Tajik soldier meets Iowans who rescued him in World War II

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10197227

Published Friday | November 30, 2007
Tajik soldier meets Iowans who rescued him in World War II
BY TIM ELFRINK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Over Italian soup and salad, Sami Jalilov of Khujand, Tajikistan, and Charles Radford of Glenwood, Iowa, recounted the various miracles that had brought them together at an Omaha restaurant.


Sami Jalilov tells of his experiences as a Tajik soldier in World War II at a meeting Wednesday in Omaha with some of the members of an Iowa National Guard unit that liberated prisoners, most likely including Jalilov. Jalilov spoke in Russian, translated by his grandson.


Each man — now 82 and 84, respectively, and conversing in Russian and English through Jalilov's grandson — ticked off the dozens of times they could have perished as young men serving their countries in the military.

Each survived shrapnel slamming into his body.

Each faced months of near starvation, cold and never-ending marches.

Each nearly died in Italy.

Instead, 62 years after Radford's unit — the Army National Guard's legendary 34th Infantry (Red Bulls) Division — most likely liberated Jalilov from his German captors, the two old soldiers swapped stories for hours and reflected on just how improbable their survival really was.


FULL story at link.

[TomInTib]

1. I love stories such as this one.

There is a fraternity between warriors.

Keep in mind, though, that not all soldiers are warriors.

There is a big fucking difference.


Tom