The cherry on top of the cherry is that he was apparently kind of a badass, too, escaping from captivity twice before this battle and then, when the castle was already surrounded by SS troops and under attack:

> ... Lee [US captain, in charge by this point] accepted tennis star Borotra's offer to vault the castle wall and run the gauntlet of SS strongpoints and ambushes to deliver [a message re: their situation, requesting reinforcements]. He succeeded, requested a uniform, then joined the force as it made haste to reach the prison before its defenders fired their last rounds of ammunition.