A real hero! That’s the only tag - and a most appropriate - that we would want to hang on everybody’s friend in Runge, Charley Matula, after he put aside his earthly chores the other day and joined the Lord’s army in Heaven. We had known this quiet unassuming man for nearly forty years, but never much about his background because he never talked about himself, much less his accomplishments.

It was only when Mama and we walked up to his casket to pay our respects when we noticed a standard, which had been placed at his head, and contained a multitude of military decorations. Being a two-time veteran ourselves, we stepped over to see if we recognized any of his awards. The first one that caught our eye was the Combat Infantry Badge. That in itself was enough to tell us we were not looking down on an ordinary soldier. In our day, the man that wore this was the bravest of the brave. He was the one who bore the brunt of the fighting, took the greatest risks, had the greatest number of causalities and plied his trade in the most horrible conditions.

Looking more closely we recognized the Purple Heart. This award is reserved for those who were wounded in action (which happened to Charlie on two or more occasions) or worst of all, killed in action. As we continued to inspect the collection of ribbons, we recognized several which represented battle zones in Europe during WWII, and several battle stars were fastened to them. Several other decorations were included with those we have mentioned, but we didn’t try to identify them, already being convinced that we were in the presence of one of America’s finest. We just wish we had known about this phase of his life and talked to him about it while he was still alive. Certainly, here was a man who had stories to tell.

A few days later, we had the opportunity to talk to his son, Mike Matula, a former student of ours. We asked him if he could tell us a few highlights from the military career of this brave man, his father. Mike confirmed our suspicions that Charlie rarely ever talked about his experiences in the nations armed forces during WWII. But he did say that his father was among that troops who stormed ashore on Normandy Beach in France on 6 June 1944 to start the liberation of Europe from the Nazis. And those of you who have had a chance to study the films of that brutal event know that it was no picnic.

Charlie also was right in the middle of the Battle of the Bulge in the winter months of 1944. This was when the Nazi forces made a final vicious assault through the Benelus countries and Northern France in a desperate attempt to drive the attacking Allies off the European continent. Those who participated in that battle say that the winter weather was as great an enemy as the Nazis.

To illustrate that last paragraph, Mike said that his father once told him of a bitter, freezing rainy night when he and two buddies were trapped on the front lines in a foxhole that was filled with near-freezing water. In order to keep from freezing, the three of them formed a human tripod with their bodies in order to remain standing, stay awake, keep alive, and ward off the enemy until daylight arrived. As we said in the beginning, Charlie, “You’re a real hero!” May your tribe increase while you rest in Heaven.