World War II researcher

WWII Education – CRASH ’40-’45 Museum Netherlands

June 6, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

On Saturday, June 18, 2016 I will be presenting a program at the CRASH ’40-45 Museum in Aalsmeerderbrug, Netherlands. I hope to see you there!

Saturday, June 18, 13.00 (1:00 p.m.)

The Liberators. Reconstructing Army and Air Corps World War II Military Service

During 1944 and 1945, thousands of men and women serving in the U.S. Army and Army Air Forces, fought to defeat Germany and liberate Europe. Their stories are those of life and death, hope, friendship, love, memories of those left behind, and dreams of the future.

Many questions surround the service history of these men and women. How does one conduct research from Europe? What records are available and how can they be accessed? How can individuals connect with families of the fallen, the sweethearts, or who shared their homes during the war? And finally, how can we preserve their stories?

This program will be held at the CRASH ’40-45 Museum.

WWII Education – Spring 2016 WWII Programs

March 14, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

This spring I am presenting several programs in the Chicago area on researching and writing the stories of WWII service men and women. I hope to see you at one of my programs.

Tuesday, March 29, 10:30 a.m.

Finishing The Story

Tracing the life of a World War I or II soldier can be challenging. Researchers have been conditioned to believe “All the Records Burned!” Some did, but an abundance of other resources exist to reconstruct service history. Many researchers are unaware of the numerous military records and resources available.

In this program, explore the lives, service, and deaths of Michael Kokoska, Frank Winkler, and Robert Brouk. Genealogical, historical, and military records will be shown and discussed. Jennifer will demonstrate how to write the stories of your soldier through a brief reading from her books Stories of the Lost and The Tiger’s Widow. This program will be held at Ashton Place in Willowbrook for the West Lake Shore Unit of the Illinois Retire Teachers Association Membership Meeting.

Sunday, April 10, 2:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

All the records burned! A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, in 1973, destroyed approximately 80% of the Army, Air Corps, and National Guard records. This is not the end of the research possibilities for these soldiers. Many alternative record sources exist to reconstruct service history for these branches. Regardless of service branch, many records exist to tell your soldier, sailor, or Marine’s story. Learn how to research the records of World War II for any branch of the military in this informative program. This program will be held at the Winnetka-Northfield Library District.

Friday, April 29, 2:00 p.m.

Stories of the Lost

A continuation of “Finishing the Story,” we will explore the records available to tell the stories of those who died in service. We will also discuss those who took care of our Soldier Dead, the Graves Registration Service men. Learn about their job and the reasons it took so long to have our soldiers repatriated and what happened to the personal effects during the course of recovery and repatriation. This is an Indian Trails Library program which will be held at the Buffalo Grove Alcott Senior Center.

Saturday, May 14, 1:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

Saturday, May 21, 2016, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Writing World War II Stories

Have you researched your World War II soldier and need tips on where to go next? Have you organized your materials – digital and paper records? Have you written the story? Are you unsure where to start? Through writing prompts, a writing formula, and time to write, attendees will work through the process of beginning a soldier’s story. Attendees are asked to bring a laptop or IPad, or paper and pencil, to work through writing prompts. A book will be available for purchase covering this topic in-depth, with workbook sections. This event will be held at the Orland Park Library.

WWII Research Collective – Meet Yuri Beckers

January 14, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 2 Comments

When I launched my website, I started a World War II Research Collective. In this group are researchers around the world who specialize in WWII units, battles, theaters of war, or types of research. To help you get to know the researchers better, I’ll be doing some Q&A with them.

Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Yuri Beckers, I am a 38 year old Dutch man living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ever since I was very young, I had an interest in World War II. It started with all the well-known battles and Divisions, and I have read many books about these subjects, visited a lot of former battlefields and museums, and watched a lot of documentaries.

In 2000, I became very interested in the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest, and have been mainly interested in this battle and the penetrations into Germany ever since. Through this research I started to focus on the U.S. 9th Infantry Division’s history, and this Division has been my main focus of research for many years now. I am currently writing a book about the involvement of the 9th Infantry Division during the Battle in the Hurtgen Forest. I also have adopted the graves of two men who served with the 9^th Infantry Division, and I am working on a Missing In Action project with a small dedicated team.

