Thank you for this beautiful article- I wish it could be read by some of those West Point Graduates, and others to remember the truth of nations working together
Perhaps this column should be required reading in HS government classes as it certainly highlights the cost to families when one member is lost in war. It also shows how caring for others with no expectation of reward, enriches everyone. The continuing attention to the graves of the American soldiers is very impressive.
Way to go Randy! Wonderful column. You jogged my memory of several similar stories I've run into.
In 2002 the commission in charge of preserving Veterans Memorial Hall here in Waterloo received a letter from a gentleman in Belgium Johnny Janse of Molenbeek-Wersbeek, researching downed American fliers from World War II. He had found the grave of a pilot from Waterloo, Lt. James Elmo Buker, who died when his shot-up P-47 Thunderbolt crashed there. He learned of the commemorative brick project at Veterans Memorial Hall in Waterloo and asked if there was a brick in place for Lt. Buker. There wasn't, but there was after his letter. The commission had been unable to locate any family in the area, but Lt. Buker's widow, who had long since remarried, saw the story I did about it in the Courier and called me with enough material for another story about her gratitude for the gesture for Lt. Buker -- who was a star quarterback and college prospect at Waterloo West High School before entering service. They were West High classmates.
And in 2009, after a couple of local residents received Congressional gold medals for their service in the U.S.-Canadian First Special Service Force, "The Devil's Brigade," in Italy during the war and I wrote about it in the Courier, I received an email from Luciano Bucci, a fellow with a re-enactment/historic preservation group in Italy. He said his group had found the canteen of one of the soldiers on a mountainside in Italy -- the soldier had etched his name on it. I contacted the veteran, Ray Buchholz of Nashua, and he was stunned. It is now on permanent display at the Winterline Venafro Association museum in Italy. They invited Ray to see it. Health conditions prevented his travel, but his grandsons saw it on a missionary trip. Ray died in 2017.
In a week and a half a group of veterans from Waterloo will be going on an Honor Flight to see memorials in Washington, D.C. One of many they will see is the Korean War memorial -- paid for in part by donations from people from the Republic of Korea -- South Korea -- as well as the United States. The inscription on it reads, "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." On previous Honor Flights I have seen South Korean families and students visiting the memorial as the Honor Flight vets arrive.
Your story, these and others underscore the fact that folks in Europe, South Korea and elswhere have not forgotten and appreciate the service and sacrifice of our previous generations. And no one ever asked "What was in it for them?"
Thank you Pat. Your observations are on the mark and bear repeating.
It is easy to see the toll of war — the numbers of troops lost in this battle or that — and become numb to the scope of loss. It is through the stories of individual soldiers, sailors, aviators that we really connect with the magnitude of their sacrifice. That is one reason the sacrifice of Waterloo’s Sullivan family resonated from coast to coast.
One footnote: Historian Robert Edsel, whose book led to the movie The Monuments Men, has a new book, Remember Us, that tells the story of the relationship between the people of Margraten, Holland, and the graves in the military cemetery there.
Last July, Jiri Kluc, a young historian from the Czech Republic, came to Iowa to interview World War II veterans. I lined up three of them for him to interview at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. One was Hovey Brom, a 99-year old prominent Waterloo architect who was a scout in one of Patton's divisions during the war. Turns out Hovey and his comrades liberated Jiri's hometown of Pilsen. When Hovey recalled the reception they received from the people of Pilsen he broke down and cried.
Pilsen celebrated the 80th anniversary of its liberation last month. Hovey passed away in February. But he died knowing the people in Pilsen still remembered and were grateful.
I’ve seen the film and material from the production of , “Why We Fight” distributed during the war. You condensed it here beautifully. Thank you so much.
Perfect, Mr. Editor. No sanding needed, just wide distribution.
Great story! You may be opinionated - but you certainly are more insightful and compassionate than the codger from Queens!
Thank you for this beautiful article- I wish it could be read by some of those West Point Graduates, and others to remember the truth of nations working together
Beautiful story and writing, Randy!
