Byron Armbruster

Byron B. Armbruster and wife

Byron Bryan Armbruster was born Feb. 19, 1914, the fourth of seven children of Christ and Anna (Leifer) Armbruster and was united in marriage Oct., 1945, to Eloise Higgins, the eldest of two daughters of LeRoy and Helen (Frease) Higgins. To this union was born one son, Timothy, (Tim) Oct. 2, 1947, who is married and living at Lakeside, Ohio. Tim's mother died of cancer.

Aug. 11th, 1960, Byron entered the holy state of matrimony with Rozella Hoff, of Holgate, Ohio, born March 7, 1919, the only child of Charles and Sarah (Fruth) Hoff. Their parents migrated to America from Germany in the early 1800's.

Byron recently retired as a foreman, from Campbell Soup Company, Napoleon, Ohio, and with his wife Rosie are enjoying traveling, gardening, and antique collecting. Both are thankful for having been born into Christian homes and are now active members of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Napoleon, Ohio.

Byron also has a distinguished World War II service record, having served in the European theatre. He is thankful to God for having survived four major missions, with only receiving shrapnel wounds, causing blindness in one eye.

He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division, holding the rank of Staff Sergeant. He landed in France "D-Day," June 6, 1944, and was in Hitler's home, in Berchtesgaden, the day the European War ended, May 8, 1945. He was surrounded in Bastogne, Belgium, for seven days over Christmas, Dec., 1944, when his commander, General McAuliffe, gave the now famous "Nuts" reply to Germans demanding surrender of encircling troops, or annihilation. It was at this point that the 101st Airborne received the title of the "Battling, Battered, Bastards of the Bastion of Bastogne." Byron was decorated with the Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Presidential Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, European ribbon with invasion arrowhead and four battle stars, plus three Division Foreign Awards. Also he received the Belgium Fourragere, 1940, from the Belgium government, Dutch Orange Lanyard from the Holland government, and Croix De Guerre, 1940, with Palm from the French government.

Submitted by son, Tim