Yuri and his daughter Nora at one of the graves he adopted.

When and how did you become interested in World War II?
I vaguely remember visiting the US cemetery at Margraten, in the Netherlands, at a very young age, as my parents live only a few minutes away from it. My first real impression came when I was about 7 or 8 years old. My parents took my sister and me to Normandy and I remember standing in the middle of all those white crosses at the US Cemetery at St. Laurent-sur-Mer. After asking about all the white crosses, I heard that these were all men that fought for my freedom. This made a huge impression on me. Ever since that moment I have always been fascinated by certain World War II events.

As I grew older I started to read all the books I could find on D-Day, the battle for Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Market Garden. I watched hours and hours of documentaries about these battles as well and visited many of the former battlefields over the years. All of this was before the well-known movies and TV shows that put World War II into the picture again. I became more and more interested in knowing more about the soldiers as well. I met the first veterans during Liberation commemorations of my hometown of Maastricht. Their stories always impressed me and I never forgot these men. I knew at an early age that I wanted to do something that would make sure these men and their actions will never for forgotten, and always remembered.

What is your main focus of research?
For over 10 years now, I have been focusing on the World War II history of the American 9th Infantry Division. The Division participated in eight battle campaigns, and has an interesting story to tell. During World War II, this Division was held out of the press many times, and did not make a lot of headlines. However, they were one of the first American Divisions to participate in battle during World War II. I have now learned much about the history and the men of the 9th Infantry Division by now, and have collected a huge amount of documentation.

At the moment my main research is about their time in the Hurtgen Forest battle during September 1944 and February 1945, as this is also the subject of the book I am working on. I am also working on a great project where we, a small group of very passionate researchers who have personal connections to all of this and myself, try to find out more about the 9^th Infantry Division men who went Missing In Action. After locating information ourselves or through family members of these men, we then piece together the history of each man, and where possible, add a picture. This gives a face and a story to all those names on the Wall of Missing. The project is running along pretty well now.

Why is this area of research important to you?
I feel there is a lack of books and websites about the 9th Infantry Division. Their battle experiences during World War II have been overlooked for far too long. Some of the veterans self-published memoirs and these are often out of print, hard to find, and very expensive. Few books that mention the Division often use the same source materials, and often provide the same stories about the Division. Also, it is difficult to find a general history on the Division. I felt the same about the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest. This battle has been overlooked for so long, and not many books have been written about it that are easily available. There are some really good books about it though, but most of these are in German, and only a handful of English books. This battle affected the lives of so many men of the 9th Infantry Division and their families, I just feel that their stories need to be told.

For future projects I am gathering information about their complete World War II history, but right now I am focusing mainly on the involvement of the 9^th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest.

Yuri with 9th Infantry Division veteran Jack Dauner

Have you met family members of soldiers you have researched? Do you have a story you can share about that?
I have met several veterans in person, and have talked to and written with about 30 of them. Most of them have passed away by now sadly. Besides this, I have been in touch with over 200 family members as well, and have been able to provide information to many of them. In return, I also received some unique information through the veterans and the families. I now have a large collection of never before published photographs and histories, personal notebooks and journals. I also have some artifacts donated to me by veterans or the family members. I recently traveled to the U.S .to talk to veterans and do more research, which was very special. I was interviewed about my research as well for a local newspaper.

Do you have a story about a great discovery or closure to a project?
I have a few. One of them was that I found a jacket of a veteran on Ebay. I got in touch with his family, and they returned the jacket to the veteran after all those years! The story made the newspaper!

Then, one of my favourite discoveries was when I got in touch with the daughter of a Sergeant. She shared some amazing pictures with me of her father’s time with this Division. There were a couple of pictures where her dad was playing in the snow with some of his war buddies. They were actually going around in the snow on a sledge. Somehow, I recognized this scene, and went through my archives. I then noticed that one of the men in the pictures was holding a film camera! I checked my archive of video footage as well, and sure enough… I found the video footage of her father playing around on the sleigh! It does not happen often that you get to find a picture of a scene, see a soldier filming the scene on there as well, and find the actual footage that is being filmed in that picture! It was simply amazing to share this with the soldier’s family. Imagine that, after 70 years you get to see moving video images of your dad playing around in the snow during World War 2. You can see the pictures and video here.

