Honoring the Torchbearers: Remembering Staff Sgt. Samuel L. Kastner and the WWII Generation
By Robin Kastner
Every year, the number of people who witnessed the defining cataclysm of the 20th century dwindles. With each passing, a direct line to history fades, taking with it stories of unimaginable courage and sacrifice and of confronting pure evil.
Today, I write not just as a historian or an observer, but as a daughter whose hero wore the uniform of the United States Army during World War II—my father, Staff Sergeant Samuel L. Kastner.
Sam Kastner was just 19 years old when duty called. Like so many of his generation, he stepped forward and left the familiar comforts of home behind for the brutal and uncertain front lines of Europe. He wasn't a distant general or a statesman; he was a young man thrust into the heart of darkness. He served for over two years with the legendary U.S. Army 3rd Cavalry Regiment — the "Brave Rifles."
His service wasn't abstract. He fought with boots in the mud and a rifle in hand against the tide of fascism that threatened to engulf the world. The horrors he witnessed weren't confined to battlefield engagements. He was part of the troop that liberated the Ebensee concentration camp in Austria in May 1945.
Ebensee was a subcamp of Mauthausen, a place of unspeakable brutality where prisoners were worked to death in underground tunnels. The images that greeted those young American liberators—emaciated survivors, the stench of death, and the evidence of systematic inhumanity—were seared into their souls forever. They confronted the very essence of the evil they had crossed an ocean to defeat. My father saw the darkest depths to which humanity can sink, and he played a role in putting an end to it.
Like many veterans of that war, my father carried invisible wounds home with him. He suffered from lifelong PTSD, which was undiagnosed and largely misunderstood at that time. The nightmares, hypervigilance, and weight of memory were silent battles he fought long after the guns fell silent. Unlike today, his generation bore this burden internally without access to the support and understanding available now. Yet they rebuilt their lives and our nation.
Despite the shadows of war, Dad was fiercely proud of his service. His pride wasn't rooted in glorifying conflict but in the knowledge that he and his comrades had answered history's call and stood against tyranny. He manifested this pride in his dedication to his fellow veterans. He led a reunion group that met annually, traveling across the country to reconnect, share stories (often unspoken outside that trusted circle), and honor the bonds forged in fire. These reunions were a testament to their enduring brotherhood and shared experience.
To me, he was simply my hero. More than the medals or the history, his character defined him. Samuel L. Kastner was a man of unshakable bravery, both on the battlefield and in the face of life's challenges. His patriotism ran deep, born of a love for the country and the ideals he defended. He was relentlessly hardworking and instilled in his family the value of effort and perseverance. Above all, he was uncompromisingly honest and possessed the greatest integrity. His word was his bond, and he did the right thing, even when it was difficult. He was the living embodiment of the values he fought to protect.
Dad, you were and always will be my hero. Thank you. To all the WWII veterans and their families, your nation remembers and is eternally grateful.
What stories of WWII veterans live in your family? Share them. Preserve them. Honor them. Their light must continue to shine.