DALLAS (AP) — A North Texas soldier has been honored, more than 53 years after he and 10 other members of an all-black U.S. Army unit were massacred by German troops during the Battle of the Bulge.

Pfc. George Moten of Sulphur Springs was honored Monday in a'ceremony at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Dallas. Moten was 22 when he was shot to death on Dec. 17. 1944. The massacre came one day after the Germans launched a surprise attack through the snow-covered Ardennes Forest of Belgium against a group of American soldiers who were convinced that the war would end by Christmas. Military authorities said the men were shot and their bodies were dumped in a ditch in Wereth. Belgium. Covered by snow, the dead soldiers went unnoticed until spring of 1945 and officially unhonored until this week. Motcn's relatives received his medals and awards in a formal ceremony. 'They were brutally executed." Army Brig. Gen. William J. Lennox Jr.. chief of staff of 111 Corps arid Fort Hood, said during the ceremony. He said the Army is proud to honor a soldier whose recognition was "so long denied." Relatives said the recognition was a late but welcome honor for the man whose remains still lie in the Henri-Chapell Cemetery in Belgium. The soldier's wheelchair- bound sister, Darthulac Harrison. 82. of suburban DeSoto attended the ceremony. She is the only survivor of 13 siblings. "1 think it's wonderful." she said. "But 1 do wonder why they waited so long for this." Lennox said the Army investigated the executions as part of a continuing effort to acknowledge soldiers who never received honors that they earned. "Some of these deaths were just overlooked." he said. The brigadier general said the ceremony was the first of what the Army hopes will be 1 1 ceremonies to honor each of the massacred soldiers. The Army is continuing to search for relatives of all 11. who served under Gen. George Patton in the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion in France. Belgium and Germany. 'This is an opportunity to go back and recognize each of these outstanding soldiers." Lennox

said. One,million black soldiers -served in World War II and seven received the Medal of Honor, the naUon's highest military honor for valor, Lennox said. George Moten of Dallas, a nephew and namesake of the executed soldier, accepted his • uncle's six medals and awards — the Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal. Army Good Conduct Medal, European-Airican-Middle Eastern Campaign^ Medal with bronze service star. World War II Victory Medal and Hpraorable Service lapel button. "I'm very honored to receive these awards." said Moten, who was born in Greenville the day after his uncle was killed, He was given the soldier's name even though the family did not yet know he was dead.

George W Moten