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Honoring the WWII Paratroopers of Prague

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This is a guest post written by Sharon Odegaard. All photos are Sharon’s and used with permission.

Prague’s beautiful old town today is what draws so many to visit. It escaped damage during WWII, so what we see strolling along the lanes and in the town square are genuinely historic shops and churches and restaurants, rather than new versions made to look old. People flock to Prague to experience history in its pure form. So many of the cities in Europe suffered from bombing, one of the closest to Prague being lovely Dresden, which lay in ruins after the war. Some cities were rebuilt in the original style, such as Dresden and Nuremberg, and others chose to start over with modern structures of glass and chrome, like Berlin.

How was Prague spared destruction? The leaders chose to surrender rather than lose their city during WWII. This is well explained on the excellent WWII in Prague tour. And we also learned about the resistance here. These men and women did not accept surrender and fought to sabotage the German war effort. The group was small and suffered from a lack of radios and contact with the Allies, but they claimed one amazing feat – the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the third most powerful Nazi leader.

Heydrich, Nazi SS Obergruppenführer and General of Police, was in charge of Prague at this time. He was ruthless in pursuit of disloyal townspeople. He earned the nickname, “The Butcher of Prague,” due to relentless arrests and murders of the locals. He was also a leading architect of “The Final Solution,” recommending that all Jews be killed. After the Jews would come the citizens of Prague, according to the master plan. Taking Heydrich out would be a serious blow to the Nazi cause and would possibly save many lives in Prague.

The story of the assassination is more dramatic than fiction. The Czechs who killed Heydrich are memorialized at the place of their last stand against the Germans. Seven brave men held out against the Germans where they had been hiding, at the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Today, you can visit the National Memorial to the Heroes of the Heydrich Terror in the crypt of this church.

The crypt is quite small and is kept just as it was after this battle. Standing underground in the musty basement of the church, you can imagine what went on there.

You’ll want to know about Anthropoid before you visit the memorial. The assassination plot, devised in England in 1941 and code-named Operation Anthropoid, called for two young Czechs in exile there to parachute back into Prague and shoot Heydrich. So Josef Gabcik and Jan Kubis jumped from a plane in the dead of winter, off course due to poor weather, with Gabcik suffering a foot injury on landing. From December 1941 to May 1942, Gabcik and Kubis lived with a resistance family while Gabcik’s foot healed. They met with resistance members in Prague and maintained radio silence with England, as ordered. The mission was discussed with others, but the target of Operation Anthropoid was kept secret from the resistance. The plan to assassinate such a high-ranking Nazi official would be thought crazy and certain suicide. Gabcik and Kubis committed to the mission and did not back down.

On June 4, 1942, the plan went into motion. The Czechs would shoot Heydrich as his open-top Mercedes limousine came around a sharp corner, then run. The mission didn’t go as planned. When Gabcik jumped in front of Heydrich’s car and pointed his Sten gun, the gun jammed. Heydrich, realizing what was happening, jumped from the car to chase Gabcik. Kubis went into action with the backup plan and threw a grenade at the car. He missed Heydrich but hit a corner of the car. The paratroopers ran away through the smoke and went into hiding, knowing that Heydrich was wounded but survived, and they had failed.

The Germans reacted immediately with reprisals. Then, Heydrich died from his wounds. The Germans offered a hefty sum for any information on the young men. After three weeks, a fellow resistance member betrayed them. But Gabcik and Kubis were moved to the Saints Cyril and Methodius Church and hid in the crypt there with others who assisted in the assassination. The woman who had hidden the parachutists was killed and her son tortured until he gave away the location of the church hiding place.

The Germans invaded the church and a long battle ensued. Eventually, the Czechs in the main part of the church were killed or committed suicide. Intending to try to take the paratroopers alive, the Germans tried to shoot their way into the crypt. When that failed, they flooded the crypt from city fire hoses to flush out the men. At that point, the paratroopers knew they couldn’t escape, so rather than be captured, they all committed suicide.

Operation Anthropoid resulted in extensive reprisals, including the slaughter of the entire village of Lidice. Many lost their lives. But even those who survived the war in Prague have spoken out to honor the men who struck a blow at the highest levels of Nazi leadership. One far-reaching consequence was that Winston Churchill reacted by declaring the Munich Pact void and England embraced the Czechs as Allies for the first time. It’s interesting, too, that England didn’t claim any part of the operation but gave full credit to the Czechs.

