A humble Army veteran of World War II today received the Prisoner of War Medal, presented by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04).

    “I just did my duty,” said Harry Havens, 88, of Bordentown. “I was young. They say I was a hero, but I don’t know about that. I spent two years on the front lines. That’s a long time to be on the front lines. God was looking out for me.”

    Click here to watch an ABC 6 video of the presentation. Click here to view a Times photo gallery of Mr. Havens.

    Havens, 67 years ago this week was only 22 years old as he was sleeping in open fields in the rain and cold of typical European springs, a prisoner of the Nazi army being marched to Germany. Only five months earlier, he had earned the Silver Star for his gallantry in action in France in November 1944, for guiding four injured men 400 yards back to an aid station, and then returning to the evacuation area to help another downed soldier, shells bursting all around them. Then-Technical Sgt. Havens carried the wounded man back to the aid station without pausing to take cover. Havens was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic actions on January 25, 1945 which lead to the death of 15 Germans, capture of 30 Germans and wounding of 10 Germans.

    Unfortunately, he was captured by the Germans on March 15, 1945, spending a month and a half as a POW until liberated on April 26, 1945.  Today he produced his handwritten diary as a POW, a letter to his mother and other items from the war.

    “You are a hero, Mr. Havens, and we thank you for your actions, especially your time as a prisoner of war,” said Smith, who worked with the Defense Department to obtain the POW medal and other medals and citations. “Mr. Havens was only 22 years old when he did these amazing things to earn the Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross, and today he’s finally honored for the time he spent as a prisoner.”

    Havens told a group of television and newspaper reporters that his fellow captured Americans were about to be executed when they were saved at the last second by a German lieutenant. The German officer later told them that he himself had been captured wounded by American forces, but was well treated. Havens also said his buddies in the war deserve just as much credit, and that he hoped the U.S. troops deployed overseas in Afghanistan come home soon safely.

    Smith also presented him with written citations from the Secretary of the Army for his previous Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross, as well as:

• The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal & Silver Star Attachment (the Silver Star signifies participation in five major battles)
• The Good Conduct Medal
• The World War II Victory Medal
• The Combat Infantryman Badge
• The Honorable Service Lapel Button of WWII