Herman Bodson (21 December 1912 – 28 December 2001) was a Belgian scientist, mineralogist and member of the Belgian resistance during the Second World War. After the war he emigrated to the United States, where he published numerous books about his experiences during the conflict.

Early life

Herman Bodson was born on 21 December 1912, the son of Alida and Fernand Bodson who was an architect. He gained a Doctor of Science in physical chemistry and was close to acquiring a master's degree in

Mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

. When the Second World War broke out, Bodson was mobilized into the Belgian army

Medical service Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profess ...

Resistance

After the Belgian surrender in 1940, Bodson became involved in resistance work. He initially joined the resistance group known as '' OMBR'', but later formed a new cell in the

Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...

. As an explosives expert, Bodson was involved in numerous sabotage missions, including an attack on a German railway convoy in which 600 German soldiers were killed. He was also involved in sheltering allied airmen which had been shot down and is credited with saving the lives of 17 allied pilots. During the Battle of the Bulge, he was trapped in the besieged town of Bastogne where he assisted US forces as a medic. For his service in the resistance he was awarded numerous Belgian medals, including the

Commemorative A commemorative is an object made to memorialize something. Commemorative may refer to: * Commemorative coin, coins that issued to commemorate something * Commemorative medal, a medal to commemorate something * Commemorative plaque, a plate typic ...

and the Resistance Medals as well as the British King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom and American Medal of Freedom.

Post-war career

After the war, Bodson worked at the Union Chimique Belge in Brussels. He married in June 1948. In 1951, Bodson and his family moved to Elisabethville in the Belgian Congo. With the backlash against Europeans following Congolese independence in 1960, the Bodson family moved first to

Rhodesia Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...

and then to the United States. He had a notable collection of mineral specimens. He was a mineral dealer in Stow, Ohio before gaining a teaching job at Lake Erie College. He became a naturalized citizen in 1966. He died on 28 December 2001.

Publications

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Description and preview link.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bodson, Herman Belgian resistance members Belgian geologists Belgian physical chemists Belgian military doctors 1912 births 2001 deaths American autobiographers Recipients of the Medal of Freedom Recipients of the King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom Belgian emigrants to the United States Belgian military personnel of World War II Belgian Army personnel 20th-century geologists Belgian people of the Belgian Congo Belgian expatriates Expatriates in Rhodesia