World War II Battlefield Tour with GGPA
- Steve
- Aug 15, 2014
- 45 min read
This August marks the 70th Anniversary of the U.S. Army's I Company, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division's French Battlefield Theater during World War II.
Grandpa John (Also known as GGPA (Madison's Great Grandfather), served in the United States Army from 1943-1946. During his tour in WWII, he fought in Italy, France, and Germany. He was wounded and captured by enemy forces in Bennwihr France. He escaped capture and re-joined American forces and continued to fight in battle. He was Honorably Discharged from the US Army with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. For his service, my grandfather was awarded the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars with Valor, a Purple Heart, a European Theater Operation Medal with six campaign stars and a bronze arrowhead for one invasion.
This year, my father-in-law, Uncle, and I will be joining my grandfather as he tours all of the battlefield locations in France. Most WWII veterans are in their 90's and I consider this an opportunity of a lifetime to walk the footsteps of war with a WWII Veteran, 70 years after the war.
Our trip starts August 12th. Join me as I update our trip throughout France.
It's Official:
Today is travel day. Today, I received my official ID card for the WWII tour (Pictured Below)! Pretty darn exciting!!
We have a 10.5 hour flight to Paris and then have a 4 hour layover before we take a small flight from Paris to Nice. We arrive around 5:00 PM and have a free night in Nice.
Nice is one of my favorite places I have ever visited. I visited Nice in the summer of 1998. Nice is somewhat crowded and driving is discouraged. But it truly is an amazing city with all kinds of history. The people are so nice and there are so many places to sit and eat and admire the sites. I plan to take advantage of the free night and enjoy this beautiful city.
But first, we must go to SFO.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO):
Well, as we drove to SFO we learned that San Mateo Bridge (CA-92) was closed in the westbound direction. They were only allowing 1 car at a time on the bridge in the westbound direction. As a result, we had to turn around and take the Bay Bridge. Lucky for us we made it just in time. We got through security and had to go to our gate to board. So, we are off to Paris.
Arrival In Parris:
Not too bad of a flight to Paris. The plane we flew on was an Airbus A380. The plane was enormous and seated 516 passengers. We are in Paris now and await our next flight to Nice. This airport is HUGE! The biggest airport I have ever been in.
This is my Uncle Jim and I on the airplane just before leaving SFO.
Here we are in Paris...well...the airport.
So now we wait until our next plane. On a funny note, I asked Steve (my father-in-law) to get me a Mocha while I sat with the bags at the gate for our next flight. He wanted to wander the airport so I offered to stay with the bags. He came back with this huge cup of....Hot Cocco that cost me $7.50. He thought that Hot Cocco and Mocha were the same thing. It's the thought that counts. So as I sit here with a strong desire for coffee, I'm drinking a hot Cocco.
Well, I'm off to try to sleep while waiting for our next flight.
Arrival in Nice France:
We made it! Arrived at our hotel around 6:30 PM. The hotel is about 4 blocks away from old downtown Nice, which is beautiful. Pictured below is our hotel.
Once we got in and settled, we enjoyed a great dinner with several other people taking the tour as well.
After dinner, Uncle Jim, Steve and I all wandered downtown and checked out the sites. There were so many shops, cafés and Restuarants and there were so many people out. I loved it!!
Fountain downtown Nice, France.
Nice France Court House.
So here is a small video of some street performers in old town Nice.
The quality of all of the street performers was spectacular.
Well, I'd love to add more but I'm tired and need some sleep. Until tomorrow!!!
Day One:
Today we started out by having breakfast with our group in our hotel. We had the opportunity to meet everyone in the tour. Here is a picture of Grandpa John, Uncle Jim, Steve and I.
Today, we begin our tour by leaving Nice and heading to Frejus, France. We will be visiting the "Musee des troupes de Marine". This is a museum of the French Marines. It's holds the entire fighting history of the French Marines. There is a location dedicated to the United States for their liberation of France. Below is a picture of the museum.
We arrived and toured the museum. It was pretty spectacular to see the history and the dedication to the U.S. Here is a photo of the US uniforms.
One thing I am really impressed with thus far is how thankful the French people are of WWII Veterans. I mean everyone. Not just the French military or politicians, but everyday people. A few people came up to us and saw our name tags that identifies us as of family of WWII Veteran. The people then express their gratitude by shaking our hands and thanking our relatives for our for their service. One older gentleman said (via a translater) that he will be forever greatful for the US military veterans because France would be very different today if it was not for the US military. Very neat!
After the museum, we enjoyed a nice lunch that was hosted by a local restuarant. While there, I met a French gentleman who is a police officer in the city of Cogolin. While speaking with the police officer, I learned he was a police sniper instructor. Well, so am I. What are the odds that I'd share lunch, 6500 miles away from work, with a fellow sniper instructor. Picture bellowed is Officer Jean-Paul and I.
We arrived in Cogolin, France about 4:30 PM and got settled into our rooms. Really nice hotel called the Ibis. It is right along the Mediterranean Sea. Tonight, we will be treated to a parade honoring WWII Veterens and Grandpa John will be honored. Until then, "au revoir" (goodbye in French).
Tonight we were the special guests in the town of La Croix Valmer, France. On our trip into La Croix Valmer, we had a police escort into town. This was really impressive to see. Upon our arrival, the police were lined up soluting the veterans. Here is a picture of the lead police vehicle from inside the bus.
Every year this town pays respect to the Americans for liberating their town. On August 15th, 1944, The 3rd Infantry Division came ashore and were able to quickly defeat the enemy. This year, Grandpa John was awarded the special Medal of Citizenship (equal to the key to the city) for his service in the army. The picture below shows Grandpa John receiving the award of honorable citizenship from the mayor in front of the entire town.
It was quite impressive to see how the entire town stopped what they were doing and came to this event. The ceremony began with our National Anthem and recognizing 4 veterans. After the award ceremony there was food, dancing, and some French college students who dressed up in the 3rd Infantry Division uniforms in honor of the 3rd Infantry Division.
The picture above is of a college student in the 3rd Infantry Division uniform with Grandpa John and Mitchie. Mitchie is a French reenactor for the 3rd Infantry Division for ceremonies.
If you look closely at the book the young man is holding, you will see the French version of Grandpa John's book. A French historian, with the permission from Grandpa John, made copies of Grandpa John's book and publish them in French for the French people. Grandpa John does not receive any royalties from selling the book but he signed all the books that were sold tonight to the French people. Here are two pictures of his book in French.
It was really neat to see how many French children came up and thanked the Army veterans for their service and liberating their town. The young children already know the history about their country and the role the U.S had. I mean these children new the more than just that Americans liberated France. They know the divisions and branches of military and what each did. IMPRESSIVE!
The picture below is of the arena that we were in when Grandpa John received his award. Look at how many French people were in attendance.
So tomorrow is the REALLY big event. It will be all day long with ceremonies all over. August 15th, 1944, is very important day for southern France. They are not shy about showing their appreciation to the U.S. Military!
