Commanders Message

By: Jamie Grites [newsroom@dancomnews.com]

POTOMAC -- With the Fourth of July coming up, many people think of independence, and what it means to them. Oscar Bray of Potomac has his own definition of independence.

Bray, 88, recently received a "Thank You America" certificate for his help in liberating France in World War II. He was among several servicemen in the country who received the award.

Others in Danville who received the certificate were Joe McCormick, Dale McElhaney, John Meyer and Thomas Morse.

Bray served with the Fourth Armored Division of the U.S. Army under Gen. George S. Patton for three years and eight months.

Bray recalls Patton with a certain fondness, remembering a speech the general gave to his men.

"We're going home, that's the good news," Patton told the troops.

Bray said, "You could hear a pin drop. The he paused and said 'By God, men, before we go home we've got to stop by Berlin."

"I'll never forget that the rest of my life," Bray said.

Patton also came "right down on the front line" to meet with the soldiers and give them some encouraging words.

"He shook hands with everybody and wished us well," Bray said.

Bray also has received the Silver Battle Star, a medal awarded to soldiers who fought in five major battles. Bray was injured in combat, and had to have shrapnel removed from his knee.

Bray is thankful for the local Department of Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System, which has been very helpful in providing him with health care.

"The VA has been good to him, real good," said his daughter, Lucille Bray.

Bray also can recall good times in the war. There was one time his company was trying to advance, but the gunfire from the opposing side was not permitting them to move forward. The troops were suddenly ordered to dig a hole and take cover. American planes came overhead and bombed the area right in front of him.

"Those planes came right out of the sun," Bray said.

"He said that was a beautiful sight, seeing those planes coming to help them," Lucille Bray said.

Another beautiful part of his experience happened on his way home to the United States.. He was on a boat in the harbor of France, and saw whales swimming in the distance.

Bray said, "I thought, 'Lord, what's that?' I never saw anything like that in my life."

Bray thought he was well-trained and prepared to go into battle, but the hardships of war take their toll on even the best of soldiers.

"There were days we didn't know what day it was, we didn't know what month it was," he said.

Seeing his friends die in battle left a lasting impression on him. "It bothers me sometimes, I was with those men every day, training with them every day, for three years. They were my buddies."

Of the 200 men in Bray's company, only 13 came back to America after the war.

"If we hadn't stopped that man," Bray said of Hitler, "today you wouldn't be free. I probably wouldn't be here. We had to stop him, and we did, but we paid a price."

"I wouldn't want to do it again, but I would if I had to."