The 26th annual World War II Weekend was held again at the Jefferson Barracks Historic Park, from April 15-17. Attendees experienced a wide range of weather, from cold and wet on Saturday, to sunny and warm on Sunday. Due to the weather, crowds were down from last year, but the Gateway Chapter booth got plenty of visitors, located between the battlefield and the parking lot, as we were. We sold a number of copies of Victory Through Valor as well all of our immediate supply of the Everyday Heroes DVDs.
Thanks again to Dave Lavely of the 2nd Rangers Infantry Battalion for plugging the book and our booth to the crowd throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Kudos also to the Gateway Chapter members who took the time to come out and talk to all the people who came by the booth during the event.
Story and photos submitted by Don Korte, Associate member
left to right
(sitting) Stewart Piper, 26th Infantry Division, 101st Infantry Regiment
(standing) Kent Stephens, 26th Infantry Division, 101st Field Artillery Battalion
left to right
(seated) Marvin Korte, 84th Infantry Division, 334th Infantry Regiment, Company H
(standing) Kent Stephens, 26th Infantry Division, 101st Field Artillery Battalion
I am looking for information about Sergeant Leonard H. Schroll, who served in the 75th Infantry Division, 290th Infantry Regiment. Leonard was killed in action on 27 Dec 1944 and some records indicate the site of his death to be in some woods near the Soy-Werpin Road at Hill La Roumiere. If you knew Leonard please contact me.
Danny Sijmons, a Belgium citizen has adopted the grave of Arthur H. French, a United State’s soldier who was killed during the Battle of the Bulge. Danny is one of many Belgium citizens who pay homage to their fallen heroes. Every year these goodwill ambassadors visit the site of their adopted grave to show appreciation for their liberation from tyranny.
Danny with floral tribute for grave of Arthur H. French
On September 17, 2009, I adopted the grave of Arthur H. French who is buried at Henri-Chapelle Cemetery in Belgium. During the interim I have been looking for information about him, including a photo of this fallen hero. Unfortunately my efforts have yielded little information. I will gratefully appreciate if someone who knew Mr. French would contact me.
In March 1945 elements of the 9th Armored Division captured the Ludendorff Bridge. The first infantry division to cross the bridge into Germany was the 99th Infantry Division.
Morphis A. Jamiel, 7th Armored Division, 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, Company B and a member of the Rhode Island Chapter (24) has been selected for the Officer Candidate School (OCS) Hall of Fame, class of 2011, located at Fort Benning, GA. Induction into the OCS Hall of Fame is the highest honor for an’ OCS graduate. The Hall of Fame recognizes leadership excellence in both military and civilian public service. The Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame honors those graduates of all active Army Officer Candidate Schools who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. The Patterson Award dinner at the Benning Conference Center is on April 28, 2011, and the induction ceremony on April 29, 2011.
Three students in the eight grade of the St. Robert Bellarmine School in Bayside, NY composed the following poem in remembrance of all who served during the Battle of the Bulge.
Battle of the Bulge
Angela M. Fazio, school principal read the poem during a Veterans’ Ceremony held on December 16, 2010, which was the 66th anniversary of the commencement of the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle ever fought by the United States Army.
Belgium’s consul general in Los Angeles hosts an event honoring them for their service. The veterans bring some poignant memories and much self-deprecating humor.
The men filed in slowly, one wearing a vintage green uniform emblazoned with a Purple Heart. Another rolled in on a chair, his head held high with a Veterans of Foreign Wars hat laden with medals. Some had lost frozen fingers, others toes. All had left behind friends 66 years ago in one of the biggest and bloodiest battles of World War II.
These men are the last of a kind, the surviving veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. “Soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Bulge led the free world to victory,” said Geert Criel, Belgium’s consul general in Los Angeles, who hosted 50 members of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge on Saturday, February 5, 2011. “On behalf of my country, I would like to thank every veteran who made a contribution to this historic achievement. For us you are more than soldiers. You are heroes.”
The Battle of the Bulge, Criel said, is emblazoned on memorials, in the names of city streets and in his country’s collective memory. It was a turning point in the war that crushed Hitler’s last-ditch effort to retake Belgium from the advancing U.S. and British armies in the Ardennes region. “We shudder to think: What if Hitler had succeeded,” he said. “It would have prolonged the war and meant misery and death for a lot of people.”
