The Kobylkas in Europe

Written by 10:32 pm 2014

Brussels III

 We spend all day Tuesday on a tour of the area fought over during the Battle of the Bulge. Our first stop was the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery which was a powerful experience.

Throughout the day we stopped at a number of monuments and the guide provided a great narrative of the events that took place at the various sites. Nearly 600 American soldiers died in the area pictured above and are commemorated by the monument.
 Throughout the day we stopped at a number of monuments and the guide provided a great narrative of the events that took place at the various sites. Nearly 600 American soldiers died in the area pictured above and are commemorated by the monument.
This site memorializes POWs that were slaughtered by the SS shortly after the battle started.
 This site memorializes POWs that were slaughtered by the SS shortly after the battle started.
A German tiger tank sits in one of the villages. I had no idea how big these tanks were. We also saw a Sherman tank (dwarfed by the Tiger) and a Panzer tank.
 A German tiger tank sits in one of the villages. I had no idea how big these tanks were. We also saw a Sherman tank (dwarfed by the Tiger) and a Panzer tank.
Similar to the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, the Recogne-Bastogne German Military Cemetery memorializes the German dead from the Battle of the Bulge.
 Similar to the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, the Recogne-Bastogne German Military Cemetery memorializes the German dead from the Battle of the Bulge.
This photo might not show it well, but it is of a fox hole that was on one of the defensive perimeters near Bastogne. It’s amazing that nearly 70 years after the battle there are so many fox holes in the Ardennes Forest.
 This photo might not show it well, but it is of a fox hole that was on one of the defensive perimeters near Bastogne. It’s amazing that nearly 70 years after the battle there are so many fox holes in the Ardennes Forest.
This monument is for the 101st Airborne which helped defend Bastogne. The book/HBO series “Band of Brothers” was based in part on the experience of soldiers from this unit.
 This monument is for the 101st Airborne which helped defend Bastogne. The book/HBO series “Band of Brothers” was based in part on the experience of soldiers from this unit.
In Bastogne there was a beautiful monument to the battle and an absolutely outstanding museum that we could have easily spend half the day at it.
 In Bastogne there was a beautiful monument to the battle and an absolutely outstanding museum that we could have easily spend half the day at it.
The monument lists all 50 states and Wisconsin and Washington were in the same section.
 The monument lists all 50 states and Wisconsin and Washington were in the same section.
Alex, Kevin and David in front of a half track in a small Belgian village.
 Alex, Kevin and David in front of a half track in a small Belgian village.
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