THE D-DAY VET THAT WENT MIA AND JOINED THE FRENCH RESISTANCE
We’re rolling back the curtains of time 78 years to D-Day in Southern France. The U.S. 36th Infantry Division landed on the French Riviera to make way for the French Resistance to rise up against German invaders. Not long after, Private First Class Stephen J. Weiss got separated from his unit for nearly two months. While listed as “Missing in Action” in France, he found a way to serve with the French Resistance and an OSS operational group behind enemy lines. For this great feat, he was awarded multiple honors and decorations, but this is only a small part of his story. Suggested read:How Lucky Strike Cigarettes Defined WWII
Stephen J. Weiss’ Contribution to the French Resistance
Weiss was a WW2 Soldier who was a part of Operation Dragoon, which is often overshadowed by Normandy. Originally planned to occur on the same day as the Normandy Invasions, Operation Dragoon was pushed back due to a lack of resources. The 36th Infantry eventually landed at Camel Beach in the French Riviera and fought inland to liberate Grenoble. While the operation was rather successful overall, Weiss’s infantry was outpowered by German counterattacks and forced to retreat. Consequently, Weiss and seven of his fellow men were separated from the unit. They hid in a ditch to survive the night, and the next day, they found shelter with a local farmer that stashed American troops. With the help of the Maquis, Weiss and the seven other men were able to dress up as French police officers and make their way to Alboussière. There, Weiss met a French Foreign Legionnaire who granted him permission to fight alongside the Resistance. Weiss played an integral part in helping the Resistance push back on the German troops closing in from the north and south. In an OSS operational group, Weiss aided Lieutenant Roy K. Rickerson and W.H. McKenzie III in sabotaging communication between German soldiers, demolishing bridges, and safeguarding OSS radio operators. Weiss’ efforts behind enemy lines were recognized both by the Americans and the French. He was awarded the French Resistance Medal, two Croix de Guerre, and a Bronze Star. In 2007, he was made an Officier de la Legion d’ Honneur, and in July 2013, he was promoted to the highest decoration in France, the Order de la Legion d’ Honneur.
A WW2 Veteran: Stephen J. Weiss Post-War
Weiss struggled with what we now know as post-traumatic stress disorder after returning home to his unit. Because of his condition, he spent the rest of his time in war as a photographer. He was discharged in 1946. Weiss was only 17 when he joined the Armed Forces in 1942, so he was only 21 when he left the military. Still a young man, Stephen Weiss took on the entertainment industry, where he worked for 30 years before moving on to a new field. Academia was the next step in Weiss’ career. He received two M.A. degrees, one being in Clinical Psychology from Goddard College in Vermont and the other in War Studies from King's College London. He also went on to get his Ph.D. in war studies in 1995 and can be found on the Fellows of King’s list. His research on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder helped him to understand and reconcile with his past. He went on to write multiple books. His most recent publication was in 2011: 'The Invisible Scars of War’ In Combat with the US ‘Texas’ Infantry, the OSS, and the French Resistance during the Liberation of France, 1943-1946.
In Great Memory of Stephen Weiss
Stephen J. Weiss passed in February of 2020, and his legacy is still being honored to this day. He once said, “My generation is disappearing at an accelerated rate, and I, with all humility, remain almost alone to present and explain the life of the combat Soldier. I believe that after a lifetime of researching and writing, a realistic story of the fighting man has emerged.” Stephen J Weiss’s valor behind enemy lines and contributions to the understanding of PTSD and the psychology of warfare are what make his life a memorable one. Read next:Kadena Air Base Serves Our Nation Despite Propaganda
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