France Day 9 - on into Luxembourg

 France Day 9 - July 22

The 35th Infantry, Bastogne and Luxembourg American Cemetery

We’ve been following the 134th Infantry 35th Infantry Division in its march across Europe. Today we stopped at a memorial near the border of Luxembourg and met Pat Shannon, who has learned a lot about the 35th and shared some of his knowledge with us.

This damaged structure is part of a memorial to the 35th Infantry on the border of France and Luxembourg.

Pat Shannon, left, tells about the action at this site as, from left, Courtney Meyer, Tom Gee, Alan Baldwin, Jerry Meyer, Darin Krueger, Nick Tuma and Dick Breuer listen.

A new U.S. flag is raised at the memorial July 22. Pat Shannon and Dave Nore salute as Taps plays.

This memorial to the 35th Infantry commemorates their actions in 1944.

The memorial itself is a battered structure with rebar showing and chips in the cement. Just seeing that makes you think about the force it took to break it apart. On one side are two plaques with lists of those killed. It’s off by itself in a little copse, but it’s well taken care of and quite picturesque. We brought a replacement United States flag for the site and raised it July 22. As at other memorial sites, trying to imagine what it would have been like in the winter of 1944 when it was subzero, snow covered the ground and the soldiers shivered in their summer gear while the Germans attacked was tough.

This ledger book took a hit during World War II. It's on display at the Bastogne War Museum.

We left there for the town of Bastogne and the Bastogne War Museum. As you walk through the museum, four narrators (an American soldier, a German soldier, a member of the Belgian resistance and a young boy) share their stories. I liked how they tied everything together and presented a different perspective on things. Among the items on display was a ledger book that had been hit by shrapnel. Something like that really personalizes the events. We read about them in books, but they’re so far away from us. This book was something that was used, probably every day. And here it sits, a casualty of war.

The Mardasson Memorial at the Bastogne War Museum is undergoing some work, but you can tell it's an imposing structure. The names of all the states are engraved around the top both inside and outside.

The inscription reads "May this eagle always symbolize the acrifices and heroism of the 101st Airborne Division and all its attached units. December 1944-January 1945."

After touring the museum, we could roam the grounds, which was also fun. Jerry and I walked around, looking at The Mardasson Memorial, which is a star-shaped memorial that features the names of all our states. It’s currently being refurbished, so it looked a little rough, but I’m sure it’s awesome.

The crypt, located on the east side of the Memorial, contains three mosaics representing Judaism, Catholicism and Protestantism. It was dedicated in 1950.

We also found the crypt on the north side of the memorial. I know it sounds a little creepy, but it was actually extremely cool. It features three tile mosaics representing three religions – Judaism, Catholicism and Protestantism. The plaque in the middle reads “On July sixteenth nineteen hundred and fifty divine services were held in this crypt in honor of the gallant officers and men of the armed forces of the United States of America who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. 76890 were killed wounded or reported missing.” I tell you what, It gave me chills, and that’s not a bad thing.

I saw the first one at Utah Beach. Here's the final one at Bastogne on the corner of the Bastogne War Museum property.

The museum grounds also include the final mileage marker for the Voie de la Liberte 1944. The first, as you may remember, was at Utah Beach.

After we finished at the museum, it was off to Luxembourg. Every time I hear the name, I think of the line in Richie Rich that John Larroquette’s character says: “I think I’ll buy a country. Maybe Luxembourg. Or perhaps Ecuador.” I know it’s silly. Anyway, our first stop was the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial. Our wreath bearers were Nick Tuma and Courtney and Connie Meyer.

Arriving at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial July 22.

From left, Courtney Meyer, Nick Tuma and Connie Meyer prepare to lay the wreath at Luxembourg American Cemetery July 22 as Alan Baldwin watches.

The grave of Gen. George Patton is probably the most famous at Luxembourg American Cemetery.

Rows of crosses mark the graves at Luxembourg American Cemetery.

We visited the graves of the three 134th Infantry soldiers buried here. Also in this cemetery is Gen. George Patton, one of the more recognizable names from World War II. Patton was not killed during the war, however. He died in a car accident in December 1945.

We were allowed to lower the flags for the close of the day at Luxembourg American Cemetery. From left, Dave Nore, Jerry Meyer and Alan Baldwin fold one.

