Be All You Can Be

About the Book

Memoirs cover the life of an immigrant from his youth in Berlin, Germany, experiencing World War II to his later immigration to the United States and service in the US Army and Special Forces, the Green Berets.

The book covers his experiences as a member of the "Jungvolk" and Hitler Youth during Air Raids in Berlin, evacuation of the family without a father to the East, life on a Trek from the Polish border back to Berlin and combat against the Russian Army. Following the loss of WWII it describes life under Soviet Occupation, bare survival and later flight to freedom from East Germany to West Germany.

Reaching the American Sector in West Germany and processing through a refugee camp, his family was reunited with their father a former member of the German Air Force, who had been a POW. Having lost all of their personal belongings as a result of the war, the author was obligated to leave school to support the family. Unable to find adequate employment he eventually joined a para-military US Army unit, which later on gave him the opportunity to emigrate to the United States.

Once in the States, he saw the opportunities the military offered to "Be all you can be", as the Army once promised in their recruiting efforts. He joined the Army and following his enlisted career advanced through his determination to become a commissioned officer, qualifying himself through extraordinary training in the field of Ranger, Airborne, Jungle Warfare and finally the US Army Special Forces, the so-called Green Berets.

He had the opportunity to serve several tours in Germany, as well as tours in the Republic of South Vietnam during 1967-1968 and the Republic of Korea. Following a 20-year career in the military, the decorated combat veteran retired at Fort Bragg, NC and finally moved with his wife and two children to Hagerstown, MD.

About the Author

The author Dieter H.B. Protsch is an immigrant from Germany who was given the opportunity of a lifetime in 1956 to start a new life in a country and a culture so very different from the one he had left. His upbringing by very ideological and dedicated non-sectarian parents instilled in him a solid sense of honor, honesty, patriotism and the willingness to learn and work under the most adverse conditions.

Born in Berlin, the capitol of Germany on April 29, 1932, he survived the aerial bombardments of Berlin during WWII. He lost his home and was evacuated to the Polish border region. His father was serving in the German Airborne in Africa under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. During the Soviet advance in Germany his family joined the "trek" fleeing back to Berlin.

During the siege by the Soviet Army, he fought against the invading Russian troops, was briefly captured but escaped. After the surrender he survived occupation by the communist forces.

When the US Army became part of the occupation forces in Berlin they were fortunate to be located in the new American Sector of Berlin. Surrounded by the Soviet Occupation Force but longing to join the father in the American Zone in Western Germany he fled from Berlin through the Soviet Zone in 1948. He was given the chance to work for the US Army and was sponsored for emigration. Once in the USA, he registered for the draft, as required and subsequently volunteered for service in the US Army. Advancing from an enlisted to a commissioned officer status, he successfully trained and graduated as a Ranger, Paratrooper, Jungle Warfare Expert, and a "Green Beret" in the US ArmyÕs Special Forces.

He had three separate tours in Germany, combat area tours in the Republic of Korea at PanMunJom and in Viet-Nam during the Tet-Offensive from 1967-1968. Among his many decorations he is proud to have earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

Major Dieter H.B. Protsch retired after a very successful military career of 20 years at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on 31 July 1976. His subsequent endeavors included volunteer work for military associations, veteran's organizations and service to the community.