Batesville native was POW at one point during WWII
(BATESVILLE, Ind.) -- Mrs. Ruth Fieler received a telegram from the War Department on January 5, 1945, informing that her husband, Sgt. Lawrence Fieler, had been missing in action since December 20, 1944.
She soon learned that he had been captured and was a prisoner of the Germans.
Just eight days before his capture, Fieler was promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Bronze Star for his heroic actions when he and his comrades took out two enemy anti-tank guns and eight machine gun emplacements while facing machine gun fire.
Fieler then established a firing line to protect his fellow troops until his ammunition was exhausted. Although the enemy launched a strong counter-attack, they were able to successfully evacuate.
The Batesville Herald-Tribune reported, “The stubborn, well-entrenched enemy was finally vanquished by the platoon’s hand-grenades’ but the heavy toll of casualties reduced the platoon to seven members, of whom Private Fieler was one, and their leader. All non-commissioned officers were casualties.”
“The courage, determination and devotion to duty on the part of Private Fieler characterizes him as an asset to the military service,” the Batesville newspaper stated.
Sgt. Fieler was liberated from Nazi control in May 1945 and returned home to Batesville
to his high school sweetheart, Ruth, shortly after.
He passed away in February 1987.
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