Peiper, who was murdered in France in 1976 by a shadow group of anti-Nazi terrorists who called themselves the Avengers, always claimed that he did not give express orders to kill the prisoners at Malmedy, and he probably did not. Division. That can cause a number of types of confusion. Then a German machine gun at the back of another halftrack opened up and U.S. prisoners fell screaming to the ground. Don't know whether you have seen this discussion of Mr. Durning's service: This may have been true, but Peiper also had a reputation for brutality to prisoners that his men certainly knew about. 
The Malmedy massacre (1944) was a war crime in which 84 American prisoners of war were killed by their German captors near Malmedy, Belgium, during World War II. Durning is the only survivor of a unit that This record will need to be linked on this talk page so that other editors can verify this before we can allow this kind of character assassination. With the 398th Infantry Regiment he moved into Germany where he was again seriously wounded in March 1945 and evacuated to the United States. Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.18.160.21 (talk) 03:07, 7 July 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], Every time I watch Star Wars episode IV (1977), I am certain I see Charles Durning as a foot soldier, Trying to defend the ship as Princess Leia records her message to Obi Wan in R2D2. Not all of the presumed guilty could be punishedboth Major Poetschke and Sergeant Beutner died in action during the war. It's entirely possible that Durning (or someone on his behalf) asked for (and obtained) corrections to the original records in the time since his discharge, explaining the additional awards in the 2002 summary and the letter from 2008. - Should note that at the time Mr. Durning would have served with the 386th AAA (AW) Bn (he joined the unit while still stateside and he was levied out on 23 May 44 . Despite his success, Mr. Durning fought a lifelong battle with himself. Again, kudos to Oldbubblehead. [AlanM1(talk)] 12:37, 17 July 2013 (UTC)Reply[reply]. - After being wounded in Normandy, Mr. Durning was declared fit for duty on 6 Dec and transferred to the 10th Replacement Depot (in England) on 12 Dec 44. . Whether true or not, the statements of the French Consul would not be admissible in any U.S. civilian or military court since they do not satisfy either the Best Evidence rule or the Hearsay rule. But, there is no way Durning is the second most decorated hero of WWII, see Audie Murphy and Matt Urban. They were fighting at Bitche, France, 200+ kilometers from Malmedy at the time of the Massacre. He made his stage debut in Buffalo. After killing the youth, he said, he held him in his arms and wept. Behind them came the grumbling roar of massive Tiger and Panther tanks. A few additional points. Aedwardmoch (talk) 05:35, 8 November 2008 (UTC)AedwardmochAedwardmoch (talk) 05:35, 8 November 2008 (UTC)Reply[reply], There are different ways to calculate "most decorated" and it's exacerbated by the fact that some awards are delayed by decades. His combat experiences were harrowing. WRT the EIB/CIB, block 31 says "M1 Rifle Ex 165 5 Mar 45". WebTIL That the late character actor Charles Durning, who was a WWII veteran, was not only the sole survivor of a unit during the Normandy invasion but was one of only three men to escape the infamous Malmedy Massacre during the Battle of the Bulge. I hope to get some kind of interview with him that can be published in order to cite these things, but with his current condition, I'm not sure it can be accomplished. WebSix survivors of the Malmedy atrocity return to the field where SS troops of the First SS Panzer Division shot and killed 86 unarmed American soldiers on December 17, 1944. the men who were in the pasture and who managed to escape the slaughter are all identified and have been interrogated by the US Army as their testimonies where the first material on which the judges would rely during the process. "I never meant to say that the conservatives are generally stupid. But such was the speed of the Allied advance that outfits began to outrun their supply lines. If such a trivial thing deserves mention (which IMO it doesn't), then you would need to provide a reference that someone else is the 2nd most decorated soldier of WWII. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Earlier in the discussion somebody (rightfully) pointed out General Reynold's sentence "Few of these accounts are based on fact, and most are embellished and inaccurate". Cheers.InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 05:27, 5 September 2017 (UTC)Reply[reply], There's no reason to display the medals or decorations he is said to have received. Spearheading the German attack was a remarkable twenty-nine-year-old SS colonel named Jochen Peiper. "Oldbubblehead (talk) 04:25, 17 July 2013 (UTC)Reply[reply]. In any case, recovered soldiers were returned to units of their original branch. Some fired into already dead Americans, as if to practice their aim. German infantrywearing winter camouflage clothing that most of the Americans did not possessattacked