Uncategorised American WW1 Vets that fought in WW2 on the German side

[Paul R]

Is there any evidence that suggests American WW1 Veterans(ethnic Germans?) who returned to fight as Germans in WW2? Has any such grouping surfaced?

Paul

[MajorBloodnok]

Hi Paul,

I have been reading a lot and watched a lot of German tv, but I have never heard of anyone belonging in that category.

Of course, this ain't proof they do not exist.

Regards,

Mike

Is there any evidence that suggests American WW1 Veterans(ethnic Germans?) who returned to fight as Germans in WW2? Has any such grouping surfaced?

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

I have seen evidence of US citizens of German origin who happened to be in the wrong place (Germany) at the wrong time (after 1939) getting drafted into German service not by their choice. (Similar things happened in Japan.) But as to WWI US veterans . . . I'd be very surprised. But who knows?

[dante]

I have seen evidence of US citizens of German origin who happened to be in the wrong place (Germany) at the wrong time (after 1939) getting drafted into German service not by their choice. (Similar things happened in Japan.) But as to WWI US veterans . . . I'd be very surprised. But who knows?

But could have happened the other way round.......

[Paul R]

But could have happened the other way round.......

Thanks for sharing this interesting bar. Although, the US medal is not a military one. It is a commemorative type for the 150th Anniversary of the US(Although I thought that the official accepted year of the establishment of the US was 1776).

[dante]

Thanks for sharing this interesting bar. Although, the US medal is not a military one. It is a commemorative type for the 150th Anniversary of the US(Although I thought that the official accepted year of the establishment of the US was 1776).

Here is the back it a Steuben Society of America, founded in 1919

[Ed_Haynes]

Yes, a private society medal. Completely unofficial. Likely just a German who settled in the US after WWI.

Paul has threads on all possible combinations of this interesting issue (WWI German => WWII US, WWI US => WWII German, etc.). Can we please try to reduce confusion by posting in the correct thread? Also, Paul's question was regarding the US, not French, or British, or Chilean nationals.

[Ulsterman]

There were numbers of German immigrants to the USA who later served in the US forces in WW2.

The most famous "non-military" guy was bon vivant, Harvard man Putzi Hanfstangel, who wen from being Hitlers' Public Relations man to FDR's German adviser in 5 short years.

During WW1 there were a number of German immigrants who went home to fight for Germany and later were happy to surrender to US troops.

I remember reading somewhere about how two stole a plane and flew into France to surrender.