What are your websites? How can we reach you?

My main website is the 9th Infantry Division.

9th Infantry Division Missing In Action Project

9th Infantry Division Facebook Page

Then I have a Twitter Page, but I am not very active on there yet.

Is there anything else you would like people to know before they contact you?

People sometimes feel protective of the information about their loved one. I understand this, and respect this. My goal and passion is to gather as much information as possible about the 9^th Infantry Division. There are many families contacting me, thinking that all those old documents and pictures they still have laying around is not really worth anything. For my research, they are worth a lot! They are very valuable to connect many dots together in order to tell the complete story of the 9^th Infantry Division.

Also, when people contact me for information, it would be good to get as much information as possible before requesting information. Small details such as name, rank, army serial number, regiment, possibly the company, and any pictures and documents would be really useful to start with, and will save me some time as well.

I can be contacted through my website.

WWII Education – Tips for Starting Your WWII Research

January 13, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 1 Comment

I’ve observed a lot of conversations on Facebook in various WWII groups the last couple of months, in which people ask how to proceed with WWII research. The information in these groups is often helpful but often, the members do not have a firm grasp on how to proceed without wasting a lot of time and money.

Many people have a general idea of which battles their relative participated in and often a Division or Unit. Rarely do they have a timeline of service created or know specifically when the soldier was in each unit and where he was. Too often, people assume their soldier was with a particular unit the entire war. Unfortunately this is usually not the case. Soldiers were often transferred within a Division to different companies. In many cases, they were transferred from their Division into a replacement depot and into an entirely new Division. Soldiers who were wounded and did not return to their original unit within 30 days were often sent to a replacement depot to await a new assignment.

Heading straight into unit records based on limited knowledge may cause you a lot of wasted time and potentially money if you request records or hire a researcher, without first knowing for sure where your soldier was and in which unit. I’ve heard of many people just pulling unit records and later discovering their soldier was not with that unit except for a few days or weeks.

When I comment in these groups I try to stress there is a process by which we do this research. I also stress the importance of hiring a researcher to help you obtain some or all of the records. WWII research is not free no matter how you do it. When you follow the process, you will often end up saving yourself a lot of time and money. To help you understand a bit about the process, I have several tips for you. To learn more about the full research process, please pick up a copy of my book Stories from the World War II Battlefield Volume 1 – Army, Air Corps, National Guard or Volume 2 – Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Merchant Marines. If you need additional help, please contact me about how I work with clients.

1. Create a Timeline of Service

The first thing you should do is create a timeline of service based on what you know about your soldier’s service history. A timeline should list the date (either full or a year) and the event which happened. Noting where you found that information, even if it was a family story, is important. A timeline of service may look like the following:

January 1942 – Adam Jones joins the 1^st Infantry Division

November 1942 – North Africa Campaign

July 1943 – Sicily Campaign

30 July 1943 – Wounded in the Sicily Campaign

February 1944 – Hospitalized in England

June 1944 – Normandy – D-Day Campaign

2. Do your homework

After you create a general timeline, search your home and ask your family to look for documents and photographs that provide clues. EVERY clue you find may help, even if it conflicts with another piece of information you have. Write it all down and cite the source.

3. Obtain the OMPF and Company Reports

Next, order the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO. You need several pieces of information, if possible, when submitting a request.

Soldier’s full name
Date and place of birth
Service Number (this is not the individual’s Social Security Number)
Branch of service
Dates of service (enlistment, discharge or death)
Theater(s) of war
Unit(s) in which he or she served

The least expensive way to begin a search is to fill out Form 180 on the NPRC website (http://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf) and see if the file survived. If records are discovered, NPRC will send you a letter indicating such, as well as your fee for copies. Form 180 will ONLY search personnel records.

