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Report on the “invasion” of the Colmar Pocket (and beyond) by Monika Stoy

2009 and 2010

“Nous resterons là”

I met Monika and Tim Stoy during the 1995 commemorations for the 55th anniversary of the liberation of Colmar. I was then in charge of some 30 veterans who had been invited, mostly from the 12th Armored Division and 28th Infantry Division. The Stoys attended most commemorations after that, especially in 2004-2005. An incident happened during the ceremony at the US Memorial on the Sigolsheim Heights. I had provided the flowers and was going to lay them with Major Allen Pepper representing Christopher Davis, then US Consul in residence in Strasbourg. Suddenly the Stoys appeared, Tim grabbed the flowers and proceeded toward the monument. Allen and I had no time to react. Besides, we couldn’t cause a scandal. When I asked Allen why he hadn’t fought back, he said he could not, Tim outranked him.

Then I started hearing about the plaques. Mayors I knew were not in favor of the project. I think very few plaques were made that year (2005 or 2006), except Kunheim. Since I don’t live in the Colmar Pocket, I heard nothing more about the plaques until November 2009. I was puzzled when I heard Monika had created her Outpost Europe because she never told me about it or even tried to enlist me. I would have been a likely candidate as a published historian of Seventh Army and I would have been glad to pay my dues then, as I have always had excellent connections with the Third Division, whether on the West Coast when I deliver speeches at their local reunions or when I become their tour guide for the Vosges-Alsace area. But I have so many activities involving so many division associations in the US that I actually thought nothing of it. Looking back, the Outpost gave her the power and authority she needed.

A very long-term project 2005 - 2010

2004-2005: the Stoys were very prominent in the Colmar Pocket, as it is reported by Tim in the 15th infantry newsletter (www.15thinfregtnewsletter.com):

Highlights of the letter: 2004-2005

• Tim and Monika participated in 31 ceremonies within a short period in 2004-2005 • “At all events, the Alsatians expressed their thanks and appreciation for their liberators… It is good to see that the Alsatian people still appreciate the role our soldiers played in their liberation”. • The school children were an active part of the ceremonies • TheStoys were invested with a mission: they “go beyond the call of duty” when Tim speaks “on behalf of the nation”. Or when he “emphasizes that, in the face of terrorism, the United States and France need to stand together, as they did in WWII”. • “Our intention is that every village and town in France, beginning in Alsace, where the division fought displays the Marne patch in some prominent location”. “Monika and I participated in 31 ceremonies and related events in the time frame 12 December 2004 to 7 February 2005. Not all events were connected to the 3d Infantry Division; several honored the 28th Infantry Division, the 36th Infantry Division, the 75th Infantry Division, and the units of the 1st French Army. At all events in which we participated, the Alsatian people extended their thanks and appreciation for their liberators, young men who fought in difficult conditions against a tough adversary. We extended, on your behalf, best wishes and congratulations on the 60th anniversary of their liberation, and emphasized that, in the face of the threat of terrorism, the United States and France need to stand together, as they did in World War II. I would like to highlight the events in which we participated that were connected to the 3d Infantry Division. Beginning 12 December, the communities of Ammerschwihr, Kaysersberg, and Kientzheim celebrated a

