Yesterday, Pfc's Jack Beckwith from La Moure, ND and Saul Kokotovich from Gary, IN, both from the 395th Infantry 99th Division Co. C, and Sgt Frederick Zimmerman from Ohio, 394th Infantry 99th Division were interred with full military honors at the American military cemetery of Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.  Their remains were found in April 2001 in the Hurtgen Forest near Monschau.

 

At 11.00 AM, the three caskets, containing the bones but also the uniforms and ribbons, were transferred from the chapel of the cemetery to the church of Aubel, a small village about 3 miles away.  American flags which some people had put out of their houses, "saluted" the procession as we drove along.

A mass followed in an overcrowded church, a mass full of emotion and love, where the three families got the opportunity to speak out their feelings.  When the choir sang "The Star Spangled Banner", it was hard to hold back the tears.

The whole ceremony was honored by the presence of a member of the American Congress, who gave a speech.

 

Then the three caskets were driven back to the cemetery, where a big crowd had gathered around the three new white crosses.

The US Army chaplain spoke a few words (again), then someone read a poem which was followed by the volleys and the playing of taps.  Then the American flags were folded and given to the families.

 

Afterwards, all the people present were given the opportunity to offer their condolences to the families and Bernard and I certainly joined in !

We made some cry, a woman of the Kokotovich family gave me an enormous hug after I spoke to her.  This moment was full of warmth, love and emotion.

 

We stayed until the "going down" of the caskets, which followed one hour after that, then we left, thanking God for having witnessed such a historical moment (the first military burial of WW2 soldiers in Belgium since 1954 !).

 

The ceremony was nothing but superb and the personnel of the Henri-Chapelle cemetery was wonderful, as always.