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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1410-E1411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING GEORGE MERGENTHALER
______
HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Friday, November 8, 2019
Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, as we approach the 75th Anniversary of the
Battle of the Bulge, I would like to take a moment to honor a true
American hero, George Mergenthaler.
George was born on August 5th, 1920 and was the only child of Alice
and Hermann Mergenthaler of Rye, NY. He grew up in Rye and was later
accepted into Princeton University in September of 1939.
A gifted athlete, dedicated student, handsome and charismatic,
``Merg'' as he was known, was well liked by all who knew him. With
studies that focused on History and English, George's time at Princeton
was everything he could have hoped for.
All that changed on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese bombed Pearl
Harbor. Like many of his generation, George enlisted soon after the
attack, but his enlistment was deferred until he graduated in January
1943 in an accelerated program. Just days later he was sent to Camp
Hood in Texas for basic training. Discovering his fluency with German
and French, the army assigned George to the 28th Cavalry Reconnaissance
Troop.
Following overseas training in Wales, George and the rest of the
Recon Troop entered the European Theater of Operation in mid-July 1944
with the 28th Infantry Division and would fight their way through
France, into Belgium and on to Luxembourg. In mid-November the Troop
arrived in Eschweiler, Luxembourg, their home for the next month.
[[Page E1411]]
Because of his ease with language, George more than any of the other
soldiers, endeared himself to the people of the small farming town.
Together they shared meals, church services, hopes and dreams. Then on
December 16th, 1944, the Germans launched a surprise attack in the
Ardennes Forest. The Battle of the Bulge was underway. By mid-afternoon
on December 18th, the German attack had pushed deep into Luxembourg,
and Eschweiler was nearly surrounded. The Recon Troop held the town as
long as possible before pulling out. Just a mile outside of town, their
convoy drove into a German ambush. Pinned down on the narrow, treelined
road, death or capture were their only options. Realizing their
desperate situation, George sprang to action. Showing no regard for his
personal safety, George jumped into the back of a jeep, manned a 50-
caliber machine gun and provided enough covering fire for the rest of
the Recon Troop soldiers to make their escape. Seconds later the
machine gun jammed. As George tried to clear the breach, German bullets
cut him down. George's selfless and heroic actions that day allowed the
rest of the Recon Troop to survive not only that ambush but the war.
Madam Speaker, George Mergenthaler made the ultimate sacrifice that day
so that others could live in peace. I would like to thank this body for
posthumously recognizing George Mergenthaler, a true American hero.
____________________
