I'm beginning to plan a trip to Europe to visit sites where my Grandfather served. I plan to visit France, Belgium and Luxembourg. I don't think I'll go into Germany, but may change my mind.

The background:

My Grandfather was in the AT (Anti-Tank) Platoon of Company C, 60th AIB (Armored Infantry Battalion) of the 9th Armored Division. He arrived in France in November 1944 and barely settled into position on the front line when on December 16th, the "Bulge" began. At that time, he was near Befort, Luxembourg, just West of the Saur River (German border).

After defending the area for 9 days, the 60th AIB moved Northwest to Sibret, just Southwest of Bastogne. Here they witnessed the supply of the city by air and connections with the 101st Airborn. The fight for Sibret and Chenogne was brutal.

After several weeks of R&R in France, the 60th AIB headed back to the front near Aachen, Germany where they raced Eastward, faced a last-stand at Sinzig before crosseing the Rhine River at Remagen.

Almost 20 years ago, a Dutch historian wrote a book about the 60th AIB, and my Grandfather contributed heavily with photos, accounts and letters home. The author only made 250 copies, mainly for surviving members and families of the 60th. It is a day-by-day, hour-by-hour account of the entire 60th AIB and is absolutely stunning. It follows the men from training in 1943 through the end of the war. I finally reveived my own copy and read it. Now, I am hooked and am on a mission to visit some of the places these men fought for.

Has anyone done anything like this? Any recommendations? I'm thinking of adding Normandy into the plans while I'm there, but Befort and the areas around Bastogne are a must. Forget Paris, I'm looking to get out into the countryside and visit the small villages where the stories were made.

I've thought of doing the same thing one day, following the path my grandfather took through France, Belgium and Germany. To add to your experience, I would suggest that you go into Germany and cross the Rhine at the point where your grandfather did. That was their goal for months and so many guys died and were wounded to make it to that damn river and cross it. And if you really want to relive some of your grandfather's moments, don't forget to pee in the river, just wait til' there aren't any Germans looking.
Good luck with your plans You'll have to let us know how it goes and eventually post another thread with photos and everything.

How far along is your planning? I'm working up about a ten-day tour of Bulge battlefields for this coming December. If you want, I can put you in touch with the guy who's putting the itinerary together.

I have just made the decision to go, so no real planning yet. I'm still making a list of places of interest. The other factor is whether I'm going alone or with my grandfather. He is in poor health, and I don't really know if he is interested in going anyway. It wouldn't surprise me if he told me he never wanted to set foot there again.

I'm still torn about visiting Germany. Due to the nature of the trip, it seems a little awkward. That's why I'd like a little feedback from others. I know there is/was a difference between the average German citizen and the Nazi party/army, and it was a long time ago, but it seems a little odd to go into their backyard and visit places where we killed their soldiers and civilians. We liberated France, but we defeated Germany and I don't know how Americans are received coming to relive the past.

My e-mail is cwickman97 at yahoo.

Well, I lived there for four years and loved it. Very few Germans hold any type of grudge for WWII. You're far more likely to encounter comments about Iraq and Afghanistan.

The older Germans who were alive during WWII generally liked Americans. I had many, many, many of them buy me beer at bierfests because we "kept the Russians out." Now that the Soviet Union is gone and a lot of them have passed on, that may no longer be the case. If you have the right attitude, that it's all over and done with and that we're friends now, you'll have absolutely no problem at all.

I'd go. You need to see the benefit of our participation in the war. You'll really enjoy it. Going to Europe and not visiting Germany would be a shame.


[This message has been edited by ag-bq-seventy (edited 6/24/2009 2:56p).]

I agree completely with ag-bq-seventy. In my two trips to Germany I never experienced any problems like that. If you go there with a respectful attitude you won't encounter any problems at all.

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I've never been off the North American continent. I think I was discounting Germany because the push East was so fast and there didn't seem to be any one particular point of interest, other than the Rhine. Come to find out that my Grandfather was wounded in the battle to take Ittenbach, the first action for his company after crossing the Rhine. The terrain in the Rhineland was formidable and I would love to see it.

the germans are okay with americans coming to visit for your intended purpose. just dont go up to someone and call them a nazi or a former-nazi, or anything to do with support of hitler and you'll be fine.

