Meanwhile, Smoyer’s tank commander and the military cameraman who filmed the battle received Bronze Stars of their own. The German Panther tank lay in ambush in the debris-filled streets of Cologne in the waning days of World War II, an American tank in its sights just 70 yards away. A military police officer saw him searching his pockets for bubble gum to give to a crowd of German children and charged him with fraternization with the enemy. Smoyer was told he would receive the Bronze Star, but a few days later he ran afoul of a minor disciplinary issue that cost him his medal. The battle was captured on film and Smoyer became known as the “Hero of Cologne.” It was defended by a German Panther tank, which was far superior to all American tanks. Smoyer, of Allentown, Pa., was part of a famous March 6, 1945, duel in Cologne, Germany, where his Pershing tank destroyed a German Panther tank about nine months after D-Day. Instead, he found a full Army color guard and ceremony awarding him a Bronze Star, almost 75 years after the battle that made him a hero. defense at the Rhineland urban areas, specifically in Cologne, Germany. WASHINGTON - When 96-year-old Clarence Smoyer came to Washington Wednesday, he thought he was heading to the Pentagon to sign copies of “Spearhead,” a recent book detailing his exploits as a World War II tank gunner. The story follows a German Tiger tank crew in the final days of World War II on.
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