Hal Baumgarten

Harold "Hal" Baumgarten (born March 2, 1925) is a highly decorated warfighter in the United States Army during the Normandy Invasion.

Early life

Harold Baumgarten was born on March 2, 1925 in The Bronx. He was raised Jewish. While attending the University Heights Branch of New York University, Baumgarten was a member of the ROTC. At 17 years of age, Baumgarten initially tried to enlist in the United States Air Force but was rejected. Two years later, on June 26, 1943, he was drafted into the Army.

Invasion of Normandy

On June 6, 1944, at just 19 years old, Hal Baumgarten served as a private with the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division, Company B. Prior to the invasion of Normandy, Baumgarten drew the Star of David and wrote his hometown on the back of his jacket as a message to the Germans. During the invasion of Normandy, Hal was shot three times, twice in the face, and also set foot on a land mine, but survived. Of the 30 total soldiers brought ashore on the same landing craft, only Baumgarten and one other soldier survived. Later in 1944, while in the hospital recovering from one of many surgeries, Baumgarten was awarded the Purple Heart. He later received the Bronze Star. Baumgarten was discharged on February 12, 1945.

Personal life

Following his service in World War II, in June 1949, Baumgarten married Rita. Together they have three children. Baumgarten worked as both a teacher and as an assistant football coach at Palm Beach High School. He later worked as a physician until he retired from medicine practice in 1998. In 2006, Baumgarten published his memoir of D-Day.

Baumgarten has been featured on History Channel.