Since today is the day we honor veterans, I thought I would like to share some thoughts and pictures in remembrance of my father. For most of his life he was known as Pastor Thomassen, or Pastor T. For a few years he was known as a soldier who served in WW II in the European Theater of War.
He was a medic in the 99th Inf. Btn. (Sep). It was a group of American soldiers of Norwegian heritage. The original goal was the liberation of Norway. They trained at Camp Hale near Leadville, Colorado as a ski troop.
When they got to England, their mission was changed and they landed in Europe shortly after D Day. They spent the war moving around Europe plugging holes. One of the stories my father told us about was the Malmedy Massacre.
It happened during the Battle of the Bulge on December 17, 1944 near Malmedy, Belgium. The 1st SS Panzer Division under the command of Lt. Col. Joachim Peiper captured a truck convoy of Battery B, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion, in the Ardennes. They took about one hundred unarmed American POW’s in a field and shot them. A few faked death and escaped. Most died.
This group of Nazis earned the nickname "Blowtorch Battalion" as they burned their way across Russia. They were also responsible for slaughtering civilians in two separate villages.
The 99th was nearby and they raced there. They rescued a few survivors. The rest they found dead in the snow. It was a very sad day in the war.
The 99th was nearby and they raced there. They rescued a few survivors. The rest they found dead in the snow. It was a very sad day in the war.
If you go to Malmedy today, you will find at least two memorials. On the edge of town, at the location of the shootings is a memorial with the names of all the soldiers murdered that day. On the other end of town is a memorial to the 99th, put up by the town in memory of their brave actions in the war.
I heard about this memorial many years ago. I never thought I would see it in person. A few years ago I was privileged to be there and see it. The pictures posted here are of the memorial, as well as my brother, George and I.
Memorials are very important in life. In the Bible God directed many memorials so that people didn’t forget the things He did for them. Today, Veterans’ Day, is a memorial of all the sacrifice given in the service to our nation. We are free today because millions have served and paid the price so we can be free.
Memorials, we need to actually SEE THEM. As we looked for these memorials in Malmedy and talked to people to ask directions, they didn’t seem to know where they were, even though they had passed them many times.
Memorials . . . . Lest We Forget . . . . . . .
Memorials . . . . See Them . . . . . . . .
Memorials . . . . Lest We Forget . . . . . . .
Memorials . . . . Veterans’ Day . . . . . . . . .