The crypt today shows clear signs of the battle. Bullet holes pepper the walls. When you stand in the crypt, you feel how small and claustrophobic it is, just a small basement in a neighborhood church. But the bravery that took place here was beyond measure.

Thank you notes lay scattered about, tributes to these young men who gave themselves in hopes of saving others. Groups of school children and tourists come here to learn about this story of Czech resistance to evil.

The tiny museum outside the crypt tells the story of Operation Anthropoid. On display are items like Jan Kubis’ shoe and one of the guns used in the battle.

The crypt of this church tells the story of seven men who held off the German war machine in a local church for six hours. The paratroopers and those who aided and hid them gave their lives to cut off a leader who randomly and methodically killed innocents.

It’s well worth a visit and leaves you with much to mull over.

Want to know more about Operation Anthropoid? The excellent 2016 movie Anthropoid is a gripping dramatization and well worth seeing.

Questions? Comments? You can reach Sharon Odegaard at sharonodegaard@gmail.com.

Would you like to read more from Sharon? Visit her website, Exploring Our World.

 

Upcoming Program – Stories of the Lost

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I will be presenting, Stories of the Lost, Saturday, November 11, 1:30 p.m. – Note: This program is not suitable for children.

This program is being held at the Nordlof Center, 118 N Main St, Rockford, IL, as part of the Rockford Library Programming.

What happened to our soldiers, sailors, and Marines who died in World War II? What policies and procedures were, and were not, in place to handle our valiant dead? Who took care of these men and women who were killed? Why and how did some soldiers return to the United States, while others still sleep overseas? Why are some still considered Missing In Action or unrecoverable?

In this engaging and informative presentation, Jennifer shares:

  • A trip through time, exploring the service history of James Privoznik, who was Killed In Action 11 January 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge.
  • Discuss the history of the Graves Registration Service and their job during and after World War II.
  • Show and teach you what the IDPF (Individual Deceased Personnel File) is, and how it can help you reconstruct service, and understand what happened to your deceased soldier.
  • Learn why records and personal effects may not exist.
  • Resources for the Prisoners, the Missing, and the Dead.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Dark Tourism in Europe

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A few months ago I read an article in a Holocaust Educator’s group about dark tourism. I had never heard of this until I read the article and then realized, I do dark tourism when I travel in Europe.

Dark tourism is defined as: Tourism that involves traveling to places associated with death and suffering.

There is a great website Dark-Tourism (that seems to be offline in 2019), that explains what dark tourism is, the ethical considerations, health and safety issues, and places for dark tourism, among many other things. I highly recommend you review their main about page. (As of 25 Nov 2019 their website seems to not work but you can Google Dark Tourism to learn more from other sites.)

Also read the more scholarly description of dark tourism.

I must admit being drawn to dark tourism and the sites associated with it. Having a degree in history and background in genealogy/family history and WWI and WWII, I visit these sites primarily for historical educational purposes. A secondary reason I visit, is often I am called or drawn to a particular site to perform healing of some kind. I always seem to end up in places I never plan to be. That healing may come in the form of releasing lost souls or being witness to someone’s story (living or dead.) Sometimes just being present in a location is enough to heal whatever happened there. I do not always know exactly why I’m in certain places, but I feel the energy of it and it isn’t always good or peaceful.

I experience many things at dark tourist sites which I am often able to write or speak about later. The stories I tell often heal something in other people. Then there are places where I’m just not sure how to properly convey what happened. Perhaps those places and energies are reserved for me to heal something inside myself rather than always the souls or place I am in.

For example, I visited Dachau in 2015, on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the camp. This was unplanned and we arrived after lunch when busloads of people were leaving the commemoration ceremonies. I walked to the gas chamber and oven building and I could smell the smoke, hear the screams, feel the fear of those who were once there. What does one do with that? In this life I am not Jewish. Was I experiencing those energies and voices so I could bear witness so it would not be forgotten? Was I there to heal someone or the place in some way?

When my husband and I visited Prague on our honeymoon we took a WWII in Prague tour. That was not in our plans as we did not originally plan to work while we were there. I was ok through most of the tour until we visited the Gothic and Roman cellars under the Old Town Hall. This is where the resistance members and Prague citizens took refuge during the occupation. In one room in particular I could feel a tightening and nauseous feeling in my solar plexus, a tightening and almost being strangled feeling in my throat. I heard the voices of mothers soothing crying children and the dying. My soul almost wanted to jump out of my body and thankfully we moved on before it did. I did a lot of clearing in that space for both myself and the past.

