Hidden Corners of History - Freedom Because…

Freedom Because…

Jarrod E. Stephens

The Ashland Beacon

Summertime is a season of freedom for many. The kids are out of school and families’ plans for long-awaited vacations come to fruition. It’s a time of picnics, games, homecomings and fishing. Freedom is on display everywhere you look.

As June 6th came and went this year, I was surprised at how little coverage I heard or saw on the news about the anniversary of D-Day. 81 years have passed since nearly 73,000 American soldiers stormed the beaches of Europe to begin the process of squashing Hitler from power. There were no picnics, ballgames, parades or fun times on display on those bloody beaches in 1944.  

Sure, our world still has a major problem with wars and rumors of wars, but we enjoy freedom because of these forgotten heroes and their efforts. As someone who grew up around many WWII Veterans, I have a deep respect for men and women who selflessly have served and still serve our nation to preserve our freedom. In honor of one of my late friends, Jim Foster, who was a WWII veteran and landed on Normandy a few days after D-Day, I am going to share some tidbits of his wartime adventures so that we can all reflect on what it means to put your life on the line for others.

Like many Americans who were drafted during WWII, Jim was enjoying life on his family’s farm and starting his young adult life. Then, Uncle Sam came knocking. James “Jim” Russell Foster was drafted into the United States Army in 1944. He was one of 160 men to leave Carter County, Kentucky in two days. After only thirteen weeks of basic training in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he found himself headed for Camp Shelby, Mississippi. There he trained at shooting heavy artillery, a 240mm Howitzer.

Jim and his group arrived in Scotland in May and began their journey toward the English

Channel. On the very first night in Bournemouth, England he recalled, “We got our first taste of

an air raid. Boy did they set that place on fire! You’ve never seen anything like it.” They crossed

the English Channel into France nearly a week after the D-Day invasion. “It was a mess,” he recalled. “It was a real junkyard.”

  Almost immediately after getting onto shore and assembling their cannon that was named,

“Hodge’s Horror,” Jim said that they fell under fire of enemy bombers for the first time. He said

that it didn’t take long for them to find out who was going to be able to handle the stresses of

combat. Some of the young men broke down cried under the pressure. “By then we knew for sure that it was war.” They proceeded along to St. Lo, France where the Germans stopped them in their tracks.

  His group began to destroy bridges and buildings in the distance. He recalled a day when 2,500

American B-24s flew overhead as they went to decimate their targets. Foster’s regiment

followed behind General Patton’s men as they cleared the way. Jim stated that once

they were able to move forward that they had the time of their lives as they proudly marched

through the Arch de Triumph in Paris, France. They felt like kings but the glory was short-lived. They were in the midst of the greatest war of the 20th century fighting for the freedoms of people they didn’t even know.

  Amidst the conflict he recalled a high point. “It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and we witnessed

the German and American planes in aerial combat. Now you talk precision. Those old boys

would come right down on each other.” By that time he stated that their supplies were running a bit low. Ammunition was scarce but an advance unit had seized some German arms and they

were able to use them on the enemy. This kept the Germans moving. At this point they were

nearing Thanksgiving and Brother Foster recalled, “We were wading in mud that was knee-

deep.” This is when the issue of equipment and clothing came to the forefront. His unit didn’t

receive their heavy winter clothing until sometime later.

  It wasn’t until after Christmas that he felt the Germans were losing their taste for war. His group

continued to shell in front of Patton’s men to clear the way for the advancing troops. They finally

made it to the heartland between the Ruhr and the Rhine Rivers in early spring. His group found themselves under fire from German fortifications. It was slow moving for a period. Just before passing into Germany, he and one of his friends was able to find an old mattress in a building and he said, “We got the best night’s rest that we’d had in months.”

  Jim continued to tell of the emotional toll that the conflict was taking on him and the other soldiers. The one thing that kept them going strong was thinking about their loved ones back home. They were separated by thousands of miles, but the hope of a safe return kept the men marching forward.

  They made itinto Saarbrücken, Germany and continued their journey towards Berlin. There was a time, however, when he and his regiment traveled the Autobahn. “It was the straightest road you’ve ever seen but boy it was torn up.” From that point forward they traveled as quickly as they could but by the time they neared Berlin, the Germans had surrendered.

  After returning to the states, Jim like many other soldiers married, had a family and did get to enjoy the freedom that he’d helped secure. He was a proud veteran but never bragged about what he did. He said they never had a clue about how big of a deal the war would turn out to be but that he was glad he helped defeat Hitler.

  This summer as you have the opportunity to enjoy picnics, parties, parades and such, don’t forget to thank a veteran for their service that has made it all possible. God has given us the greatest and most free nation on earth, and it didn’t simply arrive. We have freedom because!