Veteran receives Silver Star at Fort Benning for WWII valor

May 30--Nearly 70 years after taking an enemy position in the forest of Siegen, Germany, 1st Lt. Charles G. Shepherd Jr. was presented his Silver Star Thursday for action during World War II on April 2, 1945.

Shepherd, 92, of Atlanta, was presented the third-highest military decoration for valor during a ceremony in McGinnis-Wickam Hall at Fort Benning.

Paperwork for the honor was completed, but Shepherd never was formally presented the medal. "It's something that a lot of wrongs in this old world never get righted but this one did," said retired Army Col. John Ottley Jr., who helped get the award presented. "It's just a glorious day to see that happen."

The citation states that Shepherd was serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division when he was leading a patrol through a heavily defended area. His platoon came under heavy fire from rifle and seven machine guns.

Shepherd provided cover fire for three soldiers until they could get safely into a ditch. Although he was hit in the thigh with a 20mm round, Shepherd led his men in a gallant firefight that left more than 20 Germans dead without losing any of his own troops.

Shepherd was ordered to the hospital after the battle and he was later evacuated to the Army Hospital in Bar-le-Duc, France. Surgeons left the bullet fragments in his leg but said he was fit to return to combat.

The Silver Star was awarded in November but never properly presented to Shepherd.

The presentation of the medal was made possible through the efforts of retired Ottley of Atlanta and retired Lt. Gen. Army James R. Helmly, former chief of Army reserves.

Ottley said he was serving as president of American Legion Post 134 when he learned about Shepherd's efforts to properly get his medal presented. Ottley said he wrote letters to his U.S. Representative, a Georgia Senator and others before Helmly was invited to speak at the American Legion post this year.

"Within a month's time they were saying, 'Where do you want this presented?' " Ottley said. "Helmly is the hero of this story. I don't think it ever would have happened if it weren't for him."

With about 40 guests looking on, Helmly was present for the medal presentation during the Officer Candidate School graduation. The medal was presented at Fort Benning because Shepherd completed OCS at the post in the early 1940s.

He was called into the Army while studying at Georgia Tech and serving in the Reserve Corps. "His college career came to an abrupt halt," Ottley said.

Shepherd, who wasn't available for comment Friday, was inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame at Fort Benning in 2001.

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