tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post8765722136223683903..comments2024-03-18T20:50:36.597-07:00Comments on Rural Revolution: Ardennes American Cemetery in Liege, BelgiumPatrice Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06012022335047974670noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-69813292629847630452016-11-14T17:18:21.084-08:002016-11-14T17:18:21.084-08:00My goose bumps have goose bumps...
USN RETMy goose bumps have goose bumps...<br /><br />USN RETBrian Keithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-33636247992174106952014-05-25T04:26:33.309-07:002014-05-25T04:26:33.309-07:00Beautifully written, Kathy. Thank you.
- Patrice...Beautifully written, Kathy. Thank you.<br /><br />- PatricePatrice Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06012022335047974670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-23286091304984933202014-05-24T21:53:52.520-07:002014-05-24T21:53:52.520-07:00I searched for 2 years to find my mother's fir...I searched for 2 years to find my mother's first husband Harold Norris, killed 4/4/44 @ 2:04 PM over Romania. I received a photo of his grave from Belgium and walked over to my mother's home and said, "Mom where is Harold buried?" She said, "New Jersey". I said, "Mom, sit down, we need to talk". Her mouth dropped open when she learned that her first husband was buried in Belgium! He has been there for (then) 65 years. All I started with was his purple heart, his name and service number. It has lead me down a path filled with new compassionate friends and a new understanding of the word sacriface. Harold was an airman, navigator and top turret gunner. His plane the Miasis Dragon was shot down after delivering a fatal blow to an oil refinery in Bucherst Romania. The plane was hit at the waist by a land-to-air missle. The plane nose dipped, the pilot pulled it up, then it went nose-over-tail to the earth in a fireball. 4 crew were "carbonized" and were buried together in one grave by Romanian Monks. Later, in 1949, with dental records my mother provided, the US was able to locate his remains from the others and he was buried for the 9th and final time in Ardennes. The other 3 airmen are still together buried in the US. One of the beautiful things I noticed was that each man's life is symbolized with a marble cross. They all worked and sacraficed as a group and from above, all of their individual cross's make up a larger cross. This collective larger cross can only be seen by people in airplanes and God. 3/5ths of the graves hold the remains from airmen who lost their lives....it is to those who fly that the larger cross is visable...a beautiful way to honor them. The other thing I learned in 2010: the people of Belgium, France and other countries meet and honor our heros. At Ardennes in 2010, there was approximately 100,000 people present, not many were from the USA. It seems that in life, we considered these men to belong to us, but in their death, the european people consider that these men belong to them, whom they thank and honor every year. Most graves have been adopted. Harold's grave was adopted many years ago and now the lady who adopted his grave is teaching her young grand daughter to care for it. She obviously does not want her grand daughter to forget the gratitude she has for the men who lost their lives saving hers. I wrote to a man who was age 7 when the bombs were falling on to his town. He was scared and saw more than a 7 year old should see. He remembers the American forces and he remembers liberation. For those who know what happened, who saw the cruelty and oppression, who had no hope, our US Military saved them, their children and their grand children. The maximum gift was given, freedom was restored at a great price, those receiving the gift are grateful....and other airmen and God can see their collective cross, a memorial for their sacrafice, from the air. This has put many things in perspective for me...I hope it will for you too. Kathy ConnerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-83705254204013141102011-10-15T22:06:51.425-07:002011-10-15T22:06:51.425-07:00I am at a loss for words right now. Me, my husban...I am at a loss for words right now. Me, my husband, my son, and my daughter have served and or now serving in the U.S. Navy. These pictures that Katie and her husband Mike sent to you and Don are such a wonderful gift and really bring home the horrible price that was paid for freedom. Such a loss of lives cut short in their prime. But these are my brothers-in-arms and I salute their families for the sacrifice that was made for us all. The tears that I shed right now are for those lives such as Technical Sargent Donald P. Sowers that were given so valiantly and with such love and sacrifice to protect the freedoms we now enjoy and hold so dearly. Beautiful young men cut down in their prime--never to achieve their dreams of marrying, to holding their first-born and raise a family, to grow old with their sweet heart--all to uphold all that patriotic Americans hold so dearly. They paid the ultimate of sacrifice! May God keep these valiant young men in His saving Grace. And may God also guide this great country--U.S.A.--back on to the path of its founding principles!LibertyGrrlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-51259060481403225942011-10-15T14:10:51.767-07:002011-10-15T14:10:51.767-07:00Thank you for sharing those important pictures.
