A short yet moving article, appropriate for Monday's holiday. Have the tissues ready...
http://www.dmcityview.com/joes-neighborhood/2014/05/21/our-boys-part-1/
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14039 posts
Oh. Wow. That was a wonderful story. Yes, I needed tissues.
In June my brother and I are going to Sint-Truiden Belgium to the airbase from which our Dad flew a P47 Jan-March 1945. Interestingly the grandkids and great grandkids of a guy who lived at the edge of the airbase have made it a point to keep in touch with the WWII pilot reunion groups. They have come to reunions over the last 15 years or so and have been in touch with many via email and have done a lot of work documenting the history of the various groups who flew from there. The very few pilots who are left from Dad's group (all in their 90s) are absolutely thrilled and honored that they are being remembered by their Belgian friends.
Posted by
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2724 posts
That was a wonderful article, Michael. Thanks for posting. It makes me want to go to the Netherlands. Actually it is already on my list.
Posted by
Happy Valley, PA
672 posts
If you wish to read the whole story behind how the Dutch people 'adopted' the graves of our soldiers, read "The Margraten Boys" by Peter Schrijvers (book is available on Amazon.com). I guarantee that it will be hard to keep a dry eye. I have heard U.S. veterans remark in several documentaries that, of all of the nations that the American Army liberated in WWII, the Dutch people were the most appreciative. And they backed it up with their amazing devotion to the Americans who fought and died for their freedom. I understand that other countries have copied the Dutch "adoption" system.