MANHATTAN — Area World War II veterans gathered once again in Manhattan Saturday to commemorate 74 years since the end of the Battle of the Bulge.
The last major German offensive campaign saw Americans bear the brunt of the attack and the highest amount of casualties from the war. Stories were shared during a panel discussion Saturday at the American Legion. Some of those stories included firsthand accounts of dodging enemy fire from their foxholes, some as small as two feet deep. Veteran Jim Sharp spoke about the helmets, which were used for a variety of purposes on the front line, none more important than for protection from enemy fire.
In addition to the heavy assault, soldiers also fought off brutal frigid temperatures on the western front during the conflict which took place between December 1944 and January 1945. Veteran Arnold Debrick carried a mortar for several hours one day during the battle. He recalled being so worn down that he couldn’t find the energy to dig a foxhole with his fellow soldier when it became apparent they were about to be fired upon.
Americans who were on the front lines faced constant danger from enemy fire and often their only protection was bunkering down into a foxhole, sometimes as shallow as two feet deep. Sharp explains how foxholes became homes for the pairs of soldiers in his infantry on the front line.
Veteran Julian Seibert recalled his 21st birthday being on the move and having to dig his way to safety in the frigid weather.
Debrick recalled developing trench foot due to the frigid conditions and says his doctor said there wasn’t much they could do to help him.
Eight veterans appeared at Saturday’s reunion, all ranging from age 93, to the oldest Malcolm Strom who recently turned 100 years old. Strom explained his role in the war as the Transportation Officer for the 102nd Evacuation Hospital.
The event featured lunch and a moment of remembrance as well as artifacts collected from World War II including a Nazi flag captured by Sharp during the conflict.
