Alan Hayden, 85, of Burlington Township discusses his World War II service as Cong. Smith prepares to present him the Prisoner of War Medal on Nov. 7.
Cong. Smith gives Alan Hayden his POW Medal before friends and reporters.
Cong. Smith, left, speaks with Patricia Concannon and Doug Palicastro, both administrators at the Masonic Home, about Mr. Hayden's military service.
A World War II U.S. Army veteran who was captured in France and marched to Germany to be held prisoner for two months until liberated by American forces was presented with the Prisoner of War Medal today by Congressman Chris Smith.
Alan Hayden was only 18 when he was captured in an intense artillery exchange between U.S. and German forces in the Alsace Lorraine on Feb. 22, 1945. His close Army buddy was shot by a German soldier during the march to Germany. He and other soldiers were sparsely fed; eight men were forced to share a small loaf of bread, and 40 men forced to share a single can of meat.
“Many of the soldiers traded their wedding rings or gold items,” Hayden recounted. “I traded my wristwatch for food.” He was grateful to the Red Cross, which delivered blankets and food, without which many GIs would likely have starved or frozen to death. After his capture he and Allied prisoners from Britain, Australia, India and Canada feared “torture or harassment” but still had hope: “We knew one of these days we were going to be freed by the Americans.”
Due to the omission of his capture on his separation papers, and a bureaucratic snag, he said he was twice rejected for the medal. Administration officials at the Masonic Home on Jacksonville Road in Burlington Township who learned of the problem called Congressman Smith. The former chairman of the House Veterans Committee and author of a dozen laws to aid veterans, Smith said there was a solid body of evidence that proved Hayden earned the medal. Smith successfully asked the Army to correct discharge records to reflect the release date and the issuance of a POW medal.
“The proof is clear and overwhelming,” Smith said. “He is a hero and this day is long overdue. It is an honor for me to shake his hand, let alone present him the POW medal. The medal is late, but it was clearly earned. We all owe Mr. Hayden and other vets for our freedoms, but POWs are due a special respect and honor.”
In addition to a Western Union telegram to his mother reporting his missing-in-action status after the battle, a follow-up communication from the War department and newspaper articles detailing his treatment in captivity, Hayden’s name was found listed as a POW in a World War II file that included Hayden’s service serial number.
Today he recounted the story to the Congressman and reporters from Associated Press, ABC Channel 6, Burlington County Times and Courier Post. He recalled the moment when he and fellow prisoners saw a newspaper account of President Roosevelt’s death.
‘We didn’t believe it,” Hayden said, holding back emotions. “We all thought it was propaganda. That was a hard thing to take. He was our President.”
Born in Brooklyn, he lived 45 years in Passaic County, N.J. He has lived in Burlington for the past six years.
