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A VISIT TO
MOLENHOEK |
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Nijmegen, Holland
November 11, 1945
Dear Mom
There were a thousand things that I wanted to tell you in this
letter, but now with pen and paper in hand, my mind is at a loss to
record them. I must, at least, tell you where I've been today, and
what I've seen and heard.
Arriving early this morning, on the night train from Brussels
(Belgium), I found it a relief to get out of the uncomfortable wooden
seat I'd spent a sleepless night in, and stretch myself.
As the sun lifted above the horizon I found myself in a peaceful
Dutch atmosphere that belied the battle history of this area. It
was here that the German breakthrough occurred a year ago this autumn.
But now all is quiet here, except for the children |
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running off to school in the
morning, or an occasional British lorry lumbering through on its way
elsewhere.
On one of those lorries, i hitched a ride out of the city, past the
colorful outskirts so unlike anything seen in America. Five
kilometers out along the open highway is the village of Molenhoek.
Its Molenhoek I want to tell you about, Mother, because it was there
that the 82nd Airborne division made its historic jump to stem the
German advance and protect the vital bridge in Nijmegen, and it's there
that many of them gave their lives, and will rest forever in cross-lined
fields. There will be this one corner of Holland which will
forever be American, because nearly a thousand American paratroopers are
here to make it so.
I wish I could tell you of my impressions while visiting the
cemetery, but |
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anything I'd say would be
inadequate. It's beautiful there, quiet and beautiful. I
know you want me to say Daune's grave looks nice, and it does, but each
individual grave is lost in the maze of the neat row after row of other
white crosses, and assumes a dignity and beauty which is immeasurable
and intangible by itself. Do you know what I'm trying to say, Mom?
It's just that the wholeness of the place carries a value far over and
above any of its parts because it represents the loyalty and courage of
a group of men who loved life and were loved by life.
The cemetery is located within sight of some of the spots where the
paratroopers had their battles. A 15-year old Dutch boy who speaks
very good English and who was here at the time of the operations, spent
the afternoon showing me the battle
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Daune's grave marker bearing his enlisted number although
he had been commissioned three weeks prior to his death. He may
not have yet received a new set of dog tags. |
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fields, the hills the Germans
were chased from, the foxholes and gun positions. These people know and
love our war dead in a much different and maybe more intimate way than
we do. Two little girls asked me if I'd let them take care of
Daune's grave, put flowers on it on Sundays and tend it. I know
they have been anyway, and will continue regardless of what I said.
The history of those paratroopers will live a long time in the
hearts and minds of these people. I spent hours listening to the
stories they had to tell about the days the Americans fought there
before the British came to relieve them. Before I knew it,
it was dusk, and I had to reluctantly take my leave of Molenhoek to
catch my night train back to Brussels. Now it is dark and my train
will soon be here, but I just had to write you while everything was
still fresh in my mind.
Your son,
Rick
(letter
written by Rick Morris
(brother of Daune Morris) |
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