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A Family’s Grief & the Cost of WWII Repatriation

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The cost of World War II is unimaginable, from the number of lives lost to the monetary expenditure to fight and later bring some living and dead back home. Many people today are under the assumption, based on misinformation that has circulated, that the U.S. government paid for every penny of the expense to return a soldier’s remains to the U.S. and bury him anywhere the family desired. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Please meet Pvt. Joseph S. Kilian. I did locate a photo of Joseph on a family tree on Ancestry, but do not have permission to use the photo at the time I am writing this article. Joseph was part of Battery C 185th Field Artillery 34th Infantry Division. ASN: 33130298.  He was Killed In Action 20 February 1943 in North Africa. He still rests there today.

Joseph is one example of a soldier who was unable to return home once the war was over. As you read through his Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF), not only do you learn about his service and death, you see his father wrote letters asking about the return of remains. One stated he was too poor to afford to bury his son in the U.S., even if the military returned Joseph’s remains.

The military responded about the costs of repatriation in a two page letter.

Sadly, Joseph’s case is not the only one in which a family could not afford to bury their son or daughter. Joseph’s father says, “I gave my son up to die for our country. But the government hasn’t repayed me a red cent.” (3 page letter p.35/79 IDPF).

I do not have all the answers as to why the government chose to only pay for certain things (burial in a national cemetery) rather than other things (burial in a private cemetery). I can only share the information as it was presented to families.

As we research the service members in our families, we should not only be looking at names, dates, and places. We should explore the dark depths and secrets of the family situation. From these things, we can learn so much more about those who have gone before us and ourselves.

View Joseph’s Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF).

Do you need help researching your WWI, WWII, or Korean service member? Contact us today and ask how we can help!

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Military Researchers, Are You Paying Attention to the Details?

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Graves Registration Identification in WWII

I wrote the first article in a new series to provide answers and healing for families of WWII war dead, called, Demanding Answers About WWII War Dead.  In this article I explained I was reading a 361 page Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for a Jewish WWII soldier named Harvey.

361 pages, in this instance, is a lot of information. Often in the larger IDPFs, there are multiple copies of documents. Or as in the case of some, like Glen Miller’s, it is over 600 pages because each time it was requested by an author, historian, or other person, it was copied and that copy was included in the overall file.

In this 361 page document, there are some duplicate copies of documents, but overall, the pages contain different information. After reading through it, I have a few options to organize all the documents and my thoughts about the file contents in preparation to pull pieces out and create mini PDFs to share in the articles.

  • I can print it and arrange the pages chronologically (I’ll likely do this).
  • Create a timeline of service/events based on the documents.
  • Create a list of documents with the PDF page number, which stand out and require explanation.

Digesting 361 pages of information and all the “small” details contained in the letters is quite a task. George, Harvey’s father, is every historian’s dream because he cites his sources so to speak. He documents in most letters, the response letter with date from the military, which allows readers to refer to each letter. Can you do this by putting the documents into chronological order? Yes. But just viewing the PDF of the 361 pages, or writing a history of Harvey’s death, requires this level of detail created by his father.

George picks up on details most of us ignore as we view these files. In his letters, he questions EVERYTHING. The details offer us a glimpse into the IDPF we might otherwise ignore and offers a great teaching opportunity. For example, on the Inventory of Personal Effects Document it says at the top and bottom

R E S T R I C T E D

George questions this word at the bottom of the form as it appears to have been typed after the words: Any additional pertinent information: [with a space for that below.] Yet he seems to miss the word RESTRICTED at the top of the form typed exactly the same way. This means the form is restricted and not to be distributed to everyone.

This may seem like an inconsequential detail, but to a man who was seeking every scrap of evidence he could get about the death, burial, length of time to receive information, personal effects, and burial details for his son, this one word represented something of great importance.

Are you looking at these seemingly inconsequential details in all your military records? Are you paying attention to the smaller details or just looking to answer one or two questions and overlooking the rest? We all do it, focus on one thing and miss other details that could move our research forward or answer other questions we have. What have you found in your records?

