Memorial

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Pfc Bernard J. Husted attended Olean High School and was employed in the car department of the Pennsylvania Railroad before he enlisted in October 1943.

On the morning of 3 April 1945, Pfc Husted was part of an 8 man reconnaissance team. Their assignment was to find the enemy so the division could move in and occupy the town of Rosenthal, Germany.

A buddy explained that on that morning he briefed Bernard and suggested that that, as this was his first mission he should stay out of sight and observe how the patrol went about their business. They crossed a small creek and the patrol was split with 4 men on each side of the road. Within a few minutes they heard a shot and then a machine gun, As the patrol leader looked across the road he saw Pfc Husted fall. The rifle shot had killed him instantly. The sniper and the machine gun were located on the second floor of a building down the road. The patrol then proceeded to take out the German gunners. When they entered the building the machine gunners were slumped over the gun and the rifleman was laying on top of them.