Dutch thank Americans for WWII service in Memorial Day weekend ceremony
5 years, 7 months ago

Dutch thank Americans for WWII service in Memorial Day weekend ceremony

NL Times  

The Netherlands honored the American soldiers who fought and died in the Second World War during a Memorial Day ceremony at the American cemetery in Margraten on Saturday. The Minister started his speech by quoting from a letter 10-year-old Dutch girl Ileen wrote to her American pen-pal Stella. Stella's great-great uncle, 21-year-old Calvin Bjornsgaard, joined he American troops who came to help liberate Europe. Dutch families adopted every one of the 8301 graves behind me - and the 1,722 names on the walls of the missing - and are passing this responsibility on across generations", Blok said.

Dutch American Calvin Stella Blok Ileen  ceremony  ileen  letter  soldiers  war  freedom  americans  wwii  blok  memorial  day  american  thank  uncle  service  weekend  stella  ileens  dutch

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Dutch adopt US war graves to harbor memories of the country’s liberation 80 years ago
3 months, 4 weeks ago

Dutch adopt US war graves to harbor memories of the country’s liberation 80 years ago

Associated Press  

MARGRATEN, Netherlands — In the rolling hills of the southern Netherlands, locals have vowed to never forget the American and other Allied soldiers who gave their lives in the fight to liberate towns and villages from the Nazi occupation in World War II. Hundreds of people like Ton Hermes and Maria Kleijnen have chosen to “adopt” one of the 8,288 …

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