Battle of the Bulge vets reminicse over lunch

Published March 5, 2010
By Sgt. Nicole Dykstra
72nd Field Artillery Brigade

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Reminiscing and sharing war stories, surrounded by their wives and comrades of 60+ years, heroes of the Battle of the Bulge and its honorary WW II members gathered for their monthly chapter meeting strengthening the bond that only military members understand.
The Fort Dix/McGuire Air Force Base chapter of the World War II Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge Association, established in 1981, meets every first Tuesday of the month. Often at Pudgy's on JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, the members extend the invitation to present-day servicemembers to join them for lunch and to honor the legacy of the Battle of the Bulge.
Army Col. Timothy R. Williams, commander of the 72nd Field Artillery Brigade, addressed the group of more than a dozen WW II veterans, accompanied by spouses and friends.
"I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today," said Williams. "And thank you for all you have done for our country, my family and I are grateful for your generation's service and sacrifice."
After a casual lunch filled with tableside military chitchat among past and present servicemembers, Williams briefly relayed his military experiences to the crowd before allowing the veterans to ask questions and swap stories. Laughter filled the room as veterans young and old took turns sharing their experiences.
Lloyd Orth, chapter president , a Battle of the Bulge combat medic who served with the 68th Medical Regiment from Camp Forrest, Tenn., chairs the meetings and keeps the group in stitches with his lively sense of humor and no-hold bar attitude.
"We want to make the public aware of what we went through," said Orth, who served in the Army for 23 years and retired as a master sergeant. "It's important to keep the past alive."
Nothing holds truer as fewer and fewer WW II vets remain to share the distinguished history of the Greatest Generation.
The Battle of the Bulge, which lasted from Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 25, 1945, saw its 65th anniversary in 2009. According to the United States Army Center of Military History, it was the largest land battle of World War II in which the United States participated in; more than 500,000 American troops waded through snow drifts in the Ardennes to battle back the "bulge" of German Soldiers who had pushed through the Allied line of advance.
John Saal, a three year member of the association, recalled trekking through France, Belgium, Holland, and Luxemburg in the 1940's, spending four Christmases away from his family, he said. He served as a switchboard operator and wireman, hooking up telephones and radios after he arrived in France in 1943. For his service, Saal was recently awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
"It was a different kind of battle," he said. "The enemy we were fighting was right in front of us; now, you never know. I went in to fight for my country."
As the number of Battle of the Bulge veterans declines, Orth encourages his fellow WW II veterans, many well into their nineties, to actively seek out new members. He understands the importance of the support offered by the association and other veteran groups, he said.
"I wear my hat with my master sergeant rank, and I get salutes and handshakes from other vets I don't even know," he said. "Comradeship cannot be taught, it just happens. There's no comparison for civilians like the comradeship of the military. That's why we're able to stay together."
For more information on the Battle of the Bulge chapters and membership opportunities please visit www.battleofthebulge.org