WWII: US ARMY, PFC Walter W. Schranz, 364098422, Born: 5 Oct 1907, Chicago, Illinois, Son of Charles Karl Schranz and Elizabeth Schranz, Enlisted: 25 Jun 1941, Fifth Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, Fifth Infantry Division, Third Army, Separation: 22 Sep 1945, Married: 26 Aug 1950, Gertrude Dora Bouchamp, Detroit, Michigan, Died: 21 Oct 1997, Buried: Highland Cemetery, Gladwin, Michigan.

Pvt. Walter Schranz is now stationed at Fort Custer. GCR 2/18/1942

Pvt. Walter Schranz is with an armored truck division with the 5th Reconnaissance troops at the Indiantown Gap Military Reservation in Pennsylvania. Walter is the son of Mr and Mrs Charles Schranz. GCR 4/22/1942

Mr. and Mrs. C. Schranz have received several letters from their son, Pvt. Walter Schranz, saying that he is well, but he doesn't say where he is located. His letters are stamped from New York, in care of the Postmaster. GCR 6/24/1942

Pvt Walter Schranz, son of Mr and Mrs Charles Schranz, of Gladwin, is overseas with Uncle Sam's forces in the Atlantic war theater. GCR 3/17/1943

PFC. WALTER SCHRANZ: The Silver Star for gallantry in action was awarded to Pfc. Walter Schranz, son of Mr and Mrs Charles Schranz, of Buckeye township, on September 18th in France, according to a dispatch which appeared in Sunday's Detroit News. Walter is with the American Third Army west of Metz and the dispatch reads as follows: "Crawling up to within 50 yards of the Nazi machine gun nest Pfc. Wallie Schranz gripped his carbine tight and demanded that the German gunners surrender. "In view of what had been happening this doughboy's demand was utterly amazing, for the well-hidden Jerry machine gun nest had sent streams of bullets down the road over which our troops had come and the Nazi machine guns had held up a whole column of our troops. "So a small patrol of doughboys just started after that machine gun nest. Pfc. Schranz was a member of the patrol that crawled so slowly through the field toward the machine gun. When the patrol had worked its way up close, Pfc. Schranz went to work. The little patrol faced overwhelming odds. The doughboys were armed with carbines, the Germans with two heavy machine guns and plenty of ammunition. "The odds didn't bother Wallie Schranz a bit. "All right, you Krauts," he yelled. "We've got you surrounded. Come out of there or we'll blow you to hell." "There was a moment's silence and terrific suspense as our boys lay there under the guns trained upon them a few yards away. Then suddenly two Germans came out of their dug-in positions with their hands in the air. "They were the gunners of one gun and they took about three steps toward our boys when the other Nazi machine gun cut loose at the Yank patrol. Its first blast killed a GI Joe. Then Wallie Schranz got blazing mad. He made a frontal advance on the gun emplacement all by himself. He rose right out in the clear to get a good aim and then, firing his carbine from his shoulder, he killed all the members of the enemy machine gun crew that had refused to surrender. "While he took aim they swung the machine gun right smack at him but Pfc. Wallie Schranz drove his bullets home first. "All this was an action that took about 30 minutes. In the broad facade of war it was just an incident. Yet the courage of Wallie Schranz permitted the Yank column to advance. "Today this Michigan soldier was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. His officers were very proud of him. His colonel said: "Private Schranz's courage and- determination reflects great, credit on himself and is in keeping with the highest tradition of the Armed Forces." GCR 10/4/1944

September 1944 The 5th Division established and secured the bridgehead across the Moselle, south of
Metz.
Sept. 16 - Oct. 16, 1944 The 5th Division attempted but failed to take the Metz fortress.

The Silver Star Ribbon was recently awarded to Pfc. Walter Schranz, near Germany, for gallantry in action. Pfc. Schranz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schranz, of Buckeye township, is a cavalryman with a recon unit, 5th Inf. Division, 3rd Army. GCR 5/2/1945