Well, that's all for day 1. Stay tuned for more.
Day Two:
Today we started our morning very early and went to the town of Ramatuelle. This is home of Yellow Beach where Grandpa John's division landed. Grandpa John was the Staff Sergeant of his unit. On this day 70 years ago, at 8:00 AM, his unit landed on the beach, engaged in battle, suffered one member killed in action and three severely wounded.
Grandpa John was very nervous about this landing because it was his first daytime beach landing. All of the other beach landings were at night. After a battle for about an hour, the 3rd Infantry Division made their way into the mountains encountering many battles with the Germans. Grandpa John was 20 years old on this day 70 years ago. This is a picture of Yellow beach.
There was a formal ceremony on the beach. Members of the 3rd Infantry Division were honored by the City Mayor and also placed a wreath in honor of those members who were killed while landing on to the beach. Approximately Army 200 soldiers were killed during this landing.
What amazes me a lot is the heat. It is only 9:30 AM and it is really hot. I try to imagine myself at 20 years old, in a foreign country away from my mom in a battle zone. So many unknowns, so much heat, and know you are going to battle with Germans who are settled in. The stat was well know by army soldiers prior to the beach landing that it was expected that 1 in 4 soldiers were going to be killed during this landing. Absolutely crazy!!! With that knowledge, they didn't hesitate and pushed forward with tremendous courage.
Once on the beach, the terrain turns to huge rolling hills. With all the equipment they had to carry, along with being very wet and sandy from the beach landing, it's amazing how well they did. It really makes what they did seem so much more real by standing in this location attempting to put myself there.
After Ramatuelle, we traveled to St. Tropez, France for another formal ceremony honoring the 3rd Infantry Division and a paratrooper unit. They called them the 509th Paratrooper Regimen. They were made of Americans, French, and British Soldiers. They were dropped in 3 miles short of the target. All of them landed in the water and died from drowning.
Below is the monument in honor if the 3rd Infantry Division. This monument is in the heart of St. Tropez.
After St. Tropez, we drove to La Croix Valmar, France. This was the location of last nights honoring. Today, the city honored the 3rd Infantry Division at a memorial they had built honoring the fallen soldiers. This was really impressive. There were so many kids with Grandpa John's French version of his book waiting for his autograph. Below is a picture from the memorial in La Croix Valmar.
Immediately after the ceremony was over, Grandpa John got rushed for autographs. I am so impressed with how young these children are and how much they know about the U.S. involvement. Pictured below is a 9 year old girl who waited patiently for an autograph.
Here is another pictures of Grandpa John hard at work.
Here is a video and link below to the National Anthem at La Croix Valmir. If you look in the back ground if the veterans saluting, you'll see Grandpa John in the purple shirt.
Shortly after that ceremony, we headed over to the town of Cavalaire, France. This was a huge production. The police escort was insane and when we arrived in the city, so many people were lined in the street cheering our bus. I was told by the locals that the citizens of Cavalaire are so greatful to the 3rd Infantry Division. The local told me that every year the city stops to honor the Americans and the liberation of their city. Below is a close-up shot of the memorial for the 3rd Infantry Division.
This ceremony was a a formal parade. The parade was all American WWII vehicles. All of the people in the parade were French, wearing American Military Uniforms. It was clear to me that they are so grateful for the US liberation. The local said the 15th of August to Southern France is celebrated like the 4th of July in the US.
As the veterans and families walked through the crowd, there was a standing ovation for all of us. They made all of the American Veterans and families walk in the center of the crowd while they clapped. I would guess that there were in excess of 4000 people in attendance. This was a real treat.
After the parade/ceremony, the city hosted a private social with snacks and drinks for only the Americans.
Above is a picture inside the social.
Below is a picture of me and Grandpa John after the parade.
Well it's 5:18 PM here and I have a quick chance to update you all on the day. Now we wait for a formal evening parade in Cogolin, France. More tonight at the end of the day.
Tonight, Steve and I ventured into old town Cogolin and looked around. What we learned is that we forgot today is a national holiday for the French. Nothing was open. I should have figured that one out.
Here is a link to a short clip of an evening parade in the heart of Cogolin. When you watch the clip, you'll notice that the people reenacting are French. They dress in all American WWII military clothing and also drive WWII vehicles.
Here are a few photos from today.
This last photo is of a French family who came out to Yellow Beach in the City of Ramatuelle with the 3rd Infantry Division flag. The two children and their mother were standing with the flag as we drove in on the bus waving at the veterans. Grandpa John, 3 other Army Veterans, and a Veteran's Wife (her husband recently passed away) stood next to the family to show their appreciation for their support for the 3rd Infantry Division.
That's all for day 2. I am exhausted and headed to bed.
Day Three:
Here is a short clip of our bus entering the town of Cavaleirre, France yesterday (08/15/14). Notice how many people are along the roadway welcoming the veterans and their families.
Today we start day 3 of the tour. Today, in 1944, was second day of this portion of the war. Grandpa John's unit had to hike for 34 hours straight through very thick brush and hilly terrain to the town of Draguignan, France. Grandpa John explained that he was assigned the flank patrol the majority of the march to Draguignan, which required his team to walk in the brush and in the hills. Due to the tough terrain and the brutal heat, soldiers abandoned a lot of their gear. Most soldiers left their gas masks and packs on the beach in order to free up room on their body to carry other things. Grandpa John said he used the gas mask pouch to carry extra food. I spoke with WWII Veteran Sergeant Patrick Haggarty about the beach landing and the a abandoning of gear. Sergeant Haggarty said he was in the second wave of troops to land on Yellow Beach on August 15th, 1944. He mention as he landed on the beach, the beach was littered with US gas masks. He explained the placement of the gas masks were on their chest/belly. Sergeant Haggarty said that most soldiers needed to and WANTED to be closer to the ground due to being shot at. Here is a photo of the terrain after the battle at Yellow Beach.
Our first stop today was in the small town of Draguignan, France. This is the home of an American cemetery. During the battle at Draguignan on August 16th, 1944, 860 soldiers lost their lives. There is a wall displaying the names of 294 lost soldiers who's bodies were never recovered in that battle. Here is a picture of the cemetery. This cemetery is actually US territory.
At the cemetery, the Fench hosted a beautiful ceremony honoring the fallen soldiers who died attempting to liberate their city as well as the living members of the 3rd Infantry Division (Grandpa John and his division).
This cemetery was so very beautiful. Learning about WWII history is one thing but standing where the battles took place and speaking with veterans has so much more meaning and value. Witnessing the French appreciation to the US, British, and the Canadians is truly spectacular. Again, being here and seeing it in person has been such a rewarding experience.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, I watch a young French girl (I would guess to be Maddy's age - 12) as she waited patiently for Grandpa John to finish shaking hands and talking to people. As the moments passed, she quietly made her way closer to Grandpa John and politely asked that he sign her book, The French version of his book.