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Demanding Answers About WWII War Dead

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Andilly Cemetery

I sit in the Netherlands this morning reading the Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) of a Jewish soldier named Harvey. The 361 page IDPF contains interesting information. It is a perfect example of what I always tell people in my books, articles, and programs. The government did not tell families everything when their son or daughter died. Honestly, how could it provide so much information for the families of the thousands of war dead and missing, while also maintaining the job it had to do for the troops on the ground, in the air, and at sea, and win the war? Things were handwritten or typed. Sent up the line to the next person who would handle the information. We were not in a time of computers and instant communication.

Harvey’s file has multiple examples with such incredible documentation by his father, George, it requires several articles to explain the information. My hope by explaining and providing documentation from the file, families of World War II war dead will find some answers, peace, closure, and healing.

So many thoughts race through my head as I read the file. It is difficult to sort my thoughts and feelings about the contents of this file, and all the voices of those long gone who keep appearing to have their say. It is important to have no judgment when reading these files. Most of us reading these files did not live through the war. We cannot fully understand what our families experienced, especially when attempting to procure information about a deceased loved one.

I hear the judgment from voices of the dead that scream it is unfair Harvey’s father was able to learn so much about the death of his son, while other families did not have the education, financial means, or social connections, to secure such information.

I also hear the judgment in the words George uses in his letters, and in some ways, a sense of entitlement, that the military should be immediately responding to his inquiries. There is a sense that while George knows his son is not the only man who died, his words provide a feeling that his son is the only one that matters, and information should be provided as a priority. This is understandable and possibly how most families felt, even if it isn’t expressed as in-depth as what we find in this file. Each family grieved in their own way, felt the pain and loss, and demanded answers, though not in the same way as George.

There is a difference between George and other many other families. George owned a business, appeared to have money, connections, and was educated. The combination of these things allowed him to connect with many people who were in a position to obtain information about his son’s death and personal effects. He had the means to fight in court, if necessary, to locate information. At least that is the sense he gives through his words in some of his letters. Most families did not have the connections, financial means, or possibly even the education, to write such letters and demand information.

George, often says, “It is unfair.” He uses this term in many of his letters to the government as he expresses his frustration in obtaining information and personal effects for his son. Readers can feel the simmering anger just below the surface of his words. In his letters, George often refers to his son as a “number,” in the way that the military doesn’t view him as a person, just as a number. Just another “number” who died, as if the military didn’t care the soldier ever existed or had a soul. He also often states he is confused about the information and timing of receipt.

The more I read George’s letters, the more I feel George was misplaced in time. Meaning he belonged in today’s world where information travels by email and social media instantly. A man who demands immediate information. We have to remember that during World War II, information to families was not immediate. It often took weeks or months for information to navigate its way through official channels before it reached the family. While the reasons for the length of time it took to receive information from overseas was likely “known” by families, it didn’t make the waiting any easier. The pain of loss seemed to override any knowing families had, making it more difficult in some cases to help them understand what was happening and why.

George’s letters explain what he knows to be the facts about receiving information. On the other hand, he demands faster attention, as if he is unable to fully comprehend the enormity of what has to be done for each soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine fighting in the war around the world. He is so fully focused only on his pain and that of his wife, his words make it appear he cannot see anything else.

How many families can relate to George’s feelings? How many families today – the children of WWII soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, even the grandchildren – seek answers, closure, peace, and healing? Many of my clients can relate and ask specifically for these things. Many of the people I interact with on social media and email can relate. Even in my own family’s military history, we have unanswered questions because of misinformation and secrets kept until the grave.

My Task

My intention is to help families heal and find answers to questions they may not have even known they had, but have always lurked in their subconscious, giving a sense that there must have been more we could have known.

Do you have specific questions about the IDPF, its contents, the information provided to families, or other questions? Please post them in the comments.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

WWI and WWII Research Coaching Now Available!

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As interest in World War I and World War II American service member research grows, we are now offering Research Coaching Packages. The processes and education you receive in these packages will allow you to research any branch of the military with greater ease.

Elite Research Coaching Package

We’ve been told all the records burned, but in reality, many records exist to help you tell your World War I and World War II service member’s story. The questions many people ask themselves is, ‘How do I access these records? Now that I have them, what do they mean?’

