My name is Daniel JORDAO and I am from the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. I’m currently assisting the Dudzinski family to locate former GIs who were billeted in their house in Diekirch in late November 1944.

One of those GIs’ name was Bill (William?) Lewandowski with Polish origins. Bill Lewandowski was from Wilmington/Delaware.There were also other Polish-descending soldiers billeted in Diekirch in late November 1944. Four of them, attended the wedding of the Dudzinski-Weber family on November 25th, 1944.

The exact outfit of Bill Lewandowski was “Service Battery – 687th Field Artillery Battalion – VIII Corps”. During the time the 687th FAB was in Diekirch he was attached to the 8th Infantry Division and to the 28th Infantry Division.

Bill Lewandowski had a picture taken at a local photographer shop in Diekirch where you can see that he wears a wedding ring, so that I hope that might still be relatives living. The Dudzinski family was told that Bill did not survive the Battle of the Bulge and the last researches revealed that he was KIA in Luxembourg on December 22nd 1944.

Mrs Annie Dudzinski-Weber is now 90 years old and would like to find out more about Bill and the other GIs who attended her wedding.

Can anybody help in this research? Does anyone recognize one of the GIs on the wedding picture or knows a relative of Bill Lewandowski? Any help is welcome.

Please write to:
National Museum of Military History
c/o Daniel Jordao
10, Bamertal
L-9209 Diekirch
Luxembourg / Europe
Or email to: dcj@jordao.lu

Read the program

Hear and read the veterans’ comments

submitted by Megan Moloney, Veterans Affairs

Forever Young was founded all because of a TV news story…

In May 2006, Diane Hight saw a story in the national news of an elderly woman riding in a racecar. Having that experience had always been this lady’s dream. Her wish was fulfilled by a senior wish organization in Indiana, Never Too Late. “Instantly, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I’ve had a passion for senior citizens my entire life”, said Hight.

With the guidance of Bob Haverstick, President of Never Too Late, Forever Young Senior Wish came to life in Memphis. The name, Forever Young, speaks for itself; no matter the age, a person always feels young at heart.

Forever Young works to change the image of aging and redefine it with self-confidence, respect, and a hopeful life for seniors. “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future”, reads Jeremiah 29:11.  This verse has become the foundation for the mission.

In October 2009, Forever Young found a huge need in the senior adult community. Many World War II veterans had not seen that National WWII Memorial in Washington D.C. That’s when the mission of the organization changed to honoring senior veterans. Hundreds of WWII and Korea Veterans have now been honored through trips to D.C., Normandy, and Pearl Harbor.

An organization that was birthed out of a news story, is now making news all its own.

Forever Young is a registered 501(c)(3) Public Charitable Organization

Visit their web site

The exhibit will be open 2 to 7 p.m. weekends, Dec. 13,14,20,21, 27 and 28, and 4 to 7 p jn. weekdays Dec. 12,17,18,19,29 and 30.

The exhibit features dozens of photographs of the intense battle during which the outcome of the war was in the balance. The array of images captures the essence of the period, from soldiers’ day-to-day routines to their experiences on the front lines, and includes images of the allies, aggressors and civilians as well.

The conflict began in the Ar­dennes forest in Belgium at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 16, 1944, when top Nazi divisions attacked and pushed back a thinly held American line, thus forming a bulge in the front line, which gave this massive en­counter its name. The allies scram­bled, rallied and pushed back the Germans and by the end of January the battle was over and the Nazi armies destroyed.

The exhibit will run concurrently with the month-long Lasdon Holi­day on the Hill event

Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Memorial is a Westches­ter County Park that is located on Route 35 in Somers.
For more in­formation call 914-864-7268.

I am Buck Marsh, past member of Company “A” 36^th Armored Infantry Regt., 3^rd Armored Division, having joined the Company on 29^th December in Belgium, two weeks after the Bulge began.  I was assigned to squad “32” which was the second rifle squad of the third platoon.  I was very fortunate, making it all the way to Dessau in late April, receiving only a small piece of panzerfaust shrapnel in my knee without lost time on the line.

