The men behind the memorabilia

Military collectors and enthusiasts eagerly await the arrival of major military shows each year such as the Show of Shows in Louisville, the Max Show in Pennsylvania, and the MAPS show in Canton, Ohio. While most participants eagerly search for items to add to their collections, I have found a special bonus was meeting famous military figures who made significant and often heroic contributions to the history of the United States. Each veteran had a unique story to tell. The opportunity to actually have a conversation with the veteran allows for actual accounts to be passed to the memory of the listener. The following examples were only made possible by meeting the veteran.

At the 2014 Show of Shows I had the opportunity to meet Theodore “Ted” Paluch who was a survivor of the infamous Malmedy massacre associated with the Battle of the Bulge.

Ted Paluch was born Dec. 4, 1922 in Philadelphia. In January 1943 Ted was drafted and ultimately became a member of the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. Arriving Sept. 14, 1944 at Normandy, his unit would travel across France, Luxembourg, and Belgium. By December 1944 the unit would move