Are you ready to research your World War I and World War II family member’s service in-depth and have no idea where to start?

Do you have many people you would like to research, across different service branches?

Did you know the records are similar and if you know how to conduct research on one branch, you can apply those skills to any branch?

Are you ready to take your WWI or WWII research to the next level? If so, this coaching package is for you!

Over the course of four to six months, I will:

  • Facilitate the research and analysis process to help you discover personal and contextual information for one of your service member’s story, through seven phone or Skype calls, email, and written notes.
  • Provide you with the tools to take that research deeper.

Coaching clients will receive access to full files to use as examples, checklists, written analysis notes, and suggested next steps.

When you complete this coaching session, you will have the tools to take your military research to the next level on your own and easily research any World War I or World War II service member.

Contact us to receive detailed information about the package, fees, and processes.

Standard Research Coaching Package

We’ve been told all the records burned, but in reality, many records exist to help you tell your World War I and World War II service member’s story. The questions many people ask themselves is, ‘How do I access these records? Now that I have them, what do they mean?’

Are you ready to research your World War I and World War II family member’s service to learn the basics, and have no idea where to start?

Do you have many people you would like to research, across different service branches?

Did you know the records are similar and if you know how to conduct research on one branch, you can apply those skills to any branch?

Are you ready to take your WWI or WWII research to the next level? If so, this coaching package is for you!

Over the course of one to three months, I will:

  • Facilitate the research and analysis process to help you discover personal for one of your service member’s story, through four phone or Skype calls, email, and written notes.
  • Provide you with the tools to take that research deeper using contextual records.

Coaching clients will receive access to full files to use as examples, checklists, written analysis notes, and suggested next steps.

When you complete this coaching session, you will have the tools to take your military research to the next level and research unit records on your own. You will easily be able to research any World War I or World War II service member.

Contact us to receive detailed information about the package, fees, and processes.

One Day Research Coaching Package

Do you have research materials and are unsure how to decipher and analyze them? Would you like a personalized session to review materials, ask questions, and learn how to move forward with your research or writing?

Schedule a one day coaching session which includes:

  • A one hour consultation prior to our meeting (phone, Skype, or email.)
  • Up to six hours of in-person meeting time.
  • A one hour post-meeting consultation (phone, Skype, or email.)

Contact us to receive detailed information about the package, fees, and processes. European meetings can be scheduled. Inquire about possibilities.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Are You Researching the Other Names in the IDPF?

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Did you know I’ve been researching genealogy (family history) for more than 20 years? Though to be honest I know more about my client’s families than my own at this point, as I spend more time researching for them. One thing that the genealogy community encourages people to do is research the collaterals. For readers unfamiliar with this concept, let me explain.

Joseph and Majdalena Kokoska, my great great grandparents, came to Chicago from Bohemia in 1880. To my current knowledge and research, they had no family here, so the reason they chose Chicago over another location where Czechs were settling is unknown. They had 11 children, 10 of which survived beyond infancy. They lived on 18th Place in Chicago, which was in a Czech neighborhood. To learn more about them, I used the usual records – census, vital record, military draft cards, etc. I also searched the collaterals when I could not initially locate them in the 1920 census.

Searching the collaterals meant looking at who their neighbors were. If I could locate them in the census, chances are I would locate my family as I had other proof they had not moved. Examining the records of the neighbors lives, might lead to a connection that went back to Bohemia. It may have also linked to occupation and organization involvement in Chicago. In rural areas, genealogists may look at many families in a town or county, as it was common for groups of families to migrate from one place to another. When we can’t find a family in one place and a census shows other families are gone, tracing those families may help us locate ours.

How does this apply to military research?

Often when we receive military records for our soldier, airman, sailor, or Marine, we focus so much on the individual and the details we can find on him or her, that we ignore the rest. What would happen if we shifted some focus to those who served with our soldier or were declared MIA or KIA the same day they were? What might we learn?