Also in Prague I walked past the Jewish Cemetery but could not go in. Just walking past I picked up so much negative, sad, depressed, angry energy, I thought my soul would fly away. It took several minutes after I moved beyond the area to clear that and feel ok.

There are also places I’ve been which are likely classified as dark tourist sites due to the number of dead that sleep there, like Normandy Cemetery. The dark tourism site lists some (but not all French WWII sites and adds war cemeteries in their list). So many dead on and after D-day that were temporarily and then permanently buried there. This was the first ABMC cemetery I visited after several years of research into the cemeteries and war dead. It is one thing to research and another thing to walk where you have researched.

I could only cry from the moment I stepped foot on the property, through the museum in the visitor’s center and out into the area just before the steps to the cemetery itself. Once I reached the top of the steps the tears and sadness left. I heard only cheers and ‘welcome home’ and ‘we are so glad you finally came home.’ I felt happy and at peace. No more tears. Only peace.

Home. What did that mean exactly? The soldiers were definitely happy I visited. They recognize me as someone who will listen to them and tell their stories. To help their family members learn what really happened which will also bring them peace. Was I a soldier in WWII? No. The man I loved in that lifetime did die in the war though. In this lifetime, several family members fought and died. Perhaps home meant I was in a place I belonged, to bear witness, be understood in the pain I felt researching and telling the stories of the dead, and heal.

There are so many stories and experiences I’ve had in dark tourist sites and even those not considered dark. While I do avoid places that make me feel like my soul will flee and I’ll die on the spot, I don’t rule out visiting them in the future when I’ve healed other parts of my soul. The more we heal, the more the world heals.

Tour Resource

World War II in Prague – I took this tour in October 2017 and it was amazing. Highly recommend this company.

What are your thoughts on, and experiences with, Dark Tourism?

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Prague in World War II Tour

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Johan and I got married and went on honeymoon in Prague. Initially I thought we’d do some ancestor hunting for me. As far as I’ve researched (back into early 1800s), my family came from Bohemia – later Czechoslovakia. Then we decided no work, no war, and no genealogy. We would only be dreamy honeymooners exploring the city. However we always go with the flow and see what shows up. On our second day in Prague we stumbled upon a brochure for the tour company World War II in Prague. The brochure was exciting and well done. All you had to do was show up at the tour meeting place at the time you wished to go and pay there. How does it get any better than that?

On a rainy Sunday morning at 10:00 at the Powder Tower (just down the street from our hotel,) we met Hannah, our tour guide. There was a small group of less than 10 people which was perfect for asking questions. Our tour started at the Powder Tower and Hannah showed us a map of Czechoslovakia and the surrounding countries from 1938. She began telling us stories of how the annexation occurred and what happened to the Czech people, especially those in Prague.

After a serious history lesson about Czechoslovakia and its importance to Hitler’s war plans, we began walking to the Old Town Square where the Nazis rolled through Prague and began taking over. As we walked, Hannah stopped and pointed out different war memorials on the buildings, especially those for the resistance. Those in the resistance greeted each other with a specific hand signal, as seen in the memorials. Most of the signs we saw, with or without the hand on them, contained names of those who died in Prague fighting for freedom, many on the last days of the war as the Germans were killing everyone they could in an attempt to save themselves.

Our tour included a visit to the underground where the resistance met and many families whose houses had been destroyed, fled during the occupation. The underground took us two layers below the current Prague street level. The first level was the Gothic cellar. The second, the Roman cellar, beneath the Old Town Hall. Prague has a series of connected cellars which made it difficult for the Germans to know how many resistance members there were at one time. We had eaten the night before in Roman cellars and I had no idea then of their significance.

In the cellars I could feel the people who had once been there. Perhaps from the war and perhaps from other times. So many were silenced I discovered as I felt that energy in my throat. Others gave up their power willingly or unwillingly and were full of fear, as I felt that energy in my solar plexus. I could almost see and hear the mothers with crying children in the cellars. See the people wandering with lost looks on their faces. And the sick and dying. There were moments I wasn’t sure I could stand any longer in certain areas of the cellar due to the energy coming up. So many souls asking for peace and to be remembered.

After the Old Town Hall cellars, we walked through more of Prague toward the river. We learned the story of Heydrich’s assassination and the role of the resistance in that attempt. Hannah had photos from the war and showed them each step of the tour. We were able to have a “then and now” visual of what happened. You can see many of these photos on the tour company’s website.