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combined ceremony. Wreaths were laid at the American monument at the Necropole above Sigolsheim (Hill 351), followed by the dedication of a monument to the 5th French Armored Division in Kientzheim. A retired French 3-star general, who served in the battles in Alsace as a young lieutenant, was highly commendatory of the US soldiers who fought along with him in the Colmar pocket battles. I also delivered comments at the reception following the ceremony. At Christmas, we were able to participate in ceremonies in Bennwihr and Mittelwihr , both on the 24th of December. The ceremony in Bennwihr was wonderful, with the children reading the memoirs of their grandparents who had been in the village at the time of its liberation during a morning mass. I once again delivered comments in front of a full church, over 400 persons, most of whom were village residents. The Mass was followed by a very touching ceremony at the village’s war monument. We also presented to the school children of Bennwihr several boxes of English language books in an effort to help the French children learn English. This was our first delivery, of what we hope will be many. We believe that the friendship and respect the WWII generation of soldiers shares with the French citizens they liberated 60 years ago should not be allowed to wither as the veterans and older citizens pass away. That is why we are trying to impress on the children we meet the price that was paid by our soldiers so that they could grow up free, and hope they will learn enough English to be able to speak to any visiting Americans. In 60 years we hope their memories of their childhood contacts with those veterans that visited them and people like Tim and I will help them have a positive image of America. Mittelwihr had a solemn, low key ceremony in the evening following a church service. Both villages held expositions of photos and artefacts from the battles that raged through most of December. It was amazing to see that both villages were completely destroyed, and then to see how well they have recovered. We returned to Alsace the last week of January 2005. We had a very full schedule of events, which grew as we met village mayors at the various events who would subsequently invite us to their own ceremonies. The village of Houssen, which absorbed the village of Rosenkrantz, dedicated a monument to CMH recipient PFC Jose Valdez of the 7th Infantry Regiment on 25 January. The monument stands outside a small chapel, which during the Middle Ages was the site of a pilgrimage. I held the remarks at the reception on behalf of the US Army and the 3d Infantry Division. We have asked the Mayor to include the Marne Patch on the Valdez monument and he has promised to do so. We also presented the Mayor a framed Department of the Army seal for display in the courthouse. Comment: adding the patch has become an obsession.

The following day, the village of Riedwihr held its ceremony, beginning with a memorial mass, then with a ceremony at the monument to the dead, and concluded with a reception at the multipurpose hall. Again I spoke on behalf of the nation and the division. Comments: how can he speak on behalf of the nation? Is he a politician?

On 27 January the village of Holtzwihr held its ceremony. The celebration began with a memorial mass. After mass, the village unveiled a very nice marble tablet with pictures engraved upon it from the period of the war. Monika assisted the Mayor, Mr. Gerber, in unveiling a sign designating the place in front of the church as the Place de la Liberation, with the Marne patch prominently displayed in honor of the liberators. Initially the sign had not included the patch, but we were able to convince the Mayor that the blue and white belongs

there. Our intention is that every village and town in France, beginning in Alsace, where the division fought displays the Marne patch in some prominent location. We also presented to him another framed Department of the Army seal and a large framed set of pictures from the 3d Infantry Division veterans visit to Holtzwihr in August. Comment: already in 2005 history was revised since the plaque doesn’t display the insignia of the CC of the 5th Armored Div. Doesn’t he know an infantry unit needs the support of tanks wherever there’s fierce resistance?

On 29 January we participated in three ceremonies connected to the Marne Division -Sigolsheim, Muntzenheim, and Jebsheim. At Sigolsheim, the Rhine-Danube Veterans (French) paid tribute to our US soldiers with a large ceremony at the Necropole above Sigolsheim. I laid a wreath at the monument and made the keynote address. It was quite cold but these French veterans were sincere in their heartfelt affection for our soldiers. The ceremony concluded with a large reception hosted in Sigolsheim by the mayor.

