The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Liberation of Paris (Aug. 1944) - Apr. 20th, 2003

http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usawc/Parameters/98summer/blumenso.htm ^ | 1998 | MARTIN BLUMENSON

[SAMWolf]

Ernie Pyle
Liberating the City of Light

---

PARIS, August 28, 1944--I had thought that for me there could never again be any elation in war. But I had reckoned without the liberation of Paris--I had reckoned without remembering that I might be a part of this richly historic day.

We are in Paris--on the first day--one of the great days of all time. This is being written, as other correspondents are writing their pieces, under an emotional tension, a pent-up semi-delirium.

Our approach to Paris was hectic. We had waited for three days in a nearby town while hourly our reports on what was going on in Paris changed and contradicted themselves. Of a morning it would look as though we were about to break through the German ring around Paris and come to the aid of the brave French Forces of the Interior who were holding parts of the city. By afternoon it would seem the enemy had reinforced until another Stalingrad was developing. We could not bear to think of the destruction of Paris, and yet at times it seemed desperately inevitable.

That was the situation this morning when we left Rambouillet and decided to feel our way timidly toward the very outskirts of Paris. And then, when we were within about eight miles, rumors began to circulate that the French 2nd Armored Division was in the city. We argued for half an hour at a crossroads with a French captain who was holding us up, and finally he freed us and waved us on.

For fifteen minutes we drove through a flat gardenlike country under a magnificent bright sun and amidst greenery, with distant banks of smoke pillaring the horizon ahead and to our left. And then we came gradually into the suburbs, and soon into Paris itself and a pandemonium of surely the greatest mass joy that has ever happened.

*

The streets were lined as by Fourth of July parade crowds at home, only this crowd was almost hysterical. The streets of Paris are very wide, and they were packed on each side. The women were all brightly dressed in white or red blouses and colorful peasant skirts, with flowers in their hair and big flashy earrings. Everybody was throwing flowers, and even serpentine.

As our jeep eased through the crowds, thousands of people crowded up, leaving only a narrow corridor, and frantic men, women and children grabbed us and kissed us and shook our hands and beat on our shoulders and slapped our backs and shouted their joy as we passed.

I was in a jeep with Henry Gorrell of the United Press, Capt. Carl Pergler of Washington, D.C., and Corp. Alexander Belon of Amherst, Massachusetts. We all got kissed until we were literally red in face, and I must say we enjoyed it.

Once when the jeep was simply swamped in human traffic and had to stop, we were swarmed over and hugged and kissed and torn at. Everybody, even beautiful girls, insisted on kissing you on both cheeks. Somehow I got started kissing babies that were held up by their parents, and for a while I looked like a baby-kissing politician going down the street. The fact that I hadn't shaved for days, and was gray-bearded as well as bald-headed, made no difference. Once when we came to a stop, some Frenchman told us there were still snipers shooting, so we put our steel helmets back on.

The people certainly looked well fed and well dressed. The streets were lined with green trees and modern buildings. All the stores were closed in holiday. Bicycles were so thick I have an idea there have been plenty of accidents today, with tanks and jeeps overrunning the populace.

We entered Paris via Rue Aristide Briand and Rue d'Orléans. We were slightly apprehensive, but decided it was all right to keep going as long as there were crowds. But finally we were stymied by the people in the streets, and then above the din we heard some not-too-distant explosions--the Germans trying to destroy bridges across the Seine. And then the rattling of machine guns up the street, and that old battlefield whine of high-velocity shells just overhead. Some of us veterans ducked, but the Parisians just laughed and continued to carry on.

There came running over to our jeep a tall, thin, happy woman in a light brown dress, who spoke perfect American.

She was Mrs. Helen Cardon, who lived in Paris for twenty-one years and has not been home to America since 1935. Her husband is an officer in French Army headquarters and home now after two and a half years as a German prisoner. He was with her, in civilian clothes.

Mrs. Cardon has a sister, Mrs. George Swikart, of New York, and I can say here to her relatives in America that she is well and happy. Incidentally, her two children, Edgar and Peter, are the only two American children, she says, who have been in Paris throughout the entire war.

*

We entered Paris from due south and the Germans were still battling in the heart of the city along the Seine when we arrived, but they were doomed. There was a full French armored division in the city, plus American troops entering constantly.

