Stewart was not in Bastogne. However, there is a WONDERFUL WWII museum there called Bastogne War Museum.
Today the museum was packed with lots of traffic. Snow was falling and soldiers from both sides were participating in reenactments. There were tents, armaments, and even soldiers digging foxholes in the frozen snow-covered ground.
Hollywood celebrates Bastogne with movies and stories. General Macauliffe replyed with the four letter word, “Nuts!”, to the Germans who were seeking an Allied surrender. Patton arrived three days later to “save” the day of the surrounded Americans troops. To this day, the surrounded American troops said that they did not need saving.
Most historians would say that the delays in the early days of The Battle of the Bulge made the German objective impossible. Bastogne was known as “The Donut Hole” since it was surrounded.
Joe Landry is 100 years old and got a police escort. We followed close behind and rode on his coattails of fame.
There were 10 men who were Battle of the Bulge survivors and each was at least 100 years old. They are pop stars in Belgium!!! Paparazzi!!!
After the parade, we tried to get back to our bus, but the sidewalk crowds were so dense that we were unable to move an inch and people were squishing us. I remember hearing about a woman who was crushed by the crowd at a soccer game. I tried to get it out of my mind. THIS was NUTS!!!!
Suddenly, a Belgian restaurant owner opened the door and beckoned us to go through the restaurant to the back alley. LIBERATED!!
Marcel was a small boy when the Americans came to liberate his farm. They have been thanking Americans ever since that day!
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