May 8, 1945 VE Day

[floydragsdale]

#1
Hello:

We were back on the Front Lines in April!

By VE Day, the 8th of May, we had 96,000 German War Prisiners on our hands on the Rhine River, in Germany; near Mainz.

I remember that day, very well. I was doing guard duty at the Prison Compound.

A flight of B17's, flew very low, over the prision; they dropped flares, over the prisioners, to celebrate the day. This almost caused a "panic" amoung the Germans inside the Compoud. I think they believed they were going to be "machine gunned" by the B17 Crew members.


The B17's only made one pass over the prision comound; then they flew away, thank-heavens.

It was a tense moment for us! Ninty-six thousand jittery German Prisoners almost started a stampede that could have been a real problem if those planes had made another pass over the compound.

Our Company didn't do any celebrating. We were just doing our job that day.

Today 5/08/09 was V.E. Day in Europe 64 years ago!

I recall we (G Co. 424th) were billeted in a large Building, a castle like structure. I found a patch of wild rubarb near by & I picked some; washed it, sliced it, and begged some sugar from one of our Company Cooks.

Next, I made a fire and cooked it in my helmet. Gee, was it good. I shared it with some of the men in our squad.

We carried live amo with us for several more weeks after the war ended. When some of our men got careless with it we had to turn the ammunition in.

Until then, I remember one of our men went rabbit hunting, by the Rhine River, with his B.A.R. Had he hit one, the fire power of that rifle would have turned the animal inside out!

Maybe the rabbits saw him coming and they found a hiding place; he came back empty handed.

Holy cow! How can I remember that after all these years?


Floyd,
2nd Btn.,
424th Regiment

[floydragsdale]

#2

Hello Connie:

Thank you!

At 83 plus years, my memories of the B.O.B. months and ones that followed are still vivid ones to me.

The same is true of Basic Training months as well as the maneuvers we held in the States. It all seemed to make an unforgettable impression on me.

Floyd

[gemcmeg]

#3
Hey Connie!, dad (Paul Eanes 590th svc unit) told me that by the time VE day rolled around he was in England sitting in a pub. I'm assuming Oxford (he was in hospital there) or London, they were usually the two cities he would speak of. He had been liberated mid-to late April from the pow camp in Fallingbostel. When he told me I laughed (I knew how dad appreciated a brew!) and told him, you were ahead of the game - already celebrating He softly laughed. I'm sure it was sweet! He said that there was all this noise outside and he and some others went outside to see what was going on. The war - at least for Europe, was over!

[connie]

#4
Gail,

How fitting that you posted your dad's memories of VE day on the the anniversary of that day. (In fact, at the time you posted, it was already May 8th in Europe!)

It does my heart good to know that a POW who dad had wondered about was a free man sitting in an English pub by the time VE day rolled around!!

Commemorating that day here is a quote about the day:
V-E Day, May 8, 1945, the day proclaimed by President Harry S. Truman to mark Germany's surrender in World War II. V-E stands for "Victory in Europe." The surrender document was signed at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters at Reims, France, at 2:41 A.M. (local time). Colonel General Alfred Jodl signed for Germany and Lieutenant General Walter Bedell Smith for the United States and Great Britain. Soviet and French officers also signed. On May 9, a similar document was signed by German and Soviet authorities in Berlin.

I read one man's words to the effect that, "We celebrated simply. We survived." The war was still not over. There were siblings in the Pacific and I know Dad expected to be sent there. The frenzy of European civilians may not have been echoed by the American military there. But, they had fought for this and there had to be a certain level of satisfaction as the reality sunk in. On this day in 1945 the Stars and Stripes sported a 3 inch banner headline: VICTORY!

[gemcmeg]

#5
Connie, gosh, talk about having too many irons on the fire. It did not even occur to me how the dates are working here! Yep, we have extra help in all this process! - no doubt!
Happy anniversary VE day to all!
:-)
ps and dad really enjoyed that he was in the mood for celebration on that day! I can still see his grin & him nodding his head, when i said, you were already celebrating! We had a good chuckle over that one. Dad loved his beer!

[Carl W.]

