NORTH SEWICKLEY TWP. — Even a pandemic and international borders can't keep local World War II veteran Guy Prestia from spreading his recollections of helping save Europe, including the liberation of an infamous concentration camp.
Prestia, 98, recently was able to speak with social studies students in Canada, where schools are closed, via Zoom.
"It was great. We could see each other," he said. "The teacher asked me questions about WWII and then the students asked me questions. It was really interesting."
The hour-and-half session was with the Crestwood Preparatory College in Ontario, Canada, set up by Prestia's daughter, Patty Partington.
The contact happened because Prestia had spoken at a museum near the Pennsylvania-New York border and the director of the museum was a friend of Scott Masters, the social studies teacher, department head and director of the school history project.
"Patty set it all up and it was easy for me," he said. "I'm not computer savvy. I'm still back in Mayberry."
For years Prestia, of North Sewickley Township, has been a lecturer in the Ellwood City area, sharing his memories of serving in Europe during the war. He served from November 1942 to 1945 as a member of the 45th Army Infantry Division, known as the Thunderbird Division, under Gen. George Patton, which endured 511 days of combat and had more than 63,000 casualties. Prestia often shares his vivid memories of being among the first Army troops to liberate Dachau near Munich, one of the notorious concentration camps where it is estimated that more than 41,500 prisoners died.
"Conditions were so terrible that I saw battle-hardened soldiers with tears in their eyes and a few dropped to their knees and vomited when they saw the prisoners," he said. "The prisoners were so malnourished, pitiful but we were ordered not to feed them or it could kill them. They had to be fed slowly and correctly."
Recently, a friend sent Prestia newspapers from the 1940s about the war in Europe.
"I spent a lot of time reading the articles. They brought back many memories, some I'd like to forget," he said.
Prestia said he is always glad to talk about his experiences because people need to know the truth.
"It is important. I remember that Gen. Eisenhower told the men in charge of documenting the war to take pictures of everything they saw," he said. "It was a good thing because some people today say the Holocaust never happened.”
During the Obama administration, Prestia and other soldiers who were part of freeing the concentration camps were honored in Washington, D.C. Among his other honors, he has received France's highest distinction, the Legion of Honor, as recognition of his participation in the liberation of France.
Prestia has been interviewed and filmed by the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, where visitors can push a button and view the video. He has also been interviewed and filmed by the WWII National Museum in New Orleans, where his video is on display. You can also listen to Prestia on YouTube.
Social media has enabled people from all over the world to get in touch with Prestia, and he often receives letters from people in a number of states and countries who enclose a picture and ask him to sign it and return it to them because their hobby is collecting autographs from WWII veterans.
Of his time in service, Prestia said, “I’m not a hero. The heroes are those who didn’t make it back. I just did my job like my fellow soldiers. Only by the grace of God did I survive.”
Born in the Burnstown neighborhood on April 26,1922, Prestia graduated from Lincoln High School in January 1940 and was drafted in 1942.
His wife of 54 years, Patricia, died in July 2011. He has six children, 23 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.
Prestia is active in the Park Gate Baptist Church and the Ellwood City Area Historical Society, and before COVID-19 attended many community events.
The Link LonkJanuary 28, 2021 at 06:09PM
https://www.ellwoodcityledger.com/story/news/local/2021/01/28/never-forget-north-sewickley-wwii-vet-speaks-canadian-students-his-experiences/4270982001/
Never forget: North Sewickley WWII vet speaks with Canadian students about his experiences - Ellwood City Ledger
https://news.google.com/search?q=forget&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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