"Dedication"
Wav playing is ~ "Taps...21 Gun Salute"
Many stories have been written about the bravery and self-sacrifice of men. This is respectfully dedicated to a man who demonstrated bravery and self-sacrifice and gave his life in a gallant attempt to aid his comrades who lay seriously wounded. His name was Ralph Hostetler, he was a combat medic with the 202nd Engineer Combat Battalion. The light of dawn crept over the smoking battlefield on the Roer River revealing a scene full of the horrors of war. The veteran 134th Infantry and 202nd Engineers were forcing a crossing of the flooded stream. Artillery and mortar shells burst here and there among the advancing troops. Machine guns chattered and spit their ugly red tracers. Mine exploded and amid the roar of the battle the cry "Medic" could be detected. Sgt. Hostetler was treating wounded. A man lay wounded in a mine field. He cast aside his own personal safety and dashed into the mine area to aid him. A mine exploded, however, finally reaching the injured man. He lay by the man and treated him despite his wound and the pain he was surely enduring. A rescue crew was on their way now after the wounded in the minded area. Finally they reached Hostetler after probing their way through the mines. As Ralph was being evacuated he was hit again and died. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star.
"You're In The Army Now" (below) is dedicated to Ralph Hostetler. We hope that you enjoy reading it.
~ Lyn ~