Once we boarded the bus, we drove to the city of Vidauban. Here we were guests at the restuarant "Resto du Butcher." We were the guests of a wonderful and tasty steak lunch. So very good!
After lunch, we travel north to the old town of Avignon, France. This is home of the Rhone Valley and Rhone River. We checked into our hotel and dropped off our luggage. We loaded back onto the bus and headed "Salle des Fetes" (Community Hall) for the town celebrating the arrival of Grandpa John and other veterans.
Here is a small video clip of the ceremony when the dignitaries called up Grandpa John and 3 other 3rd Infantry Division veterans and publicly honored them for their battle in Draguignan France leading to the cities liberation. It was really interesting to see the French people stand and clap for a very long time as the veterans stood in the center of the ceremony.
Take a look:
Day Four:
Today, we started our day early by leaving the beautiful city of Avignon France and headed north to Besancon France. Prior to arriving in the city of Arbois, we stopped in a very small beautiful village Pupillin. All of the locals lined the road and clapped as our bus arrived. This small village was liberated by the 3rd Infantry Division. The town welcomed the veterans by lining the street, waving the American flag. The village was very small and everyone was out. The village was decorated with American flags and other US Military paraphernalia. Once we got into the village, the bus stopped. In front of the bus was about 6 WWII vehicles. They requested that the veterans exit the bus and ride in the WWII vehicles. That's exactly what happened. Below is a picture of Veteran Sergeant Gerald Papin of the 3rd Infantry Divison (who is on the tour with Grandpa John). Sergeant Papin served in 9 Battlefield Campaigns during WWII.
Below is a video of the initial reception into the entrance of the village were the veterans were asked to exit the bus and get into the US Military vehicles:
After the Veterans got into the WWII vehicles, we travelled a short moment to the center of the village where we were greeted by the town. The road we traveled was the actual road the 3rd Infantry Division used to enter the village and move into Arbois, France. Once in the center of the Pupillin, the US families were asked to exit the bus and be greeted by the town people.
Below is a picture from the bus looking out. The black cars with the American flags are behind the US Military vehicles. Just beyond the black cars is greeting of the veterans as the arrived.
Below is two young French girls standing in front of the WWII vehicles honoring the veterans as they were traveling through the village.
As I made my way through the crowd and people clapping for us, I was asked by an elderly lady if I was American. I replied, "Yes" and asked if she lived in the village. She said she did and I asked her how many people lived in the village of Pupillin. She told me the population of this small village is 199 people. She told me she was 15 years old when the 3rd Infantry Division came into her village. She spoke broken English to me and said she remembered that day when the Americans came into her village and pushed back the Germans. The lady was 85 years old and thanked me for what Americans did for them. She told me she will be forever greatful that the US came to France to liberate it from the Germans. To this day, she said, she stops everything to remember and honor the US for their courage to come to France and free their country. I was so moved by this interaction and the women's emotions. She had tears coming down her face as she shook my hand and explained how greatful she was to the veterans, to me, and the rest of the US.
If you didn't know better, you'd think you were entering a town in America. There were so many American flags and kids running around with American flag t-shirts and other clothes. It's not until you interact with these locals do you learn that that truly view our veterans as heros. They all knew who John Shirley was like he was some rock star or movie star in the US. Kids, teens and adults rushed up to Grandpa John to take pictures with him, sign books and other papers. They treat all of them like royalty. It was a very touching and moving moment for me!
After this greeting, our tour continued to Arbois. This was stunning and moving as well. Your think there was a rock concert happening in this town. It wasn't, it was the townspeople coming out, like so many other villages and towns, to honor and welcome the veterans. We were treated to a great ceremony, dinner, and wine.
During dinner, the city officials only invited English speaking townspeople to attend the dinner. I sat next to a 14 year old French girl who was very fluent in English. She was such a sweet young lady who said she would have never missed this opportunity to see the American Heros. She knew so much history about our military it was amazing. This young ladies name was Michelle and she said one day she will move to San Francisco to be a doctor and help with cancer research. Impressive!!!
At the end of the night (9:00 PM), the reenactors invited the veterans to the front of the hall and sang the 3rd Infantry Division, Dog Face Soldier, song with them. Below is the link to that video:
Well, that's all for Day 4. We arrived in Basancon France late, so I'm going to bed. I am VERY tired!
Day Five:
Today we ventured into the village of Avanne. We arrived for a ceremony on a bridge that the 3rd Infantry Division crossed to get into the village. It was the only bridge into the village that was not blown up by the Germans. Below is a photo that a local citizen attending the ceremony carried around to show the veterans. The photo depicts the actual day the 3rd Infantry Division crossed the bridge.
Here is the same bridge today.
The mayor of this city dedicated a plaque that is afixed to the bridge to the 3rd Infantry Division for entering their village and freeing them. The bridge displayed an American flag near the entrance of the bridge. When the plaque was unveiled, it was behind the American flag. It was really neat how they planned that. Below is a photo of Grandpa John speaking to the the crowd with the mayor. If you look behind Grandpa John next to the tree, you'll see the plaque.
We then travelled to Fort Chaudanne, which is located in Besancon France. Fort Chaudanne is the a Castle from Roman Days located atop a hill in Besancon. During WWII, the Germans captured Besancon and took over Fort Chaudanne as a fighting position to attack approaching Americans. In September of 1944, the 3rd Infantry Division made its way into Bescanon. A local French boy saw the 3rd Infantry Division and could tell they were lost on how to get up the hill. The boy made his way down to the troops and directed them on how to approach Fort Chaudanne safely. Near the entrance of Fort Chaudanne, the Germans began to engage the 3rd Infantry Division. The 3rd Infantry Division suffered some casualties and wounded soldiers. Suddenly, the Germans raised the white flag, the universal sign of surrender. During this time, thousands of German soldiers had surrendered to the US soldiers and the troops had no reason to believe the surrender was fake. The firing stopped. The Americans then made their approach to the surrendering Germans. The surrender was a trick. As the Americans approach, the Germans fired again, killing 8 soldiers. The US responded by using a tank to end the battle. The 3rd Infantry Division beat the Germans into a genuine surrender. That boy was Michel Martin of France. Michel was instrumental the the 3rd Infantry Division and was helpful to the creation of the "Rock of the Marne" reenactors.
Today, Grandpa John was invited to present an American Flag to Michel's widow. Michel died last year due to cancer and was considered the "Grandfather" to the reenactors of the 3rd Infantry Division. Michel was also a beloved friend of the 3rd Infantry Division and Grandpa John. The American Flag was the flag flown over the California Capital in Grandpa John's honor. He gave it to Michel's widow in honor of Michel. Today, Grandpa John was the keynote speaker during the ceremony.
Below is a photo of Grandpa John presenting to the crowd at Fort Chaudanne and the memorial dedicated to the 3rd Infantry Division for liberating Besancon and Fort Chaudanne.
