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| Joe Rowley re-visit
the battle area at Bütgenbach May 23rd, 1998. |
 (Pic. taken in
Waimes 1945.). Today I was going to meet at least 1 veteran
of the 1st Inf. Div., 16th Inf, I & R platoon, (attached
to the 2nd battalion 16th), Mr. Joe Rowley. The only problem
was, he didn't tell me in which restaurant he was. With my friend
of Hasselt (Belgium) we drove to several restaurants at the
Lake Bütgenbach were they (he) should use the lunch. Todays
temperature was about 4 - 6 degrees! very cold (was thinking
that the "weather- gods" did this on purpose, to create same
weather-conditions as for many years ago). But we didn't find
them.
I choosed to wait for one hour and drove to the Morscheck Crossroads,
were the Germans were driven out on January 1945. The area,
although changed, was more ore less the same. With an old After
Action Report of the 26th Rgt (1st Inf. Div.) in my hand, I
read the story, and walked trough the area. Made some pictures,
but because it was very crowded (many holiday guests were touring
around), I returned to Bütgenbach. Together with my friend Mr.
Heck, we drove again to the Lake and.... we saw a bus with a
label "veterans of the 1st Inf. Div." on it, so they had arrived
in the meantime. Walking into the restaurant, I saw that there
was a huge company (about 50 persons) eating. And at the end
of one of the tables was my unknown friend, waving to me as
we were old friends.
Also two German veterans of the 3rd Fallschirmjäger (Airborne)
Division were their guests, and one I knew, the platoonleader
I met in April! (see story of Mr. Odendahl) After
talking with them (translating German into English and vice
versa) we changed their plans for today. They came with us to
Bütgenbach, showing them the placate of Eisenhower, the 57mm AT Gun in the
garden of Mr. Heck, and they all (about 40 persons) went into
his house to see his private museum. Mrs. Heck's wife her eyes
fell out when she opened the door, and a this huge bus stand
there with all these veterans coming into her house. Giving
my friend a souvenir from the area (drink bottle of the 1st
Inf. Div.) they left for the area of Dom. Bütgenbach, Schoppen
etc. |
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