Bronze Star Award Ceremony for The American Legion

September 23, 2019

WWII Veteran, Clarence Smoker is known as the “Hero of Cologne” from the documented fight where his Pershing tank destroyed a German Panther tank. His story is featured in a book called “Spearhead.” Clarence came to Washington, D.C. thinking he was signing copies of the book. Little did he know, that the U.S. Army would award him a Bronze Star in a surprise ceremony almost 75 years after the original battle.

Editorial Eric Kruszewski photographs World War II veterans in Washington, D.C. for The American Legion.

@erickruszewski on Instagram

In Alert Bay, British Columbia, First Nations people - the #Kwakwaka’wakw - perform a cultural dance within their traditional Longhouse. Image made while exploring with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions #archive #tradition

LeConte #Glacier - seen from a float plane - is the southernmost tidewater glacier in #Alaska. As ice calves from its face, it clogs the mouth of the waterway. The perspective from the air shows how this massive river of ice bends around and carves the surrounding landscape. Image made while exploring with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions

While visiting Petersburg, Alaska, we had an option of flying over LeConte #Glacier. I was fortunate (thanks to a few empty seats and a kind leader) to document the ride, and one person’s vantage point here, above the river of ice below. Photo made while exploring Southeast #Alaska with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions

South Sawyer #Glacier. Sitting at the face of a glacier in a DIB. At hundreds of feet tall, that wall is massive, and the force behind it, to carve mountains and create fjords, is extraordinary. But like many glaciers around the world, this one has been retreating and separating over the years. Photo made while exploring Southeast #Alaska and Tracy Arm with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions

Good form. Check. Brace for impact. Yes. Time for a cold water plunge near Port Althorp in #Alaska. Photo made while exploring with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions

An immature bald #eagle soars through Misty Fjords National Monument in #Alaska. Photo made while exploring with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions #baldeagle #raptor

A small group of humpback whales bubble feed on herring near Snow Pass in #Alaska. This feeding habit is rather extraordinary. The whales find a school of fish. From below, one whale will blow a ring of bubbles, which traps the fish. A second whale will vocalize, thus scaring the fish. Then the whales will swim upwards, through the ring, mouths agape, gulping water and fish. Only certain individuals display this habit, and those whales are not related. Photo made while exploring with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions #humpbackwhales #bubblenetfeeding

A marvelous display of the northern lights seen from the bow of the National Geographic Sea Lion while cruising in Chatham Strait. It was definitely worth getting out of bed in the early hours of the morning to witness and capture. Thanks Mother Nature and the Bridge for a good show! Photo made while exploring #Alaska with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions

The southwestern end of the Caledonian Canal reaches Corpach. Upon arriving and docking a brisk shower swept through and left us with a double #rainbow. Photo made while traveling through #Scotland with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions

On the Isle of Mull, #Tobermory sits along the northern entrance to the Sound of Mull. The colorful facades are from a facelift that was featured in the children’s show Balamory. Here first light illuminates the landscape seen from the bow of our ship - Lord of the Glens - while docked. Photo made while traveling through #Scotland with @lindbladexp and @natgeoexpeditions