On the Battlefields: Remembering the Battle of the Bulge 75 Years Later
This past weekend, I joined a bipartisan Senate delegation to Luxembourg and Belgium to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Many of us had a loved one who fought in the pivotal WWII battle. For me, it was my dad, Robert Wood.
Like so many of his generation, he felt a strong call to duty and — after the bombing of Pearl Harbor — he left school to volunteer for the service and eventually found himself at the Battle of the Bulge as an infantry sergeant.
During this bloody battle, the American forces were severely outnumbered and unprepared for the climate and conditions of the region. But against incredible odds, unit by unit, American soldiers continued to fight — persevering with courage and resilience.
There were nearly 80,000 American causalities in the Battle of the Bulge alone. At the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium, rows and rows of gravestones mark the final resting place of thousands of those Americans, a solemn reminder of the toll of war.
A large, marble wall map in the cemetery’s chapel depicts the vast territory in which the Battle of the Bulge was fought. On it, I saw gold marking the spot where my father had fought so many years ago.
My dad used to tell me stories about the men he served with — how they came from different parts of the country and from different backgrounds. Dad would say that they didn’t have much in common except for one particular thing — they were all fighting for freedom, and they believed in it.
And our allies did too. The people of Bastogne still remember the veterans who saved their city and are still incredibly grateful to America. Despite the cold and pouring rain, they packed the streets to commemorate the battle.
To this day, the Belgian people continue to build relationships with our veterans and the families of fallen service members. I was touched to learn that Belgian families have a tradition of adopting the gravesites of American soldiers buried at Henri-Chapelle, a cemetery that is the final resting place for 40 Granite Staters. These families maintain the gravesites and sometimes even connect with the surviving family of the deceased.
Several veterans shared similar stories of foreign friendship during their service. One veteran reflected on the kindness of a Belgian woman who offered him warm broth when he was on patrol during the Battle. He said it was the best meal he ever had.
Among the many incredible veterans I met, I was especially delighted to see one familiar face: Vince Speranza of Illinois. I met Vince several months ago at a D-Day commemoration event in Normandy. When I first spoke with him this summer, he told me a story that has stayed with me. As a 19-year-old service member, he found a map dividing the world into German, Italian, and Japanese territories. He said that he knew then the grave consequences if the war was lost. Vince bravely fought in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, and it was an honor to be able to thank him for his service in Normandy and again this week.
Vince’s story exemplifies the extraordinary service of the Greatest Generation. The Mayor of Bastogne described their character perfectly at a commemoration service this past weekend. He said, “Time has not changed you. You are always there, valiant, at your stations.”
My dad and all those who fought at the Bulge never forgot what they experienced on the battlefields of Europe — the bloody consequences of fascism, demagoguery, and anti-Semitism. And they took the lessons of war home with them, where they built and cherished democratic institutions and reinforced democratic values wherever they went.
As Americans, our job is to protect the freedom that these brave men have fought for. And as the Greatest Generation grows older, it is important that we honor them by stepping up to fill their posts. We must give every measure of our effort to fight for, to nurture, and to sustain freedom. Just as they have.
