Operation "Market Garden" +66 Years
This year marked the 66th anniversary of Operation "Market Garden", the Anglo-American plan to force a bridgehead into The Netherlands in September 1944. After last year’s events in light of the 65th anniversary, this was a relatively quiet September to Remember. Nonetheless, we can report of several commemorations and events we attended and took part in.

Eerde, Friday September 17th 2010
By tradition, the Eerde Airborne Committee celebrates the liberation of Eerde every September 17th regardless of the day of the week. Children of the elementary school that has adopted the Geronimo Monument were involved in the ceremony. Present also were the military attaché of the US Embassy, Colonel Stimson and US Airborne Forces representative Major Chris Judge.

(click on the thumbnails to enlarge)

    

We also spotted veteran Ray Nagell of the 321st Glider Artillery Battalion:

The reason for the WW2-attire was the dinner invitation we received from the men and women of Yank Reenactment, earlier that evening. The trip from their temporary post in the town of Liempde to Eerde was made in a period Willy’s jeep.

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Yank-Reenactor Frank photographed by
Peter van de Wal during the ceremony in Eerde
(note battle detectives in background)

The journey ran across the drop- and landing zones of the 101st in between Son and Sint-Oedenrode.
Sint Oedenrode, Son, Liempde, Eindhoven, Saturday September 18th 2010
Because of reasons still unclear to us, the municipality of Sint-Oedenrode had decided to celebrate its liberation a day ahead of the other towns along the 101st’s sector of Hell’s Highway.
As in 2009 Tom served as the master of ceremonies in the wreath laying ceremonies in these towns and therefore also in Sint Oedenrode.
After the ceremony next to the Monument to the Dutch, we joined the photo-reenactors of Yank Reenactment to recreate a US Army Signal Corps photo taken at the edge of the Drop Zone in Son.
 

The evening of the 18th was marked for the annual Torch Parade in Eindhoven.
Eindhoven Area, Sunday September 19th 2010
Today, the traditional Remember September Day of the Airborne Friends was celebrated and Tom again played the role of speaker during the ceremonies in the Corridor towns.

After the ceremonial activities, the Airborne Friends and several American guests enjoyed the Remember September Dinner in Sint Oedenrode. Battle Detective Kim also joined the diners in restaurant “De Beurs”.

Heteren, Saturday October 2nd 2010
On this day, wreaths were laid at the monument to the 101st Airborne Division placed next to the dyke road in Heteren. The US Embassy in The Hague was again represented by Colonel Jeffrey Stimson. The ceremony was organized by the Foundation Never-Forget-Them; led by young Martin Veggelers.
 

Exhibition in Eindhoven Veterans House
The Heteren ceremony did not, however, conclude this year’s events to keep the memory of the 101st in The Netherlands alive. Starting November an exhibition will be held in the Veterans House in Eindhoven. There will be a special focus on the division’s deployment in the area named “The Island” in October and November 1944. The exhibition will be open to the public in the Veterans House on Smits Straat until January 2011.
This is a behind the scenes impression of the exhibition being set up by Tom, Wilbert and Veteran's House supervisor Jan Coolen:



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