CONTINUED FROM page 3

Albert Colman

lbert Colman started out
a Canadian and ended up
an army staff sergeant
with U.S. forces serving
in Europe, Italy, France and
Germany.
He was born in Toronto, but
came to the United States so he
could attend the University of
Michigan's business school.
When the war started, he had
no hesitation about signing up
to fight. He wanted to be a
U.S. citizen, and was ready to
make a commitment to his
new home.
Mr. Colman attended in-
fantry school in Georgia before
leaving for Europe. Among his
most unforgettable experi-
ences during the war was the
day he walked into Dachau.
"I was with my outfit," he
said. "The ovens were still
warm and the bodies were all
in boxcars and I can still smell
it. I never have been back to
Germany and I never will go
back."
Toward the end of the war
Staff Sgt. Colman was serving
at headquarters with the Sev-
enth Army under Gen. Alexan-
der Patch. He was stationed in
Ausberg, Germany, when, in
May 1945, Sgt. Colman received
a remarkable cable from home.
"My parents told me that they
had seen, in a Toronto newspa-
per, the names of two young peo-
ple in a DP camp," he said. Their
names were Henry, who was 19,
and Hannah, who was 15. Their
last name was Starkman, which
had been Sgt. Colman's moth-
er's maiden name. They were
looking for anyone who might be
family.
"My parents thought they
could be cousins," he said.
So he went to the DP camp in

A

A JCC exhibit honors the men who risked
their lives for freedom and democracy.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Ben Paxton

He was wounded
he letter brought no surpris-
when
he was strafed
es, no unwanted news.
by a Nazi plane. After
When he received notice
initial treatment in
that he had been drafted to
Europe, he was flown
fight in World War II, Ben Paxton
home for further care.
wasn't a bit troubled. "It was some-
`The hospital plane
thing that had to be done," he said.
landed in New York,
Ben Paxton was born in Poland,
and I got a 12-hour
then came when he was 10 to the
pass to stay," he said.
United States. The family settled
"I wound up in a USO
in the 12th Street area, and Ben at-
(for Jewish service-
tended Northern High.
men and women) in
"I wasn't surprised," when the
Fort Hamilton, and
draft notice came, he said "I was
that's where I met my
expecting it."
future wife."
His basic training was at Ft.
Her name was Evelyn Shapiro. She was
Custer in Battle Creek Then in De-
Ben Paxton:
"a Brooklyn girl" who worked for the New
cember 1943 he was sent to Liver-
"You've got
York Times and was wearing a black-vel-
pool, England, where he remained
to get
vet dress that night.
through this."
until just before D-Day.
Mr. Paxton couldn't take his eyes offher.
Assigned to the First Army un-
der Gen. Omar Bradley, Staff Sgt. Paxton was `The moment I met her I knew she was for me,"
in combat throughout the European Theater. Mr. Paxton said
They went on one date, then Mr. Paxton had
"After the first shock," there was no choice but
Cf)
to become resigned to it, he said He survived to leave for a military hospital in Kentucky the
by telling himself, "You've got to get through next day. But they kept in touch, and two weeks
after meeting they were married.
this."
CI)
"Rabbi B. Benedict Glazer (of Temple Beth
Sgt. Paxton fought in the Battle of the Bulge,
"the most difficult, tough, bitterly cold" days of El) was on his way for a vacation when we
LLJ
asked him to marry us," Mr. Paxton said. "I
his life. "The suffering there was intense."
He remembers the glory, too. 'The best thing said, 'Would you give us a short ceremony?'
CD
about the war came two days after D-Day," he and he told me, That's the only kind I have."'
F-
said. 'The liberation of Paris was one great big He canceled his trip just to perform the wed-
LU
cn
carnival. There was dancing in the streets, and ding.
Ben and Evelyn Paxton recently celebrated
w
everybody was passing out wine to the GIs."
Sgt. Paxton's war years included a visit back their 50th wedding anniversary. Mr. Paxton
H-
to the States. It wasn't exactly a pleasure trip, is a retired advertising executive and lives in
West Bloomfield. CI
though it certainly had a grand moment.

w

28

Stuttgart, where Henry and
Hannah were staying.
Finding them was some kind
of miracle, a bittersweet moment
that still moves Mr. Colman to
tears. He learned his cousins had
spent the war first in the Lodz
Ghetto, then in death camps.
Now, he would find them a
home.

Albert Colman got a telegram: "They
might be cousins."

'The first thing I did was take
them to Heidelberg, where I
found them an apartment for
awhile. Then in June 1945 they
came as refugees to the United
States," he said. 'Their parents
had been killed, and they had no
one left."
The two settled in Detroit,
where Henry became a CPA and
attorney. Today, Hannah lives
in New York.
After the war Mr. Colman
attended the University of
Michigan law school. He con-
tinues to practice law and re-
sides in West Bloomfield. CI

Robert Lesser

he requisite was a col-
lege degree, or at least
two years toward it.
Robert Lesser had nei-
ther, but he had attended
Central High.
Mr. Lesser credits his
high-school education (in-
cluding courses in physics)
with helping him pass the
entrance exam to an aviation
cadet program. Of course, he
had to take a rigorous phys-
ical exam, too. But Robert

Lesser was determhied to be-
come a navigator.
He was born in Detroit
and, like many young men in
the city, didn't wait for his
draft notice. He volunteered.
After training, he became
a first lieutenant with the
Army Air Corps, and lead
navigator for the 15th Air
Force. He flew more than 50
missions and "bombed every-
where — Munich, Vienna,
Budapest."