#6
Today's headlines 64 years ago:

[connie]

#7
Today is the eve of the 65th Anniversary of the VE Day Celebration. (Today is also the anniversary of the actual German Surrender).

It's time to resurrect this post and add more memories.

To all those who helped bring about this day we owe more than words can express. This gratitude goes to those who did not survive to see this day, those who endured the war, and those who endured captivity praying for freedom and Allied Victory.

Connie

PS. Here's a link to the NY Times D-Day front page: www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0507.html

[floydragsdale]

#8
Hi:

No more fox holes; a place to sleep every night; three meals a day; bathroom facilities, most of the time; a fellow could walk, not run, from here to there and not be shot at; no more artillery shells & buzz bombs flying overhead. The sounds of war were silent; the aroma and smoke of battle had vanished. All of that for the meger pay of a soldier.

Now there was time to think of comrades lost, the close calls many men lived through. The war was over, yet, the memories of war would linger on; even to the twilight years of life.

Great depression youth had a rendezous with destiny. They met it head on and our naton came forth with the torch of victory in her hand; to be enjoyed by yet unborn generations.

The world dosen't owe us a thing, all of us owe everything we can give it, every day of our life.

Floyd,
424th Regiment

[Carl W.]

#9

A message that leaves a lasting impression Floyd. Almost poem like. VE-Day was also a very memorable time for the population of the liberated countries. Finally a time of certainty after several terrible years. The process of rebuilding lives (including litteraly towns and homes) could finally begin. All thanks to the Allied armies that had come to reinstate our freedom. A freedom which was hard-fought.

Immense respect...

[connie]

#10

Today British Broadcasting has a short clip from today's ceremonies in London remembering the 65th Anniversary of VE day:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8665112.stm

Here's a clip from VE Day in London in 1945. Some American soldiers are visible in the clip. We know from post # 3 (above last year) that at least one of the POW's from the 106th (Paul Eanes from the 590th SV Battery) was also in London at the time, recovering from his time of captivity. (He was one of the drivers in the last Ammunition train that made it through to the 590th Field Artillery Battalion--but did not return--on the first day of the Bulge. (The final voice over on the film clip waxes a bit poetic on what the British people owed to Churchill. I am sure this was felt deeply by a people who had suffered a long time. But if I could add to this voice over it would also include what the world owes to those soldiers who made this day possible.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wb1ViP3QMY

This update on the London ceremonies today includes words that remember the sacrifices as well as the celebration: "As the Last Post sounded and Whitehall fell silent in cold and rain to observe a minute's silence, they bowed their heads to remember colleagues and friends who never came home."
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8669941.stm

One journalist in a US Newspaper sums up the reasons why he believes that VE Day celebrations are not as prominent at this time in the US... and why those who were there won't forget that day. He closes with these lines: "VE Day is more than a calendar observation in much of Europe. David Rehbein, the national commander of the American Legion, recently noted that all school children across Belgium, for example, learn to sing "The Star-spangled Banner" in English as a tribute to the estimated 90.000 Americans who died in defense of their nation." Carl can speak to this. I only know that in Belgium the grave of every foreign soldier located there has been adopted.
www.daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=456462

I can post web links. Carl has the pieces of history to post and the ability to do this. (Thanks!) Others, like Floyd, can remember what they were doing when they heard the news . Those stories are far more valuable than my web links! Thanks, Floyd, for the gifts you give us. I hope others will follow Floyd's lead and add your personal experiences to this thread. Or, maybe some from the next generation remember their father's stories about this day...

NOTE: other VE day notes can be found on the General Boards at: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=342&page=1
« Last Edit: Today at 12:03pm by connie »

[connie]

#1.
You don't really have to worry about where you post your thoughts. When in doubt the General board always works. Wherever you post your thoughts, we'll find and value them. You can even attach your memories right here by simply hitting reply.

But if you want to post VE Day memories where others have started posts on this subject (and see those other posts), I'll attach a quick link to the spot (located under Dates and Places in Division History):

106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=dates&action=display&thread=146

[roger]

Floyd

As usual you summed it all up in a few succinct phrases, but you did it with great feeling and such "matter of fact-ness" (which is so typical of our WW II vets). You simply had a job to do....and you did it well. And, you never, ever forget those heroes who did not live to celebrate the great victories.