We stopped in front of a building where Franz Kafka lived, which was the Gestapo Headquarters. Across the street from this was the building, which is still standing, which had radio transmitters on the roof for the resistance to use.

Prior to the end of our tour, we walked through the Jewish Quarter and learned more about the fate of the Jews in Prague. We learned how they worked with the resistance to stall production and fight the Nazis. We saw several monument stones on buildings for Jews who died, and the Stolpersteine in the sidewalks. I’ve seen more of these in Amsterdam than I did in Prague. Prague did not have a huge Jewish population during the war, but many were shipped to camps. It is interesting there are not more Stolpersteine. Our final stop was near the SS Headquarters, which was housed in the now Charles University Law Faculty building.

The tour took about two hours and our heads were filled with so much information that I asked Johan to start writing some of the highlights down as soon as we found a place for lunch. I learned so much about Czechoslovakia during the war. I’m interested in learning more, especially about the resistance and the people who lived there during the occupation.

The tour made me wonder about my own family who never emigrated to the U.S., specifically Chicago. Why did some choose to leave between 1865-1925? Why did other stay? Was there family still living near Prague during the war? My Tregler line lived not far from Prague in 1925. What about the families who lived in the country? What was life like for them? I wonder now too if any of my grandparents kept in touch with anyone in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s and beyond. They are all gone so I cannot ask.

So many questions and no answers. However, the next thing I can do is hire a Czech researcher to look over what has been done and see what else can be found. Then arrange for a guide or the researcher to take me to the places my families lived on another trip. To walk in their footsteps as I’ve walked in the footsteps of my WWI and WWII family members in Europe. What answers await me? What new discoveries? What healing will take place?

Have you ever taken a tour in Europe unrelated to your family that left you with a million questions?

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Should I Donate My Military Papers and Artifacts?

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I recently posted on Facebook about a 101st Airborne paratrooper’s letters I was reading and writing about. I commented that people should save their letters and envelopes that go with each letter as they contain valuable information about not only the service history of a soldier, but his family and life. I went on to say that should a family not want their soldier’s military papers and artifacts any long to please not throw it away. There are many individuals, archives, museums, and other repositories that would be happy to take the original materials. Them someone asked for a list of those repositories. While I do not have a list of every possible place in America to donate materials, I can give you some things to consider before you donate. Many places will be happy to accept your original materials (not photo copies) but it is important to ensure the materials will be properly processed, stored, and made available to the public for research. A couple of years ago a friend and I were attending the 104th Infantry Division WWII reunion in New Orleans. We spoke to an archivist at the National WWII Museum about a collection my friend was considering donating somewhere. At that time (and I have no idea what the current policy is,) the museum did not open their archives to the public for public access. This means the public could not go in and touch and use the materials. They could submit a request and maybe an answer would be sent. This is not personally where I would donate materials. My preference is for them to go to a repository where people can actually use the materials. In some cases, smaller museums, libraries, and archives, with limited staff and funding, will take your materials and leave them in boxes in a closet or storage area to rot. Once the materials enter, they never again see the light of day. Think of all the materials that could be available but are not. Perhaps that one piece of information you need is hidden away in a dusty old archive. I volunteered in a place like this a few years ago. A tiny military museum that had no traffic and boxes of records in a closet that no one ever saw or used. Is that really where you want your materials to end up? Many people have commented that VFW and American Legion lodges (and similar lodges) are places people often donate materials and usually they end up in a closet. Remember that just because an organization supports our military, veterans, and preserves memories, does not necessarily mean they are the best option to house research materials and artifacts. Consider Where to Donate This list is not an end all be all list of suggested places to donate.
  • An archive, museum, library, or other in the town, county, or state where your soldier lived.
  • The special collections (archives) department of the university where your soldier was educated or worked.
  • Military Museums.
  • WWII Training Camps which house museums like Camp Toccoa (airborne).
Before Donating to Individuals or Overseas Museums When considering individuals to which you can leave items, there are a few things to consider.
  • What will happen to the donation?
  • Will it be sold off in its entirety or in pieces?
  • Will the new owner of the material preserve it and honor the soldier’s memory?
  • Will the museum only have it on display?
My Dutch husband Johan lives in the Netherlands. He adopted the grave of WWII paratrooper, Bernie Tom at Margraten (Netherlands American Cemetery.) After connecting with and meeting Johan in person, Bernie’s family, who have no children to pass materials to, gave Johan all of Bernie’s letters, some photographs, and his Purple Heart. Johan promised to take good care of these items. He also has plan of where these materials will go after his death. There are many grave adopters, historians, and museums in Europe who seek these materials. Do your due diligence and meet these individuals in person. Visit the museum you are considering donating to before you let the materials leave your hands. While many people are honest and will treasure the materials, there are some who will break up the collection to sell it on E-Bay or other sites. I have also seen many Americans selling broken military collections online. Doing this takes the information and photographs out of historical context. It also scatters the information to places in which it may never be found again. Many of the military museums in Europe are also very small and may display your materials, but not provide research access to them. This is because most smaller museums have no archive or library. Only displays. Before donating materials, consider the following.
  • Does the facility have paid staff and an archivist or someone specially trained to process and protect materials?
  • Where are the materials stored?
  • Will the materials be digitized?
  • What is the policy for preparing new materials for public use?
  • Does the facility provide you with a photocopy of the materials you donated?
  • What happens to the materials should the facility close or no longer choose to use them? Are you able to get them back?
  • How is the public able to access the materials?
  • Before donating can you specify that certain items must go on display and not just stuck in a box?
  • Is it possible some of your material should go to one location and artifacts to another?
Asking these questions will help ensure your materials are stored in the best place possible. Finally, if you are not donating while you are alive, prepare your estate materials to document how you would like these materials handled after your death. Do you have any other tips based on your experience in donating materials? We’d love to hear from you.

