On Friday, Oct. 28 in the afternoon, UW-Milwaukee’s Military and Veterans Resource Center (MARVC) presented “Stories From the Greatest Generation”. The event was a panel of five World War II veterans who came to participate in an interview discussion hosted by TMJ4’s John Malan. The purpose of the event was to record local veterans tell their stories in front of a camera.
John Malan, a broadcaster and Vietnam veteran, hosted the event asking the veterans a variety of questions pertaining to their experience in World War II. He explored the good, the bad and the most remarkable times they experienced.
The panel consisted of Gerald T. Felzien, Kenneth Shea, Gene Palubicki, Joe Dempler and Marge Behlen also known as “Pinky”.
These individuals gave powerful stories on their experiences at war. Joe Demler, a 90-year-old veteran who was captured at the Battle of the Bulge, was one of these individuals. He spoke of “having a pound of cheese for nine men and some bread.” He also mentioned how they received water from the snow. Demler detailed how he hoped for other men to reach him, which took a long time. When Demler was finally found he realized how lucky he was to still be alive. Marge Behlen, a former Army nurse, spoke of the drain of war when she worked in a crowded room of 60 nurses with many patients.
The veterans also gave insight into happy, comedic, and remarkable moments they experienced at war. Gene Palubicki stated, “that his finest moment was when Japan Surrendered after the bombings because it meant the war was done.”
Behlen explained that her nickname “Pinky”, was given to her as a nurse in training in Illinois. She also mentioned a patient who acted as a doctor and went up to another gentleman in a robe and crutch. The patient told the gentlemen that “his father died at 105 and said he still looked better than him.” Felzien told a remarkable story of using a shrapnel suit to cover up a hole in s plane’s windshield. He said that the motion of the plane and air kept it in the break.
The audience asked questions toward the end of the event bringing out many more amazing stories. One of the audience members mentioned that they came to the event out of interest and having a relative that was a World War II vet. Another member wanted to gain knowledge from the accounts being a social science instructor at a local high school.
Afterwards, Nate, one of the organizers of the event said that this is an important event, because it is an opportunity to document these stories of World War II Veterans, who will not be around forever to tell them. Recording their stories allows to pass these them down to future generations, so that they don’t forget the impact World War II had on the world.