Merry Christmas

Today, we gather with family and friends in virtually every point of the compass and enjoy and enjoy the benefits of a free society.  It's a time of peace and harmony that we often take for granted, but should well remember that there were times when such was not the case.  Christmas day 1944 was a tragic day for the 416th Bomb Group with several planes and crews lost on the morning mission to Munstereifel, Germany and the afternoon mission to Hillsheim.  Unlike the much heralded Christmas Truce of WWI, the battle raged on in Europe during those hard days when the Battle of the Bulge called for every possible resource and a full commitment.

Mission #177 - Hillsheim, Germany - 25 Dec 44

After two frustrating weeks of bad weather, the air power of the allies was finally brought to bear and helped stem the tide of a major German offensive.  As we enjoy Christmas 2010, we should pause for a moment to reflect on what Christmas 1944 must have been like for the men on the ground and in the air with our armed forces at that time.  Merry Christmas to all - compliments of the 416th Bomb Group.

Veteran's Day 2010

Here it is 2010 and that special day for honoring our nation's military veterans is upon us.  I remember that during my first five or six years of grade school we celebrated Armistice Day on November 11.  Usually, some simple flag ceremony, sometimes accompanied by a middle-aged gentleman or two from the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars, was conducted at 11 AM.  To help make the occasion special to a fourth-grader, there was a distribution of candies and a patriotic pin to wear on our collar or sticker to place on our lunch box. We were taught that this was a celebration of the peace in 1918 that ended a horrific World War and a time to honor those American servicemen and women who had served in that war.  Today, none of those middle-aged gentlemen are with us and the young school boy that was inspired by this tribute has himself left middle-age in the dust.

In 1954, Congress extended the recognition to all who had served in the military during time of war and renamed the occasion "Veteran's Day".  In practice, this day has come to be celebrated in honor of all veterans, whether they served during time of war or not.  In truth, one could hardly have served in the U.S. Military after December 7, 1941 and not have been in some state of war, either hot or cold.  Now, we are sadly but proudly paying our respects to the dwindling number of veterans who served during World War II.  Much has been written about their heroic crusade, and with just cause. 

 416th Bomb Group veterans at the 2010 Reunion

(left to right, seated: Carl Weinert, John Freese, Bob Kehres, 
Billy Brewer, Dan Eastman.  
Standing: Jack Sittarich, Wayne Downing, Ralph Conte, Roy Burns, 
Roland Dullnig, Bob Basnett.)

My personal involvement with the 416th Bomb Group, through the silent but forceful urging of William Edward Cramsie, has made me all too aware of the fact that we are mortal creatures.  With our passing from this existence, we become part of that great tapestry of human accomplishment and evolution.  It won't be long and Cold War veterans will be taking their final salute.


As I sit here today and reminisce, I wonder what Bill Cramsie was doing 70 years ago as a plebe at West Point.  November 11, 1940 fell on a Monday.  The day was declared by Public Law in 1938 to be a legal holiday.  Therefore, the cadets were likely on a relaxed schedule—something rather scarce for a plebe.  The weather was ominous as a storm of hurricane proportions swept the Great Lakes.  That afternoon, five vessels and 66 lives were lost in Lake Michigan alone during one of the worst  storms in recorded history.  In all, 154 deaths were blamed on the storm.  The Battle of Britain had ended, at least in official releases, and the British were carrying the battle to German and Italian cities.  It must have seemed fairly obvious that the United States would soon enter the war.  Little did the plebes of that year know that their program of studies would be reduced to three years and they soon would be personally engaged in that war.  


There has been great bi-partisan support for this veteran's tribute since its inauguration.  Honoring veterans is one of the few things that all Americans seem to agree on.  As Abraham Lincoln said at Gettysburg some 150 years ago, "It is only fitting and proper that we do this."  At many of the Branson, Missouri entertainment events throughout the year, there are tributes to veterans.  It is always impressive to see how many men and women proudly stand with their brethren to be recognized.  The contributions of the American armed forces to our way of life are rarely overlooked or taken for granted, and that's as it should be.

More from Ron Wintjens on Francis De Mand Grave

In an earlier post, I shared an email from Ron Wintjens of the Netherlands -- a private citizen who adopted the grave of 671st Bomb Squadron pilot Francis De Mand at Margraten cemetery, also known as Netherlands American Cemetery.  In response, I asked Ron how he came to be interested particularly in Lt. De Mand.  Here is his touching reply:

"I've been to the cemetery this weekend for placing some flowers on the grave, because of the 29th of September, the day Francis died.  ASAP I'll take the pictures you've asked for. It's no problem for me to take these pictures. If it's possible I'll take them on a sunny day.

As to your last question, I can only say that I've been always interested in WWII, I've been several times to Normandy (with my dad) and I thought of it as my duty to adopt a grave. Also my daughter (now 11 yrs) got interested and said a few years ago she would carry on with this adoption if I couldn't take care anymore for the grave. Thus the future of our grave is secured and the tradition will live on. So we will not forget!

I knew from the Dutch employee at the cemetery, that USAF records were easy to get from the administration in the US. So I asked for an airman. In those days you could choose a grave, because the fist generation adoptants were on the threshold of extinction, so to say,  and there were several adoptants who didn't have a successor or died without taking notice of this matter. Nowadays, there's a waiting list for an adoption grave.

It's beautiful every time I see the white crosses perfectly lined up. Walking up the cemetery a strange melancholic wearyness and sadness takes part of me. I can't help it. Every time I feel the same feeling. I think it is special.  I go to Francis' grave and put the flowers in front of the white cross, say a few prayers and leaving the cemetary I sit down for a few minutes in the chapel with it's beautiful inscriptions on the walls.  It's a pity that the rush of life nowadays, prevents me from spending more time on searching for more information, networking and maybe making contact with relatives of one of these boys.

I'm glad I came across this mail and that I took some time to mail to you (should have done this right from the start!). Feels good!

Grtz Ron Wintjens