National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138

You can visit the NPRC in-person, but there is a procedure for doing so. Visit their website for current rules regarding making an appointment, what is allowed in the research room, and how to request files and microfilm.

Another option is to hire a researcher, such as myself, who is able to obtain and analyze the records available. There are many more valuable records at the NPRC besides the service files, such as Morning Reports, that Form 180 will not search for you.

4. Analyze the Information & Start Writing the Story

One of the most important parts of the research process is writing the story. Writing does not necessarily mean you need to publish a book. Writing the story allows you to see where there are errors or gaps in your research. It allows you to formulate new research questions and therefore search for new materials.

When you obtain new information, add it to your timeline of service. Analyze the information and go through all your previously obtained records with a fine tooth comb. Make sure you understand what information is presented, especially if any of it conflicts. People made mistakes in records then just as we do today. No one is perfect.

5. Look for Unit Records

Finally, once you have a firm understanding of which units your soldier was in and when, you can begin looking for unit records. These records will provide a greater context of battles and additional training your soldier received. You may not locate your soldier’s name in many of these records but you will understand the battles and overall context of the war.

These are the basic steps in starting WWII research. If you need assistance with your research, I do take clients. Please contact me for details.

Want More Resources?

Visit the WWII Education Website and grab your military research worksheet pack. This pack comes with 14 pages of questions, checklists, and resources to help you start your military research (WWI – Vietnam).

Also explore my military research books.

Military Monday – Remembering Jimmy

January 11, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

StoriesofLostimage — James Privoznik standing front right.

71 years ago today, 11 January, my cousin James Privoznik, affectionately referred to by the family as Jimmy, was Killed In Action during the Battle of the Bulge. If you have read my October European trip articles, you know a little about James.

To me, he is James, not Jimmy. My friend, and guide in life, love, and work the last three and a half years. Some say the dead do not speak. I believe they do. And as I sit here on 9 January and write this post, it is snowing, just as it was during James’ last days on earth.

James taught me a lot about WWII research, writing, believing in myself, collaborating with others, letting go, and healing. He helped me become a better writer on 14 March 2013 when he whispered in my ear to go write a new introduction to one of my WWII programs I was to give that night. I went home and within 45 minutes had a new introduction that had my audience in tears and held their complete attention. I was set on a path to write about WWII in a much deeper way than most. My writing changed dramatically that day and I will forever be grateful.

I have been able to count on James to show up when I lectured, was writing, needed some inspiration, needed to laugh at myself, or in those moments I felt very lonely……that I was very much loved. He not only helped save our country and freedoms so long ago, but he also helped save me. Sometimes we all just need a little help.

My journey with James began in late 2012 just after I moved out and started a new life. I had his Individual Deceased Personnel File and filed it away. I had not intended to write the books I did about my military family members and therefore had not investigated James’ service. Until within a weekend, four different encounters with people asking about him happened. Then the work began. I was shown a path to take with many detours and a lot of emotional stops and starts. This path allowed me to create things which would help a lot of people remember our soldiers and civilians and what they experienced during the war years.

I wrote James’ story in my book Stories of the Lost. He is also featured in my WWII lecture of the same name. In May 2015 I visited his grave in Luxembourg Cemetery. James wanted to be buried where he fell and not brought home to Chicago. On a rainy day my parents and I flew his burial flag at the cemetery and I visited his grave for the first time. It was a sad morning which led to a lot of healing for both of us.

The next day, 2 May, I was able to meet friends in Luxembourg who took us where James was killed. I walked in the woods among all those who were there that day. That was a very moving experience for me because you could almost see the soldiers in the woods and I definitely felt their presence.

In October 2015 I returned to Europe and once again visited James’ grave in Luxembourg. This was not a stop I originally intended to make, but due to other circumstances, the opportunity was there. It was a gloomy morning as I drove to meet a couple of researchers in Ettelbruck, Luxembourg to embark on a day of Sauer River Crossing sites. Yet, when we drove to the cemetery and after meeting with the Superintendent, the skies began to clear and rays of sunshine fell upon the cemetery as we walked to James’ grave. No longer was visiting the cemetery sad, but a more joyous occasion because I could feel the love there and how much it was appreciated that we visited.

