Sgt. Raymond Iseli (US Army)
95th Infantry Division
379th F Company 4th Plt.
1942 - 1945

Iron Men of Metz
Raymond Iseli was born and raised on a small farm in Canton Ill. The 9th child of 13 children. His mother died when he was quite young. He left home when he was 16 to work on farms throughout the mid-west. He was high up on a hay rack when his employer delivered his draft notice. He was sent to Camp Swift, Texas where he became part of the brand new 95th, then moved to San Antonio where they took 25-mile hikes twice a week for six months. They were then shipped overseas boarding a ship out of Boston , which took seven days out at sea before landing in London and then sent right up to the front lines in Germany.
Ray Iseli's first taste of combat was in the hedgerows where Germans were "on the other side of the hedges, a couple of feet away." On Oct. 26, 1944, they relieved the division besieging the heavily fortified city of Metz and six days later were ordered to attack. For the best part of the next month they made constant attacks on the German army stronghold. At one time Raymond found himself within 15 feet of a pillbox wall with Germans on the other side. He fired his mortar straight up in the air and could hear the shells hit on the other side of the wall. The division suffered tremendous casualties until they finally took the city on Nov. 21, 1944. When they entered the city the residents told them that it was the first time in two wars that anyone had been able to take it. Since then the 95th Infantry Division has been known as the Iron Men of Metz.
Within another week they had broken the Siegfried Line near Saarlauten and captured a bridge across the Saar River. Here casualties were very heavy and Raymond lost a lot of buddies. He was wounded in the arm, patched up and continued fighting. Later he manned a machine gun protecting the bridge while thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks rolled across into Germany. Meanwhile the Battle of the Bulge had started and the 95th was transferred from the Third to the Ninth Army where they held Aachen and helped hold the western shoulder of the bulge. It was here he became a Sargeant. Altogether they were in combat for 300 plus consecutive days from the battle at Metz until they met the Russians in the western suburbs of Berlin and then did two months of occupation duty.

Looking back, Raymond remembers a number of incidents that made lasting impressions. His team was known for their ability to drop mortar shells directly into foxholes. They never once slept outside because "the Captain would call us together and asked us if we wanted to take the next town before nightfall or sleep outside. We took it." And then there was the time when some "rear echelon expert" decided they would be better off with rubber boots than high top shoes. Ray got frostbite while many got frozen feet and after a couple of days, demanded their shoes back. Ray also recalls vividly that on his 24th birthday they captured a pillbox that was well stocked with Cognac which they used to celebrate. Used too much. The Captain reminded them that they were always subject to counterattack and had better be a little more sober. Shortly before the end of the war when they captured a large bag of Marx, they kept it until they could buy German beer and use it to celebrate VE Day. He was also happy that hot food was brought up to them every day on the line. "Our cooks really did a job. We were never without food and seldom ate canned. But you learned to eat fast or not at all because you never knew how soon you would have to take off."

The 95th Infantry Division had fought in Europe for nearly
12 months involving 145 days of combat including a continuous
period of more than 100 days. The 95th captured more than 439
centers of population, including Germany's ninth largest
city, Dortmund. It had left behind a history of heroism and bravery and
accolades of friend and enemy, "Iron Men of Metz,"
"The Bravest of the Brave." But it had also left behind 6,591
officially recorded casualties.

(Click on image to enlarge)
This picture was taken at Fort Indiantown Gap, just outside of Lebanon, Pa. Ray was stationed here just before being shipped overseas. This is were he met Betty Jane Good. He received at least one letter a week from her all of the time he was overseas, and once a month became very popular when she would send him a box of Hershey Bars. When he returned to the Gap after the War he took up his acquaintanceship with her. They were married in Nov. of 1945, and raised four children. They were married for 53 years when Betty passed away in 1999. Raymond Iseli Sr just passed away on July 27th 2009 at the age of 90 years old. He was buried on July 31 2009 with full military honors at Grand View Cemetery, Pa.


This picture was taken at Fort Indiantown
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This is a video dedicated in honor of my Father who worked hard all of his life to provide for his family and was always there forus when we needed him. An inspiration of courage and dedication to family and friends. He was not just my Father but my closest friend. He will always be my hero. I love you Dad, until we meet again,



Also to the countless men and women who died so far away from home, never to enjoy the freedoms that they fought so hard for. It is some times easy to forget our past when we are living our every day lives far from the battle fields of yesterday.


"Lest We Forget"
The cost of freedom is some times high,
It is up to us to remember and be greatful
for what they have given us all.
God Bless America

marc@rf4bphantom.com
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