Paying Respects
1941-1945
In proud remembrance of the achievements of her sons and in humble tribute to their sacrifices, this memorial has been erected by the United States of America
There are many reasons to remember the heroic efforts of our fellow human beings during the dark ages of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. Our basic rights, ways of life, and freedoms have all been products of brave individuals that fought and sacrificed for future generations. From fighting in sub-zero temperatures without winter gear in the Ardennes, to battling tropical disease as well as a fanatically determined enemy in the Pacific, many young men sacrificed their lives that had barely started, in places they had never even heard of.
Many of those sacrifices were made by American troops in my birth country of Belgium during the later stages of World War II. When Liz and I made our way to Europe in October 2018, we were determined to visit some of the memorials erected in their honor, most of which are located in the south of the country near the Ardennes. Staying at my sister’s place just south of Antwerp, we rented a car to travel to the Ardennes American Cemetery & Memorial in Neupre and the Mardasson Memorial and Battle of the Bulge museum in Bastogne on a perfectly gray and cold Belgian day. All in all, just shy of 2.5 hours to travel through most of the country. Yes, it is that small.
Our 10-day trip through Europe allowed me to see family again, and had us visit places like Brugge, Amsterdam, and Paris. Yet my highlight from the trip was visiting the Ardennes American Cementery and Memorial in Neupre. About 14,000 American soldiers remain buried in Belgium from both World Wars, and the cemetery at Neupre is the final resting place for 5,371 American. About 65% of those buried there were fallen airmen of the U.S. Army Air Forces, casualties of the strategic bombing campaigns over occupied Europe.
The cemetery and memorial is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). When we entered the visitor centre upon arriving, we were greeted by the ‘curator’ of the site, an American citizen whose grandfather fought in WWII as well. He was very welcoming, and extremely knowledgeable, readily sharing his valuable insight with us. This left a very good impression right from the start. The location at Neupre is best described by ABMC as follows:
“The approach drive at Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium leads to the memorial, a stone structure bearing on its façade a massive American eagle and other sculptures. Within the memorial is the chapel, three large wall maps composed of inlaid marbles, marble panels depicting combat and supply activities and other ornamental features. Along the outside of the memorial, 463 names are inscribed on the granite Tablets of the Missing. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. The façade on the far north end, that overlooks the burial area, bears the insignia, in mosaic, of the major U.S. units that operated in northwest Europe in World War II.”
“This cemetery is unique among all ABMC cemeteries as it served as the central identification point for the entire European Theater of Operations from the last days of the war until 1960. The Ardennes American Cemetery is the final resting place for 5,317 Americans, with 65 percent of those being fallen airmen of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Their headstones are aligned in straight rows that compose the form of a Greek cross. Along the outside of the memorial, inscribed on granite slabs, are the names of 463 of the missing, whose remains were never recovered. The façade on the far (north) end that overlooks the burial area bears the insignia, in mosaic, of the major U.S. units that operated in northwest Europe in World War II.”
The memorial is impressive and offers a great perspective of the scale of allied operations once you go inside, thanks to three large murals describing a time-history of action. Next to the thousands of Crosses and Stars of David just outside of the memorial, the most powerful display of heroism and sacrifice are the “Tables Of The Missing” flanking the main memorial building, commemorating some 463 service members still missing in action.
After the visit in Neupre, we proceeded South toward the town of Bastogne to visit the Mardasson memorial and the Battle of the Bulge Museum. The Battle of Bastogne was certainly brought in the lime-light in the early 2000s by Stephen Ambrose’s excellent book (and later TV miniseries) Band of Brothers. For a great overview of the Battle of the Bulge, I recommend reading this article written by the U.S. Army Center of Military History.
I thought the museum was very well done, with a good mix of interactive exhibits and static displays (with authentic tanks, uniforms, and weapons used in the battle). It is not that large of a museum, but it will demand a few hours to go through. Throughout the museum, you follow the narrative of 4 historically factual figures, an American and German soldier, and two Belgian citizens, and you get to see the Battle of Bastogne through their eyes.
Once you step outside the museum, you can directly proceed to the Mardasson Memorial, erected in honor of the 76,890 American service members killed and wounded in the battle. Built in the shape of a 5 pointed American star, with the then 48-US states embedded on the side walls, insignia of most participating battalions are displayed around the memorial as well.
"The Belgian people remember their American liberators – 4th July 1946."
Ten large panels contain the story of the battle carved within them. The panels read as follows:
1. THIS MEMORIAL AND THE EARTH SURROUNDING ARE DEDICATED TO THE ENDURING FRIENDSHIP OF THE PEOPLES OF BELGIUM AND THE UNITED STATES WHO FORGED A BOND FROM THEIR COMMON STRUGGLE TO DEFEAT THE ENEMY OF ALL FREE PEOPLES.