The farthest we got in our first hour in Paris was near the Senate building, where some Germans were holed up and firing desperately. So we took a hotel room nearby and decided to write while the others fought. By the time you read this I'm sure Paris will once again be free for Frenchmen, and I'll be out all over town getting my bald head kissed. Of all the days of national joy I've ever witnessed this is the biggest.

[lilylangtree]

HAPPY EASTER AND MAY GOD BLESS!

[Valin]

God bless the French...Cause I have no use of them.

As an aside I heard on one of the talking head shows this morning that French exports to America are declining.

"Ain,t that a shame"
my tears fell like rain.
ain't that a shame,
you're the one to blame."

[SAMWolf]

Our Military Today
Bush Attends Easter Services
With POWs

FORT HOOD, Texas - President Bush (news - web sites) visited the nation's largest military base Sunday to attend Easter church services and meet with two helicopter pilots who were held as prisoners of war Iraq.

Bush was attending services at the 4th Infantry Division Memorial Chapel. Joining him were Chief Warrant Officer David S. Williams, 30, of Orlando, Fla., and Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young Jr., 26, Lithia Springs, Ga., and their families.

The Apache helicopter pilots were forced down in Iraq on March 24. They were rescued, with five other American POWs, on April 13 in northern Iraq after Iraqi captors abandoned their posts ahead of advancing American troops.

The pilots, with the Army's 1st Cavalry Division, returned to Fort Hood late Saturday, just after the five other soldiers got back to Fort Bliss in Texas. Bush planned to meet privately with the pilots.

Some 42,000 troops are normally based at Fort Hood. But almost half the soldiers at the Army installation have been deployed to the Iraq region, a base spokesman said.

Bush is taking an Easter vacation at his 1,600-acre ranch outside the central Texas town of Crawford. He took a helicopter to the Army base, which is about 50 miles south of the ranch.

His parents, former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, joined the president and first lady Laura Bush at the base. Also in the group were the president's mother-in-law, Jenna Welch, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice

. By SCOTT LINDLAW

President Bush salutes as he and first lady Laura Bush and Laura's mother Jenna Welch arrive at Fort Hood, Texas to attend Easter church services at the 4th Infantry Division Memorial Chapel Sunday April 20, 2003. Bush is visiting the nation's largest military base Sunday to attend church services and to meet with two freed POWs and their families who are attending the same service. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)


Former President George H. W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush arrive at Fort Hood, Texas to attend Easter church services with President Bush at the 4th Infantry Division Memorial Chapel Sunday April 20, 2003.

[SAMWolf]

Good. Maybe their friends the Germans and Russians can make up the difference in what we stopped buying from them.

[SAMWolf]

Our Military Today
Bush Meets the POWs

President Bush, center, shakes hands with Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young, left, and Chief Warrant Officer David Williams, right, both former POW's , after attending Easter church services at Fort Hood, Texas at the 4th Infantry Division Memorial Chapel Sunday April 20, 2003. Bush visited the nation's largest military base to attend church services and to meet with the two freed POWs and their families who were attending the same service.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

[SAMWolf]

For all the Ladies who visit the Foxhole:



Click on the Easter Bonnet

[Victoria Delsoul]

"Christ the Lord is Risen Today"

The Resurrection

Matthew 28

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you."

So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You must say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks so much, Sam. I love old songs, the singers sound much better than today's singers.

Hope you're having a great Easter Sunday.

[SAMWolf]

Good Afternoon, Victoria. Happy Easter.

Wife's gonna hijack the machine for a while so I'll see everyone in a a while.

[Victoria Delsoul]

See you later, Sam.

[snippy_about_it]

[SAMWolf]

OMG! Is that an Italian Beef Sandwich!!!

[snippy_about_it]

It's supposed to be, yes. It was either that or flowers.

:)

[SAMWolf]

I'll trade you the flowers for the Italian Beef!!!

[snippy_about_it]

It's a deal. I thought you'd prefer it that way.

The tulips are lovely, thank you.

Close your eyes now and enjoy the Italian beef. :)

[SAMWolf]

Thanks. I can almost taste it.

[SpookBrat]

Thanks for the thread today SAM. I learned a lot, like I do everyday. I have always enjoyed history, but your threads make me realize how ignorant I am. I was unaware of the "French Resistance" details.

[SAMWolf]

LOL! Don't worry Spooky.

For the most part "French Resistance" is an oxymoron.

After the lieration everyone was "in the Resistance" the truth is most of the French either collaborated with the Germans or just accepted them as the Government in power even though they resented them.

[SpookBrat]