Chris Zazas
Chris was born in Des Moines, Iowa. After graduating from high school he was drafted in 1943 into the U.S. ARMY and was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa.
From there was sent to the 87th Division in Camp McCain, Mississippi. From there he was sent to South Carolina and assigned to the 4th Division, 22nd Infantry.
Chris was in a group that was sent to Europe (ETO) and ended up in Cardiff, Wales. While there, his outfit was preparing for the invasion of France. They were then placed on a carrier and when they got near their destination they got on their LSD for the invasion of Utah Beach. They disembarked amidst heavy artillery fire from the Germans. The LSD was completely destroyed and most of the American Soldiers lost their lives. The bodies of American soldiers were strewn everywhere floating in the water that was very bloody from all the deceased solders. Chris and few others encountered German 88 shells, Chris and the other GI's were loaded with guns and bandoliers of ammunition and were able to reach the beach. Four of them knocked out the pill box, thus allowing the remaining LSD's to safely land and keeping the troops out of harms way and being fired upon. The battle continued as they fought their way through France via St. lo, Cherbourg, Belgium, Luxembourg and Maastricht, Holland. Chris also participated in the fight through Hurtgen Forest, which is known as the fieriest bloodiest battle. Chris was wounded on July 12, 1944 at St Lo, France. Chris participated in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, which is known as the fieriest and bloodiest battle.
They fought their way towards the Rhine River where they used small boats or rafts to cross the Rhine River; unbeknownst to them they were being fired by the Germans as they crossed the Rhine. They were immediately captured by the SS troop on October, 1944. Four were set in one area and the rest of the prisoners were taken to another area and aU were shot. The one area were Chris, were assigned to pick up the German's dead bodies and than placed on a flat bed drawn by horses and transported to the area for burial. Chris was ultimately placed ill Stalag 7A; from there he was sent to Dachau until he was eventually liberated by General Patton.
Chris was sent to the 24Sth Field Hospital and from there to Paris for interrogation. At that time, all the POW's were attached to the 788th Engineer Group and sent to Camp Luck Strike to be sent home. Chris was discharged at Camp Grant, Illinois on January 29, 1946.