One of the cool things we got to do, and when I say we I mean the military guys in our group, was lower the flags at the cemetery for the end of the day. What a great honor for our group! I know Jerry and Dave and Alan were humbled to be able to do that. Thank you, Luxembourg Cemetery.

We ended the day in Luxembourg City at Le Royal, a five-star (I know!) hotel. We had dinner there, a three-course meal that included a great chicken entre and two, county them, two, desserts. One was a little macaroon, the other was a little chocolate lava cake. Highly scrumptious! But then, you can’t really go wrong with chocolate. :)

We spent two and a half hours over dinner, which is not unusual in Europe, we’re told. Once we were done, we all went to bed and crashed. I thought about getting up in the morning to walk around a see a little of Luxembourg, but I was really tired and hit snooze instead.

More to come as the adventure continues - but not for much longer. :(

France Day 8 - Lorraine to Sugar Loaf Hill

France Day 8 - July 21

Today didn’t have as much on the agenda. This morning started at the Lorraine American Cemetery. Among the graves we visited was that of Charley Havlat of Dorchester, the last American killed in the War in Europe. He died May 7, 1945. I got to be part of the wreath laying today, with Alan and Janet Baldwin and Darin Krueger, although I didn’t do much - just walked forward and back.

Lorraine has the largest number of American dead from World War II - 10,481. The chapel front features “St. Nabor, the martyred Roman soldier overlooking the silent host,” according to abmc.gov. As with the other military cemeteries we’ve seen, the number of grave markers is staggering. This cemetery holds more than the population of Seward. When I think about the potential that sleeps here, and at all of them, it’s heartbreaking. What might these young men have been? What might they have done? Who might they have become?

As we drove to our next stop, we paused in Armacourt, France, to see a plaque dedicated to the orphans of the 134th Regiment. Located on the east side of the village church, it was hard to see, but Nick Tuma spotted it right away.

We had lunch at La Villa des Roses with the mayor of Agincourt. The setting was charming - we ate outdoors again and enjoyed the breeze.

After lunch, we went to the monument honoring Sugar Loaf Hill. This is where Alan Baldwin’s father was injured during the war. After a short ceremony and flowers, the majority of us headed up the hill. We couldn’t go all the way to the top because our way was bar-bedwir-ed. I made it to the fence, though. The view was spectacular. You could see the whole valley and the cows on the other side of the pasture we’d just invaded. In such an idyllic setting, it’s hard to imagine the sounds, smells and sights of war.

Back to Nancy for our final night in the Grand Hotel there. I managed to stay up for the light show, even though I knew we had an early morning. There were a lot more people there than the night before. I did notice security, however, walking around armed and in camouflauge. It was a little eerie.

More to come as the adventure continues.

Additional resources:

https://www.abmc.gov/Lorraine

http://lavilladesroses.fr

http://www.coulthart.com/134/agincourt-memorial.htm

http://www.coulthart.com/134/evans.htm

France Day 7 - Flavigny Bridge to the light show

 France Day 7 - July 20

Dave Nore stands next to the monument at Flavigny Bridge.

Tom Gee looks at the plaque on the west side of the bridge.

The plaque on the east side of the bridge.

We started the day at Flavigny Bridge, a site where the Americans took the bridge and then were annihilated by the Germans. Two plaques adorn the bridge, one on each side. The west side honors Cpl. Thomas Downing and says “In memory of Corporal Thomas J. Downing and his comrades of the 60th Combat Engineer Battalion who fell here giving their lives for our freedom. September 10-11, 1944” The one on the east side says “In memory of Lt. Ralph T. Brennan and his comrades of the 35th American Infantry Division who gave their lives for our freedom. September 10-11, 1944”

We headed up a hill to Fort Pelissier, which has been transformed into an amusement park. We weren’t there for amusement, of course. The fort was built in 1878 and was used for artillery in World War I. From the top (and we couldn’t get all the way to the very top where the zip lines start), you can see the entire valley and then some. It’s a perfect observation point and a great place for big guns. In World War II, the Germans occupied it first, then left. When the Allies realized it was open, they took it. The Germans decided they’d made a big mistake and tried to take it back. Bad idea. Jerry said the Allied commander sent his troops into the catacombs (which you can go down into - very cool) and ordered a bomb run on his position. The Germans were unprotected on the top of the hill and didn’t last long. As Jerry said, a ballsy move. It was really awesome to get to walk into the tunnels and stuff. The park wasn’t open for the day yet when we stopped, but they let us walk around and take pictures.

