By 1959, his story had become well known in the United States. The Americans called him the Beast of Omaha Beach. Mr Severloh was too ashamed to tell his four children about his experiences, yet he was desperate to meet Americans who had survived. Eventually, he found David Silva, a GI wounded three times on Omaha Beach. When the men met in Germany in the 1960s they hugged each other for five minutes.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=528420
Most soldiers respect their opponent as long as their opponent behaves as a soldier and not a criminal.
Mr Severloh did his job and did it just as an allied soldier would have done if the roles were reversed. Soldiers will respect that.
"Most soldiers respect their opponent as long as their opponent behaves as a soldier and not a criminal.
Mr Severloh did his job and did it just as an allied soldier would have done if the roles were reversed. Soldiers will respect that."
Exactly right.
I read an article about a GI and a German troop who saved each other's lives on Omaha beach on D-Day. The GI routed a machine gun nest that was firing on his squad. He captured a German, and was aiming to shoot, when the German said, Nein, Nein, and mentioned his kids. The GI didn't shoot. Then a German force came by, and the GI was in danger of being shot. His new German friend defended him. He was taken prisoner and survived the war. They both considered the other a friend. One of those wierd occurrences of wartime. They both acted appropriately, IMHO.
This guy actually existed? Wow. It's nice that some American veterans have met with him and everything, but there were others in attendance that might not have been too forgiving. Yes, he was just doing his job but some memories are too painful to forget.