This is the story of how VBOB veteran Bob Pidcoe returned to Europe in 2013 as Guest of Honor at the prestigious Memorial Day ceremony in the American Battle of the Bulge Military Cemetery of Henri-Chapelle. Afterwards he made a pilgrimage visit to his former battlefields with his children and younger generation friends from other veterans families. This trip was their idea. They very much wanted to honor Bob and his fellow World War II soldiers and go back with him to Europe to learn about the battles and experience the battlefields with him. They contacted me and asked me to help them customize and organize a tour for Bob. So I contacted Patrick Hinchy, one of the most experienced veterans tour guides in Europe. Thankfully he was free and willingly agreed to help me plan a tour specially for them, and then to guide it.
Bob is now 90 years old. This modest, unassuming man who is great company and has a fine sense of humor, was an HQ Company corporal in the elite 1st Infantry Division (‘The Big Red One’), 26th Infantry Regiment (‘Blue-Spaders’). He was awarded 7 campaign ribbons, a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Bob was truly one of the Greatest Generation, just ordinary people called upon to do extraordinary things, the men fighting not for fame and recognition, but because it was the “right thing to do”.
After the war, so typical of those ordinary men of the Greatest Generation who had achieved so much, he returned home to Pennsylvania and just got on with his life. He got married and raised two sons (with a firm hand, he smiles). He worked at the Williamsport Paper Box Co. and then for the United States Postal Service for many years from which he retired. He enjoyed taking fishing trips to Canada and devoted years to the Boy Scouts of America. He was a Scoutmaster for 10 years and then a Committee Member for eight years, mentoring young boys into young men, teaching and instilling the Scout’s code of honor. Now in his golden years, he enjoys going to the café for breakfast with the gang, gardening and wondering how he can afford another tractor.
But the spirit of the Greatest Generation is still alive and well in 90 year old Bob. He did not hesitate when this European pilgrimage trip to the American Battle of the Bulge cemetery of Henri-Chapelle in Belgium for Memorial Day was suggested to him by his son Bill, himself a Vietnam veteran, Bill’s wife Brenda and younger generation friends Deb and Nevin Dressler who have previously accompanied and looked after Bob on veterans trips to DC. Nevin’s father was a veteran too who landed on Utah Beach, Normandy on July 13 1944 in 795th AAA BN defending Ninth Air Force “Advanced Landing Grounds” (ALGs) close to the frontline from Normandy through the Southern Bulge to Germany. They said they wanted to take him back to Europe both to honor him and his fellow soldiers but also to be with him in the battlefields and try and understand better what the soldiers had endured and achieved.
Also in Bob’s group were two other younger generation couples – Jim and Janet Kearney (Jim’s father was in Battery B, 557th AAA BN, 84th Div and awarded a Bronze Star while fighting on the Roer River, on the northern side of the Ardennes) and David and Jeanne Hughes (Jeanne’s father, Thomas Doheny, was in 978th FAB and landed on Omaha Beach June 25 1944). From Normandy, he went to Aachen and the Battle of the Bulge and finished in Germany at the Elb River. Their West Point graduate daughter has continued this military tradition. She was an Army MP up to 2008 and served in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Bob’s Battle of the Bulge Memorial Day tour was going to be a very moving, emotional and unforgettable experience for all of them. Here are some of the highlights through excerpts from Deb Dressler’s lively and colorful diary of the trip. . . .
In Normandy, we went to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial located directly above Omaha Beach. Bob assisted with the flag raising at 2 different cemetery sites then laid a bouquet of flowers at the foot of the main statue with pebbles from Omaha Beach inlaid on the floor around it. By this time a crowd of people were gathering to meet our hero and thank him for his service. A young teen age girl asked to have her picture taken with Bob. She was very emotional.
At a restaurant near the American cemetery, we were joined by Denise Oger – a 77 year old Belgian lady who runs CRIBA (Center for Research & Information of the Battle of the Bulge). Her words to Bob: “You liberated us; we can’t do enough for you.” She told us the story of “her” GI. When she was 9 yr. old, the GIs came to her town for R&R and stayed several days. They had a place where they danced and played American music. Denise hid in the back, since she was too young to participate. But a certain GI came to her and danced with her. She felt very special. When the GIs were ready to leave, ‘her’ GI came to her to say good-bye. She later learned that he was killed shortly after, stepping on a mine. After 69 years, she still had tears in her eyes as she told us the story of ‘her’ GI.
On Memorial Day, we went first to the American Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz for a private ceremony.