This little museum had items from both the Allies and the Germans.

This volunteer was happy to share his knowledge with, from left, Connie Meyer, Jeff Hines, Alan Baldwin and Trudy Hines.

Jerry and Jerome shake hands at the end of our visit.

We stopped then at a very cool little museum called “Espace de Memoire Lorraine 1939-1945.” Jerome used his barn to display his extensive collection of World War II memorabilia. From playing cards to parts of planes, Jerome has everything. Jerome had invited everyone to come, I think. We were minor celebrities. The local newspaper was there taking pictures and interviewing people (shades of home). The local people wanted to tell us everything they know and even brought some youngsters to translate. They were a little nervous, but they did fine. I don’t know how accurately they were translating because I don’t speak French to begin with. :)

Jerome told me the first thing he found was an American helmet when he was in Luxembourg. He’s been collecting and displaying what he’s found ever since.

Dick Breuer waits patiently as Birgitta Montella (our guide), Jerry Meyer and Darin Krueger chat outside the mayor's office.

Matthieu Klein, the mayor of Nancy, addresses our group.

Celebrity status hit again when we got back to Nancy. We met with Matthieu Klein, the mayor, who thanked us as representatives of America for the freedom the French have today. He was a younger man (you’re not the only young mayor, Josh Eickmeier). He spoke very good English so Birgitta didn’t have to translate. We then recreated a photo from 1944 taken on the balcony of the Hotel de Ville. We even made the mayor’s social media feeds and were dismissed to our own devices for the rest of the day. 

From the outside, you can see through the Place Stanislas, including the statue and the Hotel de Ville, where the city's government is housed.

This would make it much easier to find a house than just numbers on a mailbox!

The Memorial Desires honors the French dead from the American War of Independence.

A group from the mayor’s office offered to take as many as were interested to see a memorial in Nancy dedicated to American independence. They showed us around the old city and were delighted with us. Birgitta told us this morning that they were very complimentary of our group and said we were very nice. They were quite knowledgable and made it worth the time to walk through the town. Peter told us about the different squares in town and why they are situated as they are. We got to see one of the city’s first gates that had helped protect the early town from invaders.

The American monument looks like the Arc de Triumphe in Paris. Plaques on the inside of the arc list the names of the French dead from the American War of Independence and other wars.

With the afternoon off, I had lunch with Jerry, Darin, Doug and Nick (I’m feeling a bit outnumbered). We had fun just hanging out and chatting (which is military slang, we learned, for the time the soldiers spent talking to each other and picking off lice). I walked around the square a little bit and then went back to my room to work on yesterday’s post.

Dinner was with Jerry and Gail. Tom and Jeannie and Jerry and Sue sat at nearby tables, so it was kind of a larger group. We ate outside at the hotel while it rained. I had the fettucini and it was very good. After the rain stopped, Jerry and Darin and I walked over to the ice cream shop and got dessert - chocolate ice cream for me. Back to the room to wait for the light show, which I didn’t see last night but decided to go to today.

I immediately thought "Go Big Red!" when the show did this.

It started at 10:45 p.m. and covered the buildings on three sides of the square. I was trying to figure out if it tells a story - I couldn’t follow if it did. It’s an impressive show, though. I’m sure it’s all computer generated, but it was neat. It lasted about 20-25 minutes.

More to come as the adventure continues.

Additional resources:

http://www.coulthart.com/134/bridge.htm

http://fortiffsere.fr/troueedecharmes/index_fichiers/Page4584.htm (I know it’s in French - I couldn’t find where to translate it)

https://espacedememoire.fr (see above note)

https://frenchmoments.eu/nancy-old-town/ (we didn’t see all of these places, but we saw some)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porte_Désilles

France Day 6 - Amiens and Verdun

 Day 6 - July 19

We spent most of today in the bus, traveling from Caen to Nancy (pronounced non-SEE as far as I can tell). We did make two amazing stops though.

Our first was in Amiens, where we had lunch. That wasn’t the amazing part, although the lunch was good.

