Back on topic...
In 2004 my Battalion HQ was in Luxembourg. They worked with the U.S. Embassy and Luxembourg government to put on a 60th Anniversary celebration of the deeds of young Americans during the Battle of the Bulge. I was fortunate enough to get to chat with many of these men.
Battle of Bulge 2004 007.jpg
One story that sticks in my mind was the answer to the question "how did you stay warm"? That may seem like a strange detail, but anyone who has served and knows how it feels to be at the mercy of the weather understands the significance. December 1944 in Belgium was particularly harsh, with night time temperatures well below freezing. History.com gives this account: "As the battle raged, blizzards and freezing rain often reduced visibility to almost zero. Frost covered much of the soldiers’ equipment, and tanks had to be chiseled out of ice after they froze to the ground overnight. Many wounded soldiers froze to death before they were rescued, and thousands of American G.I.s were eventually treated for cases of frostbite and trench foot."
You can also read this veteran's account. Even the best equipped Soldiers had little more than an extra pair of socks, scarf and gloves, and wool trench coat. Lighting a fire could get you killed, either due to the smoke during the day or the light created by the flames at night.
Anyway, the technique these gentlemen used was: "We would throw a grenade to blast away a clearing in the snow. One guy would spread his trench coat on the frozen ground and lay on it in a sort of fetal position. The other would sit on his hips, and drape his trench coat around them both. We'd take turns like this through the night, pulling guard and getting some sleep".
That's the sort of thing you don't get in the history books. That's the everyday sacrifice these men offered for the liberation of Europe. That's the minor detail that interests a fellow Soldier, equipped with modern kit. Most people today couldn't fathom it.
Anyway, it was a great event. Clearly this old veteran enjoyed at least a portion of it (one of my favorite pictures).
Battle of Bulge 2004 009.jpg
Bookmarks