Later in the afternoon, we attended another hosted reception by the City of Besancon. This was a really nice reception. I got to meet so many local people and hear so many stories. Below is a picture of Steve at the reception posing as a French soldier. He was saluting the wrong way. When the French salute, their palm faces away from their face.
Below is a photo of a church right outside the reception we had tonight. Day 5 was a great day!
Well, that is all for tonight. More tomorrow! Day 5 complete!!!!
Day 6:
Today is the beginning of Day 6 in France. To my surprise, I saw this French newspaper and on the front page was the ceremony from yesterday at the bridge. The interesting thing, if you zoom in and look at the left side of the bridge, you will see me with my camera in a blue shirt and tan Camel-pack. Just below me, you will see Steve in the red and white shirt. This was really exciting to see that the event was front page news.
Below is page 2 of the news paper.
After we finished with breakfast, we headed out for a short tour of the city of Besancon, France. It was really interesting to learn the Julius Cesar was fond of Besancon due to the city being a great place to fight a war. He was in this city for some time. Out travels took us atop a mountain where we saw an overview of the entire city. Below is a panoramic view from atop the mountain.
We then drove to the city of Vesoul, France. We stopped by a school and were greeted by a group of very young children who wanted to honor Grandpa John and other 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers. This was a very small school with children ranging from kindergarten to 5th grade. Grandpa John and the other 3 veterans walked into the school yard and were quickly surrounded by the children who were intent on shaking their hands and telling them they were heroes. I could hear the small children's voices saying, "Hello" in English. They reached out their small hands to shake the hands of the veterans. It was a very touching scene. The children had made drawings and baked cookies for the veterans and their families. They also served orange juice, coca cola, and water to all of us. Below is a photo of Grandpa John shaking hands with the children.
Once they shook the hands of all the veterans, they quickly moved onto the families of the veterans. The children politely shook all of our hands, said "Hello" all while practicing their English that they had learned.
During the small reception with the children, Grandpa John posed for a picture in an authentic WWII 3rd Infantry Division helmet left behind from WWII. Grandpa John was asked to sign the helmet, which he kindly did.
After the small reception with the children, the Mayor of Vesoul brought us into a downtown square, outside City Hall, for a formal ceremony honoring Grandpa John and the 3 other 3rd Infantry Division Veterans. It was an amazing little ceremony with authentic WWII vehicle that lined the side of the roads. As a treat, I got to sit in one of the vehicles. I was invited to be driven around town in the Jeep I am sitting in pictured below. I gladly accepted the invitation.
This was a pleasure to travel the same roads the 3rd Infantry Division did 70 years ago in this city. Extra special was the opportunity to travel those roads in an authentic WWII Jeep the 3rd Infantry Division used.
Below is a picture of the ceremony outside the City Hall.
After a fews hours of socializing with the locals, the Mayor and some other delegates hosted a dinner for us. This was really nice. They invited us to a local restaurant and provided us with a great dinner, sweets, and wine. This area has to have some of the best wine I have ever tasted in my entire life.
We finally made it back to the hotel about 11:00 PM. I am off to bed because tomorrow we are expected to rise early and move on to the next location.
Day Seven:
This morning we started our day back at City Hall in the Village of Vesoul. This was a very private and intimate coffee, orange juice and croissants get together for a morning snack. We received a formal tour from the Deputy Mayor of the inside of their City Hall. Very nice gesture and showed genuine appreciation for the Americans and American Veterans.
Pictured above is the reenactors from the "Rock of Marne" Society. These are all French individuals who volunteer their time to represent the 3rd Infantry Division of the US Army at every single event in France related to WWII. In order to be a member, you must only wear authentic WWII 3rd Infantry Division clothing. They are really great people and have really enjoyed each and every one of them.
One of them, Richard, brought us the morning paper. Once again, the Veterans and their ceremony from the day before was front page of the paper. Take a look at the picture below.
While inside the City Hall of Vesoul, Steve tried his hand at calling the room to order and pretended to be the Mayor. Take a look.
Inside the city hall was some interesting artwork on the wall. Steve and I have been labeled the group jokers because we love to photo-bomb everyone and play pranks throughout this trip. In consistent fashion, I photo'd Steve pulling back on a young lady who brought her goat into City Hall without permission. He ultimately had to wrestle the little girl down to the ground and I jumped in and herded the two goats out of City Hall. We put our fears to the side and created calm and order in City Hall. Jokers to Heroes in one action!!
Once we left Vesoul, we drove over to a small Village named, Saulx de Vesoul. One thing I am so impressed with is how these small villages rally together to celebrate the troops. The Village of Saulx de Vesoul has a population of 805 people. Most of these villages have less then 400 people. Amazingly, they put on some of the most heart felt ceremonies for the veterans. In the ceremony at this village, the Mayor said to the crowd, "The French have the obligation to educate their children about the US and how they gave France their freedom". As the Mayor said this, it was very moving. I looked down and saw these two little girls. Clearly their parents have already started the education. After I took the photo, the little girl in the pink tank top (pictured below) looked up at me and said, "USA." It is hard not to feel their absolute and genuine appreciation for what the US Military has done for their country.
After lunch, went to the Village Raddon for a brief ceremony by their Mayor. This is another Village of just 235 people. This village is tucked between many large mountains and was a place of very difficult battles for the 3rd Infantry Division. During one of the battles, 8 soldiers were killed by the Germans. Congressional Medal Honor recipient, Sergeant Harold Messerschmidt of L Company, was severely wounded during the battle. Sergeant Messerschmidt pushed forward and killed many Germans after being injured. At one point, he ran out of ammunition and turned to hand to hand combat, killing several more Germans. As a result of his multiple gunshot wounds from the battle, Sergeant Messerschmidt died in this village. The village just recently collected enough money in 2011 and created the memorial pictured below honoring Sergeant Messerschmidt and the 8 soldiers who were killed. The American flag and the French flag fly together at all times. The local people take it upon themselves to maintain the memorial and ensure it looks excellent with fresh flowers at all the times. A Colonel from the French Patatroopers came to the village and honored the 3rd Infantry Division. I was told via a translator, the Colonel is one of the most highly decorated active Colonels in the French Paratroopers.
Below is a close up of the memorial.
Below is a picture of the Colonel with Grandpa John.
We then drove to the Village of Faucogney. The population of this village is 400 people and is considered a dying village. I was told it is a dying village because the big industry is taking away the village's opportunity to make money and survive.
This village also has a memorial in place honoring the soldiers who died liberating their village. This was a very small town. It was so beautiful with incredible architecture. At one point, I thought I was on a movie set.
The locals would poke their heads out of the windows and watch as the Americans arrived. During the ceremony, this French women (pictured below) watched the entire ceremony from her window. When they played the American National Anthem, she sang every word to our National Anthem. It was a very nice sight and gesture. She of course sang everyword of the French National Athem also.
