Lansing - Joseph A. Beyrle could be dead five or six times over.

But the retired sergeant from Muskegon lived to tell of his exploits in World War II, and on Sunday, he did just that at the Michigan Historical Center, 702 W. Kalamazoo St. in Lansing, during the annual Veteran's Tribute.

Beyrle was the first American paratrooper to land in Normandy, France, undertaking a special operation to deliver gold to the French resistance before the Allied invasion.

"The first 40 times I was in an airplane," he said, "I jumped out of it."

After the two side trips to France, Beyrle participated in the D-Day invasion, and was captured by the Nazis.

Beyrle's dog tags ended up in the hands of a German soldier who was killed in battle. The soldier was identified as Beyrle, and his parents were told he was dead.

Later, he escaped from the camp where he was held only to run into the Gestapo in Berlin. The police agency tortured and interrogated him until he was returned to the same camp.

Beryle knew German, which helped him learn that he was to be executed at one point. The German Army rescued him from the Gestapo because he was a prisoner of war.

He was put in solitary confinement back at the camp, but there was an intervention stopping his mistreatment.

When he escaped again, he joined a Russian tank unit commanded by a woman, becoming the only soldier to fight for both the United States and the Soviet Union.

After being wounded, Beyrle met Stalin's right hand, Marshal Zhukov, who gave him traveling papers so he could exit the country.

Lansing resident Thomas Hamlin, who attended the event, said this fact is significant to the entire tale.

"If he hadn't gotten that letter from the Soviet Marshal," he said, "he wouldn't have gotten out of Russia."

He did leave Russia, and went home to Muskegon, where he was presumed dead.

"My parents went through hell," he said. "It was almost nine months before they knew I was alive."

Throughout the 30-minute speech, Beyrle's humor brought uproarious laughter numerous times.

"I know who went to my funeral," he said, adding that a year later, he was married by the same priest who buried him.

More than 150 people attended the program.

"We were extremely lucky to hear that man," Owosso resident William Burns said.

MSU students echoed those sentiments, saying they respect the contributions of veterans such as Beyrle.

Communication senior Leslie Ovitt said his experiences were "very intriguing."

"I can't imagine one person going through all that," she said.

The program also featured patriotic music sung by a womens' choir from the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home and community groups which placed flags alongside American flags on stage.

Before Beyrle spoke, Cmdr. Kenneth Beachler of the Military Order of World Wars Mid-Michigan Chapter provided "comic relief" in the form of a 1942 medley of songs such as "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition."

"It was wonderful to honor veterans and Veterans Day," Corunna resident Carol Spaniola said. "It shows that we have a lot of respect for them."