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Muntzenheim held a small, solemn ceremony at its monument to the dead, laying a wreath and with the Mayor holding a short speech. This was followed by a short reception at the fire hall. I again was asked to make some comments. Jebsheim was liberated by the 254th Infantry while it was attached to the 3d Infantry Division fighting in concert with French soldiers of the Foreign Legion, the First Regiment Chasseur Parachutiste, and the Premier Battalion de Choc. Monika held the keynote speech and laid a wreath at the village monument. The Regimental Commander with color guard and honor company from the 1st RCP participated in the ceremony, as well as the Army Band from the military district of Paris. On Sunday 30 January Colmar held its ceremony. The keynote speech was held by the French Defense Minister. Frankly, the ceremony was disappointing as our National Anthem was not played, nor was our Consul General invited to speak even though he was on the reviewing stand. The only Americans in uniform present were Monika and I. This was a far cry from the 50th anniversary ceremony, where the senior US representative was the Ambassador to France, the senior military representative was an Army Lieutenant General, with an honor company and color guard marching in the parade. On 2 February we participated in ceremonies in Kunheim and Biesheim. Biesheim laid wreaths at the monument it erected to the 3d Infantry Division several years ago, and we laid a wreath at the nearby monument to T/Sgt Peden, CMH recipient, during the fighting there. Kunheim celebrated in the evening with wreaths being laid at the monument to the dead, with children reading poems and singing during the ceremony. On 5 February we represented the Division and the country at the ceremony in Volgelsheim. It was a marvellous ceremony, with a fabulous fireworks display to end the evening. Mayor Mann addressed us and you veterans directly in English during his remarks. It was a remarkable effort as he never learned English in school, and he practiced all week to be able to express his gratitude. Soldiers of the French-German Brigade participated in the ceremony. And on 6 February Neuf-Brisach held its ceremony in the morning. The day began with a memorial Mass, followed by the dedication of a tablet honoring a citizen of the village who had risked his life to leave the fortress and inform the attacking Americans that the Germans had already withdrawn. Then there was a ceremony at the town monument. Both the 3d Infantry and the 75th Infantry Divisions entered the village on the same day in February 1945. The 75th Division has emplaced a memorial plaque on the town’s monument to the dead. We ensured that the mayor understood that the 3d Division had also been there, and he expressed willingness to include a 3d Infantry Division plaque. Comments: even in 2010 the Mayor hesitated and I was asked to verify if the Third had done any feat of arms in Neuf -Brisach. There was none but my contact there, Mr Aloyse Brunsperger, the historian, told me general de Lattre was fond of the Third and admired general O’Daniel. It is true he praised him but wasn’t over enthusiastic about the accomplishments of that division. In fact, Monika had been in Neuf- Brisach on November 11 for Armistice Day and had already exerted pressure on them, as shown in the following newspaper article. Neuf-Brisach / Cérémonie du 11 novembre

La commémoration de l'Armistice de 1918 a eu lieu mercredi autour du maire Richard Alvarez, des élus municipaux dont le conseiller général Hubert Miehe, du député Eric Strauman, et en présence des pompiers sous le commandement du capitaine Paul Poudevigne, avec la participation musicale de l'Harmonie municipale. Les associations patriotiques du secteur (28e RIF, ANS0RAA, Anciens du 9e RG, Rhin et Danube, le Souvenir Francais et l'UNC) étaient représentées à cette cérémonie, et l'armée dont la gendarmerie avec le lieutenant Christine Dubois assistait également a la cérémonie. Une invitée exceptionnelle, le capitaine Monica Stoy de la base américaine de Ramstein en Allemagne, était au nombre des participants. (an exceptional guest, Captain Monica Stoy from the US base in Ramstein, Germany, was among the participants).

© Dernières Nouvelles D'alsace, Samedi 14 Novembre 2009. - Tous droits de reproduction réservés

Each village celebrated its own liberation in its own way, some with solemn recognition of the lives lost, and others with a greater sense of joy for their liberation. Having been there for the 50th anniversary ceremonies ten years ago, it is good to see that the Alsatian people still appreciate the role our soldiers played in their liberation. Necessarily the number of veterans is much decreased, as is the number of older citizens. We were uniformly impressed with the number of communities that made a great effort to involve their children in the commemorations. We only met three US veterans at the ceremonies we attended, Mr.

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Feeney of the 75th Division, Mr. Stephens of the 28th Division, and Mr. Checha of the 12th Armored Division. Of course, the 3d Infantry Division tour came through Alsace in August as part of the celebrations in Provence.

My conclusion: early 2005, the situation seemed satisfactory, the Alsatians honored the US soldiers appropriately with fitting ceremonies involving the school children. The Stoys were determined to have the Marne patch displayed but they hadn’t mentioned the plaques yet.

