So Truman and I have spent the last couple of days in the Ardennes forest of Belgium. Specifically, we have been staying in Bastogne, which was made famous by the 101st Airborne division’s holding the town while completely surrounded by the Germans during the battle of the bulge. Famously, when asked to surrender by the Germans, the US commander replied with one word, “Nuts!” Presumably, this was a funny, but more politically correct way, of saying “bullshit!” Either way, the struggles and suffering these soldiers went through to hold out against the Germans was immense. The battle began the week before Christmas in 1944, lasted about a month, and it was cold AF. Many of our troops didn’t have cold weather gear, but somehow made it through anyways, It was very humbling to see many of the places they fought and died, including the woods occupied by Easy Company of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment; with many of their foxholes still intact.
We subsequently went on to Luxembourg, which is a tiny country wedged between Belgium, France, and Germany. Although half the size of the Normandy cemetery, it still holds over 5,000 of our brave soldiers that lost their lives in the battle of the bulge. It is similar to that of the Normandy cemetery, with a notable difference; there are no trees inside the plot areas itself (it turns out in Normandy, they would plant trees in bomb craters so they wouldn’t have to bury someone in that “unlucky” spot). As a result, the grass of the grounds are unbroken, and is perfectly manicured. It is a fitting tribute to the legacy of their memory.