Recently, I have been contacted by Bill Sarver Jr., whose father, Lt. Bill Sarver Sr., was killed April 5-6, 1945 while acting as a forward artillery observer with our company.  He was a member of the 67^th Armored Artillery Battalion, having relieved Lt. Hart who had been wounded but was to rejoin our company upon the death of Lt. Sarver.  Being the first scout I had worked with both FOs, more especially Lt. Sarver in the terrible battle of Paderborn where our company “A” suffered nineteen casualties, five of whom were KIA.

Lt. Sarver was killed by small arms fire during a night attack by Co A on a German roadblock just east of Paderborn.  In reading the April 6th morning report there is mention of an enlisted man, Cardeana, whom I am guessing was Lt. Sarver’s radio man.  I am attempting to locate Cardeana, if in fact he is still living, to get a better report on Lt. Sarver’s death, which his family is earnestly seeking. I am hoping that by publishing this inquiry in the next THE BULGE BUGLE someone may step forth that has knowledge of Cardeana or can shed more light on Lt. Sarver’s activities upon his joining the 67^th.  His family would certainly appreciate any information we might be able to relate to them about their father and grandfather, Lt. Bill Sarver.

Thanks for your assistance.

Buck Marsh
bmarsh@whiteconst.com

Dedication program

submitted by John McAuliffe, 87th Infantry Division

Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame

Read the following articles
article 1
article 2
article 3

104th Vets together again

I was contacted last week by a guy I went through the war with and haven’t seen in the 61 years since. His son, who works in Washington, found my name in the course of some of his research and recognized the104th Inf. as being his Dad’s outfit. He checked with his father, who said he knew me, and mailed him the info. It included the fact I was President of the VBOB Chapter in Eustis, FL. so he addressed a letter to that location.

I haven’t missed a VBOB meeting in five years, until our Aug meeting, due to having two teeth extracted the day before. Our treasurer phoned me after the meeting and told me I had a letter there (at the VFW Post) from a “Ralph Rogers.” My old army buddy is the only one I know with that name. I told him to read it to me. It began: “You have got to be the Harry Kirby I served with.” I immediately phoned Ralph and we wasted no time arranging a meeting.

I phoned another of our guys who lives in the area, Al Teller, and invited him to a reunion lunch today at my house in Ocala,FL. We all played in the 104th Infantry Regimental Band, 26th Infantry (“Yankee”) Division. I know the TOO doesn’t provide for a Regimental Band . . . but we had one (CP Security in combat)! Al Teller was the band director, I played a trumpet and Rogers was our bass drummer.

Needless to say it was a great time, and I think our wives enjoyed it as much as we did. So over chicken crepes and wine, we shared photos and rehashed old times for about three hours. There will be more get togethers now that we have made contact.

Harry Kirby

Source: The “Yankee” Division in World War II

I was contacted last week by a guy I went through the war with and haven’t seen in the 61 years since. His son, who works in Washington, found my name in the course of some of his research and recognized the104th Inf. as being his Dad’s outfit. He checked with his father, who said he knew me, and mailed him the info. It included the fact I was President of the VBOB Chapter in Eustis, FL. so he addressed a letter to that location.

I haven’t missed a VBOB meeting in five years, until our Aug meeting, due to having two teeth extracted the day before. Our treasurer phoned me after the meeting and told me I had a letter there (at the VFW Post) from a “Ralph Rogers.” My old army buddy is the only one I know with that name. I told him to read it to me. It began: “You have got to be the Harry Kirby I served with.” I immediately phoned Ralph and we wasted no time arranging a meeting.

I phoned another of our guys who lives in the area, Al Teller, and invited him to a reunion lunch today at my house in Ocala,FL. We all played in the 104th Infantry Regimental Band, 26th Infantry (“Yankee”) Division. I know the TOO doesn’t provide for a Regimental Band . . . but we had one (CP Security in combat)! Al Teller was the band director, I played a trumpet and Rogers was our bass drummer.

Needless to say it was a great time, and I think our wives enjoyed it as much as we did. So over chicken crepes and wine, we shared photos and rehashed old times for about three hours. There will be more get togethers now that we have made contact.

submitted by Harry Kirby

Source: The “Yankee” Division in World War II

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