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WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
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Today, our nation lost a great man. I received word that my grandfather passed away this morning. I am still in shock and disbelief. I have known that this day would come, but I still had plans with him. I know he is with our Lord and that gives me peace.

RIP Herbert G. Wickman (1922 - 2009)
2nd Squad, AT Platoon, Company C
60th Armored Infantry Battalion
9th Armored Division
First action: December 16, 1944 (Battle of the Bulge) in Beaufort, Luxembourg. Recipient of the Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and Silver Star.

He could be a difficult man to love sometimes. His post-war alcoholism (which I believe resulted from his experiences in the war and the drowning death of his oldest son) greatly impacted his family. In recent years, my father was able to reconcile with him and I was able to tell him that I loved him and was proud of his service.

I am almost finished with the itenerary for my trip to Europe. It still may be a couple of years until I go, though.

Sorry for your loss.

My dad, class of '46 fought in the Battle of the Bulge as well. His unit returned overseas in 1994, and had a town in Holland celebrate the 50 year anniversary. I wasn't able to go because I had just had my first son (a great moment)....wish I'd somehow been able to be at two places at once. My brothers said that they couldn't buy a drink (50 years later) the Dutch were so appreciative of these men...

I live in Germany, am married to a German and know more about Germany even than my college educated german coworkers.

As long as you dont say anything stupid and kept your voice level down (americans somehow are very loud people by default) then you will be fine. Germans have swung WAAAAAYYY left and pacifist since WWII. They are poosies, their police are wimps, their soldiers are well trained, but also wimps. Germany turned from one of the hardest, toughest countries from 1870s to 1945, to one of the softest, sissy countries in the world now. I am offended by how panzy the politics and police are here .. kids get up in the face and swear at police and the police just stand there and dont do anything .. I feel its really out of control here. But there is so little major crime .. of course that is because all of the poor are pacified by the immense government dole.

My Uncle Jack B. Watt served in the 9th Armored and died Dec 18th , 1944 in Beaufort.

I traveled to Reims, France three years ago and toured the area for a day by car. I found the plaque for the 9th Armored on a hill outside Beaufort. I was delighted to find a book aobut this area written by a native, Roland Gaul. I met him at his museum and he was in fact the person who erected the plaque for the 9th Armored.

The Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg, Vol. 2: The Southern Flank December 1944 - January 1945, by Roland Gaul (Author)

BIO:

Cpl. Jack B Watt served as an engineer with the 9th Armored - Company C, His unit was among the first make contact with the Germans in the first days of the Battle of the Bulge - Dec 16-18, 1944
He was KIA on Dec 18,1944 in an isolated area of Eastern Luxemburg, possibly Beaufort. The records for WWII soldiers were lost in a fire in 1973. His unit may have been in Dilligen. Other towns mentioned in a few stories published from the Third Army under General George Patton. The location of his unit at that time is unknown and what other units he may have been attached to which according to the records could have been the 101st.

Jack's 9th Armored had trained in the deserts of the southwest anticipating warfare in Africa. With equipment and uniforms that were designed for service in North Africa; soldiers fought in zero-temperature conditions and driving snow that prevented them from seeing more than 10 or 20 yards in front of them. Because soldiers and especially the non-combat divisions such as the engineers were often cut off from their divisions in foxholes, the wounded, in some cases, literally froze to death. The heroic stand of all Americans caught on the Front those few days of December 1944 gave the Allied forces time to organize and protected the citizens of Luxemburg, France and Belgium. The 9th Armored C Company went on to hold Bastogne and Capture the Bridge at Rumagen. This ended the hopes of the Germans and brought about the surrender to the Allied forces in May 1945. The company he served in was the inspiration for the movie 'Band of Brothers"



I would cherish any photos or any connection to this area of that time from any source...since my Uncle Jack spent his final hours with his Company.


Joni Watt
Annapolis, MD

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