My name is Andrew. I was a soldier in the second world war. In the battles, I met a man that later became my best friend. He was a strong Irish man who served as my Captain. Captain Malloy was his name. We met on August 15th, 1943 in the trenches. I was originally in the 104th battalion but was later moved. My squad was pinned against a sub section of the trenches with an entrance leading into a bunker. The soldiers crossed and unleashed hell upon our men. They killed at least 5 of us leaving 3 left.
We decided to abandon our mission and take refuge in the bunker, reinforced it and prayed someone would save us or we would be taken as prisoners of war. We must have sat for at least twenty minutes before I heard a loud boom and heavy fire. We feared the worst and put our hands up. I heard screams then a huge thud on the metal door separating us from the battlefield. The door exploded open and Captain Malloy ran in yelling with a light machine gun.


“Stand down men, we have friendlies in here!” He ordered to his squad. His heavy accent was highly noticeable as he spoke.
“Come on boys, you’re coming with us and we’re getting you out alive” He said to us. We picked up our guns and followed the squad out of the bunker. Once we got out we saw the bullets whiz past.
“Run and gun boys!” Malloy yelled as he hopped the trench and ran towards the friendly trenches. I followed close behind and mimicked his moves as to not be killed. Fear and panic set in every time we dived down into a blasted-out hole. We continued this until I felt an intense pain in my leg.


I had been shot. I fell to the dirt and Malloy heard my cries for help. He ran down into the hole and carried me the rest of the way to the trenches and got me a medic. I had been given crutches once I could walk and was ordered to leave the war as I could not fight. I ran into Malloy and I thanked him for saving me.
“It was nothing, I never leave a man behind” He said, “If you ever come back into this war, tell command you know Captain Malloy. They’ll get you in my squad faster than a bullet.” I went home after around 2 days. Once I was healed I joined up again, most men wouldn’t but I wasn’t planning to leave the man that saved me and not protect my country. I went down to command, got registered and was placed in Malloy’s squad.


He welcomed me back and I fought by his side gaining his trust making me a second in command. By the end of the war in 1945 I went home and we exchanged letters and such. When the Vietnam war came by in 55 he joined his third war, I however didn’t.
I sat with my wife watching the news when they showed the deaths of our troops. I searched and found Captain Malloy of the 189th division. As soon as I saw that I buried my head in my hands and cried. I felt crushed. He trusted me, and we fought beside each other for years. Two days later some remaining military men showed at my doorstep and relayed me the last words of Captain Malloy.


“To all my men who returned home…keep me in your memory and to Andrew Smith…Don’t let my death get to ya....” The message ended and the soldier said
“I’m sorry for your loss” The soldier handed me the tape that I still have. My wife shut the door and I sat down playing the massage over and over again. On July 3rd, 1967, we attended his funeral. His entire family was there, one asked me why I was there. I told her that he saved me from death and fought by his side. The ceremony was a somber one that left a melancholy taste in my mouth.
Captain Malloy was a great man and nearly 50 years later I still remember him.