My...Thank you for sharing those important pictures.<br />My husband's uncle just passed away last month.<br />He was a machine gunner on one of the "big boys"<br />during the many runs he made over Europe. Uncle Mike never talked much about what he saw and felt. We will never, ever know how brave these men really were. May they all be remembered for their sacrifices .... and be held in our hearts forever. Amen.Phyllis (N/W Jersey)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-7961811842325284972011-10-15T12:00:47.376-07:002011-10-15T12:00:47.376-07:00My grandpa was in Belgium ( among other places) du...My grandpa was in Belgium ( among other places) during WW2 It makes me wonder if he knew any of those buried men. It was very nice of that lady to take and send you those pictures. You should send her a cakeCoreynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-77182972004695080912011-10-15T07:00:26.526-07:002011-10-15T07:00:26.526-07:00I agree...WOW WOW WOW!! A huge THANK YOU to Katie...I agree...WOW WOW WOW!! A huge THANK YOU to Katie and Mike for this exceptional and moving photo essay. What a gift to us all!<br /><br />Mara :)Marahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03430446450330664155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-63200501593054796922011-10-15T06:23:24.290-07:002011-10-15T06:23:24.290-07:00Blasted dust in the room...Blasted dust in the room...Crustyrustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09478587825608882510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-25535073493431884862011-10-14T22:58:58.950-07:002011-10-14T22:58:58.950-07:00Wow, those pictures bring to life the meaning of t...Wow, those pictures bring to life the meaning of the words...freedom isn't free. Those brave souls gave all so that future generations could be assured of their freedom, it is too bad that our (cough) commander in chief doesn't recognize this.<br /><br />To veterans (and loved ones) who may read this blog and this post, a very strong thank you. After all, the freedom for Patrice to write this blog, and her readers to comment about what is written is assured by your gift of service to our nation. I for one, appreciate you.Linda in SoCalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-56710174855938551172011-10-14T20:43:36.441-07:002011-10-14T20:43:36.441-07:00It does us good to spend a moment remembering with...It does us good to spend a moment remembering with such priceless pictures.<br /><br />Thank you. (Sniff.)<br /><br />Just MeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-43104387309864978312011-10-14T20:28:03.343-07:002011-10-14T20:28:03.343-07:00Exceptionally moving photos. Many thanks to Katie ...Exceptionally moving photos. Many thanks to Katie and Mike for the photo essay, and to you and Don for sharing with us all. These pictures are certainly worth thousands of words.Monsoon Matriarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15476615206392489371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-43939443388424776772011-10-14T19:43:45.080-07:002011-10-14T19:43:45.080-07:00How thoughtful of Katie...thanks for sharing the p...How thoughtful of Katie...thanks for sharing the photos.<br /><br />Don FAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-26218245889119554562011-10-14T18:32:27.590-07:002011-10-14T18:32:27.590-07:00My dad was in Belgium (among several other countri...My dad was in Belgium (among several other countries) during WWII. I would love to visit the American cemeteries but probably never will. Thanks so much to Katie and her husband for these beautiful pictures. <br />KayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-43682457278583571892011-10-14T17:43:09.940-07:002011-10-14T17:43:09.940-07:00I served in the USArmy. I was lucky enough to be s...I served in the USArmy. I was lucky enough to be stationed in Germany and retraced Patton's 3rd Army steps and visited the bridge at Remagen. Most of the French along the border with Germany liked us soldiers. <br />I don't remember the US general that responded to De Gualle when he ordered the USA out of France in the 60's But I do remember that he asked De Gualle if he wanted the USA to dig up all the cemetaries and take the dead home with us when we left?Adventures in Self Reliancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11992613362743785392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-17258421487057459532011-10-14T17:36:53.118-07:002011-10-14T17:36:53.118-07:00My 20 year old son wants to join the Air Force Res...My 20 year old son wants to join the Air Force Reserves. He wants to serve God. I can't really think about it too much, except to pray for guidance. Very somber, meaningful photos for your family tree. What a gift!<br />--K in OK <><Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-44404024470887481262011-10-14T16:34:05.559-07:002011-10-14T16:34:05.559-07:00I too have a relative (on my wife's side of th...I too have a relative (on my wife's side of the family) buried there. My mother-in-law's brother, also lost in a bomber. I've seen pictures of the cemetary before, but it's always a keen reminder of those who gave all.MrCachethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17380421021822593083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-91279289731826028712011-10-14T16:29:15.366-07:002011-10-14T16:29:15.366-07:00Wow... just, WOW!Wow... just, WOW!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-24923037839996859682011-10-14T15:37:14.985-07:002011-10-14T15:37:14.985-07:00That was a wonderful post. How kind of Katie and ...That was a wonderful post. How kind of Katie and her husband to do such a thing. God Bless them!Red Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13618348708651144199noreply@blogger.com