Decorated vet recently retraced WWII service in Europe

Bill LaBar spent his 90th birthday being treated as a celebrity. He had officials lining up to meet him and at one point, was surrounded by a group of teen girls.

It had been roughly 70 years since the decorated soldier served as a rifleman in Europe.

Most of the people he met on his birthday trip overseas were the children or the grandchildren of the people he fought to liberate.

Helen Patton, granddaughter of General George Patton, right, pins her Patton Foundation pin on Bill LaBar in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, at the Mayor’s reception on September 18, 2015 during the Eindhoven liberation party. LaBar served under General Patton during World War II. Photo provided by: Suzanne Galen

During an 11-day tour of Europe last month, strangers asked LaBar to pose for photos and for hugs. He signed autographs on books, a jacket and even a 48-star flag.

“Throughout Europe, in the countries that were occupied, the World War II veterans were treated like rock stars,” LaBar said.

He ended the trip celebrating his birthday in Eindhoven, Netherlands and took part in their big liberation ceremony as an honored guest.

LaBar is humble about his war service. But medals on the wall of his Tucson home offer hints at what an 18-year-old boy from Pennsylvania did overseas.

He was recently given the French Legion of Honor, the country’s highest decoration.

LaBar served with the 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division.

At one point he was attached to the 4th Armored Division, which broke through enemy lines to resupply the 101st Airborne Division.

“The 101st Airborne was surrounded at Bastogne. Completely. They were running low on food and ammunition — and everything — and our outfit was tasked to the 4th Armored Division temporarily,” he said.

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His company liberated two prisoner of war camps and a forced labor camp. He also helped to liberate Buchenwald concentration camp.

Seven decades later, LaBar pauses, still troubled by the memories of the Nazi atrocities. “When we liberated that, the ovens were still warm,” he said.

He also has pleasant memories, including the day he celebrated the end of the war in Europe.

Photo of Bill LaBar in 1943 when he was drafted into the United States army. He served under General George S. Patton. Photo courtesy of Bill LaBar

Stationed in Austria, the men went to a local farmer to ask for some fresh eggs. The farmer obliged but also dug up a barrel of beer he buried when the war began.

With cold glasses and warm beer, the men celebrated until they could no longer stand up.

At 90 years old, LaBar’s memory is great but not perfect. He relies on his friend Suzanne Galen to help fill in some of the blanks.

Galen raised over $5,000 to take LaBar overseas, putting in her own money to help him retrace his steps in Europe. Last month, she served as a guide and helped to push his wheelchair through three countries.

Besides the memories and photographs, LaBar also came back with a pin from the Patton Foundation.

He smiles, recounting how he met Helen Patton, granddaughter of Gen.George Patton, in Eindhoven.

It was there that Patton took off her pin and gave to LaBar after learning he had served under her grandfather.