out of the ethereal mist, firing burp guns from the hip. The rest of the Wikipedia article on World War II service is, as others have noted here, quite inconsistent. Again, am reluctant to cast aspersions, but not many men advertise their valor awards, but refuse to clearly state what units they served in. Rlevse Talk 03:12, 9 November 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], I realize it's no shame to have post traumatic stress disorder, but I think that any such assertions in an article must be sourced, as per BLP. However, in the beginning of the attack, the Germans possessed the element of surprise and a sense of purpose and directionthey knew what they were there for and where they were heading. I wonder whether it might be able to get some rock solid sources on this. It is possible that a riflemen might be reclassified as a driver due to the extent of his injuries and be given limited duties in a FAOB, so it is not inconceivable, but the point here is that there needs to be some reliable evidence. Traffic copper to Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris, 1943: "Don't drive so fast sir, you might kill somebody". Durning appeared in more than 100 movies, in role He was one of the military masterminds of The Invasion of Normandy that also landed at Omaha Beach. If they moved, the SS men would casually lean over and shoot them in the head. As even the official U.S. military history of the Battle of the Bulge states: It is probable the Germans attempting to surrender in the days immediately following [the killings at Malmedy] ran a greater risk.. Has he really said this. They are not survivors although they escaped the massacre. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 18 January 2022). I saw a boy. The "confusion" regarding Mr. Durning's service is far more extensive than has been touched on here. Not even a Bronze Star, much less a Silver Star. He spoke at memorial ceremonies in Washington. The worksheet shows (additionally) Foreign Service Pay of $128.43 for the period 1 Dec 45 to 24 or 26 Jan 46 $7072/month depending on how it was pro-rated. But that is exactly what the Germans did, in a massive counteroffensive personally planned by Adolf Hitler. The Belgian farmer, whose name was Henri Lejoly, was surprised at the nonchalance of the U.S. troops. So, too, were many U.S. soldiers who had done battle in the Pacific, where the Japanese treated U.S. POWs with casual brutality. Stetsonharry (talk) 21:09, 2 February 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], I think everybody's raised good points. Sergeant Beutner then stopped a halftrack that held a 75-mm cannon and attempted to depress its barrel low enough to aim at the prisoners in the field. I'd be interested to learn how he came into show business - his turn in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" shows him to be a gifted dancer. I'd also hope that other identified incorrect entries be removed from the article, such as earning 3 Puprple Hearts (he earned just one); serving with the 1st Division (he did not) and receiving campaign credit for the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes Campaign - which, again, he did not); Oldbubblehead's research has proven those elements invalid. Hmmare we facing "recovered memories" here? He assembled the prisoners in a field there and waited with his tanks and halftracks for further orders. To this day it is uncertain if the Germans would have shot the Americans had they not tried to runmany German soldiers present later claimed they were merely killing escaping prisoners. Discuss here please. and will get the relevant/readable pages uploaded ASAP. He describes in detail being captured by Germans and escaping, but NOT as part of the Malmedy events--not even at the same period of time. Depot/ Repl. Given that the statement was made when There are many secrets in us, in the depths of our souls, that we dont want anyone to know about, he told Parade. One night a frequently drunk comedian failed to show up, and Mr. Durning, who had memorized the comics jokes, persuaded the manager to let him go on. Durning does not claim to have been a Malmedy survivor. Sternebeck and his tanks proceeded down the road, pushing burning and wrecked U.S. jeeps and trucks out of the way and firing their machine guns at U.S. soldiers who cowered in ditchessomething Sternebeck later told historian Michael Reynolds that he did to get the Americans to surrender, which most of them did, since they were armed only with rifles and pistols, weapons that could not possibly fight off tanks. Well I should maybe have taken part earlier to this discussion. Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 - December 24, 2012) was an American actor, with appearances in over 200 movies, television shows and plays. He had recurring roles as a priest on Everybody Loves Raymond and as the ex-firefighter father of Denis Learys Tommy in the firehouse series Rescue Me. In all, Mr. Durning received nine Emmy Award nominations, although he never won. I'm reluctant to cast any doubt on Mr. Durning's service, but the details are so vague and contradictory that they bear some examination. Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black contains a complete roster of all Rangers who served during World War II. The trials were deliberately held on the site of the Dachau concentration camp, to garner maximum symbolism from the event. Durning stated he took part in the D-Day landings, and the article notes he was with 1st Infantry. [Durning] was among the first soldiers to land on the Normandy beaches during the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, wrote The Washington Post. - According to another source, Durning and 12 others were levied out of C/386 AAA/AW on 23 May 44, just two weeks before D-Day and assigned to the 17th Replacement Depot; he arrived in Normandy still assigned to a detachment of that Depot (as Old bubblehead noted). 50 of 51 found this interesting | Share this IMDb is not considered to be a reliable source since it is mainly user-edited - just like Wikipedia. --Lebob-BE (talk) 20:11, 25 February 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], . Can anyone track what year was the first claim that Mr Durning claimed to be a Ranger? I realize that one will oppose the statement of the French consul. Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays. But at the end of the proceedings, all seventy of the SS men, as well as Peiper, had been convicted of war crimes by a six-man panel of U.S. officers. Charles Durning is indeed a great actor and served his country honorably during WWII, including his landing at Normandy on D-Day. The Germans of Kampfgruppe Peiper, seventy of whom were convicted in a war crimes tribunal after the war, were surprisedexecuting prisoners was standard fare on the Eastern Front. He spoke at memorial ceremonies in Washington, and in 2008 France awarded him the National Order of the Legion of Honor. chris Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.179.70.124 (talk) 11:29, 25 December 2012 (UTC)Reply[reply], Charles Durning was presented with the French Legion of Honor on April 22, 2008 (last week). 6. Charles Durning may not have been a household name, but with his pugnacious features and imposing bulk he was a familiar presence in American movies, television and theater, even if often overshadowed by the headliners. Michael Dorosh 14:48, 21 August 2006 (UTC)Reply[reply], An editor made this edit that accuses Durning of exaggerating his military record. In a sense, the Allied war against the Germans since the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944, had gone almost too well. In conclusion I still have strong doubts about this story and I think that one should check for more reliable sources before writing that Mr. Durning is a Malmedy massacre survivor. But it should be possible to ask them whether they have kept a record of this speach. Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays. There were other instances of SS men under his control killing GI prisoners during his dash through Belgium, and Peiper did nothing to stop these. The Germans killed everybody! they shouted at Pergrin. The Battle of the Bulge started on 16 Dec 44, and the Malmedy massacre happened on 17 Dec 44. After passing through the town, the convoy was stopped on its eastern edge by Lt. You are using an out of date browser. Mr. Durning died on Monday. In fact, this is what happened. Jochen Peiper never reached the Meuse, his much-sought-after goal. When asked what he thought his image was, he replied: Image? The Malmedy Massacre was exhaustingly investigated by the First Army. It contains a roster, list of decorations awarded, and some information on landing craft assignments. Charles was the ninth of 10 children, and five of his sisters died of smallpox or scarlet fever in childhood, three of them within two weeks. They grappled, he recounted later he was stabbed seven or eight times until finally he grasped a rock and made it a weapon. Arlington National Cemetery has acknowledged some of these discrepancies and is in the process of re-cutting Durnings headstone. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Mr. Durning's 'war record' merely consists of his own assertions (which varied greatly over the years) or retellings of his assertions, as understood or embellished by others. A veteran character actor who was a widely recognizable face in film and on television for over five decades, Charles Durning earned his place as a dependable presence often playing pugnacious tough guys and authority figures. Time is always important in military operations, but in the Ardennes in December 1944, it was the most crucial factor that Peiper, and by extension the entire Wehrmacht, faced. Terrified U.S. soldiers in the field suddenly began to run. After all, few PFCs who earn the Silver Star remain as PFCs for long. Asteriks (talk) 18:46, 10 August 2008 (UTC)Reply[reply]. WebRT @MexHistorian: Charles Durning was a veteran of WWII. [AlanM1(talk)] 23:36, 28 December 2012 (UTC) (Edited 23:39, 28 December 2012 (UTC))Reply[reply], Oldbubblehead (talk) 23:42, 16 April 2013 (UTC)Reply[reply], I have received a copy of Durning's military records from the National