Today, was a very busy day. We went from ceremony to ceremony and finally finished in the very small village of Rupt-sur-Moselle. The town was home of where 30 US Soldiers were killed liberating the village. The town honors those fallen soldiers with a memorial in the center of their village. As I stood waiting for the ceremony to begin, this young French girl walked in front of me and looked me in the eyes. Once again, I am impressed with how the locals show their appreciation for the USA and the 3rd Infantry Division. Take a look below, she is wearing an American flag scarf.
The town is so thankful and appreciative of the US that they placed the American flag on top of the French flag. This is a true sign of respect and appreciation.
Below is the memorial that the town people just created honoring the 33 fallen soldiers and the rest of the 3rd Infantry Division. Grandpa John is depicted below with the 3 other veterans.
Here is a small clip of the ceremony. You might have to turn the volume up a little to hear the English translation.
Well, today was very long but so very rewarding. The big cities have a lot of money and of course can put on a great ceremony. But the small villages are where you feel the pain the Germans left and the joy the Americans have brought them. Both the cities and villages are equally thankful, but the villages have to put on their ceremonies on their own without the help of any "big city" funding. It was very profound to stand in those villages and to meet the locals who lived there during the German occupation and when the Americans liberated France.
Off to bed!!
Day Eight:
Last night we arrived in Epinal France. This is a beautiful old French town. Steve and I enjoyed a nice dinner at a local Pub Restuarant named Au Bureau (pictured below). The restaurant is next to a huge cathedral and near a beautiful small bridge.
Bridge
Below is a picture of a beautiful cathedral we found while walking to find something to eat.
In the morning, we quickly ate breakfast and headed to the American Cemetery in Epinal. This cemetery is US territory and is the burial site for 5,255 American Soldiers. An additional 424 names are engraved on the walls for the soldiers bodies that were never found. Here, 800 3rd Infantry Division soldiers who were killed in Epinal.
A small wreath was placed at the memorial by Grandpa John and the 3 other veterans. At the cemetery, this small man arrived on his own and brought a wreath he laid down paying his respect to the soldiers who died there. The old man was a German Soldier who was the enemy of the Americans and French. He was a radio operator for the German army and actively (and privately of course) worked against his country during the ward. This is something he would have been executed for if he was caught. One story I heard was that often times the German Command would radio to lead units. If there was no response, the Command would assume they had been wiped out by the Americans. It was said that he would call ahead of time to those lead units and tell them to turn down their radio notification frequency, which they did. Then, when the German command reached out to those front line units, no one heard the radio and the Command would assume they had been killed or surrendered. Pretty amazing he did this.
He is pictured below. The gentleman wanted to honor those US Soldiers who died in the battle. I was not expecting anything like this. I have heard stories throughout this trip on how many Germans had no choice to fight the war. I did not have a chance to speak with the man, but I thought it was a very nice gesture to arrive on his own, with a wreath he brought on his own.
Here is a picture of Grandpa John paying his respect to the fallen heroes.
After the cemetery, we drove into the small village of Mon Plaisir for a lunch at a very small house where Henry IV ate. This is the mountain area of the Colmar Pocket in France. The terrain here is made up of super thick brush and super tall trees. The Colmar Pocket is where Grandpa John was wounded and captured by the Germans. The house we ate lunch at was about 2 miles away from a fox hole Grandpa John fought several Germans in. He wrote about this experience in his book and it is titled, "Road Blocks."
I looked around at the area and was taken back by the thick terrain. It reminds me of a lush, green, dense forrest. I tried to imagine being in this location as a soldier. It was the middle of the day while we were there and I couldn't even see into the tree line. I understand why so many soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division lost their lives in this area. They entered an area occupied by Germans who had settled in. The Americans were coming into this area for the first time. Not only is the terrain tough, I was told that the winter of 1944 came early in September and was the worst winter in 20 years before that time. Amazing they were successful as they were.
While at lunch, the "Rock of the Marne" reenactors asked Steve to participate in two ceremonies that are set to take place tomorrow (Friday) in the city of Bennwihr. This is the city where Grandpa John was captured by the Germans and then escaped. There are going to be two ceremonies tomorrow. The reenactors asked Steve to dress as a WWII Soldier and participate in the ceremonies to honor Grandpa John.
While all the others were eating lunch, Steve got fitted with his authentic WWII uniform and practiced a few moves. I took the photos below and put them in black and white. I imagine this is very similar as to if Grandpa John was photographed in this same area 70 years ago. Grandpa John does not know Steve will be in uniform and in the ceremony. This was an idea by the reenactors to honor Grandpa. When you look at the photo, look in the background and you will get a true sense of the terrain.
Another photo of Steve.
After lunch, we drove about 2 miles down the road to a roadside memorial. This village is best described as back country. The homes are very spread out and it is a farming community. Large yards and your neighbors are no where close to you. As we drove to this memorial, we pulled upon about 40 locals standing on the side of the road to honor the veterans. The ceremony was quick and honored four 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers who were killed along with 11 citizens were killed. This spot was a true test of trying to hold back tears for me. I will try to re-tell the story.
The Germans had occupied this area for some time and were preparing for the US to arrive. During this time, the Germans took over a house and sawmill that belonged to a husband and wife and their 13 children. The Germans took the house and sawmill from the family was very large and was in the very thick part of the terrain. This house and sawmill allowed the Germans to store multiple weapons and ammunition such as land mines and other large explosives. As time went by, the Germans filled the house with ammunition and large weapons. After a while, the Germans learned the 3rd Infantry Division was on their way. The Germans left the house and sawmill and retreated into the woods and prepared for the US Soldiers to arrive.
The owners of the house and sawmill knew a battle was going to occur and courted all their children into the basement (cellar) for safety. The husband heard the Americans coming and realized the Germans were going to fire on the house and sawmill, which they did. With all the ammunition and weapons, the husband new it would not be safe. The husband left the basement and notified the Americans. The 3rd Infantry Division went into action. Soldiers went into harms way and began saving the family. As they were, the Germans fired upon the house and sawmill, both catching fire. The soldiers continued to fight and rescue the family. At one point, a large grenade was launched onto the house and sawmill. As the mother was running from the house, with her 10 year old child wrapped in her hands, the grenade detonated and the house and sawmill exploded. As a result, everyone in the family was killed except for the father, two of his sons, and one daughter. One of the sons to survive was the 10 year old in his mother's arms when she was killed. 5 US Soldiers lost their lives during this attack and while trying to save the family.
At the end of the ceremony, our attention was drawn to the back. We learned that the father had passed away. But to our surprise, the 2 sons and daughter arrived today to say "thank you" to the 3rd Infantry Division. They are pictured below. This is the 10 year old son who survived the attack in his mother's arms. He could not control his tears.
This was very emotional experience. You could feel both the pain and appreciation these three experienced.