“Many of us made sacrifices,” said Gordon Hearne, president of the Southern California chapter of the veterans group. “Nineteen thousand of us didn’t return.” His voice cracked; his eyes drifted to a distant memory. He paused, held a fist up to his mouth before continuing. “We should remember them.” It was a poignant moment during an otherwise light-hearted event — a place to swap war stories, compare medals and share a common bond of an epic five-week battle involving frigid temperatures and 840,000 GIs. Most exercised the self-deprecating humor of a bygone era.
To hear them tell it, they were all accidental heroes. “I’m surprised they gave me a Purple Heart, given all of the trouble I gave them,” said Dave Lester, 92, of Costa Mesa. “The Germans threw a lot of hand grenades at us; we couldn’t throw them all back.”
Pfc. Pete Howenstein, 86, of Northridge and Sgt. “Bazooka” Joe Pietroforte, 92, of Sherman Oaks wore uniforms flashing with shiny medals and colorful ribbons. Prodded by friends, Howenstein recounted how Gen. George S. Patton pinned him with a Purple Heart after an artillery shell left him with shrapnel in his neck. “Get well and get back to the front,” Howenstein recalled the general saying. Howenstein said the medals and the uniform have brought an unanticipated bonus when he has returned to France for commemorative events. “I put on this uniform and the girls come up to me and hug me and kiss me,” he said.
Only half the members could make it to the lunch, because of troubles getting around. Murray Shapiro, 87, of Chatsworth had helped organize the event and was disappointed he had to skip it because of upcoming knee replacement surgery. “Very few of us are going to make many more meetings,” Shapiro said. “This one was a big deal. It’s the last goodbye, I think.”
by Kenneth Weiss – LA Times – February 6, 2011
Peter Howenstein, 80th Infantry Division, 319th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Company M
The area’s largest indoor military event ever revisits Vietnam and World War II at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory in Plymouth Meeting, PA on Sunday, February 27, 2011. Bill Guarnere who was featured in “Band of Brothers” and is a member of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge was the special guest. Throughout the day Bill talked with many attendees. Military vehicles, exhibits, equipment and wartime memorabilia were on display.
Bill Guarnere, 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Easy Company talking with visitorAmbulanceJeep with mounted machine gunSoldier's weapons
Once again German and American troops battled in the bitter cold, and snow covered fields and woods at the gap. However, this gap was not the Losheim Gap in the Ardennes Forest in 1944– instead it was at Indiantown Gap, PA, in 2011. Throughout the pitched battle the medics did a good job treating the wounded.
Photos submitted by Steve Savage, Associate Member
Discussing strategyA casualtyDo you see anything?Helping a comradeWe’re not holding anything, we’re attacking
At the 2010 National Convention of The Military Order of the World Wars then Commander-in-Chief (CINC) COL. Philemon A. St. Amant II (pictured left) announced at the end of the 2010 National Convention that he had decided to present his Commander-in-Chief Annual Award to Past CINC LTC Alfred H. M. Shehab (pictured right) from the General George G. Meade, Maryland Chapter. This award is presented each year by the Commander-in-Chief to the companion he feels has rendered the greatest service to him and the order during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief. The award was instituted in 1943, by the courtesy of Lt. General Milton G. Baker. When then – CINC COL St. Amant presented this award to LTC Shehab he stated that he was especially appreciative of the assistance and “candid” advice he received from LTC Shehab throughout his term as CINC. He also thanked him for “going the extra mile” in assisting him in doing his duties as CINC and for helping the Order during his term in office. Congratulations to Past CINC LTC Alfred H. M. Shehab for receiving this very prestigious award.
On Monday, May 31, 2010, there was a front-page story in the Seattle Times about “Finding Joe Lippi”. This article tells about a chance meeting where Joe Lippi, Jr. connected with a man his father befriended in basic training about 65 years ago. That man was Art Mahler who will be speaking at the VBOB Spring Luncheon. He’ll be sharing about a trip he and Joe took to Belgium last May as part of a group of “American War Orphans Network” (AWON). Joe’s father died in WWII. Attending the luncheon will be a wonderful way to hear the story first-hand and also meet and honor those who, at great peril to themselves and their families, helped liberate many during WW II.
Art greets children at St. Paul School in Liege, Belgium.
