Thirteen months before Pearl Harbor was attacked, my father Louis Saites joined the Army at the age of sixteen. Life at home was not always easy and that prompted Louis to join the Army. He didn’t have his father’s permission, which was required, so he lied about his age. He needed proof of age and he offered his Greek baptismal certificate, which he had altered. He changed his birth year to make himself two years older. Despite the poor job he did in amending the date, the Army accepted it. So at sixteen, he was a private in the United States Army assigned to the 5th Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Co. G.
Louis was 18 when he was assigned to an intelligence unit in Reykjavik, Iceland. He arrived on 16th of September 1941. His job in intelligence was to befriend and get close to Icelandic persons who were suspected of spying for the Germans. Investigating one specific suspect proved very difficult. Louis went to great lengths to discover what he could about the man's activities, even dating the man's daughter while trying to gain entrance to their house. When he was still unable to get into the house, Louis decided to marry the daughter. Finally gaining entrance to the suspect's home, Louis was able to confirm the man was indeed aiding the Germans as a spy.
On 20 August 1942, Louis was reassigned to the 5th Infantry Division, 10th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Co. B and remained in intelligence. The 5th Division was transferred to the European Theater, and his military records show that he arrived in England on 8th of August 1943.
In England and later North Ireland, his work in intelligence was searching for German sympathizers among his fellow soldiers. He felt good that none was ever found. During the two years he was in Great Britain, he also participated in infantry training as the U.S. and the British prepared for the D-Day invasion.
The 5th Infantry Division landed in Normandy on Utah Beach on 10th of July 1944. Over the next several weeks, the 5th Division participated in numerous successful attacks, advancing from Normandy to Reims and seizing the city on 30 August 1944. The last battle that Louis fought in was the Battle of Fort Driant. It was during the Battle of Fort Driant that Louis, now a 20-year old staff sergeant, was captured on 7th of October 1944. He had been wounded and had shrapnel in his leg when he took refuge with a group of fellow soldiers. They were hiding in a small bunker built into the side of a mound of earth when they were overtaken by a tank command and forced to surrender.
As a prisoner of war, Louis was initially processed at Stalag XII-A in Limburg, Germany. He was interrogated and assigned prisoner number 93244. It wasn’t long before he was shipped by train to Stalag III-C in Alt-Drewitz, Brandenburg, Prussia, now Poland. They travelled in cattle cars that were so full they were all forced to stand the entire way. Life at Stalag III-C was a very difficult experience. It was at this camp that he was not only interrogated but also tortured. Conditions at the prison were very bad. They had little to eat, and what food they did get was awful. They ate weeds, bugs, and mice to augment their diet. Housing was in wooden buildings with very little heat and they were given only one blanket for protection against the harsh winter. After several months of internment, the prisoners learned the Soviet Army was approaching and the Germans were planning to move the prisoners towards Berlin.
On the 30th or 31st of January 1945, the Russian Army was nearing the prison camp and the Germans forced the prisoners out of the camp. They were on a forced march when they were suddenly fired upon by the Russians. Louis and another man were near the end of the line of prisoners and took advantage of the chaos to run into the woods. They were able to make their way to a farm and the Polish farmer gave them a couple of bicycles. Travelling away from the camp, they finally met up with the Russian Army and travelled with them to Odessa. After a long period of travelling from Odessa to Egypt, to Malta, to France, and then to Naples, Italy, he was finally sent home.
His military records note that he participated in three European Campaigns: Normandy, North France, and Rhineland. He also received his first Combat Infantry Badge. After a 59-day furlough at home in Lansing, Michigan, he returned to duty and was honorably discharged on 10 July 1945. He reenlisted on 10th June 1946 and remained in the Army until retiring in 1962.
During his service Louis earned the following: Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Presidential Unit Citation (2), Prisoner of War Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Europe/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Battle Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal 1945-1990, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and United Nations Service Medal. In addition, he received two Combat Infantry Badges and eight Overseas Bars.