Talking to James. Photo by Doug Mitchell. Used with permission.

James and I had a long talk when I visited him this time and only a few tears were shed. There was great peace.

It has been my experience that our family members show up to help us when we need them most. I believe they have some unfinished business and are also here to make sure we do what we are supposed to. Whether that is fulfill our life’s purpose on this earth or forgive someone or let go of something we no longer need so we can be happier. James has helped me do all of that.

And, just as he made sure I visited his grave twice and had two different experiences – sad and unsettled, to happy and peaceful – I have a feeling he is also rescripting the day he died, so for me, it moves from one of sad reflection to one of joy. Something will take place today that may be the final thing he was to do before he moved on. While I will miss him if this is the case, I will tell him once again I love him and let him go. I know who and what is coming is a long held wish granted and there is no reason to be sad.

Thank you James for everything.

Military Monday – January/February World War II Speaking Engagements

January 4, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

Are you interested in learning how to research World War II service? I have several Chicago-area speaking engagements lined up for the first two months of 2016. Hope to see you at one of them!

Tuesday, January 12, 2016, 7:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

Thursday, January 21, 2016 7:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

Monday, February 8, 2016 7:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

Tuesday, February 16, 2016, 7:00 p.m.

Stories of the Lost

A continuation of “Finishing the Story,” we will explore the records available to tell the stories of those who died in service. We will also discuss those who took care of our Soldier Dead, the Graves Registration Service men. Learn about their job and the reasons it took so long to have our soldiers repatriated and what happened to the personal effects during the course of recovery and repatriation. This program will be held at the Algonquin Public Library.

Traveling in their Footsteps – The Final Days

December 23, 2015 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

Monday 2 November arrived and brought with it the last two days of my trip. I spent the day packing and writing before I drove to Amsterdam to check into my final hotel of the trip. That evening I was supposed to meet with DPAA, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. This was another meeting scheduled at the last minute prior to my trip. Someone who knew I was speaking at Groesbeek altered one of the DPAA WWII historians about me. After some emails and a phone conversation, I was going to meet Christine C. and her team in Amsterdam the day they flew over to the Netherlands to do whatever they planned to do.

I met the group for dinner and we had really great conversations about their work and mine. One important component was the topic of education. I feel strongly that people do not have enough information about the Graves Registration Service and their job during and after WWII. Nor do they have enough information about WHY bodies could not always be recovered or why it has taken 70+ years, in some cases to recover them. This will be the topic of a future article and will feature in Volume 4 of my book series in 2016. The meeting was great and who knows. There may be an opportunity to work together in the future.

Tuesday, 3 November brought my final full day in the Netherlands. I felt as if I had done everything I was consciously and somehow, subconsciously, I was supposed to on the trip. I was at peace and ready to go home the next day.

I spent the day with a friend at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and enjoyed the art, artifacts, and conversation. The museum was full of energy, a lot of it centered in rooms which held medieval period art and artifacts. Especially the weapons room where I wondered, how many ways can you kill a man?

That room brought up a lot of feelings and issues from the past and a lot of negative and heavy energy. Some of it was attached to my friend because I knew he and I went back lifetimes. I did a lot of clearing in that room around these issues coming up and the items in the room. A few tears fell in the process but in the end, it is what was necessary.

Jen 3 Nov 2015 (1) — Peaceful and ready to head home.

At the end of a great day I prepared to fly home the next morning, grateful for all the experiences I had, people I met, and ready for the next stage in life. Once I navigated my way through the airport and had breakfast and was waiting at the gate, I admit to a little happy dance that I had traveled alone. This was not something I thought I could do a year ago, but when the time is right, magic happens. I was certain that a three year period of working too much and solidifying the foundation of my ever changing business, was over and a new one was beginning. A period in life where it would not be all about work but some balance would arrive.

So what else happened on this trip? What led me to travel alone besides what I already talked about in these articles? And what happened on the first trip to Europe that changed everything? I guess you’ll have to wait for the book to come out!

