Mosbacher, Stephen S. (35554027): Difference between revisions

Stephen, who usually signed as "Sigmund", was born October 14 1923 into a Jewish family in Nuremberg. Stephen attended University of Toledo (3 years, Chemical Engineering). He buried in Margraten Cemetery, Netherlands. He was the oldest child and only son of Emil Mosbacher and Rose Wurman. Life in Germany had become unbearable when threats to the Jewish population progressed to a point where his father Dr Mosbacher was forced to discontinue his practice of medicine. Stephen enlisted in the US Army in his adopted hometown of Toledo, Ohio on June 12, 1943. During the attack on the Elbe River, S/Sgt Mosbacher advanced to within ten yards of enemy infantry elements in an effort to rescue a comrade who was pinned down by enemy fire. The rescue was accomplished in the face of direct fire of artillery, mortars and small arms fire Mosbacher was fatally wounded a few minutes later while attempting the rescue of another wounded soldier who was directly in the path of an enemy tank. Stephen was grimly smiling and still had a firm grip on his machine gun. S/Sgt Mosbacher was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously for his actions on the day of his death. He was attached to IPW Team #149, 8th Armored Division. He and the rescued soldier were found dead. He had received the nickname "Moose", in part because of his size. He was also reputed to have the biggest appetite in the headquarters company and to be always the first man in the mess line.