Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Klestinski | U.S. Soldiers deployed with 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery (1-5 FA) and the 50th...... read more read more
Polish cultural centers unveiled a new exhibit recognizing American military efforts during World War II in Poland on Aug. 21, 2021, in Toruń, Poland.
The Rural Cultural Center from Ochotnica Górna, Poland, and the Podgórze Cultural Center from Krakow, Poland, presented the new “White Stars above Poland, 1944-1945” exhibit at Fort I (pronounced “Fort One”), a historical landmark also known as “Toruń Fortress.” The exhibit features U.S. Army Air Force campaigns in World World II, remembers the losses suffered by air crews, and spotlights American Soldiers of Polish descent.
“We want to educate the people about the U.S. Army and Polish army’s actions in the war, which was part of a brotherhood of arms that goes further back in history than most people realize,” said Anna Lamers, volunteer supervisor with the Fortress Heritage Foundation. “There are some significant battles that were fought in Poland that nobody knows about.”
For example, Lamers referred to a campaign involving American bomber crews – working with intelligence from Polish resistance fighters – who attacked German oil refineries in occupied territory in Poland. According to Lamers, the destruction of these fuel-producing facilities significantly damaged the Nazis’ offensive abilities and helped end the war.
“It’s our duty and our honor to commemorate the crews of these bombers who went down over Poland during the war,” said Krzysztof Wielgus, a volunteer who helped organize the event at Fort I. “If it hadn’t been for these bombers, the war and its atrocities like the Holocaust would have continued.”
In addition to the new exhibit, attendees saw a variety of World War II-era military vehicles, weapons, equipment and uniforms displayed by event participants and reenactors. Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery (1-5 FA) conducted a static display of modern-day military assets, such as body armor that visitors could try on. The 1-5 FA display also featured an unloaded M-2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun mounted on a high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle – commonly known as a “Humvee.”
“This event was a great gesture by the local community to recognize those who gave their lives in the war, and it showed the importance they place on history, particularly the cooperation between American and Polish forces,” said Army 1st Lt. Chase Nelson. Nelson is deployed with the Florida Guard’s 50th Regional Support Group and serves as the mayor for Forward Operating Site Toruń. “We’re grateful that coordinators extended the invitation for us to participate, and we look forward to future events.”
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| Date Taken: | 08.21.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.31.2021 08:42 |
| Story ID: | 404214 |
| Location: | TORUN, PL |
| Web Views: | 259 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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