Perhaps this column should be required reading in HS government classes as it certainly highlights the cost to families when one member is lost in war. It also shows how caring for others with no expectation of reward, enriches everyone. The continuing attention to the graves of the American soldiers is very impressive.
Way to go Randy! Wonderful column. You jogged my memory of several similar stories I've run into.
In 2002 the commission in charge of preserving Veterans Memorial Hall here in Waterloo received a letter from a gentleman in Belgium Johnny Janse of Molenbeek-Wersbeek, researching downed American fliers from World War II. He had found the grave of a pilot from Waterloo, Lt. James Elmo Buker, who died when his shot-up P-47 Thunderbolt crashed there. He learned of the commemorative brick project at Veterans Memorial Hall in Waterloo and asked if there was a brick in place for Lt. Buker. There wasn't, but there was after his letter. The commission had been unable to locate any family in the area, but Lt. Buker's widow, who had long since remarried, saw the story I did about it in the Courier and called me with enough material for another story about her gratitude for the gesture for Lt. Buker -- who was a star quarterback and college prospect at Waterloo West High School before entering service. They were West High classmates.
And in 2009, after a couple of local residents received Congressional gold medals for their service in the U.S.-Canadian First Special Service Force, "The Devil's Brigade," in Italy during the war and I wrote about it in the Courier, I received an email from Luciano Bucci, a fellow with a re-enactment/historic preservation group in Italy. He said his group had found the canteen of one of the soldiers on a mountainside in Italy -- the soldier had etched his name on it. I contacted the veteran, Ray Buchholz of Nashua, and he was stunned. It is now on permanent display at the Winterline Venafro Association museum in Italy. They invited Ray to see it. Health conditions prevented his travel, but his grandsons saw it on a missionary trip. Ray died in 2017.
In a week and a half a group of veterans from Waterloo will be going on an Honor Flight to see memorials in Washington, D.C. One of many they will see is the Korean War memorial -- paid for in part by donations from people from the Republic of Korea -- South Korea -- as well as the United States. The inscription on it reads, "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." On previous Honor Flights I have seen South Korean families and students visiting the memorial as the Honor Flight vets arrive.
Your story, these and others underscore the fact that folks in Europe, South Korea and elswhere have not forgotten and appreciate the service and sacrifice of our previous generations. And no one ever asked "What was in it for them?"
Thank you Pat. Your observations are on the mark and bear repeating.
It is easy to see the toll of war — the numbers of troops lost in this battle or that — and become numb to the scope of loss. It is through the stories of individual soldiers, sailors, aviators that we really connect with the magnitude of their sacrifice. That is one reason the sacrifice of Waterloo’s Sullivan family resonated from coast to coast.
One footnote: Historian Robert Edsel, whose book led to the movie The Monuments Men, has a new book, Remember Us, that tells the story of the relationship between the people of Margraten, Holland, and the graves in the military cemetery there.
Last July, Jiri Kluc, a young historian from the Czech Republic, came to Iowa to interview World War II veterans. I lined up three of them for him to interview at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. One was Hovey Brom, a 99-year old prominent Waterloo architect who was a scout in one of Patton's divisions during the war. Turns out Hovey and his comrades liberated Jiri's hometown of Pilsen. When Hovey recalled the reception they received from the people of Pilsen he broke down and cried.
Pilsen celebrated the 80th anniversary of its liberation last month. Hovey passed away in February. But he died knowing the people in Pilsen still remembered and were grateful.
Thank you Randy. I learned something I did not know before this morning’s Sunday Roundup. Nicely done!
I’ve seen the film and material from the production of , “Why We Fight” distributed during the war. You condensed it here beautifully. Thank you so much.
Being a Dutch immigrant, I know the Margraten story is true. Thanks Randy.
Wow, I didn’t know this story. Thanks for this story.
Wonderful story giving hope in dark times.
The Red Army defeated Hitler.
The United States helped out.