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Josef Baerly
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Name: Joseph Bajerli
the Birthplace: Muskegon, st. Michigan
Date of a birth: 1923
Military force: Landing armies
Awards: an award of the Red Star , an award of Patriotic war and a medal " For courage ".
Landing
His legendary story began in June, 1944, in day of landing of troops of allied armies in Normandy and opening of long-awaited second front. But he aspired to be at war against fascism even earlier. Hardly having left school, he has submitted documents to army. Having done military preparation in Georgia, his part has been thrown to the Great Britain. At night 25 -26 June, he has been thrown through a passage La Manche to Normandy, but in some days he appeared in German to a captivity.
Captivity
Command set the task to destroy one of the power stations in the western area of France. The order has been executed by Joseph, but on a return way he has been seized and taken by Germans in a captivity.
Escape
In a concentration camp he had been organized group for escape , it has gone right, but shortly Joseph has been again seized and has got in camp in Germany, then in Poland... In January, 1945 he managed to run again .In some days of promotion through woods he has unexpectedly came in an arrangement of army of 1-st Belarus front attacked Berlin. He was hungry and he didn`t understand Russian ,but he has appeared at our tankmen. Soldiers have found the translator, and, having listened to his improbable history, have believed him.The American commando has expressed desire to battle together with Russian against fascists. The Soviet command has allowed Joseph to be at war on the party of Red army as the submachine gunner on American tank " Sherman ". So he became the real Red Army man and liberated Polish and German cities.
Joseph Bajerli's services in battle are marked by the Soviet awards and medals - an award of the Red Star, an award of Patriotic war and a medal " For courage ".
At speeding up of the river Oder he was hardly wounded, and he has brought to the Soviet military hospital. There he has met marshal George Zhukov who has arrived to hospital to support moral spirit the soldier and officers.The commander has visited the wounded American - probably, he had already known about him from the assistants. He has taken an interest about Bajerli's health, feed and plans. And he said that he would like to reach the nearest embassy of the USA, for example, in Warsaw . Zhukov has promised to help him.And he has really helped. Joseph was delivered the instruction to all military patrols to assist him on a way of his following.
The meeting with marshal G.K.Zhukov who has arrived there has finished 19-years Joseph's fighting way. The marshal has given out to the American the document to reach the American embassy in Moscow.
Unfortunately, the unique veteran of the Second World War , struggled in American and Russian armies, awarded Russian , and American awards, recently has died on 81-year of a life.
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Joseph Bajerli ( on right side) and his son John Bajerli with the President of the USA Bill Klinton at the White House in 1994. Under the photo - Klinton`s autograph
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