26 Nazi Officer Prisoners and Two Scared but Lucky Dogface Soldiers

The next summer in Paris I met a soldier. “Are you Leveque from Headquarters Company?” “Yep.” “Do you remember a house in Germany with 26 officers?” “Yeah”. “I want to thank you; I got six watches from those guys.”

This WWII photo shows a captured Nazi officer in the custody of two soldiers. This is not one of the officers that the doctor specifically captured, but the image is a close representation of that day. Courtesy: docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - My short biography in Salem-news.com indicates that I and my Army buddy captured 26 Nazi Officers. I have had a few questions, mainly “how did this come about?”

I was a college graduate in Chemistry when I volunteered for the Army. I don’t know if I could have gone to the navy or Marines, because I lack the tip of my right index trigger finger. I tried to get into ROTC in College. Being an Officer is much better (?) than being a private! They wouldn’t accept me.

I had basic (Infantry) training at a Chemical Warfare base and was supposed to become a Gas Warfare Non-com in the Infantry. They had selected that Non-com the day before I reported to the Infantry. My Sgt. said he’d put me in the Intelligence section. I felt I was fairly intelligent...

"What will I be doing, Sgt.?" “You’ll be a battalion scout, point man and forward observer”. I knew what that meant... I had seen the movie Battle of Guadalcanal, which was the first real blood and guts movie of WWII. I knew my chances of getting home were close to zero.

After I did miraculously survive and got home, I read James Jones' excellent book, WWII and finally learned what it is to be an infantryman. He nailed it!

The Combat Soldier must make a compact with fate and himself that he is lost. Only then can he function as he ought to function, under fire. He knows and accepts before-hand that he is dead, although he still may be walking around for awhile. That soldier that you have walking around, with this awareness in him, is the final end-product of the Evolution of a Soldier.

I reluctantly accepted all this when I was told what I would be doing.

The incident came about some 6 weeks before the end of the war in Europe. My battalion was in two parts; one company in the valley on the main road into this town, and my Headquarters Company on a side road on top of the hill. I was with my Company Commander, Capt. Otterbein in the front. To the right front, about 50 yards away was a house, “Leveque, you and Brannon check out that house”. There was a rifle battle going on down below. So this was an armed fighting town.

Privates obey captains. There was a woods of foot-wide trees on the way to the house. We circled around to the right, rather than go in straight on. We leap-frogged tree to tree, and finally I got to the last tree. I stopped and looked for machine guns, bazookas, or rifles.

I didn’t see any, but it was still spooky. I could see a door around the left corner of the house. “Brannon, cover me... I’m running to the corner”. I stopped to listen, and couldn’t hear anything!

I ran past the door and there was a window close by. As I ran by I glanced in and could see German uniforms inside! My heart stopped. I expected to hear and feel gunshots through the wall. I heard footsteps of hobnail boots coming to the door, which opened, and a Nazi Captain appeared with my rifle muzzle under his chin. I didn’t see any pistol! “Wiefiel manner herin?” (how many men are inside?). He answered in English, 26! God almighty! I asked “haben sie waffen?” (have you any weapons?) “No,” he said. I didn’t believe a word of it but what to do next?

I motioned Brannon over; his face was as white as this paper! “Brannon, he says they have no weapons but I’ve got to take this dude to our Captain”. I didn’t think I’d see Brannon alive again. The Nazi Captain gave my Captain a Hitler stiff arm salute. I was going to bash his head in. My Captain asked, “What’s going on?” I said “there are 26 officers in that house”. He looked at me like he was going to court martial me for lying. “I’ll send 6 men over to guard them”. “Good,” I said.

There was another house about 50 yards away. I said “Brannon, let's check it out”. He replied “Leveque, we’ve used up all of our luck. I’m going back to the Company.”

I did go to the house. It was empty; I slept in a Nazi Major's bed for the first time in a month, after sleeping in wet foxholes.

The next summer in Paris, I met a soldier. “Are you Leveque from Headquarters Company?” “Yep.” “Do you remember a house in Germany with 26 officers?” “Yeah”. “I want to thank you; I got six watches from those guys.”

Whether I should have received a medal for this, I don’t know. Only Capt. Ottenbein knew about it. The next day, his right arm was shot off. He was sent home.

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Dr. Phillip Leveque has degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and minors in physiology and biochemistry. He was a Professor of Pharmacology, employed by the University of London for 2 years, during which time he trained the first doctors in Tanzania. After training doctors, he became an Osteopathic Physician, as well as a Forensic Toxicologist.