In one example, I have been reviewing the IDPF for Col. John A. Gillies, who died when the Russian plane he was on with two other Americans, crashed over Iran on 29 Feb 1942. Col. Gillies was part of the Corps of Engineers at that time stationed in Iraq and the Americans he was with, along with many Russians, were handling aspects of the Lend-Lease agreement. While the IDPF is VERY complete and there are many descriptions of the plane crash, photographs, and a detailed description of the recovery efforts, searching other records and the collaterals is important.

I searched Ancestry.com for two men, Roland L. Spencer and Gustave A. Goesele and found a database I don’t remember seeing before. If I had, it didn’t pertain to the research I was doing so I overlooked its significance. This is the Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad, 1835-1974. In this database I found roughly 10 pages that pertained to Spencer and more than 50 pertaining to Goesele! In these records was information about the plane crash and loss of the men, financial information, and occupational information. Gillies was mentioned in these reports as well. They provided yet another source of information to his life.

Exploring offline archives for additional records, especially occupational records to see how these men were connected prior to the war may also prove useful in compiling their life stories.

For European grave adopters, there is always a concern of how much will it cost to obtain records. In Europe many records are digitized, and available free or at low cost, in archives. The same is not true for U.S. archives. Online resources are the primary way grave adopters locate information. Yet as I have explained in my Why WWII Research Isn’t Free article, most of the information you need to tell the full story, not just the end, is not online. When you read the IDPF you are getting the end of a soldier’s story and his final unit, which often is not the only unit in which he served and not the only war experience he had. To learn his full story you have to use offline records.

I encourage everyone to explore these other individuals connected to your soldier. You may be surprised at what you discover about them, their living family members, and even locate photographs.

Do you need help obtaining records? Would you like an individual consultation in the Netherlands? Contact us for details on research projects.

Have you searched the collaterals for your service member? What discoveries did you make?

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Are You Checking the Information You Find on FindAGrave?

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John A. Gillies

I’ve been doing a lot of research on those buried or listed on the Wall of the Missing at the ABMC North Africa Cemetery. I came across a very interesting Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Colonel John A. Gillies, Sr. (1889-1942). The file is 95 pages long and contains photographs of the crash site in Iran where the Russian plane he was traveling on, went down. Photographs in IDPFs are not uncommon, but rare.

There is so much detail in this file that I started looking into who this man was. I started with FindAGrave because ABMC made entries for everyone in their database. Research tip! Often other people made entries as well, which makes the individual look like his own sibling in the Family Links area. If you click the link you will see a lengthy entry for Col. Gillies, which was taken from one of the many newspaper accounts about the plane crash and his loss of life. However, what the IDPF contains is a somewhat different set of facts.

First, the place of death states Basara, Iraq which is incorrect. This is where Col. Gillies was stationed, according to the documents in his IDPF. The crash site was near Darband, Iran. A detailed account of the crash investigation is in the file (see image below) and a letter to the family with a tremendous amount of detail as to what Col. Gillies was doing in Iran and with the Russians at the time.

Second, the newspapers during WWII did not always report ‘the whole truth/facts and nothing but the truth/facts.’ They were fed some information and allowed to print only what was allowed. This is one reason why it is so important to verify what you find in one source against many others. In some cases, what newspapers reported when an event was released differs from later accounts when the war was ending or over and other information was allowed to be released.

Third, the number of people on the plane and their country of origin differs from the official reports. If you were to search based on what you found in this newspaper article, you would be missing a lot.

The research we do for our soldiers is not an easy task, especially when so much information is unavailable online. No matter where you find information, in official military records, online, carved into a headstone, it is imperative that you check the information against all other available sources. You will often find what you think you know is not really accurate.

Always ask questions and keep digging.

What discoveries have you made in your research that would be helpful for other researchers? What did you find online that later conflicted with military record sources? How did you resolve the conflict?

Can I help you with your research?

Are you ready to learn the bigger picture of your family member’s military service? Email us at info@wwiirwc.com to set up your free phone consultation today to discuss project options, fees, and time. You can also sign-up for our free newsletter.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Genealogy and Stories in Military Records

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Honoring Bernie Tom at Margraten.

