Ted Paluch, 92, Surivior of the Malmedy Massacre

[Dman979]

I just got back from the funeral of Theodore James Paluch.

If you were on the forums when I joined, you might remember that my old signature had links to my Eagle Scout project. Ted was a part of it.

I convinced him to be recorded for the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project back in December.

Ted fought in the Battle of the Bulge. His unit, the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion, was captured by Kampfgruppe Peiper on December 17, 1944. Standing in a snowy field, the Germans machine-gunned the unit and killed 84 POWs.

Ted survived by playing dead in the field for an hour. He then ran from the field, and was shot at by SS troops. He played dead again, and almost was killed by an investigating SS soldier.

I am glad I got to meet him before he passed away. I was surprised to hear that my project meant so much to his family. They made me one of his pallbearers.

Ted, I miss you.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150816_Theodore_J__Paluch__92__massacre_survivor.html

[tater]

RIP.

Glad for your project, it's a valuable contribution to WW2 history that future historians will appreciate.