Elias Sussman, a 100-year-old World War II paratrooper, was knighted into Belgium's Order of Leopold at a Bal Harbour ceremony Sept. 29.

Katherine Raeymaekers, Consul General of Belgium in Atlanta, presented the medal on behalf of King Philippe of Belgium, as first reported by WSVN. The honor recognized Sussman's service during the Battle of the Bulge, where he helped free American POWs and starving Jewish survivors from a slave labor camp.

Significance of the Order of Leopold

The Order of Leopold is Belgium's oldest and highest national order of knighthood, established in 1832 and named for King Leopold I. Membership can only be granted by royal decree from King Philippe.

Past recipients include Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower, who received the honor in 1945 for helping liberate Belgium from German occupation.

Combat service in the 17th Airborne

Sussman served in the 464th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion of the 17th Airborne Division. As a Jewish soldier, Sussman knew that parachuting behind enemy lines carried severe risks of capture by the Nazis.

The division entered combat Dec. 25, 1944, fighting west of Bastogne under severe winter conditions. The 17th Airborne suffered 6,745 battle casualties during the war.

Ceremony and remarks

At the ceremony, Sussman recounted entering a POW camp after German guards had fled, freeing the American soldiers inside before advancing to a nearby slave labor camp to rescue survivors.

"I sometimes meet young people that are surprised to learn that Jews fought against the Nazis," Sussman said at the ceremony. "We should all be proud of that record of service, and be grateful that the United States helped defeat Nazism."

Raeymaekers praised Sussman and his comrades for defending freedom at an age when most young people were still dreaming of their futures, calling the medal an expression of Belgium's national gratitude.

Approaching his 101st birthday, Sussman has been honored several times for his wartime service. He closed his remarks with a lighter touch, thanking the audience "for coming and having the patience to stay awake while I spoke."