WWII "Hero of Cologne" awarded Bronze Star in surprise ceremony Clarence Smoyer, a World War II veteran nicknamed "Hero of Cologne,” was surprised with a ceremony Wednesday in Washington, to award him an overdue Bronze Star medal with a “v" for valor. The 96-year-old tank gunner is the last living member of his crew that destroyed a powerful German Panther tank in a pivotal battle, about nine months after D-day.