I recently received several new Individual Deceased Personnel Files (IDPFs) for those buried in or on the Wall of the Missing at North Africa. In addition to this, I received some very interesting client files that contained partially burned Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs). Reviewing these files for two days straight led to so many questions about family, war, research, the stories we hear and tell, and the pain passed down through the generations. It also brought up questions not only about family members, but those who adopt graves in the ABMC cemeteries.

Did you know a lot more can be learned from military records beyond the soldier’s: name, service number, unit, and enlistment and discharge/death data? Did you know many of these records contain handwritten letters from family, primarily when their soldier was Killed In Action or listed as Missing In Action?

Have you ever looked beyond your soldier in these files and questioned what life was like for those they left behind? Are you wondering what I mean when I ask that question?

  1. What are the family dynamics you discovered in the files? Were the soldier’s parents married or divorced? Had one died? Was he or she married?
  2. How did the parents feel about their son or daughter’s death in the war?
  3. What grief was passed through the letters inquiring about their soldier’s death, burial location, and seeking information on personal effects?
  4. Were any family members put into a mental hospital or sanatorium after they learned of the death or Missing In Action status?
  5. What stories were you told about your family member’s service? How did that line up with the information you discovered in the records?
  6. What stories do YOU tell about this soldier, his/her experiences, and lessons learned?
  7. How much grief do you carry from someone you may have never met?
  8. If you adopted a grave, have you met the soldier’s family? Were you able to provide information that helped ease the pain they carried about their family member? Were you able to answer questions they held onto for years?

Grave adopters view files in a different way. Often to find a photograph, learn basic details of their soldier, and connect with a living family member. There are many other lessons and higher level details about the war in these files (I’m saving that topic for another article coming soon!). As you take a deeper look, what will you discover?

In my experience at the ABMC cemeteries and reading all the files I have the last five years, the soldiers have a story they would like told by the living. They too are seeking answers and peace. Many wish to be released once the living know what they are here to pass onto us. However you personally connect with these soldiers, are you hearing them?

I have a lot more to say and many more questions on this topic. You can watch a video I created to just get some of my thoughts out for you to think about.

What have you learned about your family and its history and trauma from military records?

As a grave adopter, what did you learn about your soldier and what were you able to convey to the family to help bring closure to their questions?

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

History Majors! Think Outside the Box

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Yesterday I was interviewed and filmed for the business, in Chicago at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. People strolled in and out of the building while we were filming and one young woman listened to the stories I told as Scott asked questions while he filmed. She and I had several short conversations about the work I do, the History degree I have (Bachelor only) and the adventurous, inspirational, traveling, healing, love-filled life I have created with my business. She too has a history degree. It reminded me that several years ago I gave a talk at my alma mater, The University of Missouri-Rolla – now Missouri S&T, to the history club about thinking outside the box. I’d like to share a few thoughts with history majors around the world and let you know, there are many other choices available besides going for your Masters or Ph.D. and teaching or being a scholar.  ANYTHING is possible if you choose it.

What did my life look like after I finished my degree?

When I finished my history degree I moved back to Chicago and worked for several years at Shedd Aquarium, first in the education department and later built databases for their animal management system. Building databases, writing reports, and teaching staff how to use the system, encompassed analytical thinking, which is important for historians. I was using some of my history skills and also taught myself everything I knew about databases. Those things would benefit me when I was in business for myself. No experience is ever wasted. As time passed, I had three boys and stopped working for five years. In 2010 it was time to return to work and I ended up not working for “the man” but started my own genealogy business.

When my business started I was only taking genealogy research clients. I also wrote one book about my cousin Flying Tiger Robert Brouk. You can find his story in my book “Stories of the Lost.” Writing that book was a bucket list thing. I never intended to write 13 others after that in five years. As time passed I expanded the business into teaching some genealogy topics and researching WWI and WWII. I published several genealogy teaching course books for kids to adults and one for societies and libraries. By late 2012 I was moving more into WWI and WWII research, writing, and teaching, and moving away from genealogy clients.

Jennifer writing by the sea in Hastings, UK in June 2017.

What does my life look like right now?

Seven years later, my business looks completely different than it did when I started it. I’m currently only working with one genealogy client I’ve had for six years. The rest of my business consists of WWI and WWII clients with an occasional Korean War client thrown in the mix. I wrote 14 books, countless articles and programs. I also teach seven WWI and WWII research and writing programs in the U.S. and Europe.

