Robert Killian, the Voice of Iron, and Defeating Hitler

As the son of a World War II Veteran, I grew up hearing my dad tell me that he won the war. Even as a young boy, I figured that his talk was hyperbole and that he was joshing. Actually, my dad talked little about his time in the European theater. I did collect a few tidbits of information, such as when he spoke of the German children in the community and the sad experience of finding a dead body of a Pennsylvania soldier in the tall grass off the side of the road.
I did know that my dad had battle ribbons from Normandy, the Battle of the Rhine, and from the Battle of the Bulge. Robert Harrison Killian was literally born in a box car, as his father, Robert Lee Killian (named after the General) worked for the railroad company. As a boy, Robert was fascinated with radios and would build them from scrap. This hobby paid off when he joined the Army during World War II and was transferred to the signal corps due to his abilities with radios. In his later years, my dad would tell that the Lord was looking out for him so that he would not be on the front lines with the infantry, with their high casualty rate, but would work in the signal corps.
As a result, Robert Killian became attached to the 143rd Signal Battalion as part of the Third Armored Division. This Division spearheaded the success in the Normandy Invasion and likely was crucial to the defeat of the forces of the Third Reich. The 143rd Signal Battalion was known as the Voice of Iron and their communications likely provided the clarity to strike at the most opportune times. So, ol' Robert was not kidding--he really did win the war!
My dad passed away in 2003, but I still possess the boxed flag presented at his funeral in honor of his military service. Today, we honor the accomplishment of our brave soldiers at D-Day which took place sixty-five years ago on this date. Freedom is not free and all Americans owe a debt of gratitude to those soldiers who willingly went to risk their lives for these United States. God bless our World War II Veterans and may God save these United States.