Photo By Spc. Andrew Clark | A convoy of vintage U.S. military World War II vehicles passes through the Netherlands...... read more read more
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EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - In September of 1944, a route was planned through the Dutch countrysiderside as a part of Operation Market Garden. The Soldiers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, after fighting bitterly alongside British and Polish paratroopers over every foot of ground against the entrenched German military, named the route ‘Hell’s Highway’. Events to memorialize Operation Market Garden’s 80th Anniversary, the largest airborne operation of World War II and the beginning of Dutch liberation from German occupation, are being held along ‘Hell’s Highway,’ from the Belgian border through the Netherlands and all the way to Germany.
“The challenges we face today start at the roots of history,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Wickman, U.S. Army Europe and Africa Chief of Staff and Deputy Commanding General for Army National Guard. “We really need to acknowledge the challenges that we’ve faced, but also the sacrifices that have been made by service members that have come before us.”
Hundreds of U.S. service members and citizens of the Netherlands are taking part in the 80th anniversary from Sept. 12 through the 22nd all across the country. The nationwide anniversary is highlighted by events with thousands of spectators, like air assault demonstrations, but also smaller, more intimate moments, like interactions between 82nd Airborne Division Soldiers and Dutch and German children who are honoring the Division’s paratroopers who came through their town in 1944. In all of the ceremonies, big and small, there is a profound sense of gratitude and solemnity for the sacrifices made during the war.
“I’ve been in 502nd for five years,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Austin Christian, assigned to the 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. “It’s good to put locations to the stories that you’re told first hand when you’re coming up and to walk the same paths.”
For many of the Soldiers participating in the events, the response of the Dutch people to the presence of U.S. troops was humbling.
“World War II had a huge impact on every country,” Sgt. Kolton Brailsford, assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, said. “The people around here - every single one of them - have some sort of background, or relation, to the war. They’ve been so welcoming to us. The respect between our nations and to each other has been incredible. It’s definitely special to be here in person.”
Throughout the many ceremonies, the most distinguished visitors of all were World War II veterans, with present-day service members jumping at the chance to interact and hear firsthand accounts, stories, and wisdom from the men who served in the conflict.
“It’s a very humbling experience, as a paratrooper, seeing fellow paratroopers that came before you,” Sgt. Michael Leach, assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, said. “How they jumped into this battlefield, knowing what they were signed up for, and giving the ultimate sacrifice - it’s been an honor coming down here to see and meet World War II veterans who came long before us, and see what they were fighting for.”
During the anniversary commemoration, Col. Derek Neal, commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, delivered remarks at a remembrance ceremony that honored U.S. service members who died when their aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire in 1944. The plane held supplies that were being delivered to the 82nd Airborne Division units fighting fiercely on the ground.
“You could summarize our feelings tonight by one word, and that word would be ‘brotherhood’,” Neal said. “It’s the same brotherhood that those who have the experience to come over here to the Netherlands and Germany feel. It’s the same brotherhood we now feel, with the citizens of the city of Nijmegan. It is based on the shared experience and based on the continuance of a memory which is now 80 years strong.”
The bond forged with the Dutch and the U.S. service members during Operation Market Garden continues to resonate today, as the event’s 80th anniversary is recognized. The Soldiers, who are visiting the country to honor the paratroopers of the past with the people of the Netherlands, are playing a vital part in maintaining relations and continuing to build on the strong bonds and friendships between the United States and its partner nations.
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2024 16:55 |
| Story ID: | 481329 |
| Location: | NL |
| Web Views: | 369 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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