Echoes of Valor: Nebraska National Guard Returns to Bastogne 80 Years Later

Photo By Staff Sgt. Gauret Stearns | Five members of the Nebraska National Guard travelled to Bastogne, Belgium, Jan. 9-14, 2025, where they helped commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the city by Soldiers of Nebraska National Guard’s 134th Infantry Regiment under the 35th Infantry Division, during World War II. The service members participated in a wreath laying ceremony at a memorial honoring those who liberated the region from Nazi Germany. Joining them in the ceremony were local residents and officials from the city of Lutremange as well as the Timberwolves Remembrance Group Belgium, a reenactment group in Belgium. The Nebraska Soldiers and Airmen also travelled to the Luxembourg American Cemetery Memorial where they visited the graves of service members laid to rest there while also placing a wreath at the grave marker for Technical Sergeant John Cantoni, a Nebraska National Guardsman from Omaha, Nebraska. Cantoni was killed in action on Jan. 4, 1944, when his foxhole was struck by German fire as he and other members of his unit were defending Bastogne. He had been with the company for less than a week after recovering from wounds he received during the Battle of St. Lo in July 1944.  

UNITED STATES

01.23.2025

Story by Staff Sgt. Gauret Stearns 

Joint Force Headquarters - Nebraska National Guard

BASTOGNE, Belgium -- The Battle of Bastogne, a pivotal World War II clash that took place in the frigid Ardennes Forest in December 1944, is etched into military history lore.

In a historic battle of wills, German forces fought for control of the strategic city of Bastogne, which was defended by U.S. Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division who had been cutoff and surrounded during Germany’s final major offensive. It was a battle that captured the attention of the entire world.

Far less known, however, is the role that Soldiers from the Nebraska National Guard’s 134th Infantry Regiment played during the critical days of the battle. Battling against deep snow, frigid temperatures and near-constant German counterattacks, the efforts of the 134th Infantry Regiment Soldiers helped raise the siege of Bastogne, allowing relief to flow into the devastated city and its airborne defenders.

Eighty years later and a few degrees warmer, a new generation of Nebraska National Guard troops returned to Bastogne to honor the legacy of their predecessors and commemorate the anniversary of this hard-fought victory.

"Standing here in Bastogne, where these incredible men fought and sacrificed, is incredibly humbling,” said Spc. Joseph Kearney, one of five Nebraska National Guard members selected to participate in recent ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the pivotable battle. “It gives me a deeper appreciation for the history of our unit [2-134th Airborne] and the legacy we carry forward."

The 80th anniversary of the Battle of Bastogne was marked with solemn ceremonies and commemorative events. Current members of the Nebraska National Guard participated in tours, wreath-laying ceremonies at key monuments, had meetings with local citizens and even lodged in the very same building that a unit from the 101st Airborne requisitioned as a regimental headquarters during the war, Chateau de Rolley. They walked in the footsteps of the heroes of 1944, visiting the foxholes and battlefields where their predecessors fought and bled.

The five Nebraska National Guard service members on this commemorative staff ride were:

Sgt. Maj. Joshua Meyers
Tech. Sgt. Greg Rosener
Tech. Sgt. Aprielle Deleon-Guerrero
Staff Sgt. Gauret Stearns
And Spc. Joseph Kearney

According to Pat Shannon, who coordinated the local participation by the Nebraska National Guard, the Battle of Bastogne was a brutal test of endurance and courage. Outnumbered and outgunned, the 101st Airborne held fast against relentless German attacks, their defiant stand epitomized by General McAuliffe's famous one-word reply to a German surrender demand: "Nuts!" The situation grew increasingly desperate as supplies dwindled and casualties mounted. It was then that the 134th Infantry, part of General Patton's Third Army, arrived to break the siege, a moment that brought renewed hope to the exhausted defenders.

“The 134th's contribution to the liberation of Bastogne was crucial,” Shannon said. “They fought with tenacity, pushing through heavy snow and fierce resistance to reach the town. Their arrival marked a turning point in the battle, allowing for the resupply and reinforcement of the 101st Airborne and ultimately contributing to the Allied victory in the Bulge.”

The visit to Bastogne left a significant impact on the participating Nebraska Guardsmen while also serving as a powerful tribute to the shared history between the United States and Belgium, forged in the fires of World War II. It highlights the enduring importance of remembrance and the continued relevance of military service and partnerships around the globe.

"You can read about World War II and the Battle of Bastogne in books and shows like Band of Brothers, but being here, seeing the terrain and the memorials, makes it real in a way I never imagined,” Meyers said. “It's an honor to be here representing the Nebraska National Guard."

• Date Taken: 01.23.2025
• Date Posted: 01.23.2025 15:07
• Story ID: 489558
• Location: US