From what I have been able to reconstitute, Mrs Stoy started the plaque business (it is a commercial business) later in 2005, but supposedly she had conceived the idea ten years before, as reported in the website of the Third Division association:

Highlights: a project conceived as early as 1995 ? letters sent to all mayors concerned in 2004

• It was believed then the liberation of the Colmar Pocket was achieved by the Free French Forces and the Third Division: this is misleading. There were two distinct periods: - in December 1944 when the Third was attached to the First French Army and the Franco-American forces had barely reached the exit of the Weiss valley at Kaysersberg. The Colmar Pocket did not exist as such then. - after January 20th. The Colmar Pocket had been constituted when the French and the Americans had to take up defensive positions on December 22. In January it was necessary to reduce this Pocket before the whole western front attacked in a large scale Spring offensive. The Third Division was not alone though it played an undeniably major role. With other US divisions it eventually formed XXI Corps, attached to the French. And the role of the French forces cannot be underestimated. • The Stoys identified 250 small villages liberated by the Third Division, in Italy, France and Germany. They “urged” the mayors to put up plaques. But, up to then, the plaques were to “describe how the Division liberated the town”. Page 2 it is mentioned “where the Division fought”.

The creation of Outpost Europe 5845 in 2005: Monika needed money, authority, supporters and places to stay in France. Therefore she created Outpost Europe 5845 in 2005.

The Third veterans had often revisited the battlefields and made numerous friends from Provence to the Rhine. She enlisted that network of friends, including several mayors. The creation of the new Outpost was reported in The Watch on the Rhine June 2005 issue. She was the President, the Secretary and the Treasurer to begin with. She still held these functions (at least President and Secretary) in 2008. Now Tim her husband is the secretary/ and probably today. I can see no audit of the Outpost financial records anywhere (at least not on the Internet in the Association newsletter). The other outposts have a secretary-treasurer or a secretary and a treasurer. Maybe you should audit her books…

Society Service Awards (89th reunion Fort Benning 2008) • C. Monika Stoy: in appreciation for organizing Outpost Europe #5845, for serving as

secretary of Outpost Europe, efforts in placing 3rd Infantry Division monuments and memorials, and for work with our “Wounded Warriors Program”

• Timothy R. Stoy: in appreciation for organizing Outpost Europe #5845, for efforts resulting in the placement of 3rd Infantry Division monuments and memorials, for work with our “Wounded Warriors Program,” and for service as Society Historian.

The objective was noble: “My goal with OP Europe is to ensure our WWII veterans that their service will not be forgotten and their memory carried on through our members and the other citizens they touch…”.But the justification was not so noble: in total contradiction with what Tim and she had stated earlier in 2005: “… and to ensure that history is passed on correctly. At the time of the 60th Anniversary ceremonies in Alsace

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it came to our attention that the contributions of the French resistance is overplayed while at the same time our soldiers’ service was underplayed”.

Comment: nobody in Alsace ever overplay the contribution of the French Resistance for the simple reason Alsace was an annexed country, under very strict control, and there could be no resistance such as the “maquis” in occupied France. There were forms of resistance, such as young men hiding in the woods instead of being drafted into the German Army or citizens helping POWs escape over the Vosges mountains.

She continues: “ My ultimate goal is to prominently mark the Division’s route with Marne patches and monuments, starting in France, then working on Italy, and possibly Germany. In January, when Holtzwihr dedicated its Place de Liberation, I convinced the mayor that he needed to have a Marne patch on the sign. That is just the start! (But Holtzwihr was also liberated by the French 5th ArmoredDivision!) I am working three other projects: 1. With the Turckheim museum I would like to establish a veterans’ database of the US soldiers who served in the Colmar Pocket battle. This would include pictures, patches, memorabilia, and stories as told by the vets. As of January we now have Marne patches on some of the mannequins on display in the museum. Of course the Marne Division is the top priority, but I will also work with the other division associations that fought there. Comment: a very ambitious project which would be worthwhile but would require full-time work for years! Unfortunately the relationship between the two men who take care of the museum and Monika has turned sour. Turckheim was liberated by the 28th Division but she has often tried to convince Christian Burger there should be a Third Division plaque next to the 28th Div one. He has always refused. Monika also regards herself as the President of the Museum and she would like to see it moved to another location in another town. She doesn’t care if the museum belongs to the town of Turckheim.