I always enjoy your posts to this message board....thank you for your service and thank you for sharing with all of us.

Roger

[gfgrant8443]

#2
Connie

VE Day would have been the third day my father had been liberated and "Returned to Allied Control". I would imagine that by this time he would have had a shower, clean clothes and some real food and maybe it even would have finally seemed real this nightmare was finally over.

Frank Grant

[floydragsdale]

Thank you, Karl, Connie & Roger for your expression of appreciation to WWII 106th Division members.

The Army converted many, many boys from teen-agers to men of war.

All earned their pay on the front lines; and there were times when it seemed as if the war would never end.

Even death was easier to face than life in a foxhole at twenty-five degrees below zero.

What a joy it was to experience V.E. day. Dreaming about going home was no longer considered a fantasy.

Wow! The war was over, and the "good side" won! A little while longer, then all could go home and be civilians once more.

Floyd,
424th Regiment

[connie]

#3
Frank,
I think I'm with you in guessing that it probably took more than 3 days out of captivity to begin to completely believe that the ordeal was over. I'm wondering if, eventually, for our POW's, the date of release didn't become a much more significant moment than VE Day... And on some level I'm sure the nightmare invaded corners of many lives for a lifetime.

Do you know where your dad was at this time? (There was another problem in the numbers. The condition most were in should have required a hospital. But there were thousands... Yesterday I read the account of one sent to await shipment home at a debarkation camp. He was barely able to function there. The line to wait for his meals was more taxing than he could handle.)

It amazes me that these survivors were able to move on to meaningful lives.

Connie

[gfgrant8443]

#4
Connie

I'm just guessing that his liberation process was that fast. If he was still at StalagIV-B, It was liberated by the Russians and they stalled a long time, from what I have read before releasing the POW's. My father never talked about his POW time so I can only hope for him that his return was easy and the wounds he received on 12-19-44 had healed.

Frank Grant

[connie]

#5
Frank,

Your father and our other POWs fought battles, while disarmed, that few of us can imagine. For a long time I was too afraid of the painful nature of what I would find to even begin reading about their experience. While my dad was not taken captive, many men he knew were. I'm now taking in a little at a time. I deeply respect the will to live and the battle to hang onto hope that these men fought.

I take it from what you have noted that you have not yet discovered any record of the date your dad officially left the POW camp (after the Russian "liberation") or where he was sent after that... Let us know if you discover something more. I know the adrenaline rush that comes with finding a small puzzle piece. I'll keep my eyes open, too, as I read and dig.

Connie
(note: more information related to some POW release dates can be found under the thread,
Camps That Held Members of the 106th on the POW experience section: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pow

[bigjohn]

#6
I know my Dad was at IV-B and he said that the liberation took some time. According to his memories the Germans more or less disappeared because the Russians were so close. Although "liberated" by the Russians they were not quite free to leave until they had been checked to make sure there were no "Nazis" among them as the Russians had a special place for them. I believe (but have to check the War Dept telegrams) that he was not returned to American control for several days after being liberated.
Dad, it's almost 5 years since you are gone and I still miss you everyday.

[connie]

This is probably the tribute your father would appreciate the most -- to know he is missed by his offspring. My dad can claim the same honor...

Thank you for sharing this along with a bit more history.

Connie

[connie]

Missed noting this day's passage this year. It deserves remembering.

Connie

[floydragsdale]

Hello Everyone

Last Sunday was Mother's Day. Yet, I also remembered that it was V.E.day.

So, I mentioned that it was V.E. Day too.

Someone replied, "V.E. Day; what's that?"

It is easy to understand that you are getting old, but you are old when someone asks a WWII Veteran something like that.

Nevertheless, I'm enjoying the allotted time on this earth that the good Lord has given to me plus what ever is left to come.

Floyd
424th Regiment

For 2012 notes by Floyd on VE Day, see Remembering/ Thinking Out Loud: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=remembering&thread=692&page=1