Traveling in their Footsteps – 1 November 2015

December 22, 2015 by Jennifer Holik 1 Comment

1 November was one of my very favorite days of the trip. That morning I drove to Achtmaal, Netherlands to meet some of the Friends of the Timberwolves at the Achtmaal Museum. I met Esther, Adrie, Sjaan and Kevin, Peet, and Herman.

The day was perfect. Warm sun, a slight breeze, colorful fall leaves falling from the trees, and new friends. We met at the museum and after coffee and cookies with a history lesson thrown in, I had a tour. Time was short because we had a lot to see that day, so on my trip in May I will have to try to meet with the group again and see more of the museum. The museum houses not only Timberwolf artifacts but also artifacts from other groups who fought in the area.

Upon completion of the tour we hopped in two jeeps and took off through the countryside. Peet was my driver and also the man who gave me a history lesson over coffee. As we drove, he told me about the routes we took, where the fighting occurred and details about the men and war. We stopped at many sites to see where battles happened, including were my friend John Tyrrell was wounded.

It was very interesting to look at my photos and the little bit of video I shot while Peet was driving. There are a lot of red orbs in my photos. Soldiers watching and waiting. Protecting. Usually they don’t show up quite like that in my photos. But there they were!

Seeing the places battles were fought, or concentration camps where so many died, is high on my list of things to do when I visit Europe. What is difficult is trying to picture these now serene, often beautiful places through the eyes of someone who was there 70+ years ago. Trying to wrap my head around what happened there and then put that into words that explain it, is difficult. It is often unimaginable the horrors that took place in such a calm place where crops grow or sheep graze today. And everywhere we went, I could feel the presence of all the soldiers, regardless of side on which they fought, in those fields. In some areas, like the Battle Between the Dikes, the energy was so intense it rode in waves through me.

Timberwolf Tracks (32) — Friends of the Timberwolves having lunch where a battle was once fought.

After visiting many places the Timberwolves fought, we stopped for lunch in an old building where I met Toine Vermunt, a local historian and author. Toine gave me a short history lesson after lunch before we departed the area. He showed me maps of Holland and explained where the Timberwolves were, what happened at the building we were having lunch in, and what we would see in the afternoon. The Battle Between the Dikes. Toine gave me a booklet in English, he wrote a few years ago explaining this battle. I am grateful to have this history.

Laying flowers at memorial (2) — Laying flowers at the memorial.

Toine rode with us to see the area where the Battle Between the Dikes took place, after first stopping to lay flowers at a Timberwolf Memorial. It was as if the Timberwolves were waiting for us because the energy at the memorial about dropped me to my knees.

Our next stop was at a woman’s home where we were allowed to walk behind and stand by the canal and look at the area where the men were fighting and attempting to cross. Another beautiful place where such horror occurred.

Battle of the Dikes area — Battle Between the Dikes

Driving through the areas where the Battle Between the Dikes was fought was intense. The energy from both sides argued with each other. The Allied soldiers were calmer and just wanted to go home. The German side was angry to the point I was feeling a bit nauseous for a while. I cannot count the number of times that day I said clearing statements to send people off into the light and transmute the energy.

As the afternoon began drawing to a close, our last stop was at the Basilica in Oudenbosch. We had about 15 minutes there because they were about to close. It is another place to which I must return. The Basilica is a small replica of St. Peter’s in Rome. Small does not do it justice as it feels gigantic and I felt very tiny in that beautiful place. I was able to light some candles for my soldiers and say some prayers before we left.

The Basilica held a lot of energy also. It felt heavy as if every prayer, question, wish, hope, dream, despair, frustration, and death that ever was left in the building, remained. In a way I was happy to only have 15 minutes in that place. After such an intense day, any longer might have done me in.

After returning the jeeps to the Timberwolf HQ and saying goodbye to my new friend Adrie, the rest of us went out for dinner before I drove back to Ammerzoden, where I was staying for two weeks.