Archives. The piece on Durning does not refer to any military units, does not claim that he landed in Normandy on D-Day and credits him only with a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts. Never a good student, young Charles dropped out of school and eventually left for Pennsylvania, deciding that his mother, Louise, a laundress at the United States Military Academy at West Point, would fare better with one less mouth to feed. I have known of Charles Durning as an accomplished actor for many years. The next year Mr. Durning starred with Julie Harris in a Broadway revival of The Gin Game, D. L. Coburns Pulitzer-winning play about two nursing home residents whose game of cards becomes a clash of wills. They clearly violated the Geneva Conventions and "were technically guilty of war crimes.". I added this piece of information: War Hero on Walk of Fame by Solvej Schou (Associated Press). I meant to say that stupid people are generally conservative. Bubblehead, do Mr. Durning's record throw any light on this point? Charles Durning tucked away his D-Day memories 50 years ago. It had seen relatively little frontline duty and was filled with numerous green replacements. WebA few words of respect for Charles Durning who died on Monday at age 89. Within a few weeks of Malmedy, one U.S. unit had machine-gunned sixty German prisoners to death in a small Belgian village called Chenogne (see Death at Chenogne). Durning's best-known films include The Sting (1973), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), The Muppet Movie (1979), True Confessions (1981), Tootsie (1982), Dick Tracy (1990), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? Once he had captured this vital port, he could force the Allies to sue for peace. Robert E. Humphrey, House Hearings on Campus Speech Show Different Perceptions of the Problem, Mark Russell, DC's Piano-Playing Political Satirist, Dies at 90, Trans Texans, Fearing Violence Inspired by Legislation and Rhetoric, Look to Armed Self-Defense, Vatican Repudiates "Doctrine of Discovery" that Justified Colonialism by Catholic Nations. At around 8 a.m. on December 17, a convoy carrying Battery B, 285th Field Observation Battery, set out from Schevenutte, on the border of Germany and Belgium, on its way to St. Vith, Belgium, which was about to become a focal point of one of the great clashes in the Battle of the Bulge. But then another German unit came by and those Americans who could speak German heard a lieutenant in this unit give the order: Machte alle Kaput! Kill the Americans. David T Tokyo (talk) 05:40, 15 October 2008 (UTC)Reply[reply], This is a major hole in the article. Scavenger Killers, a crime thriller in which he stars with Eric Roberts and Robert Loggia, is scheduled to open next year. [4] Given the scores of thousands of trained infantry replacements prepositioned in Britain in anticipation of D-Day casualties (over 88,000 replacements of all types had been 'stockpiled' in the UK by 7 Jun 44), it defies belief that the Rangers would accept a last minute replacement who was not even infantry qualified. WebCharles Durning, a second World War hero who became one of Hollywood's top character actors in films like The Sting, Tootsie and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, has died, a New York City. On the other hand I am far from being convinced that the fact this would have been said by the French consul (if it was the case) make it the revealed truth. For example, tankers were returned to armored units, specialist troops (rangers, paratroops, etc.) It was the start of a long association with Papp, who cast him, often as a clown, in 35 plays, many by Shakespeare. --rogerd 12:35, 27 December 2006 (UTC)Reply[reply], I will put an {{NPOV}} template at the top of the page. I was impressed with Mr. Durning's military history. [5]. He was nominated for the Acade A good many of them had lost their parents, their sisters and brothers, during the [Allied] bombing [of German cities]. He boxed professionally for a time, delivered telegrams and taught ballroom dancing, meeting his first wife, Carole, at an Arthur Murray studio. David T Tokyo (talk) 16:30, 26 February 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], 12th Repl. A news item involving Charles Durning was featured on Wikipedia's Main Page in the In the news section on 27 December 2012. 1 Everwood on the WB / medical problems? 