FOR THE ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES IN NUMBERS OF MEN ENGAGED, IN THE COURAGE SHOWN BY ALL FORCES, IN THE INTREPID DECISION OF THEIR LEADERS, AND IN FINAL ACCOMPLISHMENT, IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT BATTLES OF THEIR HISTORY. FOR THE PEOPLE OF BELGIUM, IT WAS THE FINAL STAND AGAINST AN ENEMY WHO FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS HAD VIOLATED THEIR SOIL AND VAINLY TRIED TO CRUSH THEIR
2. . . . NATIONAL SPIRIT. IT WAS THE LAST ACT OF THE GREAT LIBERATION. THE UNIFORMED RANKS OF THE UNITED STATES FOUGHT FOR THIS SOIL AS IF IT HAD BEEN THEIR HOMELAND. THE BELGIAN CIVILIANS, UNARMED, REFUSED TO ABANDON IT IN FACE OF THE ONCOMING ENEMY. THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE OPENED ON DECEMBER 16, 1944 WITH AN ATTACK BY THE GERMAN ENEMY WHICH BROKE THE AMERICAN FRONT, ENVELOPED THE ARDENNES COUNTRY AND AT ITS EXTREMITIES, REACHED ALMOST TO THE RIVER MEUSE, IT CLOSED IN THE FINAL WEEK OF JANUARY 1945. THE FAR OBJECT OF THE GERMAN ENEMY WAS TO BE THE PORT OF ANTWERP.
3. THE BATTLE BEGAN WITH FOG AND DARKNESS. THE THIN DEFENDING LINE WAS OVERWHELMED AND BROKEN UNDER WEIGHT OF FIRE AND METAL. THE ARDENNES DOOR LAY OPEN. THROUGH THESE GREAT GAPS IN THE LINE THE SPEARHEADS WERE ADVANCING TOWARDS ST. VITH FROM BOTH FLANKS AROUND THE SCHNEE EIFEL TOWARDS BASTOGNE, AFTER LEAPING THE RIVER OUR. OF RESERVES, THE THEATER HAD BUT TWO DIVISIONS, UNDERMANNED AND UNDEREQUIPPED. IN THE NORTH NEAR MANSCHAU THERE IS A RIDGE CALLED ELSENBORN WHICH IS NATURE’S BASTION . . .
4. . . . GUARDING THE ROAD TO LIEGE AND THE FAR-OFF PORT. IN THE VERY HOUR WHEN THE ENEMY LOOSENED HIS LIGHTNING, AN AMERICAN CORPS WAS ATTACKING THIS GROUND. AS THE SHOCK OF THE ENEMY GUNS AND ARMOR FELL ON THESE DIVISIONS THEIR RIGHT FLANK FOLDED BACK AND STOOD FAST ON THE HEIGHTS OF ELSENBORN. ON THE HILLS NEAR MONSCHAU, THE LINE OF AMERICAN GUNS BEAT TIME WITH THIS MOVEMENT, AND THEIR FIRE WITHERED THE ENEMY CORPS ON THE RIGHT. TOGETHER THE WORKING OF THESE FORCES AT THE BEGINNING DENIED THE ENEMY HIS CHANCE TO EXPAND HIS SALIENT TOWARDS THE GREAT
5. . . . CITIES AND THE SEA. FROM OUT OF THE NORTH AMERICAS ARMOR RODE TO ST. VITH AT FIRST A COMBAT TEAM AND THEN A DIVISION. FROM OUT OF THE SOUTH A GARRISON RODE FOR BASTOGNE. IT COUNTED ONE AIRBORNE DIVISION AND A TEAM OF ARMOR ON THE GROUND. IT WOULD LINK WITH A BATTALION OF TANK DESTROYERS SENT FROM THE NORTH. RIGHT UNDER THE GUNS THE ODDMENTS JOINED THE FIGHTING, REPAIRMEN, CLERKS, POLICE, AND DRIVERS OF TRUCKS. THEY PICKED UP ARMS AND MOVED TO A THREATENED CROSSROADS OR BLEW A BRIDGE OR GUARDED THE PRECIOUS STORES. IN BRITAIN THE NEWLY ARRIVED FORMATIONS . . .
6. . . . WERE ALERTED TO GO BY AIR TO DEFEND THE LINE OF THE MEUSE. THE BASE OF SUPPLY IN FRANCE REORGANIZED TO FEED THE BATTLE. ITS CONVOYS GOING ELSEWHERE WERE HALTED AND FACED ABOUT. AT ST. VITH THE ENEMY ALREADY SWARMED OVER THE COUNTRY BUT THE RESCUING ARMOR ARRIVED IN TIME TO BLOCK THE ROAD, BLUNT THE BLOW, AND CRIPPLE THE ENEMY POWER DURING THE CRISIS HOURS. THE SPEARHEAD OF THE PANZER ARMY IN THE NORTH ROLLED OFF THE FLANK OF THIS DEFENSE AND ON PAST STAVELOT. THEN, IN THE DEFILES BEYOND THE RIVER AMBLEVE, IT WAS TRAPPED AND HELD BY THE . . .
