Herbert Sheaner was a rifle marksman and designated the company sniper. He also was a regimental scout and runner. His company held a section of the Siegfried Line near Schlausenbach, Germany. On December 19th, his regiment was decimated in an attack on Schönberg, surrounded and forced to surrender. Along with 500 men under the command of two majors a defense was organized, which held out for two more days 30 km behind enemy lines. They were forced to surrender on December 21st and Herbert became a prisoner of war at Stalag IV-B in Mühlberg a/d Elbe for 6 months. He was liberated by the Russian Army in April 1945.
Herbert studied at the University of Alabama and after the war coached high school track & field for 21 years with his teams winning seven State Championships. In 1952 he founded an insurance company ‘Herbert M. Sheaner Jr. Insurance Agency’ in Dallas, TX. He has authored the book ‘Prisoner’s Oddyssey’ about his WWII experiences.Herbert is past-president of the 106th Infantry Division Association.