Memorial Day Margraten 25/05/2008

spideyman · #1 (**permalink**) May 25th, 2008, 05:23 PM

I don't know were to post this item so I wil place it in here, so mod. if it is not correct please forgif me.

Today I was in Margraten at the cemetary for WW2 soldiers in the Netherlands. It was an hot an sunny day
It looks great with all the flowers
Spectaculair was the missing man formation
No more words needen I think

We'll never forget !

_________________
FUBAR !! (Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition)

zo mei 25, 2008 6:15 pm

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272VGD. · #2 (**permalink**) May 25th, 2008, 06:19 PM

Nice pictures....

Look at the difference: German cemetry in Lommel.

Halldin · #3 (**permalink**) May 25th, 2008, 09:08 PM

Nice cemetery.
I like the picture with the statue and the cloudy sky in the background.

PzJgr · #4 (**permalink**) May 26th, 2008, 02:11 AM

Very nice photos. Awesome weather to boot. Cheers.

Keystone Two-Eight · #5 (**permalink**) May 27th, 2008, 03:47 AM

It never ceases to amaze me, how the good people of Europe seem to appreciate the United states more than our own citizens. Thank you for sharing those beautiful photos! If I may be so bold, what brought you to that cemetery on Memorial day?

goot776 · #6 (**permalink**) May 27th, 2008, 06:01 PM

Spideyman,

Thanks for posting those pictures. They're the first I've seen on the internet so far.

I'm the US soldier saluting the flag on the left in the seventh picture. I had to stand there in front of that flag at parade-rest for nearly three hours, and yes, I have a lopsided, beret-shaped sunburn on my face to prove it. Margraten is a beautiful place. Cool flyover too, right?! I missed the jet leaving the formation, because I couldn't look up. Did you know there was supposed to be an American flyover that never showed up?

Best,

CPT Craig Vandergoot
EN, US Army
Heidelberg

spideyman · #7 (**permalink**) May 27th, 2008, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goot776

Spideyman,

Thanks for posting those pictures. They're the first I've seen on the internet so far.

I'm the US soldier saluting the flag on the left in the seventh picture. I had to stand there in front of that flag at parade-rest for nearly three hours, and yes, I have a lopsided, beret-shaped sunburn on my face to prove it. Margraten is a beautiful place. Cool flyover too, right?! I missed the jet leaving the formation, because I couldn't look up. Did you know there was supposed to be an American flyover that never showed up?

Best,

CPT Craig Vandergoot
EN, US Army
Heidelberg

Hey Craig,

What a suprise to hear from you trough this forum.
I was sitting then right from you under the tree's so no sunburn for me

However check this u-tube video (YouTube - missing man Margraten memorial) I uploaded you see the formation I filmed it too. About the American fly over no I did not know.
Last year there were 2 formation's including the F15's from the air force.
Mmmm to bad they didn't show up do you now the reason ?
When I look at your last name maybe Dutch grand parents
You can mail me so I can sent you some more pictures I took

goot776 · #8 (**permalink**) May 27th, 2008, 07:43 PM

I was at the Margraten planning meeting the week before - the US Colonel said they were having problems with getting the US Air Force to fly over because of similar missions elsewhere that had different priorities, and there weren't a lot of jets to go around (most are in Afghanistan and Iraq anyways).

My grandfather was Dutch, he moved to New Jersey from Friesland in 1928 and joined the US Army in the 30's. He made a career out of it, fought in Europe through Utah Beach, and retired a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army Engineers. Patton promoted him to Chief personally, which I thought was cool. He died a year before I joined the Army - I ended up as an Engineer as well. I was the most senior ranking officer there for the honor platoon up in the front and the flag detail in back; I thought it was pretty fitting that I was overseeing the raising of both the Dutch and US flags.

Did you notice any of the Dutch soldiers stumble out of the formation in the front because of the heat? Some US soldiers dropped too. Standing still for two and a half hours hurt - I had a spider dangle from my nose! I was jealous of all you people lying there in the shade...

I'll send you my email - I'd love to have those pictures. Were you by chance wearing a baseball hat with the 101st insignia on it? I noticed someone else posting Margraten pics on other forums, and he was wearing that hat, which I noticed while I was there.

Thanks,

Craig

PzJgr · #9 (**permalink**) May 27th, 2008, 08:03 PM

Hey Craig, I've done my share of parades and know what you were going through and now being on the spectator side, yours and all other soldiers/airmen/seamen's efforts to honor those who served/serving is greatly appreciated. I now know how much of an honor it is to be a participant in these types of parades. Cheers.

spideyman · #10 (**permalink**) May 28th, 2008, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goot776

I was at the Margraten planning meeting the week before - the US Colonel said they were having problems with getting the US Air Force to fly over because of similar missions elsewhere that had different priorities, and there weren't a lot of jets to go around (most are in Afghanistan and Iraq anyways).

My grandfather was Dutch, he moved to New Jersey from Friesland in 1928 and joined the US Army in the 30's. He made a career out of it, fought in Europe through Utah Beach, and retired a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army Engineers. Patton promoted him to Chief personally, which I thought was cool. He died a year before I joined the Army - I ended up as an Engineer as well. I was the most senior ranking officer there for the honor platoon up in the front and the flag detail in back; I thought it was pretty fitting that I was overseeing the raising of both the Dutch and US flags.

Did you notice any of the Dutch soldiers stumble out of the formation in the front because of the heat? Some US soldiers dropped too. Standing still for two and a half hours hurt - I had a spider dangle from my nose! I was jealous of all you people lying there in the shade...

I'll send you my email - I'd love to have those pictures. Were you by chance wearing a baseball hat with the 101st insignia on it? I noticed someone else posting Margraten pics on other forums, and he was wearing that hat, which I noticed while I was there.

Thanks,

Craig

Hey Craig

No it wasn't me.
You look straight to the mermorial tower and right of you a was there with my son, good friend and wife in the shade. I adopted a graf a year ago from a sergant bombsqaud who was shot down in Hoorn (Holland). I have also e-mail contact with his brother. But I didn't recieve your e-mail !!!

Did you recieved my private mail to you trough this forum ?