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 and receive the Start Writing Your Military Story Today free! Are you following Jennifer and all her work on all her social media sites? Click the link to learn more and find different content. © 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

2017 Airborne Commemoration in Heteren, Netherlands

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Band of Brother’s Re-Enactment Group Honor Guard

Last week I attended the Airborne Commemoration in Heteren, Netherlands. This was the second year I attended this commemoration. Heteren is near the area where the Airborne fought on the dikes after Operation Market Garden, in the area they call the “Island.” Many soldiers, including Bernard Tom, who I wrote about last week, fought and died on the dikes near Randwijk just up the road.

A few re-enactment groups attend the commemoration and act as Honor Guard, bringing in the colors and being present to witness the remembrance. My husband’s group, Band of Brothers in Belgium and the Netherlands provided the colors again this year. The re-enactors often arrive in their WWII vehicles and always dressed in period uniform.

One thing I appreciate about every commemoration I’ve attended here, is the fact that children are a part of each one. Students in school in the Netherlands are taught about WWII and the effects it had on the Netherlands. They learn about the sacrifice of our American soldiers and all Allied soldiers, and what that means for their freedom.

School children prepare short stories or poems, which are read during the commemoration. They also bring flowers and drawings to leave by the memorial. Wreaths and bouquets of flowers are brought forward by the children for individuals or groups who sponsor the flowers. They are laid on wreath holders or the monument itself.

The Last Post is played by bugler as the flag is lowered slightly by the honor guard. Then the Dutch and American National Anthems are played as the flags are raised on the flag pole – Dutch, Airborne, and American. Even though the entire ceremony is in Dutch, and I only pick up a few words here and there, it is a moving ceremony. Several soldiers were named from those who died on the dikes, including Bernie Tom.

Just before the end of the ceremony, doves are released, which is always a beautiful sight. A sign of peace and love and hope for the future. What would that be like? Peace……

 

Read last year’s article, Honoring Service – Engaging Children in WWII Research.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Should I Repatriate the Remains of My Son Bernie Tom?

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Bernard Tom. Photo courtesy of the Tom family.

This week we are honoring Bernie Tom and the anniversary of his death with articles on some of the letters he wrote to his parents and explaining how the details can help researchers understand not only military service of an individual, but also who he was.

