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My fathers name was Jerome Nathaniel Shapiro. May 7, 1945 my father, First Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro with his small band of three men captured Hermann Goering. Today is the 61st anniversary of that momentous turning point in history.

I was formerly known as Barbara S. Shapiro. I now am known as Stephanie Mellen (Barbara Stephanie Mellen my full legal name).

Les, you are sure to recall this day well - May 7th is the 61st Anniversary that my father, 1st Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro and three of his men captured Hermann Goering, the de facto leader of the Third Reich and signatory of the Holocaust.

At that time you stood on duty at the gates of Fischhorn Castle, Zell Am Zee, Austria at 4 p.m. May 7, 1945 when my father with his 3 men left the gates in the 2 jeeps my Dad had volunteered to the mission. Goerings senior aide Oberst Von Brauchitsch and his driver were ahead of them as they headed out of Fischhorn Castles gates.

Ironically you were also on duty at the gates of Fischhorn Castle when my father and his 3 men in their two jeeps brought in Goering and his entourage at 11:30 p.m. that same night.

May 7-10, 1945, my Dad, 1st. Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro, personally guarded Goering. My Father remained the officer-in-charge of the 30 men assigned to guard Goerings entourage. My Dad also guarded Goering, and at time Goerings wife and daughter, at higher 36th Texas division headquarters.

May 8, 2006 will be the 61st Anniversary of V.E. Day marking the total surrender of the Third Reich to the Allied Forces.

The January/February 2006 issue of WWII Magazine was brought to my attention, the interview of a GIs Mission to Capture Hermann GoeringBagging a Bigwig, Interview by David Lesjak.

Perhaps you didnt get to see a copy of the interview before it went to press. Hopefully, you will have several galleys of your book, To Zell and Back to review before it is released early next year.

If you have not already brought the below to the WWII Magazine editors attention, I would appreciate it if you would/and or through your interviewer, David Lesjak.

I see there might be some errors:

According to my documentation and my fathers records:

        My fathers correct rank May 7, 1945 was First Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro
        In the article, Bagging a Bigwig my fathers full name was never mentioned. It was 1st Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro. Ironically in Lesjaks interview with you Les, the first name of every Allied, as well as Third Reich forces was mentioned at least once in the article.
        The picture on page 39 is definitely of my father, 1st Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro and Hermann Wilhelm Goering, taken May 8, 1945 in the courtyard at Fischhorn Castle in Zell Am See, Austria. The caption is incorrect.
        Per your July 26, 2005 e-mail you sent me that photo:


----- Original Message -----

From: Rufus Leggett
To: stefmellen
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 1:46 PM
Subject: Your Father

Here is a photo of your father in the courtyard of the Fischhorn Castle on
the morning of May 8, 1945. This was just before Goering was taken to the
36th Division HQ at Kitzbuhel, Austria. This is one of my photos from my
collection and there is a blemish where the photo stuck to another

All the best, Les Leggett


Les, could you please request this photo be reprinted with the correct caption? My documentation, as well as yours, shows that this is a picture of my Dad taken with Goering in the courtyard of the Fischhorn Castle on the morning of May 8, 1945.


We each have a gift to give the world and within that gift lies our destiny. Everything that happens is either meant to mold and shape our character or reveal our true purpose.

May 7, 1945 my father, First Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro, commanded a platoon of the 142nd Infantry Intelligence & Reconnaissance, attached to the 636th Tank Destroyer-Battalion -- 36th Texas Division.

Von Brauchitsch and his driver were ahead of them as they headed out of Fischhorn Castles gates. My Father, with his driver followed in the first jeep. The two riflemen in my dads platoon were in the following jeep.

When this small platoon encountered Goering, Hermann Goering quietly surrendered his weapon to my dad, an American Jewish soldier. Goering, was in his black Mercedes heavily armored staff car. Goering was wearing a gray uniform. There were 78 people with Goering in his entourage.

The nights of May 7 10, 1945, my father personally guarded Goering. My dad was in charge of 30 soldiers detailed to guard Goering and his retinue on May 7th until Goering was taken to higher division headquarters.

In the article in the January/February 2005 issue of WWII magazine, Interview GI's Mission to Capture Hermann Goering. Volume 20, Number 9.

My father is mentioned as 2nd Lt. Shapiro, Shapiro. Lt. Shapiro throughout the article. This is not correct. Nowhere in the article are the names of the 4 men he had with him mentioned.

Les, could you please request the following corrections:

1.        My father be referred to as First Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro.
My dad was a 142nd Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon commander with the 36th Texas Division. Nowhere in the article "Bagging a Bigwig" is my father's memory honored by giving neither his full name, nor what position he held at the auspicious moment in history at least once.
2.        Page 35, WWII: Who else was in the group that set out?
Leggett: Sill was given command of the escort. There was a 2nd Lt. Shapiro with two jeeps. A total of five men begged to go along.

During a war no one begged to go along. In private life this was not my father's character. My father respected and honored those who were his commanding officers as
well as those who served with him. My father was focused on serving with honor, duty, and dignity in the tradition of the Army. No victory was ever won alone throughout history

        3. Page 37: WWII: What about Shapiro's men?

Leggett: Shapiro's men never helped us. They stayed to themselves and hung
around their vehicles in the courtyard.

My father, Jerome N. Shapiro passed away 1968. So, unfortunately no one can interview him to verify as to what actually happened. If, the article states, that Lt. Golden Sill (who passed away in 2002) was given command of the escort. My father would definitely have followed any orders given.

This was a time of war, not egos, especially at the rank of lieutenant!

Help "us" with what. Let's be real, everyone serving the military has a job to do. When assigned a task, they are honor-bound to serve!!!!!!

As I recall, my father told his men he chose not to go inside Fischhorn Castle to eat and drink with the SS Florian Geyer Cavalry who were there because that would have been fraternizing with the enemy. No formal document of total surrender with the Allies forces was signed until May 8, 1945.

4. Page 38 Photo "Left:Goring evidenced no fear of his future fate when he arrived at the castle and had a pleasant conversation with the assistant commander of the 36th Infantry Division, Brig. Gen. Robert Stack (left)."

5. Page 39 Photo caption that reads is incorrect: "Surrounded by curious onlookers, Stack and Goring talk shortly after the German's caravan's arrival."

This is a picture on page 39, January/February 2006 issue WWII, was taken May 8, 1945 (V.E. Day) of my father, First Lieutenant Jerome N. Shapiro and Goering.

I am the oldest child of Jerome N. Shapiro.

This is my fathers legacy. His story, as well as his three men who were with him, needs to be told correctly.

My father's name was Jerome N. Shapiro. He, with three of his men, captured Hermann Goering on May 7, 1945. Goerings entourage of 78 who accompanied him was also under my fathers custody when my dad with his small band of men brought them back to Fischhorn Castle, Zell Am Zee, Austria around 11:30 p.m. May 7th.

Hermann Goering was the father of the Holocaust.

Since the mid-1980s I have done everything I could to have my Dads, those who served with him, as well as at those whose lives were touched by the Holocaust honored.

Heartfelt thank to all who served with the Allied Forces.

Heartfelt thanks on behalf of all those who were impacted by the Holocaust, as well as any form of genocide and those who still are.

May GOD grant our world peace.

May we always remember.

Stephanie Mellen
Daughter T Patcher Jerome N. Shapiro 142nd Intelligence & Reconnaissance