By Glenn Rolfe

FRANKFORD — Ernie Marvel turned 98 this month.

In mid-July, the highly decorated World War II U.S. Army veteran from rural Frankford will be in Washington, D.C., to finalize his induction into the French Legion of Honor — the highest order of merit in that country, both military and civil. The award was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Accompanying Mr. Marvel will be his grandson, Donnie Carey, who did extensive legwork in the recognition process, culminating with the pinning this summer.

“I feel great about getting this medal. It makes me feel good that they recognized me for my service,” said Mr. Marvel.

The soldier served from April 21, 1944, until his honorable discharge April 13, 1946. A private first class, he served with the 45th Infantry Division during wartime, then was reassigned to the 45th Quartermasters.

Mr. Marvel was previously honored with the American Campaign Medal; the European African Middle East Campaign Medal with two Bronze Campaign Stars for Rhineland and central Europe; the Army Good Conduct Medal; the World War II Victory Medal; the Combat Infantryman Badge; the Bronze Star Medal; and the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge for the M1 rifle.

Following the Battle of the Bulge, Mr. Marvel arrived in France and saw action in the Allied push through France into Germany. He also was part of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.

He drew numerous special assignments, including bellying across a field strewn with German mines and booby traps.

A bazooka marksman, Mr. Marvel knocked out enemy vehicles along with his comrades.

“As a bazooka man, part of my assignment was to destroy the positions of enemy troops wherever they may be hiding, sniping and observing us. They especially liked hiding in the top of church steeples,” he said. “As we spotted them, I took aim and fired, and I can still hear those soldiers screaming to this day, as they fell to the ground.”

Mr. Marvel said he experienced the true horror of war on a personal level.

In late April 1945, he was one of 28 men selected to take the village of Pfaffenhofen, Germany, just north of Munich. But as the Allied unit approached the village, a well-camouflaged German tank opened fire.

“After being ambushed, we turned back to company headquarters. The following day, we retraced our footsteps through that same dreadful field, and we found the men that we lost. Of the 28 men, only eight of us survived,” said Mr. Marvel.

A close comrade was one of the fallen. “I found my buddy, (Orley) ‘Buck’ Moninger, lying on his back clutching pictures of his wife and children to his chest,” he said. “That was one of the toughest moments, and I still think about that to this day, plus I still have a scar on my arm to remind me of that fateful day.”

Road to the French Medal of Honor

After hearing about the French medal, Mr. Marvel’s grandson became interested in the application process.

He connected with Bernadette Beck in the Office of Honors and Distinctions at the French Embassy in Washington, who connected Mr. Carey to amateur historian Eric P. Montgomery of Elizabethton, Tennessee. Mr. Montgomery has helped a significant number of WWII veterans submit their applications for the honor.

After a brief discovery period and interviews, Mr. Marvel’s application and evidence were turned in for review Nov. 22, 2021.

During the intervening time, Mr. Carey found and contacted Delbert Moninger, son of Mr. Marvel’s friend and fallen soldier, Buck Moninger, to share the details of his father’s final moments.

Up until the conversation with the younger Mr. Moninger, the details of Buck’s death were unknown to his family, Mr. Carey added.

In retrospect, some of the efforts to document a soldier’s service may seem trivial so many years after WWII. However, to the French, who lost their freedom during that dark time, honoring those who restored their most basic rights is not only a way to thank them but a validation of their efforts, Mr. Carey said.

On March 11 of this year, after review at the Grand Chancellery in Paris, Mr. Marvel’s application for the French Legion of Honor reached the desk of French President Emmanuel Macron, who signed a decree authorizing his induction, Mr. Carey said.

The formal medal presentation will be hosted by French officials on or near Bastille Day, July 14, at the French Embassy. The ceremony is limited to immediate family, Mr. Carey said.

However, a less formal day of appreciation” for Mr. Marvel’s military achievements is being planned for late summer at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7234 in Ocean View.

After the war, Mr. Marvel and his late wife of 56 years, Sarah Marvel, raised three children. The veteran went on to work 29 years as a purchasing and receiving agent with Showell Farms, then launched Marvel Cleaning Service in 1989.

He retired from that company in 2014 at age 90.