Why did I move from genealogy to WWI and WWII? In part because no one else was specializing in this. Also because I was chosen to do this job so the stories of war would be saved. I also followed the energy, the soldiers I  channeled, and my intuition. I did what was easy and fun for me, and things and people showed up to support that. I invested a lot of time and money into research and writing so I could write the only books on the market that teach you how to research any branch of the military for WWI and WWII. This also allowed me to create the programs I now teach.

After that I began traveling to Europe to meet people in a network I was building of WWII researchers and tour guides, to which I refer clients who wish to walk in their soldier’s footsteps. Through people I met on one of those trips, I was introduced to my now fiancé, Johan, a Dutch man living near Amsterdam.  Johan and I now live part of the year in Europe and part in the U.S. My fiancé is also a historian and 101st Airborne Reenactor. Together we are creating new programs and workshops and travel together. I’m also raising three very active boys.

Along the way I had a couple people who mentored me briefly in starting the business. When it was time to move into military research, there was no one to mentor me. I made it up and worked through the questions as I went along. I also collaborated with researchers in Europe. When people tell you that you should always have a mentor, I say no you don’t. You are capable of creating something no one else has if you trust yourself, what you know, and are willing to put in the time to follow your heart.

Throughout the last seven years, more in the last five, I started a spiritual journey which took me through a dark night of the soul in which I left my marriage, started a new life with my boys, and spent a lot of time alone (with my soldiers.) I rediscovered myself, resolved within myself a lot of family issues, and found parts of me that had been hidden for lifetimes. That journey took me through Europe with my cousin James Privoznik who died 11 January 1945 in Bras, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. I wrote his story in “Stories of the Lost” and feature him in many of my programs. James helped shaped the business and my life from the beyond. He, among many others living and dead, helped me heal a lot of deep, dark parts of me.

That healing journey allowed me to be more open and vulnerable, and offer this to clients and those who attend my programs. Research isn’t always about the questions we have about our soldier. Often it takes us deeper, to places we never expect, if we choose and allow it. To expand my healing and what I BE in this world to make a contribution, I became a Certified Access Consciousness Bars Practitioner this summer. The tools I’ve learned in Access and ThetaHealing, along with meditation and other healing modalities allows me to contribute to my work and healing in ways I never expected.

What comes next?

My research business is expanding and I’m now working with one colleague to keep the client load moving smoothly.  Soon I will be looking for an intern. Johan and I are creating workshops which currently do not exist anywhere in the world. I’m writing two short books and will increase my speaking and teaching in 2018. I also decided to pursue the Access Consciousness Certified Facilitator training and Reiki Training.

What else will show up? Who knows. ANYTHING is possible.

If you are pursuing a degree in history and think the only option available to you is to go into teaching or become a scholar, consider the little I’ve told you about my journey. Think outside the box, beyond what everyone else tells you is possible and create your own reality and life. You just may discover that what you love to do and is easy for you, can create a business and life you never expected.

Have you pursued a history degree and done something other than teaching with it? We’d love to hear about your journey.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

