‘They ran right into death’

Wilch and Miller are two of many area WWII veterans with whom this newspaper has spoken in the past two weeks to recount their stories and talk about Overlord, the Allied invasion that established a Western front in France. The Allies invaded Italy the previous summer.

For those who stepped foot on the beaches of northwestern France, and for those who supported them, it is not an anniversary to miss.

“From what I smelled, heard and seen, the D-Day assault where I was, the American soldier was magnificent,” Wilch said. “They went into death, hell. After going through being wet, sick, all that. They never hesitated. I never saw one man hesitate after he came out of those landing craft.”

Added Wilch, “I think it stunned the Germans, that they ran right into death.”

Wilch served with the 2nd squad of the 2nd platoon, E Company, in the 115th Regimental Combat Team in the 29th Division.

He believes he survived D-Day — and the ensuing seven decades — thanks to “an angel” on his shoulder.

“There’s no skill in combat,” Wilch said. “It doesn’t matter how fast you are, how high you can jump, what you can do. If they flood the place with bullets, you’re going to get it.”

“And I don’t know why,” he added. “I just ran right through it.”

Among Wilch’s enduring memories: Shooting a German with a scar along his face — then meeting that same German 13 years later as an employee at Sorg Paper in Middletown. In time, Wilch and Adolph Huf became friends.