There is another amazing thing to realize to this story. The husband who survived the attack, wrote a letter before he passed away. The letter was to the Red Cross, 3rd Infantry Division, and the American people. The father's letter described how after the battle, he lost everything. He had no livestock, no money, nothing at all. He lost his wife and 10 children. He described how the Red Cross came in and with donations from the American people back home in America, saved his surviving family's lives. I'd like to note that the person who translated the letter into English for the crowd, began to cry during the reading of the letter. Very powerful moment.
We got back on the bus and drove right down the road to roadside memorial honoring the 3rd Infantry Division and the US Soldiers who were killed in this location. Just prior to the ceremony beginning, the "Rock of the Marne" reenactors told Uncle Jim and I that it would be an honor if we assisted in the laying of the wreath during the ceremony. This was a true honor. Look at the pictures below.
At the end of this ceremony, we boarded the bus and drove to Colmar. Tomorrow we travel to Bennwihr for several ceremonies honoring Grandpa John. I stayed in tonight because I did not feel well at the end of the day. I wanted to get some rest before tomorrow. I imagine tomorrow will be remarkable.
Off to bed.
Day Nine:
Today, we started our day in the absolutely beautiful village of Turkheim to visit the WWII museum created by the citizens. The photo below is the main entrance into the village. Below the modern day photo is a photo of the same entrance into the village during WWII. The Germans absolutely destroyed this village during WWII until the Americans liberated the village.
2014
1944 after the 3rd Infantry Division liberated the village.
This is a picture of inside the walls of the village in 1944.
Here is a picture of Uncle Jim. Notice the tall tower in the background. It's the same as the picture above from 1944.
I got to tour the inside of this museum which showed genuine German, French and American artifacts from the war. Again, I am so amazed at this tiny village’s gesture of preserving the history of the war and the role the Americans played in liberating their village.
As we were nearing the end of the tour, the “Rock of the Marne” reenactors grabbed Steve and had him change into the WWII 3rd Infantry Division uniform. Steve then left the village of Turkheim to the village of Bennwihr in a WWII US Military Jeep.
We arrived in Bennwihr to a big crowd. Bennwihr is the village Grandpa John was wounded and taken captive by the Germans. He ultimately escaped capture and was able to rejoin another US unit. The town of Bennwihr was absolutely destroyed by the Germans during the war. Every house and building was destroyed. The village had to rebuild from scratch.
Once in the village, we went to a small square in the village. Bennwihr dedicated the town square to Grandpa John. The name of the square is “Square John Shirley”. He is like a rockstar in this village. They absolutely adore him and what he did. Grandpa John was wounded on December 23rd, 1944. Bennwihr was liberated by Grandpa John’s Division on Christmas Eve.
As a surprise, Steve dressed up as a WWII Soldier and stood in the formation of the “Rock of the Marne” reenactors. After the French Dignitaries spoke about Grandpa John and the dedication of the square in his name, the asked Grandpa John to stand and meet one specific soldier. Grandpa John stood up, walked over to the soldiers and was pointed to look at one of them in the back row. It took a second and then suddenly Grandpa John shouted, “Oh, that’s my son.” Steve stepped out from the back row and put his arm around Grandpa John. Grandpa John then embraced Steve. You could instantly see that this was a very touching to Grandpa John. He was emotional and you see the tears in his eyes.
Grandpa John then called up Uncle Jim and I and introduced all of us to the village. People clapped for all of us. It was such a moving moment for me and others on the trip. Take a look at the pictures below.
Here is the view from the bus as we arrived.
Below, is Grandpa John walking into the square.
This is the square that was dedicated to Grandpa.
Below is a close-up view of the dedication plaques.
This is Steve in formation wearing the authentic 3rd Division Infantry WWII uniforms.
Here is Steve posing for the camera. I put the photo in black and white to take us back to WWII.
Below is a picture of Grandpa John during basic training. Next to the photo is Steve, in 2014, posing in an authentic WWII uniform.
Here is a picture of all of us during the after party of the ceremony for Grandpa.
After Bennwihr, we traveled to the village of Holtzwihr. This is the location site of when Audie Murphy acts during the war earned him the Congressional Medial of Honor. This location has been preserved and there is a large memorial for the soldiers killed during this battle. Below are some black and white photos I took of Steve in uniform during the ceremony.
In the photo below, Steve is the soldier on the left with the clover on the helmet.
Here is a picture of me at the Audie Murphy memorial.
Today was an awesome day. Although I was feeling a little under the weather, you could feel the emotion of Grandpa John walking into the town where he was wounded, captured, and escaped. The touching moment of the day was the embrace between Grandpa and Steve.
Well, that is all for today. Day 9 completed!!
Day Ten:
Today we stopped off at Fort de Mutzeg outside of the village of Strasbourg. This is a Fort at the top of a mountain that was built by the Germans between 1893 to 1918. It was the only fort built at this time with cement, electricity, steel armor, and could house 7000 troops. At the time the fort was built, it was under German control. During WWI, the French took it back. During WWII, this site only had very small battles between the Germans and the US.
Below, is a painting of the fort from the sky view.
This is the main entrance to the fort. The stone sign is the actual sign from 1893. The eagle on top if the structure is not a American bald eagle but a German red eagle. During WWII, the 3rd Infantry stole the eagle and brought it back to the US. To this day, the actual location is unknown. So the eagle on top is a replica bases on photos.
The fort took 25 years to complete and covers 254 acres. The majority if the fort is underground. It is at the top of a steep mountain. There is only one easy terrain access point. This was done intentionally. When the enemy approached, the would take the flat easy route. Waiting for them was multiple machine gun ports that would shoot and kill the enemy.
The fort contains 22 heavy canons. Below is the entrance into the canon.
The canon has the ability to move left to right and up and down. These canons had the range of 13 km which is an approximately 8 mile range.
Below is the view from the actual canon. Back when it was built, the trees were non existant.
Below are some photos of the fort below ground. The German troops would travel through these tunnels to go throughout the fort.
The vast majority of the fort is below ground. These are the sleeping quarters.
This was incredible to see. From down below and even in the parking lot, you would have no idea that this huge fort was even there. I could see why this would be an ideal fort which could be extremely lethal. This fort was quite a sight and really enjoyed touring through it. I got a kick out of the tour guide informing us that the 3rd Infantry Division of WWII who took the actual German red eagle from the fort. I think the veterans were proud of that!
After the tour, we travelled into the town of Strasbourg for lunch. Once again, we got to experience a beautiful village. Below is a picture of the place we ate lunch.
Here is Grandpa John and Uncle Jim right outside the restaurant we ate lunch at.
Grandpa John posed for this pictured and said he wanted everyone at home to know about his new crutch (Uncle Jim). So Grandpa John exaggerated his dependance on Uncle Jim for this picture. Uncle Jim has been helping Grandpa John walk throughout the trip.
This photo is for Madison. As I was exiting the restaurant, the bus driver wave me over. This little hedgehog was getting all comfortable and preparing for a nap. Of course I wanted a close up so I waited until the small fella was settle in. I then move in for the photo. This little fella's head is on the right side of the photo with his face facing the wall. Madison loves hedgehogs and was disappointed to learn they are prohibited in California.