The day I spent with the Friends of the Timberwolves was one of my favorite days from this trip. It was incredible and moving to be surrounded by people with such passion for World War II and our soldiers. People who understood the soldiers still walk in the mists and live among the items in their museum. People who honor the memories of those who gave them their freedom. And, my absolute favorite part of the day – meeting Kevin who is a teenager and has the desire to preserve the stories of these men. It warms my heart to see young people wanting to be involved in this work. It provides the promise that when the older generation is gone and my generation is aging, there will still be someone sharing the stories and memories.

Traveling in their Footsteps – 31 October 2015

December 21, 2015 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

Castle Day!!!!

Today my friend Peter was going to pick me up and show me some sites in the area which were to include a castle and the Air War Monument he had created. I love castles!

Footsteps of British Airmen at Loevenstein

Our first stop was Lovestein Castle where we walked the grounds and took a tour inside. The castle did not have many items inside, so guided tours were not required. You simply used the key you received in the ticket office to enter. In the lower level of the castle they had a couple of racks of clothing you could wear as you toured the castle. We opted to stay in our 2015 clothes.

British Airmen used the castle during World War II and Peter had a photo of them exiting the grounds. He merged it together with one of me standing in the same area.

After the castle we drove to Gorinchem to have lunch in a building that was used by the Germans during the war. Gorinchem was another medieval village and there were old buildings, cobble streets, and a harbor. It was beautiful. Quite peaceful.

Peter den Tek war memorial (3) — Peter den Tek by his war memorial

Peter showed me the Air War Memorial he had erected to honor Allied airmen killed during the war in the Netherlands. It was incredible. Tall, strong, full of energy for the American and British airmen who were killed in the war.

On our way to the Memorial we drove past a Creepy Cool Antique store! It screamed out, ‘VISIT ME!’ Ok, maybe the store didn’t scream that out but the gargoyles out front did. Either way – the place had some fantastic energy!

So of course after we visited the Memorial, we stopped. Peter had known if I did not find the mysterious silver ring prior to Saturday, that a stop at an antique store was going to be greatly appreciated. I had the ring, now we had to explore to see why the store was calling me.

Peter had shopped there before for items for his home. This place had everything you could possibly want and a lot more the owners had never had time to inventory and put out for sale. I wandered around the store to see what called to me. I found some beautiful china tea cups I would have loved to own, but they would have been destroyed in my suitcase on the way home.

There were old medieval looking doors and chandeliers for candles. Old pots that looked like they belong to a witch that I also would have loved to bring home. A mirror that invited me to climb into it, but I did not. There was not enough time to go exploring another universe or wherever it was going to take me.

I found old books, photographs of unnamed individuals, postcards, clothing, furniture, and items for the home like door knobs, fixtures, lights,art, Jesus, doors, pipe, iron decorations for outside the home, and so much more. I think on my next trip to Europe I will spend some time wandering antique stores just to see what’s there. It was really cool.

The Creepy Cool Antique store was our last stop of the day before Peter returned me to my B&B. After an excellent sunny day, I enjoyed a great dinner and beer at the bistro in the village before retiring early. Tomorrow I would meet the Friends of the Timberwolves and hopefully, if the weather cooperated, take a ride in a WWII Jeep!

Traveling in their Footsteps – 30 October 2015

December 18, 2015 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

There are days you wish you could just stay in bed and hide under the covers all day. Never leave. This was one of those days. I’m a positive person and try to be cheerful but I’m human and some days, I’m really not fun to be around. This day I would have been happy staying in my cozy B&B all da. That evening I was supposed to drive to Goree-Overflakkee to give my final talk of the trip. Only the energy was such I didn’t want to. I felt “off.” Strange.

I’m sure it had something to do with the crazy dreams and sleep the night before and the fact I woke up to see a dead guy floating next to me after 1:00 a.m. after I heard the name JOHN. Yep folks – he was there, very peacefully floating and waiting. I’m fairly certain he was once one of my soldiers. I just watched him and after a little while he disappeared. And then I got up and wrote in my journal describing this man I had just seen. Usually I don’t see them.

So…….who was John?