2. In order to make clear to the younger generation of France the role the US played in WWII, I am coordinating visits to the Epinal Cemetery. I did one visit with the mayor and town council from Saulx de Vesoul last September, and we have two trips planned for May for school children from Artzenheim and Saulx de Vesoul. We hope these visits will become annual school trips. Comment: the trips to Epinal have been set up by Eric Vandroux from Vesoul, that was his idea, and Monika, as usual, just considers it is hers and she has robbed him of the benefit of being the initiator of the project. She appropriates other people’s ideas and gets the credit.

3.We are still collecting English books for establishing English language libraries in the villages. Concentrating on children’s books, as we want to enable these kids to learn English, and about America. Their grandparents remember our vets as young GIs who gave them chocolate and chewing gum, now we want the grandchildren to know more than that. We have already delivered one batch of books to the school in Bennwihr, and will deliver more when we are in Bennwihr for a ceremony on 14 May. Bennwihr is the first target and hopefully there will be many others…

I submitted a letter on the Colmar Pocket events that was published in the ‘Letters to the Editor’ in the 21 March Army Times. If you get the chance, read it and you will be impressed by the sense of debt some of the older French citizens have toward our veterans. Rock of the Marne! Monika Stoy »

Comment: do the French citizens have a sense of debt toward the Third Division veterans or do they overplay the role of the resistance?

The names of the first members of Outpost Europe were published in the Division association magazine The Watch on the Rhine 2005. There are associate members and life members. Among those members:

6331 RICHARD FUCHS EUROPE ASSOCIATE 13 RUE ST SEVERIN BENNWIHR, 68630 FRANCE *Referred by Monica Stoy

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He is the mayor of Bennwihr and he now refuses to see the Stoys. They have been pestering him too long. John Shirley’s square was inaugurated in Bennwihr in 2005: it was the mayor and the council’s idea. The Stoys had nothing to do with it. Now Monika thinks she initiated it

6390 BERNARD GERBER EUROPE ASSOCIATE 180 GEN DE GAULLE HOLZWIHR, 68320 FRANCE *Referred by Monica Stoy Bernard Gerber is the mayor of Holtzwihr, the town where Audie Murphy earned the MOH. Like the mayor of Bennwihr, he won’t have anything more to do with the Stoys. She has abused him. We’ll see why when we study the plaque for Holtzwihr. Associate life members of the Outpost 6379 JEAN-JACQUES RITZENTHALER EUROPE 85 GRAND RUE JEBSHEIM, FRANCE 68320 *Referred by Monica Stoy For years the Ritzenthalers hosted the Stoys and sometimes their friends, not only for one night but for longer periods, but the Stoys abused their hospitality. The Ritzenthalers are much older people, Mr Ritzenthaler was severely wounded and is not in good health. When the Stoys got back to their place late at night, they demanded a meal. They never offered anything in return for the hospitality, never thanked them, so this connection has been severed. Monika had a similar problem with M. Sturm from Ostheim and the mayor of Bennwihr. This time (2010) Monika stayed most of the time, that is several weeks, with the mayor of Ammerschwihr.

6327 SERGE BAESLER EUROPE

2 RUE DES LILAS BALTZENHEIM, FRANCE 68320 *Referred by Monica Stoy

6328 CHRISTIAN REBERT EUROPE

8 RUE DE COLMAR ANDOLSHEIM, FRANCE 68280 *Referred by Monica Stoy Both are mayors of their towns.

6400 ERIC STRAUMANN EUROPE regular member, not life ASSOCIATE 11 RUE DES JARDINS HOUSSEN, 68125 FRANCE *Referred by Monica Stoy He is the mayor of Houssen and he attended most ceremonies in his constituency because he is also a member of Parliament. He refused the plaque for Houssen and he is very much opposed to Monika. I will get a statement from him.