After lunch we drove into the city of Strasbourg France. This is a beautiful city with all kinds of cathedrals and sites to see. We toured the city in a boat similar to Venice in Italy. Afterwards, there was a terrific light show on the Cathedral of Strasbourg (pictured below). The square went dark and the light show started. It was a wonderful show. Afterwards, we grabbed a bite to eat then headed back to the hotel for bed.
Here is a link to the Cathedral of Strasbourg illumination show. The video starts out with a view of the cathedral prior to the light show, then the show begins. Take a look.
This is another cathedral that is right next to our hotel.
Well, that is all for Day 10. Tomorrow we travel to Nancy France. Stay tuned.
Day Eleven:
Today we drive to another beautiful town called Nancy. This was a stop for lunch and some site seeing as we make our way to the village of Chateau-Theirry . The town of Nancy was off the path of war ceremonies and memorials for the day. Since today was a travel day, there were no ceremonies to attend. Nancy was a really nice town with a huge square with so many shops and outdoor cafés. Take a look at some of the pictures.
The first picture is a statue of the King of Poland, King Stanislas. I completely forgot why he was given this statue in that location. The statue is right in the center of the square. The buildings that surround the square are huge and very artistic.
Below a small video of the square. The gentleman in the photo above was playing the guitar as I video recorded the square. Take a look.
This photo below is one of the roadways leading to small little shops and another square.
This photo below is just one alley way. This is just before lunch and within the hour, the square was packed with locals taking time out for lunch.
The photo below is of Uncle Jim helping out Grandpa John walking into a park down one of the alleys from the square. The buildings continue to be large and very elaborate.
Steve and I walked around the town and found a small Sunday market. Similar to a flee market but in the middle of this beautiful town. This castle was at the end of one of the street.
While walking through the market, I came across this cathedral. This cathedral was absolutely humongous!!
I was really craving some ice cream and I had seen others walking around with some delicious ice cream in their hands. So, Steve and I wandered around and ended up walking through this park. We came across this stage in the middle of this very green and very beautiful park. I do not believe the photo does it justice, but this piece was so detailed and just amazing. Take a look.
Well, we arrived in Chateau-Theirry. We did not do much today other than travel and the visit in the town of Nancy (A place I would love to re-visit). Once settled into the hotel, we all ate dinner then returned to the hotel.
This trip is winding down. We only have a couple of days left of the trip and we will be done. As I look back and reflect on some of the highlights of the trip, I wanted to put some pictures in this blog of our tour.
Below is a picture of Uncle Jim and Steve standing in the village of Bennwihr. This is the village where Grandpa John was captured and escaped. Uncle Jim put on one of the the reenactors helmets for the photo.
The photo below is Bennwihr at the end of the war. It was completely destroyed besides 4 buildings. This town was very touching. I cannot image what it would be like for the town of Livermore to be destroyed and to rebuild from scratch.
During the parade for Grandpa John in Bennwihr, this member of the "Rock of Marne" reenactors allowed me to hop on the front of a WWII Army Jeep and travel through town. This gentleman was so very kind and told me how the helmet he had was an authentic helmet that his father found after WWII.
That was an interesting thing I did not realize until this tour. The Americans purposely left so much equipment in France and never shipped it back. Also, I heard so many stories of kids, construction workers, and other citizens finding war paraphernalia throughout France. Apparently, there is so much war related material throughout France, anyone could find something from the war.
Below is a picture of Steve enjoying a nice French beer. This night was in Epinal France. Steve and I went out on the town after everyone else retired for the night. We found this restaurant and enjoy some of the food and drinks.
Below, I am trying to consume a French cocktail. I don't even know the name, but I did drink it all.
This is Grandpa John's hat. This hat has such incredible not only to him, fellow 3rd Infantry Division Veterans, and so many French people. Even today, when we were walking through the town square of Nancy, French people would walk up to Grandpa John, shake his hand, ask to take a picture, and thank him for "Freeing France". It is really spectacular to witness!!
Well, that is all for tonight. We have a series of ceremonies planned tomorrow morning then we are off to Paris for a huge ceremony in the evening celebrating the 70th Anniversary of France being liberated. Should be exciting so stay tuned.
Day Twelve:
We started our day today visiting the Aisne-Marne American Cementary and Memorial. This is the location of the famous WWI battle at Bellau Woods. The Marines led the 2nd Division into Bellau Woods to clear out German Units. The battle lasted 20 days and became an enduring symbol for the United States Marine Corp.
This cemetery is 42 acres and is the burial site for 2,289 Marines and Soldiers. There are an additional 1,060 names of Marines and Soldier on the walls for those who were missing in action (MIA).
The photo below is looking out over the cemetery from the memorial chapel.
This photo is the memorial chapel at the cemetery.
This is the interior of the memorial chapel when you walk in the doors.
This photo is a close up photo of the writing on the left side of the wall.
This picture is directly above the door as you exit the memorial chapel.
After the cemetery, we drove into Belleau Wood. Belleau Wood adjoins the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery behind the memorial chapel. Below is a photo of the Marine Monument which depicts a life-size Marine attacking with his rifle and bayonet. This Monument commemorates the 4th Marine Brigade of the U.S. 2d Division which was responsible for the capture of Belleau Wood.
This is a close-up of the words in English on the Monument.
Right down the road is Devil Dog Fountain.
Afterward, we left and stopped for a small tour at a famous champagne cellar in Chateau-Theirry. We arrived at the Cave Panier Cellar and walked into a normal looking office building. Shortly after, we walked below the building and into this cellar. It was pretty spectacular that a normal looking office building had a very famous champagne cellar in the basement.
Below are some photos of the cellar.
So, at the end of the day we made it to Paris. The official WWII Battlefield Tour is over with a huge celebration in Paris celebrating the liberation of Paris 70 years ago. Tomorrow, we become typical tourists and try to catch as many "Paris" hot spots in 14 hours.
My hope is to give you some photos from our trip around Paris. So stay tuned!
After I update tomorrow with some pictures of Paris, I plan to write my final blog and share my thoughts of the tour. I imagine I will have that done prior to returning to the US or perhaps on the day I return. I appreciate everyone reading the blog and thank you for being so patient with any grammar or spelling errors that I made. I have been doing this entire thing on my iPhone throughout the trip.
Tourism Day in Paris:
We started our day by traveling to the heart of Paris. We began our tour at the famous cathedral Notre Dame. This cathedral was built 850 years ago. The cathedral has so much art and detail it is hard to imagine that it was made 850 years ago.
Here is a picture of the front of the Notre Dame.
We waited in a super long line to go into the top if the cathedral to look around the entire city. This is Steve deep in thought. Notice the gargoyle in the background.
Below is a picture of Arc de Triomphe. This area is really crowded but was worth the trip.
No explanation needed on the photo below.