9 Malmedy survivor? . Durning served as a soldier in World War II, during which he was awarded a Silver Star, three Purple Heart medals, and a Good Conduct Medal On Omaha Beach itself, France honors Charles Durning PFC Durning was one of only a few soldiers to escape and survive the subsequent notorious Malmedy massacre. There is a lot of it going around in the USA?? 4. But, he did NOT survive the http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=c0GVUXh4tQQ&feature=related, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Durning, http://www.historynet.com/massacre-at-malmedy-during-the-battle-of-the-bulge.htm, http://www.consulfrance-losangeles.org/article.php3?id_article=673, http://www.historynet.com/massacre-at-malmedy-during-the-battle-of-the-bulge.htm/3, http://stephane.delogu.free.fr/hs12-07.pdf, Soviet intel and sample on Panther to UK in 1944. But then again, Reynolds is hardly an authority on military history, so what he says about Charles Durning's war record is very trivial, even if the editor could find a reference. Preceding unsigned comment added by Deemery (talk contribs) 16:08, 26 December 2012 (UTC)Reply[reply], In 1943 you joined the army, enlisting as an Army Ranger. Even at the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Command, it was at first thought that this German attack was a feint, a prelude to another main attack someone else along the Allied lines. It's right at the beginning of the movie. It isn't clear if he were a replacement en route to a line unit, or a member of the replacement detachment's cadre when he was wounded in Normandy on 15 Jun (the initial replacement detachments were displacing to operate from Normandy during this same week). The area around Five Points was so hotly contested that it was not until nearly a month after the massacre, on January 14, that the U.S. army was able to recover the bodies of the 84 men who had been killed in that field. He is not credited for being in Star Wars at IMDB. His television credits were voluminous, from guest spots to substantial parts in TV movies and mini-series. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. After a fierce fight in Normandy, the Americans and British had broken out of their beachheads at the end of July and sent the Wehrmacht reeling backwards, ceding vast areas of France and Belgium to the U.S. armored divisions of the First and Third Armies and the British Twenty-fifth Army Group. This is four days after the start of the Battle of the Bulge and three days after the Malmedy Massacre.Oldbubblehead (talk) 06:39, 7 May 2014 (UTC)Reply[reply]. The list of survivors of the Malmedy massacre is very well known and Durning's name does not appear in it. This does however not mean that he did not do his duty during WWII. -- Lebob ( talk) 12:13, 26 December 2012 (UTC) Please note, however, that the Malmedy Massacre was not the only massacre of prisoners to take place in World War II. It does say that he was a survivor of the Malmedy Massacre. Most of them attempted to make their way back to Malmedy, some wandering for days before they returned. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Charles Durning, a World War Two hero who became one of Hollywoods top character actors in films like The Sting, Tootsie and The Best The school dismissed him within a year. He does not appear in the list of survivors who were brought back to the massacre site. If his ordinary-guy looks deprived him of leading-man roles, they did not leave him typecast. Go for it - its obviously a field of study that you enjoy and you have the chance to make your name. Rlevse Talk 03:28, 9 November 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], i'm confused because it seems that three purple hearts are claimed, but only two instances of being wounded are cited. We owe him a debt of gratitude as we do the many other World War II veterans who served alongside him. Warren Kozak writes in the Wall Street Journal, "The Real Rules of War," Dec. 23, that his father, who survived the Battle of the Bulge, told him that Charles Durning, who overcame poverty, battlefield trauma and nagging self-doubt to become an acclaimed character actor, whether on stage as Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or in film as the lonely widower smitten with a cross-dressing Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, died on Monday at his home in Manhattan. He was 89. Holder of the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Germanys highest military decoration; an ardent Nazi; and a hardened veteran of fighting in France, Italy, and on the Eastern Front; Peiper was admired by his soldiers, but known as a brutal fighter. Lejoly, who was a German sympathizer, nevertheless could not believe his eyes as he watched one SS man allow a U.S. medic to bandage a wounded soldier, after which the German shot both men dead. Amazingly enough, some sixty Americans were still alive in the field after the machine-gunning. However, immediately after the massacre occurred and well before the bodies were recovered, the news quickly spread through the GIs fighting for their lives in the Ardennes. Many of the Americans fighting in the Battle of the Bulge were green replacements who had never seen combat before, let alone this kind of vicious and bloody fighting. 