WWII The Schark Cave in Maastricht, The Netherlands

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This is a guest post written by Jons van Dooren Maastricht, the most southern city of the Netherlands, was liberated on the 13th and 14th of September 1944. The Ninth Army established its headquarters in Maastricht and stayed there for about five months. About 800 American soldiers were in Maastricht and surroundings, in part preparing for Germany. They were also protecting the area and Antwerp harbour (all the American supplies were there)  from V1’s and V2’s, launched from Germany. 127th AAA and 131st AAA  Gun battalion had their gunpits in Maastricht and in the neighbourhood. It was their responsibility to  protect the whole area from attacks by planes and bombs. The soldiers belonging to these units were the ones who took down enemy planes and the so called Buzz-bombs. In many cases they succeeded as reports show and Antwerp harbour was “safe”. In the meantime the coldest winter of the 20th century arrived and the soldiers had to do their duty under extreme circumstances. In the days around Christmas it was minus 32F, extremely cold, and some had to sleep in their tents. An American chaplain, Father Dobrzynski, together with some Brothers of the Immaculate Conception of Maastricht, thought about how to give the boys a kind of Christmas Feeling in these days. They knew of a cave, the Schark cave, which was very safe, and where a Mass could be held on Christmas Eve. The cave was prepared. Sal Barravecchia, one of the soldiers, created a beautiful mural in which he showed how Freedom was guarded from all sides. About 260 American soldiers attended Mass. After Mass they had coffee and donuts. Most of the soldiers were staying Maastricht, and some came from the Ardennes, where the fighting in the Battle of the Bulge was raging on. They were taken to Maastricht by their trucks. After Mass they all wrote their names on the wall with charcoal.  This wall is still preserved. The website itself shows some pictures of the Christmas Eve Mass in 1944, taken by American soldiers. Yearly Commemoration Every year the Foundation of the Commemoration of the American Christmas Celebration 1944 ( abbr. SHAK1944) organizes a Christmas Eve Mass to commemorate those brave boys who fought for the Liberty of Europe. Every year about 200 American soldiers attend this Service, together with their superiors, the American Ambassador or his representative,  the King’s Commissioner of the province of Limburg, the Mayor of Maastricht  and some other people. Sometimes a veteran himself or his relatives attend Mass as well. Requesting Your Help Not all the names on the wall can be read, because sometimes people swept their coats along the walls or tried to touch the names. We, the SHAK board, would like to know whether there are families who know that their grandfather attended Mass in 1944. Are there sons, daughters, grandchildren or other relatives who could help us in completing the list of names? Should you be interested, the list of names is presented on our website.  There are even some letters written by soldiers the day after the Mass. We would be very grateful for any information. You may contact us through our email address. Thank you very much for your kind cooperation. On behalf of the SHAK1944 board, Mr. Jons van Dooren, Chairman

Can I help you with your research?

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Finding Peace in Chichester, UK

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Many research clients have wandered into my life the last seven years. Some create more of a connection than others due to the type of project we work on together. There are clients who want the facts and only the facts. Then there are others who seek to heal things within themselves and their family, often without realizing that is one reason they hired me. When those clients show up, often, a vulnerable exchange takes place between us both. When that happens, we are both affected and both healed, whether we are conscious of it or not.

Those exchanges can take us on powerful journeys we might not otherwise have taken. If we choose the journey.

I had one client this year who truly touched my heart. He had a family member who fought in the 30th Infantry Division during World War II. Together we discovered his story and throughout the process, I found piece of myself that I was waiting to be healed. I also found I was more capable of some things than I thought. We all have those moments when we doubt our capacities and capabilities right? Isn’t it great when someone helps us see we are able to do more than we think we can? Those people show up when we least expect them.

Johan and Jennifer

On 2 June, Johan and I were in England. We had driven from Amsterdam to Calais and took the ferry to the White Cliffs of Dover. We arrived the day before in Dover and had a marvelous day exploring. This was my first trip to England and there was a lot to take in. On the 2nd, the plan was for me to drop Johan at a golf course about 30 minutes north of Brighton and then I would drive to Chichester and then to Brighton by the evening.

Let me be honest – at first, the thought of driving on the wrong side of the road in a place I’d never been, was a bit scary. It has been a couple years since I traveled solo in Europe and there was a moment I wondered – can I really do this……by myself!? Well of course I could! I was not about to spend the entire day sitting in a golf clubhouse and told my client I would visit Chichester since the 30th Division had been there.

After breakfast Johan drove us to the golf course and I left him there and was off on my way. We heard there was a RAF museum at Tangmere, which turned out to be on the road to Chichester. I chose to stop there and see what that museum was all about and if it contained anything on the Americans in the area. That will be another article as there was a lot to take in there.  I arrived in Chichester after 1:30. It took me quite a while to get there as roads in England are not the same as the Netherlands or the U.S. there are many small country roads and it takes a while to get most places. The drive was incredibly beautiful and relaxing and I had no problems driving on the wrong side of the road. I asked my guides and angels to help me drive and keep me focused. They did a great job.

