PFC Harlan J. Whitlock, WWII Veteran joined the United States Army in 1943 and served until 1945 when the war was over.

During WWII, he was in Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Czechoslovakia.

Whitlock was involved in the “Battle of the Bulge” which was officially named the “Battle of the Ardennes” by the U.S. Army and known to the German military as “Unternehmen: Wacht am Rhein (Operations Watch on the Rhine).”

This battle started Dec. 16, 44, by the Germans, to split the British and American Allied line in half so as to capture Antwerp and Belgium then to proceed to destroy four Allied Armies.

The goal was to force the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in favor of the Axis Powers.

Planned in total secrecy, with nearly total silence by radio, the Allies read the few secret radio messages and formed the opinion of a possible German attack.

The U.S. Third Army predicted a major German offensive and was still surprised when it occurred.

This surprise was compounded by Allies’ overconfidence and their preoccupation with plans of their own.

The surprise hit a weak section of the Allies’ line during an overcast day when aerial support was grounded.

Most of the American casualties occurred the first three days of the attacks.

Two of the U.S. Infantry Division’s three regiments were forced to surrender.

The bloodiest battle in WWII experience, “Battle of the Bulge” was this one.

Over 19,000 Americans died during this incident.

The Germans’ goals however, were defeated.

Whitlock was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and other Campaign Stars during his enlistment.

He was wounded, spent 3 months in a hospital in Paris, France, and returned to combat.

Being in the Infantry, Whitlock was a sniper and judo expert.

Another accomplishment he cherishes, is the high school diploma he received in November 2002.

Thousands of young men of the ‘40’s went off to fight wars, not to finish school and attend college.

Their “lessons” were learned on battlefields and in military camps.

After legislation in 2001 was passed, to honor and provide high school diplomas to servicemen who “went off to war,” Whitlock stepped up and accepted what would be one of his most prized possessions.

He is now a retired diesel mechanic and currently lives with his wife, Geneva.