Today, the American veteran, the liberator of the city of Pilsen and southwestern Bohemia, member of the 16th Armored Division, Robert A. Muthersbaugh, celebrates his 101th birthday. We wish a Happy Birthday and all the best!

Robert Muthersbaugh was 23 years old at the end of the war. He was the chief radio operator in the 18th AIB, HQ Bn. entering Pilsen in one of the first military vehicles as part of General George Patton’s 3rd Army. During the war, he was awarded the “Bronze Star Medal”.

Robert A. Muthersbaugh recalls:

We arrived at the port of LeHavre in France on February 19, 1945. We quickly moved to Reims and Verdun and then to an area near Mainz, Germany. We advanced to Nuremberg, where we were supported by the 80th Infantry Division. We also reached Pilsen via Rozvadov, Tachov, Stříbro and Bor. We entered Pilsen on May 6, 1945 around 8 am. I think that our armored vehicle was one of the first to get to Pilsen. We stayed here until September 1945.

In 2015, the Czech TV correspondent in the USA Martin Řezníček filmed a short video with Robert A. Muthersbaugh.