I did eventually get out of bed and try to ground my energy. I went for a short drive to Fort St. Andries in Rossum, Netherlands to see what was there. It was a bit difficult to find even with my GPS but it was a lovely drive. I didn’t spend too much time there, but it was enough to feel less “off.” My afternoon was quiet and then I drove toward Goree-Overflakkee.

Now, my energy was still a bit “off” and crabby when I left. I set the GPS for fastest route and it thought taking a ferry was the fastest route. What?! I knew I had to get onto the island or Goree-Overflakkee but Dennis, who scheduled me to speak never mentioned a ferry! After a frantic text to Dennis, I realized that the ferry was near Heusden. That route was an option I had when I visited Heusden but since there was a bridge right there, I took the bridge. Changing the GPS to scenic route allowed it to think the ferry was not an option and on I went.

The drive should have been less than an hour and a half. It never….ever….seemed to want to end. Note to self for the future: When you set the GPS to scenic route to avoid the ferry 10 minutes from your start point, remember to change it back to fastest route. Why? Because scenic takes you on and off highways to drive the beautiful back roads, which add a million minutes to your drive. Once I realized what I had (not) done, I switched the GPS and was on my way.

Until……..

I was almost on the island and got into the off ramp at the bridge to take me onto said island and it was stopped. No one was moving. 10 minutes, then 15. I was hungry. It was getting dark and I had to speak in a couple hours. Another frantic text off to Dennis and I discovered there was an accident. A couple miles up the road should be clear –if I could only get there.

Trusting the GPS had to know another way onto the island, I left the off-ramp and continued on this bridge about 5 km only to find that no, that was the only way on the island. I turned around and stopped at a gas station for a few minutes to gather my thoughts and breathe. I also texted my friend Mary and expressed my frustration. She said someone would attend the talk who needed me to show up. It seems when our energetic vibrations are raised, we are able to help others, often when we don’t even realize it. She said someone would thank me for being there that night. When I got back on the highway, the traffic was moving in both directions.

Needless to say by the time I hit Middleharnis I was frazzled. I asked the universe for a safe parking spot near somewhere I could have dinner. I had about an hour and a half before I needed to be at the school to set up. I got the parking spot right behind a French restaurant.

I’m very grateful to the angel waitress who could tell I was frazzled and spoke enough English to help me decide tea was better than a beer (which I really wanted at that point) and recommended something delicious for dinner. After I ordered I let Dennis know where I was. He knew I was frustrated and laughed because I had no idea where I was in relation to the school. Turns out I was 100 meters away. He said he’d come to the restaurant and say hello and tell me where to walk when I was finished.

Dinner was yummy, the tea was hot, and I was relaxed at the end of the meal. I walked to the school and met many people who had gathered for drinks prior to the program. A reporter had shown up to listen and I had a short interview prior to the talk. The energy was cheerful which helped reinforce the relaxed energy I was feeling. I was grateful.

Dennis Noteboom and me at talk edited — Dennis and Jennifer after the program.

I gave the program and talked about how to research WWII American soldier service. After I was finished, Dennis spoke about the air war on the island and some of his research. He had many photos of airmen and told us the story of a man who went down in a plane, only to have been later seen by someone who knew him from home, while he was wandering England. The man’s name was Jack.

And then the energy shifted and got all giddy and I almost laughed out loud because JACK is often a nickname for JOHN. The dead guy in my bed the night before, I was certain was this JACK. I asked Dennis if Jack was a nickname and he said he didn’t know. The reports only showed Jack. But the energy said otherwise.

When the program was over, several people stopped to talk to me and one in particular told me a story and then thanked me for being there. He reinforced that sometimes we are supposed to show up because someone needs us. I’m glad he and I both showed up that evening.

After hot tea with some of the attendees and conversation it was time to drive back to Ammerzoden. Dennis walked me back to my car and I told him about John and seeing him when I woke up the night before. He understood.

Was John the Jack, in the story Dennis told? We will never know for sure, but I think it was. And I’m grateful I got to meet him. Sometimes all the soldiers need is for someone to acknowledge them, to see them before they can move on peacefully.

Isn’t that all any of us really want – someone to really SEE us?

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