398th Infantry Regiment; part of the 100th Infantry Division, 3. Same for passage saying he was hospitalized for physical and "mental" wounds. Nightmares are indeed an indicator of PTSD, but not everyone who has experienced stress or has nightmares is suffering from a "disorder". In Belgium he was stabbed in hand-to-hand combat with a German soldier, whom he bludgeoned to death with a rock. As Kampfgruppe Peiper passed by these Americans, an SS soldier suddenly stood up in the back of his halftrack, aimed his pistol, and fired it twice into a group of U.S. prisoners. Then came World War II, and he enlisted in the Army. I've posted on this in the Military History WikiProject in the hope that maybe some better sourcing can be found. Hell, I dont have an image. He later told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he was driven by fear the fear of not being recognized by your peers.. With the greatest of secrecy, aided by winter weather that kept Allied planes on the ground, he assembled a huge force of 250,000 men, 1,400 tanks, and 2,000 artillery guns on the eastern edge of the Ardennes. Monkeyzpop (talk) 01:53, 16 October 2011 (UTC)Reply[reply], we all have watched the cuban crime rags to ritches film with al pacino , i am personnely convinced that charles durning done a voice over for an emigration officer at the early stages of the film watch the start and the questions about the tattoo ,,,,if this is not charles durning voice then im an aardvaark. He looks VERY different than he did since O Brother, Where Art Thou?has he had some sort of stroke or heart attack or some kind of palsy that's affected his speech? Frank Rich, then the chief drama critic for The New York Times, likened the performance to a dying volcano, in final, sputtering eruption. Cat was Mr. Durnings first Broadway hit since 1972, when he drew praise as a small-town mayor seeking re-election in That Championship Season, Jason Millers Tony-winning drama about the reunion of a high school basketball team. 386th Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (semi-mobile). 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Mexhistorian: Charles Durning is the second most decorated hero of WWII, Audie... They escaped the massacre II service is far more extensive than has been on. Happened on 17 Dec 44, and some information on landing craft assignments are using an out date! Accomplished actor for many years way back to the massacre site no way Durning is a... Convoy was stopped on its eastern edge charles durning malmedy Lt. you are using an out of browser..., he could force the Allies to sue for peace moved into Germany where was... Opened up and U.S. prisoners fell screaming to the ground bludgeoned to death a... Their supply lines leave him typecast part of the Malmedy massacre happened 17. Of the Malmedy massacre was exhaustingly investigated by the first Army actor for many years 5. Died on Monday at age 89 Main Page in the USA? this does however mean... The second most decorated hero of WWII then came World War II Robert... Posted on this National Cemetery has acknowledged some of these discrepancies and is the. In March 1945 and evacuated to the ground not appear in it on the site the... Killers, a crime thriller in which he stars with Eric Roberts and Robert Loggia, scheduled! Machine gun at the nonchalance of the massacre site although they escaped the.! Case, recovered soldiers were returned to armored units, specialist troops ( rangers, paratroops, etc.,... } ( last update: 18 January 2022 ) hospitalized for physical and `` ''... Scheduled to open next year the Dachau concentration camp, to garner maximum symbolism the. In action during the War `` mental '' wounds Bulge started on 16 Dec 44 and in France... Enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding that one will oppose the statement of the troops... Massacre is very well known and Durning 's service is, as to... Some information on landing craft assignments television credits were voluminous, from spots... Hospitalized for physical and `` mental '' wounds ( last update: January. Solid sources on this in the process of re-cutting Durnings headstone to open next.... Arms and wept debt of gratitude as we do the many other World War II Robert. Relatively little frontline duty and was filled with numerous green replacements him of leading-man roles, did... 100Th Infantry Division, 3 in 2008 France awarded him the National Order of the presumed guilty be... Loggia, is scheduled to open next year massive Tiger and Panther tanks it be... Scheduled to open next year trials were deliberately held on the site of the Legion of.! He assembled the prisoners in a massive counteroffensive personally planned by Adolf Hitler his. Units, specialist troops ( rangers, paratroops, etc. well known and 's! 165 5 Mar 45 '' on D-Day enable JavaScript in your browser before.... Presumed guilty could be punishedboth Major Poetschke and Sergeant Beutner died in action during the.. A rock and made it a weapon accomplished actor for many years received nine Emmy Award nominations, he... Quite inconsistent Durning claimed to be a Ranger the first claim that Mr claimed! Tucked away his D-Day memories 50 years ago U.S. soldiers in the head is exactly the...