2010 was a memorable year for me, as I went to Belgium for the 65th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes. The trip was organized by a group, American War Orphans Network (AWON). It turned out to be a memorable week of events. I traveled with Joe Lippi Jr., the son of my good friend whose grave we were to visit at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. Joining us in Liege were my sons, Peter, Eric and Steve. The trip began May 28, 2010, at the Provincial Palace in Liege with a wonderful reception. In French, I addressed Madame President of the Province of Liege. The group of 28 AWON members read the English translation. My French notes were seven pages in large print. After I read page 4, the next page was 6. Page 5 was missing! I had to continue from memory. Help came when I was handed a pre-printed French and English program. I finished the speech and all went well considering that I wore my World War II uniform in a warm room and I had not spoken French in more than twenty years. Next day was the Memorial Service at Henri-Chapelle. Seeing this place with 7,992 graves so precisely arranged in circular fashion and diagonally perfect alignment is most impressive. The many pictures we took will be a wonderful record of the event for the future. After the conclusion of the ceremonies, we participated in a police and Security-escorted trip with flashing lights from Henri Chapelle to the city of Aubel. There also was a Memorial Service in the Town Square. I was told this was better than all previous ceremonies. A parade through the town ended at a large hall for a party with all the town’s people and everyone had a great time. I got to drink a beer with Vice Admiral Richard K. Gallagher, chief of NATO, and American Ambassador Howard W. Gutman. We felt as if we were being treated like royalty. But this special day didn’t end there. Next Peter Heckmanns, webmaster of www.In-Honored-Glory.info, met us and we followed him to his home in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, where he had arranged a huge barbeque with some AWON members, Peter’s family and friends. I again was drafted as a translator just as I was during World War II. There was a need for conversation between the tour director and the bus driver, neither understanding the others language. I solved that problem. The last event of our visit to Belgium was a memorial celebration to the St. Paul school in Liege. It was planned by Mr. Michel Lorquet the teacher of the class 4B. This class had adopted the grave of Joseph T. Lippi at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. Our Party was driven by M. Lorquet to the school where the entire school’s students welcomed Joe Lippi Jr. and the four Mahler’s like royalties. There were a multitude of American and Belgian Flags waved by the children. I gave my speech in French. Both the American and the Belgian National hymns were played and the Belgian was sung by the children. There were many dignitaries and the Belgian Army was represented by a Colonel and a Major who was Mr. Lorquet’s brother. We were served lunch at the school. The tables were set by the children and we toasted with champagne, yes, at the school. To end the ceremonies the children were given a question and answer session. There were good questions that were answered by Joe Lippi and me. All was reported on Belgium Local and National Television. The rest of the week was filled with experiences too numerous to mention. But here are some highlights. We visited the Remember Museum on a farm near Bastogne. We also visited the War Museum in La Roche, not far from where my friend, Joe Lippi, Sr., was killed. Wherever we were in Belgium or Holland we Veterans of World War II, who have fought in the Ardennes, and those who paid the ultimate price, are not forgotten. Sixty- five years later people including school children are grateful to have been liberated a long time ago.
Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Sunday, March 13, 2011 on the mall in Washington, DC. Get your marching shoes shined and meet us at 11:30am outside the old Smithsonian Castle, on the Mall side. Look for the VBOB flag, World War II uniforms and vehicles.
Please wear your overseas cap and medals or ribbons.
Vehicles will be available for the walking wounded furnished by the Military Vehicle Collectors Society; however as many as you can march are asked to show the younger generations how it is done. Our national organization and all chapters have been invited once again to march in our nation’s St. Patrick’s Day parade down Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets NW.
We especially would like to have marchers to show the crowd that you Bulge Veterans still have of a lot of kick. The march is about 1 mile, nothing like those 5 mile marches or 20 mile marches that you had to pass. It is a particular pleasure to march in the parade because we salute those who served as you once did. Each year that we have marched we have had continuous applause from the crowd along the whole parade route something no other unit has sustained. We have won six trophies and last year we won the People’s Choice Trophy. So get those marching shoes shined and caps out and if you can still get into uniform please wear it is as it is really a crowd pleaser. We salute those who serve fire, police, active military, National Guard, postal as you once did. Mark your calendars for the 13th of March. See you there.
Call John Bowen 301-384-6533 for further information.
