The History of Memorial Day
Philip
Date: Sunday, May 24th. 2009
Source; http://www.history.com/video.do?name=culture&bcpid=1676043212&bclid=1675979317&bctid=1552691061
During the 4th. of July weekend in 2007 I visited the American and
German war cemeteries in Normandy, France. The following year I
visited Birkenau and Auschwitz, Poland where Steven Spielberg had
filmed Schlindler's List.
Ireland, Poland and Great Britain also have cemeteries in the Normandy
area of France where they buried their soldiers but we only had a few
days in which to explore.
We also visited Omaha Beach and Utah Beach while each of these
locations has its own museum.
I was overwhelmed by the 13,000 plus white grave markers in the shape
of a cross of the American soldiers but what was perhaps more shocking
was the German army cemetery.
Hitler's young German soldiers were killed in such great numbers that
most of the graves, numbering upwards to twenty thousand plus
individuals, contained between two to four unnamed soldiers. Only
their rank and age was recorded on the grave stones with most being
very young teenagers.
I'll never forget driving by the WWII battle monument in Bastogne,
Belgium with my wife Diana some twenty years ago where my uncle Wondel
Smith had fought. He was badly wounded when his unit was over-ran by
the German forces.
Wondel had taken a very heavy metal door from a destroyed tank and
managed to cover himself in a foxhole while the enemy literary walked
over the top of his position and badly wounded body.
One day, previous to his injuries in WWII, Wondel had begged his
American comrades not to kill a German soldier they had captured.
However, they did and later returned to their duties but Wondel looked
through the soldiers personal belongings to find a photo of his family
and a straight razor.
Wondel has shaved with that same straight razor every single day of
his life since that terrible event.
The last time that I asked my father about my uncle Wondel he had
turned 98 years old.
I fondly remember his stories of the WWII dog fights overhead in which
there was always a winner and a loser.
Wondel currently resides in Tampa, Florida with his wife Mae of more
than 50 years.
Source: The History of Memorial Day
http://www.history.com/video.do?name=culture&bcpid=1676043212&bclid=1675979317&bctid=1552691061
Enjoy,
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Author; Philip Atkins is a free lance writer who served a career in
the American military and currently works as a government contractor
for the defense industry. The battle fields of Belgium are one of his
favorite places to visit. He currently resides in Tacoma, Washington.
Philip welcomes you to share in his photo adventures to Europe. This
includes the legendary shores of Normandy, France and his visit to the
largest WWII Nazi prison camp in all of Europe, Auschwitz, Poland.
Many other interesting adventures include a visit to the legendary
home of Simon Bartholdi in Colmar, France. -- Designer of the Statue
of Liberty
Visit Philip's photo archives -- http://www.google.com/profiles/atkins.philip
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