We got back down to the bottom and the lights turned on. I thought this was a good photo.
As we walked away to find some dinner, I was able to get this shot.
This was just after dark. It started to rain again but I was able to catch this photo.
Below, is a photo of where we ate dinner. It was a GOOD dinner and it was our "last super" in France.
The trip is officially over. We leave in the morning. 13 days, 27 cities, and 1,065 miles. It was one hell of a trip. I enjoyed myself completely.
There is one thing I could not get used to or could not understand about France. I love France and all the little villages and hope to return one day soon. But, I could never get used to the Unisex bathrooms. I would ask for the "toilet" and people would politely point to where it was. Every bathroom was unisex pretty much. I would walk in the bathroom and there would be all these women, my age to say the least, and I would immediately apologize, turn around and exit the restroom. On one occasion, I spent about 15 minutes searching for the "Mens" bathroom until someone who spoke English educated me that both male and female use the same bathroom (this was early on in the trip so the learning curve was quick). I couldn't photograph this so I could show my buddies back at home, because of obvious reasons. So, no matter how many times I used the bathroom, I just could not get used to it.
All in all, the French people treated us so very well this entire trip. It was an experience I will never forget.
I am off for bed and will update one more page once I return home.
Reflection:
Sadly, my trip has come to an end and I am back in the US. As I was flying home, I began to reflect on my trip. I cannot help but to admit that I received one of the most in-depth history lessons of my entire life.
I originally wanted to go on this trip for 2 reasons. One, I wanted to experience the history of WWII through Grandpa John's eyes and see things I know I would never really ever see if I did not go.
Two, I wanted to document the trip and make a documentary of Grandpa John for everyone in the family to see. There will be a time where we will not be able to ask him questions about war and will have to rely on the stories he shared with us and through the book he wrote.
I wanted to capture his voice, face, and emotions so that my daughter Madison, Jesse and Megan's child (due in December), Cassie and Skyler, Jeff and Lisa's children, and any other family member that will never have the opportunity to speak with Grandpa John, to hear the stories from him directly.
He has accomplished a lot in his lifetime and has lived to share those experiences with people. In a way, the documentary for the family will allow his stories to live forever for anyone who wishes to listen. They won't have to hear the stories through print. They won't have to hear the stories second hand. They will be able to meet him, hear him tell his stories, and feel the emotions he felt during war. It will be "War in His Words".
My Great Uncle, John Charles Dugan (my mom's uncle), fought in WWII in the 3rd Army. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and The Bridge at Remagen. He passed away many years ago so I never got the chance to talk to him about his experiences. My father fought in Vietnam and I did not get the chance to speak to him about his experiences in war. Sadly, I learned on this trip that my feeling of guilt and sadness for never asking my Dad or Uncle or trying to learn more while they were alive, is a common feeling among American family members.
While in France, I met so many Americans who were traveling through France to learn more about their Father, Uncle, and Grandfather. They would reveal to me that they never talked about the war with their loved one. Some would get emotional and tell me that their loved one was deceased and was now learning about them.
Hearing this throughout the trip made my feeling of guilt and sadness stronger that I did not speak with my Father or Uncle about war. At the same time, I felt like I was experiencing something a lot of people will never get to experience. I was able to walk the footsteps of war with Grandpa John and learn from his experiences. The feeling of guilt or sadness turned to joy throughout this trip. I realized that with two opportunities lost (Father and Uncle), I had one wonderful opportunity left and was not going to waste it. It was truly an experience beyond description!!
Of course I learned about WWII through some schooling and mostly from my own desire to read about it in my adult life. I know I have said it in prior blogs, but it is worth mentioning again. It is one thing to learn about war through books, movies, teachers, and professors. It is another to learn about war with a veteran. A book, a movie, a teacher cannot provide you with the experiences I experienced. To meet the French people who were ages 8-15 during the war and to hear their stories and pure appreciation was amazing. To see the emotion, sadness, and pride of Grandpa John and the three other veterans was unbelievable. I feel lucky!!
I work with several veterans of the Gulf War and Afghanistan. A friend of mine, Sgt. Major Robert Cottle, was killed in Afghanistan in 2011. He left behind a wife and a daughter. I wonder is time will allow his family members and friends to tour his battlegrounds.
They all experienced war and have a story. I hope their friends and family ask them to share those stories. Almost every veteran I have met is very humble, but we need to hear their experiences first hand. It is the best history class anyone can take.
While in France, I traveled to 27 cities and traveled over 1,065 miles in 12 days. I learned that Grandpa John is a "rockstar" in France. People know him, those who don't, want to get to know him. They were so joyed that Grandpa John and members of his family were visiting again. They stopped everything in their life to spend some time getting to know us. It was such a genuine showing of human nature. So many French people that I met I can now call friends. I exchanged emails and they invited me and my family back for vacation or more battlefield tours. They invited me into their lives and did everything in the world to make us comfortable. It was impressive.
I must mention the "Rock of the Marne Association". The photo below is the group of individuals who reenact the 3rd I.D. These people are just amazing. All of them have different stories and have different paths in life. Some are in the military, some are in Law Enforcement, some are IT folks, some are biologists, ALL ARE VOLUNTEERS. None of them get paid for this. They do it out of honor and pride. All of them took vacation time to be part of our tour. Most of them brought members of their family with them for us to meet. I thought their actions were such acts of selflessness. They volunteered their time to honor our veterans, one being Grandpa John. They went out of their way to ensure the experience for all of us, not just the veterans, was a good one.
I am proud to say I am friends with the "Rock of the Marne Association." Richard, one of the reenactors, was asked what will happen to the association when all of the veterans pass away. His response was simple and quick, "We hope we can do the same thing for the families of the veterans as we have done for the veterans in years past." He hopes the relationships will last forever. So, it is up to us, the family members of the veterans to continue to tour, visit, honor, and experience what the veterans have experienced for years.
Richard provided our family with some gifts from France. I was so impressed when he knew every family member in our family, including Jesse and Megan preparing for their first child. He really cares about us!
Final Thoughts:
I had the absolute privilege to meet 3 additional distinguished Veterans who had stories to share. I got to speak with the locals in tiny little villages who witnessed the US liberating them when they were children and teenagers. I heard the stories of sadness, the stories of bravery, and the stories of loss and death. War is ugly, and I have no idea what it is like to fight in war. But freedom resulted from this war. I met a nation who is forever grateful for our role in liberating their country.
I imagine it is not always like this year round in France. But all these villages who put on ceremonies, parades, dedications, dinners, award ceremonies, and gathered just to say "thank you" to 4 veterans who helped them in being free was so surreal and unimaginable. It is clear to me they are a proud nation, but a nation that takes the time to honor why they are free. I hope I was able to capture a small sense of their appreciation and was able to communicate their appreciation back home to all of you reading this.
I have never seen anything like this in my life and I am glad I took advantage of this opportunity. It is a memory I will forever cherish!
Take care,
Steve
Comments