Sergeant Ernest Moreland served with the 106th Infantry Division which saw plenty of action in Europe. Sergeant Moreland and over 6,000 of his fellow infantrymen where captured in a fierce battle at Ardennes. The battle became known as the Battle of the Bulge. Sergeant Moreland was held for several months at Stalag 9B in Bad Orb, Germany, just outside Frankfurt until their liberation by allied forces. According to historical documents, Stalag 9B was noted for its brutal treatment of prisoners. Ernest Moreland joined the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department in 1936. He served as the President of this fire company from 1957 through 1962 and is recognized as the Treasurer Emeritus after serving as the company’s treasurer for more than 25 years. Engine 52 is dedicated to Ernest Moreland for his faithful service to this department. To the best of our knowledge, Ernie (age 94) is our last remaining World War II veteran member.
The Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department is a non-profit organization that provides fire and emergency services for the town of Capitol Heights and surrounding communities. We are located about 5 miles from our nation’s capital, in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Our station is staffed both by career and volunteer personnel.