Medals and memories
TORRINGTON — Listening to Nicholas Samal talk about his two years fighting in the European theater during World War II is like listening to the late comedian Johnny Carson tell it.
Samal, 94, clears out the fog of war with his contagious hearty laugh and he seems to end each story with a quip. He was a gunner in France and Germany. He took part in the landing at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and the Rhineland offensive in March 1945.
Samal shared some of his stories on Saturday at Torrington Health and Rehabilitation, where he has lived for the past five years. Samal received replacements for the medals he earned while fighting Nazi Germany after his original medals were all lost. Some disappeared during moves, but most vanished when a jacket containing his medals, including a bronze star, mistakenly was given away during a charity clothing drive.
Congresswoman Elizabeth H. Esty helped Samal reclaim the medals and led a small ceremony to present them to him.
"That's why we are delighted to be able to replace them here today to honor your service, to thank you for your extraordinary good cheer," Esty said. "I have to say, this is one of the most cheerful people I've encountered this last six months. You are a ray of sunshine.
"When you told me these stories of all that you have seen — but said it with such good humor, such humanity, warmth and caring about all those young men you served with — it's truly an inspiration."
Mayor Elinor C. Carbone also attended. She presented Samal, who was born in Torrington but lived most of his life in Litchfield, with a pin bearing the seal of Torrington.
"There is no proclamation or citation that could possibly extend our gratitude to you for your service to our country," Carbone said before placing the pin on his lapel.
As Esty presented the medals, she pointed out the Good Conduct Medal while Samal quietly told her "bad conduct" with a laugh.
When it came time for Samal to speak, he thanked everyone for coming to see him ... "in one piece. It wasn't easy."
Samal had nothing more to say and thanked everyone, but Estyurged him to share some of the stories he had with her, which he did.
The .30-caliber Browning machine gun Samal used was manufactured by Colt in Hartford and he said it never jammed once. He shared stories about shooting down planes and German soldiers but with the usual comical twist at the end.
When he asked his sergeant if he remembered a German aircraft that had been giving him problems, the sergeant said yes.
"Well it's not going to bother you any more," Samal remembered saying.
"How do you know?" Samal's sergeant asked him.
"I just shot it down," Samal replied.
After a long pause, Samal had one more thing to add.
"Then they come out with the Johnny Walker Black Label," he said, referring to a subsequent celebration of the good news with some whiskey.
When asked why he remained a private first class, he said too many sergeants kept getting killed.
Samal was 21 when he left for the war. When he returned, he didn't talk much about his experiences. Samal only began telling his war stories about 15 years ago, said his nephew, Serge Samal, a retired state police trooper of Litchfield.
Serge Samal said he visits his uncle at least three times a month and the visits typically involve his uncle doing most of the talking.
"He tells me all sorts of stories," Serge said. "I've heard them all."