Medal of Honor recipient 2nd Lt. Raymond R. Zussman

Raymond R. Zussman, son of Nathan Zussman, 2918 Sturtevant, was a native Detroiter, graduating from Central in 1935. He was an employee of Sam's Cut Rate before entering military service.
 
Zussman joined the Army in September, 1941. Prior to becoming a tank commander, he was an instructor in street fighting at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
 
In June 1943, 2d Lt. Zussman participated in the allied invasion of North Africa and after that the invasion of Italy. After being wounded at the battle of Monte Cassino in Italy, the Army offered Zussman a Headquarters position. He told them that he wanted another front line position and so he was assigned to a tank unit in France.
 
On September 12, 1944 2d Lt. Zussman was in command of 2 tanks operating with an infantry company in the attack on enemy forces occupying the town of Noroy-le-Bourg, France. At 7 p.m., his command tank bogged down. Zussman took a carbine and proceeded on foot guiding the second tank through the village streets avoiding German booby traps. Fully exposed to fire from enemy positions only 50 yards distant, he stood by his tank directing its fire. Three Germans were killed and 8 surrendered.

Again he walked before his tank, leading it against an enemy-held group of houses, machine gun and small arms fire kicking up dust at his feet. The tank fire broke the resistance and 20 enemy surrendered. Going forward again alone he passed an enemy-occupied house from which Germans fired on him and threw grenades in his path. After a brief fire fight, he signaled his tank to come up and fire on the house. Eleven German soldiers were killed and 15 surrendered. Going on alone, he disappeared around a street corner. The fire of his carbine could be heard and in a few minutes he reappeared driving 30 prisoners before him. In total, Zussman killed 18 enemy soldiers, took 92 prisoners and captured two anti-tank guns, a flak gun, and two trucks.