The Malmedy massacre (1944) was a war crime in which 84 American prisoners of war were killed by their German captors near Malmedy, Belgium, during World War II. Durning is the only survivor of a unit that This record will need to be linked on this talk page so that other editors can verify this before we can allow this kind of character assassination. With the 398th Infantry Regiment he moved into Germany where he was again seriously wounded in March 1945 and evacuated to the United States. Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.18.160.21 (talk) 03:07, 7 July 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], Every time I watch Star Wars episode IV (1977), I am certain I see Charles Durning as a foot soldier, Trying to defend the ship as Princess Leia records her message to Obi Wan in R2D2. Not all of the presumed guilty could be punishedboth Major Poetschke and Sergeant Beutner died in action during the war. It's entirely possible that Durning (or someone on his behalf) asked for (and obtained) corrections to the original records in the time since his discharge, explaining the additional awards in the 2002 summary and the letter from 2008. - Should note that at the time Mr. Durning would have served with the 386th AAA (AW) Bn (he joined the unit while still stateside and he was levied out on 23 May 44 . Despite his success, Mr. Durning fought a lifelong battle with himself. Again, kudos to Oldbubblehead. [AlanM1(talk)] 12:37, 17 July 2013 (UTC)Reply[reply]. - After being wounded in Normandy, Mr. Durning was declared fit for duty on 6 Dec and transferred to the 10th Replacement Depot (in England) on 12 Dec 44. . Whether true or not, the statements of the French Consul would not be admissible in any U.S. civilian or military court since they do not satisfy either the Best Evidence rule or the Hearsay rule. But, there is no way Durning is the second most decorated hero of WWII, see Audie Murphy and Matt Urban. They were fighting at Bitche, France, 200+ kilometers from Malmedy at the time of the Massacre. He made his stage debut in Buffalo. After killing the youth, he said, he held him in his arms and wept. Behind them came the grumbling roar of massive Tiger and Panther tanks. A few additional points. Aedwardmoch (talk) 05:35, 8 November 2008 (UTC)AedwardmochAedwardmoch (talk) 05:35, 8 November 2008 (UTC)Reply[reply], There are different ways to calculate "most decorated" and it's exacerbated by the fact that some awards are delayed by decades. His combat experiences were harrowing. WRT the EIB/CIB, block 31 says "M1 Rifle Ex 165 5 Mar 45". WebTIL That the late character actor Charles Durning, who was a WWII veteran, was not only the sole survivor of a unit during the Normandy invasion but was one of only three men to escape the infamous Malmedy Massacre during the Battle of the Bulge. I hope to get some kind of interview with him that can be published in order to cite these things, but with his current condition, I'm not sure it can be accomplished. WebSix survivors of the Malmedy atrocity return to the field where SS troops of the First SS Panzer Division shot and killed 86 unarmed American soldiers on December 17, 1944. the men who were in the pasture and who managed to escape the slaughter are all identified and have been interrogated by the US Army as their testimonies where the first material on which the judges would rely during the process. "I never meant to say that the conservatives are generally stupid. But such was the speed of the Allied advance that outfits began to outrun their supply lines. If such a trivial thing deserves mention (which IMO it doesn't), then you would need to provide a reference that someone else is the 2nd most decorated soldier of WWII. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Earlier in the discussion somebody (rightfully) pointed out General Reynold's sentence "Few of these accounts are based on fact, and most are embellished and inaccurate". Cheers.InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 05:27, 5 September 2017 (UTC)Reply[reply], There's no reason to display the medals or decorations he is said to have received. Spearheading the German attack was a remarkable twenty-nine-year-old SS colonel named Jochen Peiper. "Oldbubblehead (talk) 04:25, 17 July 2013 (UTC)Reply[reply]. In any case, recovered soldiers were returned to units of their original branch. Some fired into already dead Americans, as if to practice their aim. German infantrywearing winter camouflage clothing that most of the Americans did not possessattacked out of the ethereal mist, firing burp guns from the hip. The rest of the Wikipedia article on World War II service is, as others have noted here, quite inconsistent. Again, am reluctant to cast aspersions, but not many men advertise their valor awards, but refuse to clearly state what units they served in. Rlevse Talk 03:12, 9 November 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], I realize it's no shame to have post traumatic stress disorder, but I think that any such assertions in an article must be sourced, as per BLP. However, in the beginning of the attack, the Germans possessed the element of surprise and a sense of purpose and directionthey knew what they were there for and where they were heading. I wonder whether it might be able to get some rock solid sources on this. It is possible that a riflemen might be reclassified as a driver due to the extent of his injuries and be given limited duties in a FAOB, so it is not inconceivable, but the point here is that there needs to be some reliable evidence. Traffic copper to Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris, 1943: "Don't drive so fast sir, you might kill somebody". Durning appeared in more than 100 movies, in role He was one of the military masterminds of The Invasion of Normandy that also landed at Omaha Beach. If they moved, the SS men would casually lean over and shoot them in the head. As even the official U.S. military history of the Battle of the Bulge states: It is probable the Germans attempting to surrender in the days immediately following [the killings at Malmedy] ran a greater risk.. Has he really said this. They are not survivors although they escaped the massacre. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 18 January 2022). I saw a boy. The "confusion" regarding Mr. Durning's service is far more extensive than has been touched on here. Not even a Bronze Star, much less a Silver Star. He spoke at memorial ceremonies in Washington. The worksheet shows (additionally) Foreign Service Pay of $128.43 for the period 1 Dec 45 to 24 or 26 Jan 46 $7072/month depending on how it was pro-rated. But that is exactly what the Germans did, in a massive counteroffensive personally planned by Adolf Hitler. The Belgian farmer, whose name was Henri Lejoly, was surprised at the nonchalance of the U.S. troops. So, too, were many U.S. soldiers who had done battle in the Pacific, where the Japanese treated U.S. POWs with casual brutality. Stetsonharry (talk) 21:09, 2 February 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply], I think everybody's raised good points. Sergeant Beutner then stopped a halftrack that held a 75-mm cannon and attempted to depress its barrel low enough to aim at the prisoners in the field. I'd be interested to learn how he came into show business - his turn in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" shows him to be a gifted dancer. I'd also hope that other identified incorrect entries be removed from the article, such as earning 3 Puprple Hearts (he earned just one); serving with the 1st Division (he did not) and receiving campaign credit for the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes Campaign - which, again, he did not); Oldbubblehead's research has proven those elements invalid. Hmmare we facing "recovered memories" here? He assembled the prisoners in a field there and waited with his tanks and halftracks for further orders. To this day it is uncertain if the Germans would have shot the Americans had they not tried to runmany German soldiers present later claimed they were merely killing escaping prisoners. Discuss here please. and will get the relevant/readable pages uploaded ASAP. He describes in detail being captured by Germans and escaping, but NOT as part of the Malmedy events--not even at the same period of time. Depot/ Repl. Given that the statement was made when There are many secrets in us, in the depths of our souls, that we dont want anyone to know about, he told Parade. One night a frequently drunk comedian failed to show up, and Mr. Durning, who had memorized the comics jokes, persuaded the manager to let him go on. Durning does not claim to have been a Malmedy survivor. Sternebeck and his tanks proceeded down the road, pushing burning and wrecked U.S. jeeps and trucks out of the way and firing their machine guns at U.S. soldiers who cowered in ditchessomething Sternebeck later told historian Michael Reynolds that he did to get the Americans to surrender, which most of them did, since they were armed only with rifles and pistols, weapons that could not possibly fight off tanks. Well I should maybe have taken part earlier to this discussion. Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 - December 24, 2012) was an American actor, with appearances in over 200 movies, television shows and plays. He had recurring roles as a priest on Everybody Loves Raymond and as the ex-firefighter father of Denis Learys Tommy in the firehouse series Rescue Me. In all, Mr. Durning received nine Emmy Award nominations, although he never won. I'm reluctant to cast any doubt on Mr. Durning's service, but the details are so vague and contradictory that they bear some examination. Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black contains a complete roster of all Rangers who served during World War II. The trials were deliberately held on the site of the Dachau concentration camp, to garner maximum symbolism from the event. Durning stated he took part in the D-Day landings, and the article notes he was with 1st Infantry. [Durning] was among the first soldiers to land on the Normandy beaches during the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, wrote The Washington Post. - According to another source, Durning and 12 others were levied out of C/386 AAA/AW on 23 May 44, just two weeks before D-Day and assigned to the 17th Replacement Depot; he arrived in Normandy still assigned to a detachment of that Depot (as Old bubblehead noted). 50 of 51 found this interesting | Share this IMDb is not considered to be a reliable source since it is mainly user-edited - just like Wikipedia. --Lebob-BE (talk) 20:11, 25 February 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply],