Then and Now: Courage in the Face of Loss, and a Brother Remembered Through Action
The Second World War was a conflict that demanded unimaginable sacrifice from countless individuals across the globe. For every soldier who donned a uniform, there were the hopes and dreams of families, communities, and nations pinned on their courage, their service, and, often, their survival. Among those whose stories stand as monuments to bravery, selflessness, and love, the tale of Walt Ehlers and his brother Roland is one of the most poignant—a tale marked by both the joy of shared purpose and the agony of a brother’s loss.
Walt Ehlers served with the 1st Infantry Division, known as the “Big Red One,” and became one of the most revered Medal of Honor recipients of World War II. His journey into the heart of combat, however, was far more than a simple tale of heroism. It was a story of family, sacrifice, and love—a narrative that would forever intertwine his courage on the battlefield with the memory of his brother Roland, who was lost on the very day that marked the beginning of the liberation of Europe: D-Day.
In the summer of 1940, two young men from the heartland of America made a decision that would change the course of their lives—and the course of history. Walt and Roland Ehlers, brothers born and raised in the small town of Kansas, enlisted together in the U.S. Army at Fort Riley. The Ehlers brothers trained side by side, forged in the fires of military discipline, and built an unspoken bond that would see them through some of the most grueling campaigns of the war.
The two men, close in age and spirit, fought as brothers-in-arms during the Allied campaigns in North Africa and Sicily. Together, they faced the brutal realities of war—the bombardments, the gunfire, the uncertainty of each new battle. Through it all, they shared a common dream: the hope of returning home after the war was won, back to the small town they had come from, to the life they had left behind. But as the war drew toward its climactic moments, fate intervened in a way that would separate them for the first time.
The Separation: A Fateful Change of Orders
As preparations for D-Day, the invasion of Normandy, began to intensify, the Ehlers brothers were separated. Walt, who had been assigned to one unit, was transferred during training to another, which would change the trajectory of their fates forever. The bond that had kept them together on foreign soil—through North Africa and Sicily—was now broken, a cruel twist of fate. The brothers, who had once shared every waking moment, would now fight their own battles on different shores.
This separation would not be permanent, but it would prove to be one of the cruelest twists of the war. The two brothers, though still deeply connected in spirit, would soon be divided by the course of history. On the morning of June 6, 1944—D-Day—both men went into battle. One fought his way off the beaches of Normandy, while the other gave his life for the cause.
Walt Ehlers on Omaha Beach: The Price of Heroism
Walt Ehlers’ story on D-Day is one of raw courage, tenacity, and leadership. On that fateful morning, the beaches of Normandy were transformed into an inferno of gunfire, artillery, and chaos. The soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division—more than 34,000 men—stormed the beaches under constant enemy fire, determined to break the German hold on Western Europe. The task was nothing short of suicidal.
Walt Ehlers, like many others, was thrust into the deadly maelstrom. Under heavy fire, he and his comrades made their way through a hail of bullets, grenades, and shrapnel. For most, simply surviving the first moments of the assault was an achievement in itself. But Walt Ehlers went beyond survival—he led his unit through the chaos, taking action to neutralize German positions that threatened to decimate the landing forces. He was relentless, charging forward with determination and bravery that defied the odds.
Ehlers was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day, where he had single-handedly cleared German defenses and led his men to secure vital positions on Omaha Beach. His courage, his leadership under fire, and his ability to remain calm amidst the carnage made him a hero in the eyes of his comrades and the nation. But what many didn’t know, what Walt Ehlers kept to himself, was that while he was fighting to win the war, he was also fighting the silent, unspoken agony of knowing that his brother, Roland, was on a different stretch of the battlefield—one that was, tragically, to be his last.
The Tragic Loss: Roland Ehlers and the Reality of War
While Walt was charging through the surf and sand of Omaha Beach, Roland was facing his own battle in the same war, but on a different front. Roland was assigned to a separate unit, and although they were both on the same day in the same war, their destinies diverged in a cruel twist. Roland Ehlers, like so many young soldiers, fell that morning in Normandy. He was killed in action—his life taken by the very war they had both enlisted to fight in.
The timing of his death was cruel. The battle for Normandy was still in its early stages, and though the Allies were gaining ground, the war was far from over. The news of Roland’s death would not reach Walt until more than a month later. By the time he learned of his brother’s sacrifice, he had already experienced the intensity of combat on Omaha Beach, and his focus remained on the mission ahead. But the loss of Roland was a blow that would haunt Walt forever—a personal tragedy buried beneath the weight of the war he was fighting.
Walt Ehlers, despite the personal grief he faced, never lost sight of the mission. He pushed forward with the same determination and courage that had defined him during his service. Yet, when the war ended and victory was declared, the toll of the loss of his brother weighed heavily on him. The grief that Walt carried—buried under the accolades and medals—was a constant companion. He had lost a brother, a comrade-in-arms, in the fight for freedom, and that loss remained with him throughout his life.
The Medal of Honor: A Symbol of Sacrifice
Walt Ehlers’ receipt of the Medal of Honor was a recognition of his extraordinary heroism and leadership during the D-Day landings. His actions on Omaha Beach, which involved leading his unit through impossible odds, neutralizing German defenses, and saving countless lives, were a testament to his bravery and unyielding commitment to his comrades. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration the United States can bestow, and Walt earned it in full measure, not just for his actions on D-Day, but for his enduring strength in the face of unimaginable adversity.
However, the medal that would be displayed with pride for the rest of his life also symbolized a heavy price. For all of his courage on the battlefield, for all of his leadership in combat, Walt had paid the ultimate price: he had lost his brother, and no amount of recognition or glory could ever replace that loss. The medal was a testament to his sacrifice, but it was also a reminder of the cost of war—how it takes not only lives, but the relationships that matter most.
After the war, Walt returned home, eventually marrying and raising a family. Yet, like so many other soldiers, the echoes of war never truly left him. His brother, Roland, remained a silent presence in his mind, a reminder of the personal cost of freedom. The war had taken so much, and even the honor of receiving the Medal of Honor couldn’t undo the pain of that loss.
The Legacy of Walt Ehlers: A Brother Remembered Through Action
The story of Walt Ehlers and his brother Roland is not just one of heroism in war—it is also a story of loss, of resilience, and of a deep love between two brothers who gave everything for the country they believed in. Walt’s actions on D-Day, his bravery in the face of danger, and his ultimate sacrifice in losing his brother encapsulate the spirit of the Greatest Generation—a generation defined by its courage, its selflessness, and its commitment to liberty and justice.
Walt Ehlers went on to serve in the military for many years after the war, continuing to fight in Korea and Vietnam before retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant. Throughout his career, he was recognized not only for his service but for his leadership, humility, and dedication to his country. His life was a testament to the values of duty and honor, but it was also marked by the personal grief of a loss that would never fade.
Today, Walt Ehlers’ legacy lives on—not just in the history books or in the medals displayed in his home, but in the quiet moments when he would remember his brother Roland. It lives on in the countless soldiers who continue to serve and sacrifice, carrying forward the values that Walt and Roland upheld during their time in service. The brothers, though separated by death, remain forever connected in the hearts of those who knew their story and in the enduring impact of their sacrifices.
As we remember Pfc. Irving S. Hurewitz, and countless others who served in World War II, we also remember the story of two brothers, one lost on a battlefield far from home, and one who returned to tell their story. Their lives, their sacrifices, and their love for each other continue to echo through history, reminding us that the price of freedom is never easily paid.
