Norman Metzler

SYRACUSE — Norman Metzler, Syracuse, was honored as the January veteran of the month at the Kosciusko Commissioners meeting held Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Metzler, the son of Ray and Goldie Metzler, was born and raised in Nappanee. After graduation, Metzler attended aircraft technical school in Chicago, Ill. for six months. From there, he was employed by Meyers Aircraft Company in Tecumpoy, Mich., where his job primarily consisted of building training planes for the U.S. Air Force.

On July 24, 1944, Metzler was drafted into the U.S. Army. His basic training was completed at Fort Robinson in Arkansas. He was then sent to Boston, Mass.

On New Year’s Eve 1944, Metzler departed for Le Harve, France in a convoy of 30 ships. Five days later they arrived in France and were immediately loaded into box cars on a train where they were transported to enemy lines and assigned to their units.

The very next day Metzler found himself in combat in Northern France.

They fought their way into Belgium, where the Germans were sending V2 rockets to London. Metzler described the rockets being so low that they could be seen and heard from the ground.

They fought through the Battle of the Bulge and onto the Rhine River, eventually overtaking the city of Neuss in Germany. After discovering that the Germans had destroyed the bridge there, Metzler and his unit crossed the river at Wesel and fought eastward, taking the towns of Dartmuhd, Hamm, Paderborn and Polle before crossing the Elbe River.

At Zersbebt, they met an entire battalion of Germans but were able to hold their ground, eventually pushing the Germans back. As a result, Metzler received a commendation.

Metzler was then moved to headquarters, promoted from Private First Class to T-4 Sergeant and put in charge of the motor pool in Passau Bavaria, German. Shortly after that, he was discharged.

One of his fondest memories of his time in the service is of  Christmas Eve 1945 when the troops, tired, cold and hungry, came upon a German church on a hilltop. Metzler stated that, as American soldiers, they were quite reluctant but approached the church and knocked. To their surprise, they were welcomed in and invited to spend Christmas there.

Metzler received numerous medals for his service, including the bronze star for valor in combat.

Upon his return home, Metzler attended Ball State University for one year.

That summer he began working for American Coating Mills. Metzler decided the pay was too good to pass up so he made the decision to continue working there rather than returning to Ball State.

Over time, Metzler worked for several manufacturing companies in customer service and sales, eventually becoming general sales manager of Ecko Building Products, a subsidiary of American Home Products, in Canton, Ohio. He later retired from this position.

After doing architectural work, Metzler built a new home on the east side of Dewart Lake, where he has lived for the past 41 years.

Metzler’s wife of 57 years, Geneva, passed away in 2010. He now lives with his granddaughter, Teri, in his Dewart Lake home. Metzler enjoys fishing, golfing and gardening. Metzler’s granddaughter related, “Even though he’s 95, he just goes and goes and goes. There’s something special about that generation.”

At the age of 95, he spends most of his time at the senior center in Syracuse, where he enjoys eating lunch and playing cards.

Metzler has one daughter, two grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

“I want to thank everyone here who is responsible for this,” Metzler said, indicating the plaque he received at the Kosciusko Commissioners meeting.  “Veterans  feel down deep inside an appreciation for the recognition people give them for their service. They went through hell, but they did it anyway and they’d probably do it again.”