WWII veteran effortlessly recalls memories of battle, those he service with

Art Hrabec celebrated his 101st birthday this summer surrounded by fellow members of Lombard’s VFW Lilac Post 5815.

The event included cake, cookies and coffee after a lunch at the York Township Senior Nutrition Center.

Even though 80 years have passed since Hrabec served in World War II, beginning when he was only 19 years old, the memories of those days and the names of his fellow servicemen come back to Hrabec quickly.

So does the emotion of the memory of the friends he left on the battlefield.

During his two years of service, Hrabec was part of U.S. 1st Army, 298 Combat Engineer Company B, where his unit swept for mines, built bridges and was part of the tank infantry.

Like Hrabec, most of his fellow servicemen “were young kids in our early 20s.”

One of the most influential times for Hrabec during wartime Europe were the months he spent in woods along the border between Belgium and Germany during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest.

This major battle of World War II resulted in about 34,000 U.S. casualties.

One of the casualties was Private Frank Manski Jr., one of Hrabec’s soldiers who came looking for him in the woods only to be shot by a German soldier.

It’s something that still brings Hrabec to tears today.

He concedes that something in him changed after the tragic incident.

“He was such a good kid,” Hrabec said. “Some of those guys didn’t even get a chance at life.”

Hrabec also clearly recalls running through hills of the man-made forest packed with fir trees and rough terrain and coming face to face with German soldiers.

Remembering one night out on patrol, Hrabec heard soldiers singing in German. As he slinked closer, he sneaked a peek at a large number gathered by a fire.

During this long battle, Hrabec said, U.S. soldiers typically carried two guns – a Thompson submachine gun and a rifle, something he was familiar with since he hunted in his youth.

Promoted to sergeant during his time in service, Hrabec said, “You could pick out the guys that could be a soldier, but some guys were so good-hearted.”

Hrabec placed those men on other duties where they would be less likely to engage with enemy soldiers.

During his time in the military, Hrabec said he did not give his own mortality a thought.

“You just do what you have to do,” Hrabec said.

That is not to say he wasn’t scared.

“Yes, there were times when I was scared, especially when the Germans kept shelling us,” he recalled.

“There were times it was very close,” he added, remembering when his helmet took the impact of German shelling.

Hrabec received the Bronze Star, the Silver Battle Star, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the European Campaign medal for his service.

After the war, Hrabec returned to the Western suburbs, where he married and had four children – two sons and two daughters.

He now lives at a senior living center in Lombard on the site that once was the family farm of an old acquaintance.