AUGUSTA, Maine — Joseph Hoerth thought he was doomed after World War II’s Battle of the Bulge, when he and hundreds of other American troops were captured and sent to a German prisoner-of-war camp.
Hoerth, 93, who was part of the Army’s 106th Infantry Division, celebrated when a task force of American forces liberated the camp, but his joy was quickly dashed. The unit had capacity to take only 300 of the 2,500 prisoners back behind American lines; the rest were to be marched by the Nazis to Nuremberg for their release, 120 miles away.
“Four of us decided we were not going to walk that way. We were going to walk in our direction,” said Hoerth on Friday after receiving several belated combat medals from U.S. Sen. Angus King in Augusta. “We were 21 years old, young and foolish, and thought we could control the war around us. We were wrong.”
Hoerth and the other three — including two of Hoerth’s childhood friends — trekked 60 miles through snow-covered countryside. The four men were within a few miles of U.S. Army units, proceeding forward in a diamond-shaped formation, unarmed and without any supplies. Hoerth was in the point position when he saw a group of 50 retreating German soldiers, led by a man who was pushing a bicycle, coming toward him.
“As soon as I saw them I hit the ground and flattened out,” said Hoerth, as he told King the story on Friday. “I knew they were apt to roll over me, so I got up and gave a ‘Heil Hitler’ salute. I tried to convince him, ‘You go your way and I’ll go mine.’ That didn’t work.”
The German, with his Luger pistol, captured Hoerth and another soldier named John Mason. He began to lead them toward German forces.
In attempts to escape, Hoerth and the other soldier tried to put distance between themselves and their captors. Hoerth staged a trip over a root and said he’d sprained his ankle; the other soldier faked a sudden stomach bug. Eventually, they fell about 60 feet behind the Germans.
“Every time he wasn’t looking, we stopped,” said Hoerth. “Finally I looked over at John and said, ‘Now’s the time.’ We turned and took off on a dead run. We decided Jesse Owens would have been third that day. That’s how we escaped.”
Hoerth, who now lives on Westport Island in Lincoln County, attended law school after the war and spent much of his career working in economic development. He has written a book about his war experiences and is still in close contact with some of the soldiers with whom he was captured.
On Friday, Hoerth accepted the Bronze Star Medal, Prisoner of War Medal and Combat Infantry Badge. Presentation of the medals fell through the cracks originally for a range of reasons, including that his commanding officer was hospitalized with tuberculosis.
“I have great pride to accept and receive this and I do it on behalf of all the people who I served with, particularly the two people I was captured with and escaped with,” Hoerth said after receiving the medals. “This is also in memory of a Serbian officer I met in prison camp.”
The officer was not able to return home and was placed in a displaced persons camp. Hoerth and his parents eventually brought the officer to the United States, where the man had a successful real estate career.
“He was a real asset and a real friend,” said Hoerth.
King said Hoerth is a shining example of the millions of U.S. combat veterans who have preserved our freedom and prosperity.
“His courage, his character, and his commitment to Maine and the nation are an inspiring example for us all and I am honored to be able to present him with the distinctions that he so rightly deserves,” said King.
Hoerth turned the tables on King a bit after the presentation, pitching an economic development idea that involves having local Rotary clubs across the United States sponsor annual competitions for small business grants.
“That’s a great idea,” said King. “Let’s get to work on it.”
Hoerth said keeping a light demeanor has been key to his success in the war and in life.
“Without humor, you might as well fall in a pine box,” he said. “Humor will get you through so much. All of the time we were in prison camp and during our escape, we were able to find humor in everything. It really helps.”