7. . . .NEW FORCES OF THE COUNTER ATTACK. THE FIGHTING WAS WITHIN TWENTY MILES OF LIEGE. THE RACE TO BASTOGNE WAS WON BY THE AMERICAN COLUMN. IT CLOSED IN JUST IN TIME. THE FIGHTING BEGAN BEFORE DEFENDERS COULD TAKE POSITION. THEY ORGANIZED UNDER FIRE FROM ENEMY GUNS. IN THIS WAY BEGAN THE SIEGE NOW FAMED IN HISTORY. THE LINES OF BASTOGNE HELD FIRM, THOUGH THE STORM BEAT ALL AROUND. BY DIRECT ASSAULT THE ENEMY ARMORED CORPS TRIED TO GAIN THE CITY. ITS MEN AND METAL WERE DRIVEN BACK AT EVERY POINT. AND SO THE DEFEATED ARMOR FLOWED ON AROUND BASTOGNE . . .
8. . . . STILL SEEKING TO GAIN THE LINE OF THE RIVER MEUSE. ITS SPEARPOINT REACHED ALMOST TO THE DOOR OF DINANT BEFORE IT WAS STOPPED BY THE FIRE OF THE NEW AMERICAN LINE. THE DEFEAT OF THIS SOUTHERN PANZER ARMY WAS MADE SURE BY THE STAND OF BASTOGNE. TO THE SOUTH OF THE BULGE, AN AMERICAN ARMY HAD BEEN ATTACKING EASTWARD. IT WAS CALLED NOW TO HALT AND WHEEL TO THE NORTH. ITS NEAREST CORPS MOVED OUT UPON THIS MISSION. FROM OUT OF THE CORPS, ONE DIVISION STRUCK TOWARDS BASTOGNE. THE WEATHER AT LAST TURNED COLD. THE LOSS FROM . . .
9. . . . EXPOSURE GREW GREAT AS THE LOSS FROM FIRE. ATTACKING IN SNOWSUITS, THE ENEMY COULD SCARCELY BE SEEN. BASTOGNE BECAME THE CHIEF PRIZE IN THE DAILY STRUGGLE, AS MEN FOUGHT FOR SHELTER AND FOR WARMTH. THE FOLK OF THE ARDENNES OPENED THEIR HEARTS AND HEARTHS TO THE DEFENDERS. THEY SHARED WITH THEM THEIR FOOD, THEIR BLANKETS, AND THEIR FUEL. THEY TORE UP THEIR BEDSHEETS FOR USE IN CONCEALING MEN AND WEAPONS. THEY NURSED THE WOUNDED AND HELPED TO COMFORT THE ILL. BY CHRISTMAS EVE, THE ENEMY KNEW THAT HIS PLAN WAS DEFEATED. BUT THERE WAS NO SUDDEN STRATEGIC RETREAT. EVERY HILL . . .
10. . . . AND ROADWAY HAD TO BE RE-WON BY FIREPOWER AND BY PAYING A PRICE IN THE LIVES OF VALIANT MEN. IN THE BATTLE FOUGHT HERE, 76,890 AMERICANS WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED, OR WERE MARKED MISSING. SELDOM HAS MORE AMERICAN BLOOD BEEN SPILLED IN THE COURSE OF A SINGLE BATTLE. THE NUMBER OF BELGIANS WHO DIED OR SUFFERED WOUNDS OR GREAT PRIVATION HELPING THESE FRIENDS FROM OVERSEAS IN THE COMMON DEFENCE CANNOT BE KNOWN . . . OF THESE DEAD AND OF ALL WHO FOUGHT HERE, THE NOW LIVING MAY ATTEST THE GREATNESS OF THE DEED ONLY BY INCREASED DEVOTION TO THE FREEDOM FOR WHICH THEY BRAVED THE FIRE.
“May this eagle always symbolize the sacrifices and heroism of the 101st Airborne Division and all its attached units. December 1944-January 1945. The City and Citizens of Bastogne”
This was without a doubt one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life, and I am so grateful I was given the chance to visit places like the Ardennes American Cemetery and the Mardasson Memorial. It was truly a growing opportunity. If it were not for the sacrifices of these brave men, and thousands of others amongst a multitude of Allied Nations, world history would have taken a drastically different course. We are forever in their debt, and we owe it to them to keep the stories and legacies of sacrifice and honor alive and well, to pass on to future generations long after the last of the greatest generation to have ever lived departs from their post.
