Dominic Charles Giovinazzo, 96, returned to Eschdorf over 70 years after taking out an anti-tank gun for the 26th infantry division in Patton's third army Ceba

Dominic Charles Giovinazzo, 96, returned to Eschdorf over 70 years after taking out an anti-tank gun for the 26th infantry division in Patton's third army Ceba

Dominic Charles Giovinazzo, or the “bazooka man of Eschdorf” was lauded as a hero when, on 25 December, 1944, he was ordered by his captain to fire a bazooka at an anti-tank gun which was slowing down the allied advance in Eschdorf. The Italian-born soldier, who lived in the US since he was 8, fired directly at the target taking the gun out of action.

“He doesn’t see himself as a hero. He’s a very humble person. He couldn’t understand why we were giving him the red carpet treatment,” Circle of Studies of the Battle of the Bulge (Ceba) president Erny Kohn told Delano after welcoming Giovinazzo to Luxembourg.

Despite the fact that the incident was reported in “Yank” magazine, the veteran never received a silver medal for his action, reportedly because there were “no witnesses”.

That did not stop Ceba representatives from issuing their own award, a medal reserved for the dwindling numbers of US veterans who fought in WWII in Luxembourg and who return to visit.

“The youngest are 90-91. But they are still coming,” Kohn said of veterans Ceba welcomes.