Amiens Cathedral

You can get a sense for how massive this place is based on the size of the person at the altar.

One of the carvings depicting John the Baptist's life

The skull behind the red bars is said to be that of John the Baptist

We went to the cathedral, the biggest cathedral in France. It’s 145 meters long. That’s a football field and half. The volume of this building is 200,000 square meters. The first stone for this massive edifice was laid in 1220. According to the guide book I got, the majority of the windows are not original. Several wars and other disasters destroyed them. They were removed during World War I, and most were lost in a fire at the artist’s home.

The cathedral is also home to a skull thought to be that of John the Baptist. One set of the carvings in the cathedral depicts scenes from John’s life, including him baptizing Jesus, preaching and being beheaded.

Just walking through the building, looking at the artwork both painted and carved, was overwhelming. The amount of time required for making even a small piece of that by hand had to have been enormous. And it’s not just inside. The outside is covered with carvings, too. And as I said, it’s not a small building. I probably could have spent a couple hours looking at as many details as possible. We didn’t have that much time in Amiens, however, so I had to settle for the minutes available. It was definitely worth the time.

As I walked through the cathedral, it occurred to me that churches like that are built correctly. Your eyes aren’t focused on the ground like they usually are when you walk. Instead, they’re looking up toward the heavens. Yes, they’re seeing the art and architecture, but the attitude, looking up, I mean, is more reverential. While we bow our heads in prayer, that’s respect. The admiration of the art, though, may turn thoughts toward the Creator who made the art’s subjects and gave the artist his/her talent. As you would expect in a church, the subjects of the art are scriptural, so that also leads to thoughts of God.

In Amiens we also said goodbye to our driver Walter. He performed some amazing feats with the bus, getting us in and out of tight spaces. We welcomed Mohammed to the driver’s seat.

Back on the bus and back on the road. We had to make an extra stop so Mohammed could stay within the prescribed driving time limits. So instead of just pulling over at a random rest stop, we went to the Ossuaire de Douaumont. What is that? Well, according to the definition, an ossuary is “a container or room in which the bones of dead people are placed.” This particular one was huge.

Le Ossuaire de Douaumont

If you look in some of the windows, you can see piles of bones.

According to wikipedia, the ossuary cloister is 449 feet long while the tower is 151 feet high. The bones of more than 130,000 unidentified soldiers fill the lower alcoves. In front of the building is the Fleury-devant-Douaumont National Necropolis which contains graves of 16,142 soldiers.

More than 16,000 soldiers are buried at Fleury-devant-Douaumont National Cemetery.

The soldiers were all at the Battle of Verdun, fought from Feb. 12, 1916, to Dec. 19, 1916. Approximately 230,000 men died during that World War I battle in an area less than 7.7 square miles. Sobering. “The battle became known in German as Die Hölle von Verdun (English: The Hell of Verdun), or in French as L'Enfer de Verdun,” wikipedia said.

While the majority of the graves are marked with simple white crosses bearing plaques with names, a section contains soldiers of the Muslim faith. Their markers are wider and rounded at the top, but they also bear plaques with names. They all face east, as well, so they’re canted compared to the crosses.

Every grave, whatever the religion, is topped by a rose bush. They must be absolutely stunning when they’re all in bloom.

When we got to Nancy, we headed to our hotel - the Grand Hotel de la Reine on the Place Stanislas. I didn’t know what to expect, but I wasn’t prepared for this. First of all, I haven’t seen that much gilding in one place. The four gates to the square are trimmed with gold. There are fountains on two corners. The Opéra national de Lorraine is on one side, and the municipal office building (Hotel de Ville) is on the other. It’s a massive square with a statue of Stanislas Leszczynski, the duke of Lorraine, in the center.

We had dinner at the hotel - again fantastic. We started out with something duck, then moved on to chicken and mashed potatoes and finished with a macaroon.

Our luggage was delivered to our rooms, which have doorknobs in the center of the first door and then a second door. Very old-fashioned and something I picture in the homes of very rich people. :) 

More to come as the adventure continues.

Additional resources:

https://frenchmoments.eu/amiens-cathedral/

https://www.verdun-douaumont.com/en/

https://www.hoteldelareine.com/en/the-grand-hotel-de-la-reine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanisław_Leszczyński