The decision of whether or not to repatriate a soldier’s remains was a very personal one, which often involved many factors. These included, but are not limited to:

  • Soldier’s wishes (remain overseas where he fell with his buddies or be brought home)
  • Money (could a family afford to bury their son in a private cemetery after the government paid to return the remains? Not all families wished to have their son in a national cemetery, which may have been far away.) I recently wrote an article called, A Family’s Grief and the Cost of WWII Repatriation. A comment was made that money was never an issue as to why a soldier remained buried overseas. I beg to differ, as does the father in the article.
  • Wishes of the legal next of kin (NOK).
    • There was a specific hierarchy during and after the war, as to who the official and legal NOK was. If a soldier was married, his unmarried widow was designated to choose. If she had remarried prior to the time in which the decision was to be made, and proof existed she remarried, it reverted to the soldier’s father. In some cases, and this is documented in IDPFs, there was arguing between the widow and family of the soldier as to where his remains should be. There are many reasons for this. I recently read a file for an airman who was KIA in the Pacific, whose widow remarried and the airman’s mother and sister obtained a certified copy of the marriage license, submitted it to the government and had the legal NOK changed. In another file, the widow remarried, did not notify the government and the soldier was permanently buried in North Africa. Somehow the family of the soldier proved after the permanent burial with the marriage license, that she remarried and was not the legal NOK, and the decision was reversed and he was repatriated. These IDPF files contain more than basic death information. It is worth your time to really study them.
    • If the father was deceased, the next legal NOK was the mother. If both parents were deceased it moved through siblings unless there was some other official legal person named.
  • Concern over whether the grave would be tended to or just become overgrown and forgotten.
  • Concern over whether the people in Europe would care about our soldiers and honor their memories, or just move on with their lives and forget the sacrifice our boys made for them.

The reasons to repatriate or not in most cases, may never be known if the IDPF or service record does not have correspondence about this topic. To judge a decision or assume that because we have beautiful cemeteries overseas (now) and at home in the states, judging through our eyes and experiences today, does our soldiers an injustice. As a historian, we are taught to have no judgment but look at the information through the historical lens. We do not know all the factors that went into a decision (emotions, money, desire of soldier or family, etc.)

Bernie Tom’s father questioned whether or not to leave his son buried overseas. This is an undebateable fact as his IDPF has the letters to prove it. These are pages 82-88 in Bernie’s IDPF. Read Bernie’s 122 page IDPF.  Mr. Tom asks:

  • How many families are bringing remains home?
  • Will the remains over there be cared for in the future as they have the last 3 years (length of time since Bernie died and option to repatriate.)
  • He comments on the fact several families in Holland have provided information, laid flowers, and taken an interest in the graves – but questions if that will end.
  • He states if the graves will be forgotten and go into ruin basically, he would prefer to have his son home. However, he says he thinks if the boys could talk, they would prefer to be where they fell.

As I read the letters in this IDPF, I can feel Bernie’s father’s pain, doubt, and sincere desire that his son never be forgotten.

Click on the images to enlarge.

In the end, the explanation from the government seemed to be enough to satisfy Mr. Tom’s questions. He chose to leave him in the land he helped liberate and fell. Bernie Tom rests at Margraten, where his grave was adopted. Not only did Johan adopt his grave, but also that of paratrooper Charles (Dave) Horn.

I, along with many others in Europe and America, honor Bernie’s memory, tell his story, and ensure he is never forgotten.

Would you like to know more about the job of Graves Registration who cared for our fallen and missing? Read FM 10-63 Graves Registration 1945.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Bernie Tom’s Death and Burial

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Molenhoek temporary cemetery in Holland

This week we are honoring Bernie Tom and the anniversary of his death with articles on some of the letters he wrote to his parents and explaining how the details can help researchers understand not only military service of an individual, but also who he was.

Today I would like to explore some of the contents of Bernie Tom’s IDPF and make mention of Orel Lev’s IDPF. Orel died with Bernie and Kenneth Hull, whose IDPF I do not currently have. One interesting fact that is a bit in question is the death date of Orel and Bernie. Their Report of Burial forms say date of death 8 October 1944. They were both buried at 16:30 on 9 October 1944. Their Reports of Death provide a death date of 9 October 1944, as does Bernie’s grave. Kenneth was repatriated and buried in California. His Headstone Application shows a date of death of 9 October 1944.

According to the testimony and narrative, in Fighting Fox Company, about the artillery barrage at the position in which Hull, Tom, and Lev were, it is possible they died on the evening or overnight on the 8th. Graves Registration and the personnel who created the Report of Death, may have processed a lot of remains that day and did not pay close enough attention to the date of death on the Report of Burial form.

These are the “small” details we often overlook by just searching for the answer to one question as we investigate these records.

