PBS VS UTC PBS VS UTC - 28/06/2026 20:30

[emskevin]

My Father-In-Law is Mike Sharik, who fought alongside Len Lomell and Bud Potratz and is mentioned in the article above.  He is also mentioned in an A&E series called “Shoot-Out” which chronicles the Hill 400 action.  Mr. Sharik passed away in 1999 and was never known to speak of the battle.  I have heard from soldiers who served with him in Germany in the 60’s and they said what a great soldier he was, but that he never knew of his extraordinary bravery under fire.  That’s seems to be the way it goes … the ones who were knee-deep in the grime, blood, and death usually aren’t anxious to share their experiences, even when asked.

In the book “Dog Company – The Boys of Pointe-Du-Hoc” you really get a first-hand account of how horrific that battle actually was, and I can imagine not wanting to re-live watching your close friends being dismembered by shells and gunfire – not to mention the hand-to-hand combat that occurred when the Rangers ran out of ammunition and had to resort to knives and bayonets – that’s when combat get intimately personal.

I can state unequivocally that I am one proud son-in-law and I am hoping that the 2nd Ranger Battalion can ultimately receive a most-deserved posthumous Presidential Unit Citation for their heroic action on Hill 400 – to match the one they received for the assault on Pointe-Du-Hoc on D-Day.

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