After Tangmere, I drove to Chichester. My first stop there was the cathedral. The client and I had no idea if his family member had visited the cathedral, but he had been in the area. I also never turn down an opportunity to visit a cathedral.

Chichester Cathedral is large. Not as large as Canterbury Cathedral, but still large. It is a place where you can find serenity and a bit of yourself around each corner or hidden within a sunlit prayer room. Like any cathedral, everywhere you look there is something intricate and beautiful to see. There are paintings, tombs, stained glass, arches, floors, signs, candles, flags and banners for military regiments, and people wandering through it all. Of course there were places to light candles, which I always do. Often to Mother Mary as she guides me, but also to Archangel Michael when possible, or military shrines. I was able to light candles for the 30th Division soldiers, who were definitely there with me in the cathedral. I guess I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was.

I’ve always found these sacred places excellent places to write, pray, and release all those things that no longer serve me. The prayer room pictured to the right was one area of the cathedral I could have sat for hours writing, looking at the light play with the colors in the stained glass, and just BE. How often do we stop and just BE? Not often enough.

Arundel Tomb

One part of the cathedral that felt connected to me was the Arundel Tomb. There is a poem by Philip Larkin, An Arundel Tomb, written about the Earl and his Countess with joined hands in death (uncommon for this to be on a tomb at that time.) Made me think of my knight and our past life together. That could have been us.

The last line of that poem is, “What will survive of us is love.” Beautiful.

As is the case with most places I visit, time was limited and I had not eaten lunch yet. FYI – in England at most museums, cathedrals, or places like these, if you do not get into their cafes for lunch prior to 2:00 p.m. you will probably be out of luck and get the bottom of the pan of what’s left or coffee. I was able to get a little lunch just before they put the pots away. Then I took a walk through the town center before discovering there are gardens on the cathedral grounds!

Jennifer in the Bishop’s Garden at Chichester Cathedral.

After lunch I visited the Bishop’s Garden. Words cannot accurately describe how beautiful and peaceful it was. One cannot walk into the garden without smiling, feeling joyful, smelling numerous flower scents, and finding some peace in the sunshine. The garden seemed to go on forever, though I did not have the time to explore every inch. Perhaps another trip. The photo I took with the flowers and cathedral behind me almost looks as if I was imposed into a painting. The whole area has a magical fairy tale feel to it.

So what did I learn this day? How did I heal?

I remembered I was fully capable of traveling on my own and driving in a foreign land on the wrong side of the road. Patience, the willingness to ask the universe for help, a good GPS system, and plenty of time to get where I needed to go was important.

I was able to just BE in the cathedral and gardens. There was no one asking me to move on to the next place or see the next thing. There was just time. We all need that time alone no matter how much we love our [fill in the blank….husband, kids, wife, parents….] That time helps us grow, heal, resolve things within our hearts and souls, and discover pieces of ourselves we thought were missing or never discovered.

I learned I love nature more than I thought! I’m not a woman who likes to go play in the dirt and get her hands all dirty. That’s never been me. A few months ago I learned I had the capacity to communicate with trees, plants, and the earth. Sitting in the Bishop’s Garden felt so joyful. I even wrote about it in my journal.

I’m sitting in the Bishop’s Garden at Chichester Cathedral. Bids are singing, and the sun shining with wispy clouds. Behind me is the cathedral and so many beautiful flowers. Heaven. I wish I didn’t have to leave soon. Probably take an hour to get to Brighton and need to check in before Johan arrives.

When I walked into the garden, my heart sang! It felt so good to be here. One can’t help but smile here. There are roses everywhere you look and peonies and other flowers I can’t name.

The gardens go on forever but I don’t have time to walk them all. I’m content now sitting here. I walked part of the garden earlier and then walked up to part of the old city wall. Left the gardens to photograph more of the exterior of the cathedral and walk to the gate. Then I came back.

Finally, visiting the cathedral and gardens showed me again how much I love my job and that I would like to do more of this. Visiting places client’s family members have been when they cannot. Walking where my client’s family member was, I took photos and videos for him, which allowed him to almost be there. Though he was there in spirit.

Thank you to the client who inspired this trip to Chichester. You touched my heart and helped me grow.

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