Bernie’s file contains many letters from Fred Tom (Bernie’s father) and the military. Fred also enlisted the help of his congressman to learn the location of Bernie’s grave and the details on “missing” personal effects. As many parents or widows of soldiers did, Fred wrote to the military inquiring about personal effects he believed or knew his son to have carried, that were not returned. Unfortunately, items were not always recovered by Graves Registration personnel. Sometimes items were pilfered or lost in the area in which the soldier died. Sometimes a soldier told a buddy to ‘take my watch or ring and send it home if I die.’ And as in the case of my cousin James Privoznik who was killed by a high explosive shell during the Battle of the Bulge, later buried in Luxembourg, it is likely any personal effects survived based on the description of his remains. Yet his mother was not told this. Families were not told many things after their loved one died. That is a post for another time.

Of all the IDPFs I’ve read, it is my observation that the men who inquired and pressed the military and government for answers, got them. Most of the men had one or all of the things required to get answers: education, money, or social connections. It seemed the men (and only one woman in a file I’ve read so far inquiring about her brother), who had one or all three of those things, would receive information above and beyond what the average family received. Women were less likely to press for information, or receive answers, if they did. Bernie’s father pressed and the military responded with great detail which you can read in his file.

Bernie’s file contains information on his burial temporarily in Molenhoek, his father’s decision to leave his remains overseas, and final interment papers for Margraten.

Tomorrow we’ll look at the decision Fred Tom made regarding where to permanently bury his son.

Read Bernie’s 122 page IDPF. 

Read Orel Lev’s 44 page IDPF.

There are countless books available on the Airborne in World War II. Two specific books to help you learn more about Bernie’s service include the following.

  • Learn more about F Company in the book Fighting Fox Company by Terry Poyser and Bill Brown.
  • Learn more about Paratrooper training in the book The Making of a Paratrooper. Airborne Training and Combat in World War II by Kurt Gabel.

What details have you learned about your soldier through the IDPF? What discrepancies did you discover and how did you resolve them? Did your family press for answers? If so, did they get them?

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Paratrooper Bernie Tom from D-Day to Death

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This week we are honoring Bernie Tom and the anniversary of his death with articles on some of the letters he wrote to his parents and explaining how the details can help researchers understand not only military service of an individual, but also who he was.

As we move through the final set of letters Bernie wrote to his parents, I’d like to point out a few things I learned about Bernie.

He has a great sense of humor.  In one letter dated 1 June 1944, he tells his parents General Taylor is supposed to talk to the troops. He jokes he will make some time to talk business with the General to speed the end of the war. On 2 June he writes one final letter containing general chatter and then writes nothing until 16 June 1944.

He has a confidence and strength not seen in every young man. He seems to have a sense of what he is contributing to the world. Bernie has a plan for the future and sent a lot of money and war bonds home throughout his entire service.

The war was real before D-Day, but it is even more real after. Bernie discusses France in his 16 June 1944 letter saying people have it hard. They wear straw for socks and walk around in wooden shoes. Most are happy to see the Americans, but not all. He goes on to say, “The jump wasn’t bad but i was never more scared in my life…..” This is the first time he admits he has any fear.

Bernie did a good job overall in writing his letters. Almost nothing censored. One letter dated 20 June 1944 had several things blacked out, including the name of the fountain pen he was using, which seemed an odd thing to black out. He was sitting in a Red Cross Club in France as he wrote this letter and was likely using a pen they provided as he mentioned the Red Cross Club had writing desks, pens, and paper. That same letter had a sentence in which it appears he talked about killing Germans (Krauts) as those words make sense in the blacked out portions. Interesting those words would be blacked out when it was common knowledge the Americans were fighting the Germans. Bernie also mentions in this letter he had his first bath since they arrived in France on 6 June. His bath was out of a bucket. How often do we take bathing for granted?

Bernie’s letters are less frequent through the rest of June and contain general news about how he is and questions for his parents. He states several times he really knows nothing about how the war is progressing unless he sees a news bulletin. Often those are two to three days old. By 4 July 1944 he is still in France, hasn’t bathed for a month and comments on something his dad wrote in a letter saying he didn’t read anything about Bernie’s involvement in D-Day. Bernie responds the 506th may not have been mentioned in the papers but his Division was, though he couldn’t say which Division at that time. He did say he was one of the first to drop into France on D-Day.

Bernie takes great pride in the work he does for the war. On 5 July 1944 in his letter to his parents, he asks if they read anything about the fall of Carentan. He said, “The papers mention the Rangers took the town, but it was solely a paratrooper victory…..I know because I was there.” Later that month his unit returns to England to await the next jump.