Dues :

Served From __________________ To_______________ Rank_ _____ ANNUAL DUES MEMBERSHIP LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP DOMESTIC OVERSEAS DOMESTIC OVERSEAS

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$15.00 $35.00 Age up to 39 $395 Age up to 39-$ 1280 Age 40-49 $300 Age 40-49 $925 MEMBERSHIP CLASS Age 50-59 $225 Age 5 0-59 $685 REGULAR ASSOCIATE Age 60-69 $160 A ge 60-69 $475 Age 70-79 $110 Age 70-79 $310 ACTIVE DUTY Over Age 80 $85 Over Age 80 $275

A life membership for overseas members is VERY expensive.

Once Outpost Europe created, the Stoys presented their project

In 2006 (www.warfoto.com Nov 11), Tim and Monika had presented the project to a meeting in Washington DC on November 11. I have copied and pasted it here with the model of the plaque:

Tim & Monica Stoy, who have done a super job in organizing OP Europe, reported that there are many citizens in France who speak fondly of what 3rd Inf Div veterans did liberating their communities in WWII. Those communities have enquired if any veterans who fought with the 3rd in Southern France would like to return and take part in anniversary celebration ceremonies next year. The Stoys then displayed a memorial plaque similar to those which they arranged to be placed in several French cities liberated by the 3rd. Additionally, as part of their MARNE TRAIL project the Stoys noted that many French Cities along the Marne Trail do not have an American Flag to display when

they host anniversary liberation celebrations. Accordingly, they are now seeking donations of American flags, any size, which they can deliver to those communities.

At this point, I would like to point out that there is a vast difference between Alsace and southern France and it is difficult to understand it. The differences are due to our complicated past, to the fact Alsace is a half Germanic half French region, that people changed nationalities several times in the course of the centuries and not only since 1871. We have strong ties with Germany. Besides, we were annexed for over 4 years, and not simply occupied like the rest of France (under 2 years for Southern France).

The campaign in Provence and up the Rhone valley cannot be compared with the campaign for the liberation of the Vosges-Alsace and Lorraine In Provence and along the Rhone valley, the enemy retreated rapidly, intent on saving men rather than fighting back a force they could not stop. They withdrew so rapidly that the liberation of most towns went very smoothly, no destruction or casualties, and it was easy to identify your liberators. This is well explained in your division History pp 211 sq. In some history books, this campaign is nicknamed « the Champagne campaign ». This almost joyful time ended as soon as the enemy found good defensive positions, along the Moselle river at first (late September 1944). In fact, if the GIs were not home by Xmas, it is because 19th Army managed to escape from the Rhone valley and concentrate its resistance in the western approaches of the Vosges and likewise Patton’s pursuit across France in August did not destroy enemy forces. In the Vosges area, Alsace and Lorraine, the Germans were defending, first their borders, then territories they regarded as theirs, hence the fierce resistance. Destructions were massive and casualties heavy on both sides.

Moreover, in order to understand why it took so long to liberate this section of France (from August 25: liberation of Paris to March 19: the final liberation of Alsace), you have to study the fighting in the whole province, not only the Colmar Pocket, and understand it is connected to what happened all along the front. Eisenhower believed in a broad front strategy and events happening thousands of miles away had a strong impact on other parts of the front. It is impossible to study the Colmar Pocket as a separate battle.

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Anyway, the liberation of Alsace took months, from November 19 approximately (date when the first unit reached the Rhine river) to March 19. Fierce fighting began early December in the Colmar region, then was followed by a lull in January, then more fierce fighting after January 20. There was a reason for this pattern but I won’t go into it now. For months, the region was full of soldiers, French and American, and how do you expect the civilians, who sometimes spent most of the time in their basements, to distinguish between units, especially when there were no visible shoulder patches? For them, there were the “Amis” and the enemy. Consequently they were “liberated” by the “Amis” and not by a specific division. “Liberated” because what was there to liberate? Their towns had been heavily bombed, very often by the Americans who wanted to make sure there were no Germans left when they entered a town. We did exactly the same thing in Germany, destroyed the towns by bombing (aerial and artillery) in order to save men. Bombing French towns was impossible because you don’t want to kill your fellow citizens or even your relatives in the process.

