canteen under his armpit to keep it from freezing. Malec was not part of the 90th that discovered the German gold hidden in a cave. [Annotator's Note: Malec listens intently as the interviewer describes the extent of the Nazi cache.] Malec had not previously heard of that discovery. He wonders if Hennessey Cognac was part of the booty. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.] The Germans were very proud people. As the Americans entered the Siegfried Line, the Germans were angry. The enemy threw rockets at the Americans like crazy. When the staff sergeant had part of his leg blown off, that was when Malec heard the German machine gun cock and start firing. As he viewed the movie "Saving Private Ryan," when the same sound was made in the simulated combat, Malec tried to get under a seat. They achieved the realistic sound of the enemy weapon. As the Germans fired the machine gun in combat, green tracers went over Malec's head. The good thing was the rounds were going over his head. The Siegfried Line consisted of hidden positions and pillboxes manned by the enemy. The rocket launchers were in more exposed areas. He was at a distance from a launcher position such that the personnel looked about half an inch tall. Five minutes of mortal combat and danger is too much for any individual. When Malec's ammunition bearer got hit and then he was wounded, he saw Moore lose his jaw. It was a crazy commotion. Combat is not a fun thing. His outfit was out in the open. The Germans zeroed them in. Jackson said all kinds of artillery hit them the next morning. The first time that Malec was afraid was when he was released from the hospital and returning to the front. He knew exactly what he was going into because he had already experienced it. Prior to that, he did not know what he was getting into. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.] In the midst of combat, the infantryman is so concerned with taking cover and getting into position, that there is no time for anything else. Malec wanted to fire his BAR [Annotator's Note: Browning Automatic Rifle] on the launcher but knew there was no way. He was beyond the range of his weapon. That was when he saw a small plane overhead. It dropped a bomb on the enemy launchers.

Henry Malec did not have sufficient points to return home immediately after the war ended. He was subject to being transferred to service in Asia had he rejoined the service. When his number was up to go home, he was packing in preparation for embarkation at Hamburg, Germany for transit Stateside. He was given the option of reenlistment as a commissioned officer. Instead, Malec was ready to go home. If he had reenlisted, he would likely have gone to the Pacific. While at Nuremburg serving guard duty over the war criminals, Malec grew to know more about them and, consequently, hate them. That was true especially of Frank [Annotator's Note: Hans Frank, also known as "the Butcher of Warsaw"]. Most of the prisoners could speak English well. Malec conversed with Speer [Annotator's Note: Albert Speer]. Speer tried to convince Malec of his innocence. He said he was only a builder. Speer was that, but he built factories that manufactured war supplies. While guarding the second tier where the lesser prisoners were kept, Malec questioned Raeder [Annotator's Note: Erich Raeder] about what he thought of the American fighting man. Before the German responded to the question, he asked for a cigarette. Malec gave him one. Not only was that against the rules, but guards were prohibited from talking with the inmates. Raeder said the Americans were good soldiers. They exhibited use of their own initiative to get out of trouble. He went on to say that the German military adhered more strictly to the chain of command. They more inclined to seek orders from the person outranking them. On the second floor of the facility was a large room. Malec observed women and children in the room. They were family members of the inmates. Malec surmised they were there to be protected from the German public. Malec came in contact with Göring's [Annotator's Note: German Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring] wife. She asked Malec about his father's occupation. He suspected she was being sarcastic so he answered that his father was a brain doctor or surgeon. She questioned why Malec was a mere guard when his father was a brain doctor. He was somewhat taken aback. He told her that, in America, just because a person's father was a big shot, it did not assure that same position for his children. She asked what Malec's plans were after he returned home. He replied that he would be going to school to learn to be a brain doctor like his father. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.] She spoke English well. Malec was discharged at Camp Atterbury in Indiana in August 1946 as a Private First Class. After leaving the Army, he had no emotional issues from his wartime experiences. He did have back issues that could not be diagnosed. He accepted the discomfort as something he was stuck with. One day as he got out of his car, he saw his future sister-in-law, Dorothy. Malec's sister would later marry Dorothy's brother. Dorothy told Malec about her treatment by her back doctor. It was a chiropractor named Dr. Herbert Schrauh [Annotator's Note: unsure of spelling]. The doctor looked like a larger version of Eisenhower [Annotator's Note: US Army general then President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower]. Examinations showed that Malec had a bad fall induced by the wound he received in combat. His pelvis was out of line. The doctor corrected its location and improved Malec's condition. Malec became interested in becoming a chiropractor. The Veterans Administration was against that training, but Malec persevered. The government paid for his education through the G.I. Bill. Malec had no problem in the transition from soldier to civilian. He was too busy. He started school in September after returning home in July. PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder, affects many warriors today. Malec thinks being busy 24 hours a day helped him and could help others. His mind was on the tests and passing the examinations so that the government would continue to pay. Malec's most memorable experience in the war was the shock of seeing frozen dead and the attendants having to crack their bones to fit them on a recovery truck. He will never forget that sight. Then he went into combat and saw American tanks burning. He realized that each tank had a crew inside who had burned. Malec joined the fighting in World War 2 because he simply had no choice. He did not want to be there. He had seen evidence of the misery in the movies. He knew what was going to happen ahead of time. World War 2 changed him from a nice little boy to an old man. He has the pictures to prove it. [Annotator's Note: Malec chuckles.]