Between late July and mid-September, Bernie’s letters are few and far between. The unit is training a lot and he mentions being tired and behind on writing letters. By this point he knows his brother Dana is overseas, but not exactly sure where. Unfortunately the two did not meet up prior to Bernie’s death.

His final letter home is dated 15 September 1944 and he asks about the family and mentions he rode into town in a 1938 Hudson, the largest car he’d seen in England. This is just prior to the jump into Holland.

If any of Bernie’s other letters exist, if he wrote any others prior to his death, they are not part of this collection.

Bernie Tom died on 9 October 1944 near The Crossroads.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center

Paratrooper Bernie Tom – Part 2

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Bernie Tom after jumping into Holland September 1944.

This week marks the anniversary of PFC Bernie Tom’s death on 9 October 1944. After reading three binders of letters from him to his parents and friends, and some from his parents and friends to him, I chose to write a few articles to honor his life and service. Also to explain what we can learn about our soldiers through their words. You can read the first article, Band of Brothers in Letters – Bernie Tom KIA 9 October 1944.

All quotes are typed as Bernie wrote them, spelling and punctuation.

Bernie arrives overseas early in 1944, first landing in Ireland. the V-Mail to his parents for 19 February 1944 stated, “The Crossing was awful, especially for me. I was sick most of the time. Not so much sea sickness but it was the food. It was the worst I had ever left on my plate. I lost about 10 pounds all together.”

Can you imagine losing 10 pounds within a short period of time crossing the Atlantic? For most of these soldiers, this was their first time on a boat or a ship. I wonder what they were thinking, how they felt.

As the months of February and March 1944 go on, Bernie reports the food is better, he is better and that he will have a lot to tell his parents when he gets back. His letters provide a sense that he will return. In some of his letters, there is a sense of homesickness, as he describes thinking about his mother’s apple pie or playing football with his friends. He also seems to mention in most of his letters, that he received another letter from his parents dated x, and it took a month/2 weeks etc. to cross the ocean. In future months, Bernie reports the air mail is much faster than V-Mail and asks his parents to send air mail stamps.

Bernie often has to cancel dates with local girls because of last minute guard duty he is told to do. He mentions this often in his letters.

By April 1944, the unit has moved from Ireland to Scotland to England and by 10 April 1944 (exact date unknown until I do the research), Bernie has been assigned to F Co 506th PIR 101st Airborne.

His letter of 17 April 1944 stated he was in the field for a week and it rained the entire time. The men stayed in the same clothes all week as it rain fell and the mud got deeper. Seems they were being prepared for what was to come – fewer showers and changes of clothes.

Bernie writes his parents often and while he seems to write at least weekly, and often more when he knows he’s about to move, he apologizes for not writing enough. In his 1 May 1944 letter he ends with, “PS – I think your the swellest folks a guy could ever have. I love you both more than you’ll ever know.”

As the month of May progresses, Bernie writes more often to his parents, using V-Mail as the primary communication tool. He talks about a night jump he did where he was not injured. Mentions friends he received letters from and boys from Athens, OH, where he’s from that he runs into here and there. Thanks his parents for every box they send filled with cookies, candy, film, and other things Bernie requests. He always mentions how much the boys in the barracks enjoy the box as each time one receives a box, they all share.

Wouldn’t it be great if all of us stopped to appreciate these “small” things in life and stopped blowing up over the insignificant things? Every letter Bernie writes and mentions a box, is filled with gratitude. You can feel it. What would it be like if we all lived that way every day?

As May winds down, Bernie’s letters increase as he must know things will happen soon. He tells his parents more than once, not to worry if he doesn’t write for a while, he’s just out in the field. One very interesting thing he wrote on 23 May 1944 is a request for his parents to donate all his clothing, except the uniforms he sent home. He wants to buy all new clothes when he returns. The energy I picked up on this letter was strange – I couldn’t quite tell if he knew he would never return home or if his body had already changed so much from the food (or lack of) and training, that after the war, he would not be the same as he was before – in any aspect.

Finally, as D-Day approaches, Bernie sends off several more letters and mentions he has no idea what is happening with the war. The Athens Messenger newspaper he was receiving is at least a month old. The men are told almost nothing. So he is not able to respond if his parents mention something in their letters. Sadly all their letters do not exist in this collection. A few do, but not all.

What else can we learn about Bernie’s service from his letters? Well, he is about to jump into Normandy and there are more letters to read.

© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center