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"T/Sgt. Anthony (Tony) Kudiak, of Sandy Lake, hero of the Hurtgen Forest battle and holder of the Purple Heart, was killed in action on Dec. 16, in Germany, according to a War Department message to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kudiak, R. D. 1, Sandy Lake. Called a 'Soldier's soldier', in transcribed broadcasts sent back to his country from his infantry outfit, and cited for extraordinary bravery while fighting in Luxembourg, Sgt. Kudiak first was reported missing on Dec. 20, but the latest telegram indicated it was later discovered he had been killed on Dec. 16. The Sandy Lake soldier was cited after he withstood three severe counter-attacks single-handed with a bazooka while in action in Luxembourg. During the Hurtgen Forest battle, he gathered canteens and crawled to a water hole to get water for buddies who had gone 72 hours without anything to drink. The family never received details of his wounds but the Purple Heart awarded to him was received by his parents early in January."
"Milcreek, March 12 - A direct report from the battle area has been received here concerning the death of T/Sgt. Tony Kudiak, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kudiak. A number of Gen. Hodge's men were swimming across a river. 'Tony' had reached shore when he observed that two comrades were unable to make the crossing. He returned to them and assisted them to the place of landing, where all three were killed by enemy fire. Sgt. Tony Kudiak has been in the service since February 1941 and has been overseas since Sept., 1943."