Bob laid flowers at the grave of ‘Blue Spader’ soldier Richard Miller, in honor of all ‘Blue Spader’ 26th Regiment soldiers killed.
There are 5211 graves in this cemetery. A Japanese man asked to have his picture taken with Bob and honored him like a hero. Bob’s comment: “Holey Moley!” That is equivalent to “Awesome, Wow, etc.”, only in Bob’s language
Later that afternoon, we participated in the spectacular Memorial Day ceremony at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. It is a large cemetery (7,300 graves) located on top of a beautiful ridge. Bob was given a medallion by Rear Admiral Messerschmidt. He also talked with many other dignitaries, Generals and veterans and was interviewed for television. Bob laid a 1st Division wreath – accompanied by two Generals. He was the only living veteran that participated in this very moving service. There were military bands, Color Guards from different countries, flags at half staff until the end of the service, speeches by dignitaries and two national anthems (US and Belgium). It really was a special privilege for us to be guests of honor there. There were several thousand people in attendance. It was an amazing experience.
We continued on to Aachen, Germany, from where we would spend the next few days touring the Battle of the Bulge. Bob came through to Aachen on a small road during the war. He could not believe what the city looks like today, commenting “Oh my God!”. He remembers seeing nothing left of the city when he fought there.
We visited the Mardasson Memorial in Bastogne, a large stone memorial with names of the states & Divisions that fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Bob had his picture taken by the 1st Division name. At the Memorial, Nevin talked with a young couple, Kristina and Daniel, who asked to meet Bob. The girl was a German who had married an American. She said to Bob, “I am not your enemy.” Bob’s reply, “The German people treated us well.” With tears flowing, they gave each other a hug and had a picture taken together.
One morning we went to the M & M’s Museum (the owners are Marcel & Mathilde Schmetz). 1st Division soldiers were billeted at their farm during the war, and left their equipment behind when they had to advance quickly into the Bulge. But so many did not come back. Marcel was a young boy at the time, but remembers it well. Marcel and Mathilde then collected everything left behind and made a memorial in their barn, which they called the Remember Museum. Bob’s comment on seeing the museum: Holey Moley!! Mathilde was our guide since she spoke English. She told of Marcel’s family hiding his17 year old brother in the walls of the house for 16 months so the Germans would not find him & conscript him. Their museum is 20 years old and now quite extensive. It has a Red Ball Truck and all visiting veterans sign the truck. Mathilde and Marcel have special exhibits dedicated to the forgotten ones: grave diggers, medics, Rosies, and black soldiers. And a monument outside of barn dedicated to the animals used during the war: horses, dogs, & homing pigeons. They told us there was a German jail for the pigeons so they could not be used to carry messages. They also have dresses made from the parachutes. Marcel made exact replicas of a tank and V1 Buzz Bomb from wood.
While we were there, Marcel encouraged a group of school children to ask Bob questions about his experiences during the war. Some of the questions were:
• What are your feelings now? Bob – ‘This is great. I’m amazed at all the differences. Aachen was flattened when I saw it last!’
• Were you scared? Bob: ‘Everybody was scared.’
• Do you have night mares? Bob: ‘No night mares- I try to forget.’
• How did you feel when you got home? Bob: ‘My parents were happy to see me.’
We arrive to Schevenhutte in the Hurtgen Forest – a place that Bob requested to visit. We look for the small narrow path leading up a hill that Bob remembers. Two people from our group check out the path with instructions from Bob. He remembers that the path went up hill, bent to the left, leveled off in a small clearing with trees on both sides. They come back and say it is exactly as Bob described. The whole group is overwhelmed with the success of it. Bob describes this victory as the highlight of his trip. He tells us that there was a German in a fox hole on the right side of the hill radioing info to German artillery on other side. But after the radio man was pinpointed, he didn’t live too long. This was where Bob was hit by a splinter from a tree burst and wounded in the upper leg/lower groin area.
When our trip came to an end, we all agreed that we had the trip of a lifetime. We saw and experienced so many wonderful events that our minds could hardly take it all in. Patrick was a fantastic guide, with a wealth of knowledge & patience. Our driver was excellent. The whole group became friends very quickly and really enjoyed each other’s company. We will certainly miss one another, but have wonderful memories to look back on. Thank you Bob, for allowing us to make this journey with you – you made it very special.
Written by Doris Davis with special thanks to Deb Dressler for her journal of the trip.
Photos by Doug Mitchell
doug.mitchell@t-online.de
Grosslangenfeld, Germany