Charles Scheffel

Enid, Oklahoma
Army Captain
EUROPEAN THEATER: North Africa, Sicily, Operation Dragoon, Push into Germany
RANK & DIVISION: Entered as 2nd Lieutenant, promoted to Captain after liberation of Paris, Company C, 39th Infantry Reg., 9th Army

Charles is an athletic and intelligent perfectionist, a hard-working all-American guy raised during the Depression who is concerned about carrying on his family’s tradition of military service. He’s used to being big man on campus, so when he’s assigned to train with an experienced British army unit, he isn’t accustomed to playing second string. And when he first gets into combat, Charles’ naive illusions are immediately shattered. Facing the pragmatic pressures of a combat command, Charles quickly realizes his decisions can literally mean the difference between life and death for his men. By the time he makes it to Germany, he can see that there is no glory in winning, only in surviving.