There is also another factor to take into consideration: many civilians were disappointed to be liberated by a foreign army, they had expected the French Army. Many men who had escaped from the annexed region at some point during the war had joined the Free French Forces who became the Army of Liberation in 1944, hoping they would liberate their own communities. The feeling is easy to understand. It is a matter of pride. The liberation didn’t always go smoothly. In Neuf-Brisach where there was no fighting at all, a civilian appeared. He was going to explain the Germans had left when he was immediately riddled with bullets in both legs, crippling him. The town had been heavily bombed and practically levelled by American bombers prior to the liberation (80% destroyed). On the day of the liberation the Strasbourg gate, built in 1700 and part of the historic fortification, was destroyed. It had been destroyed during the 1870 siege but the Germans had repaired it and restored it to its original state. After the destructions on 6 February, only ruins remain. The church was destroyed by phosphorous grenades after a civilian had hoisted a white flag on the steeple. There were civilian casualties, at least three, the local judge’s relatives who had taken refuge in the basement of the tribunal which burnt. Therefore the liberation was not the joyous event some can imagine 65 years later.

Wherever there are soldiers, stories of raping surface, whether true or not. Commemorating in this area is most difficult, it stirs too many conflicting emotions and people like Monika should be aware of it. Besides, you don’t force people to do something, they resent it. You have to be tactful, diplomatic, make them feel it is their idea. Monika is not tactful, she is very persistent until she gets her way. And she becomes very unpleasant if she doesn’t get it. But she doesn’t know most communities haven’t waited for her help to hold wonderful ceremonies with presentations, lectures, exhibitions...We have local historians, historical societies in almost every village who have published books or magazines on the topic.

2009: I heard about the plaques in November. Henri Hobel, a local historian from Kientzheim, consulted me on behalf of the mayor. Then Monika visited Ribeauvillé and tried to sell them a plaque. The mayor and member of Parliament Jean- Louis Christ refused. The town was going to commemorate its liberation by the 36th Division and wanted to honor their liberators. Monika was outraged and insisted the Third should be

honored too. That’s when I sent an e-mail to tell John Shirley and other friends from the Society of the Third Division what was going on. I didn’t realize someone would pass my email on to Tim and Monika. Tim wrote an e-mail to John and exposed his side of the affair. Monika has never responded.

“In 2004 and early 2005 we attended about 65 ceremonies in Alsace in support of 60th anniversary ceremonies for various community's liberation. At that time we determined that the French had forgotten a great deal of their WWII history in that many places ignored the role of the US forces,

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especially the 3rd ID in their liberation. We sent letters to every community we could identify from the Division history and asked them to honor our WWII veterans with commemorative plaques”. Comment: what were their conclusions based on? Did they set up a set of questions to the people they met? Neither of them speaks French, the French don’t speak English and the two parties communicate in German. The Stoys may speak excellent German but not the Alsatians. Moreover, what is very important to us is what we were liberated from, not who liberated us, whether the Third or another unit, whether French or Americans. In fact, De Lattre insisted on the Franco-American co-operation in the liberation and this is what we should remember 65 years later. The Third Division History is an excellent book, factual, well organized, unprejudiced. A lot of research has gone into it. It gives credit to other units when necessary. The Stoys should have read it carefully. It seems Monika was not satisfied with the way the project was progressing in spite of all the correspondence with the mayors and other people and the persuasion and the pressure. The mayors did not want the plaques. But Monika knew we have large-scale ceremonies every five years now. There are at least two reasons: • The first one is the cost. A large-scale ceremony involves the participation of officials, the Army, the gendarmes, the firefighters, a band, sending invitations, having a reception afterwards… • Because we are now reconciled with our former enemies and neighbors, it wouldn’t be politically correct to have loud celebrations too often. Many towns or villages have sister cities in Germany. Which doesn’t mean the past has been forgotten. Monika knew 2009-2010 was going to be THE year if she wanted to achieve her goal. There will be commemorations after that date, just as we still commemorate Armistice Day for the end of WWI, but the witnesses will have gone and the emotions won’t be the same, it will be more formal.. She enlisted the help of Mr Scherr , local representative of the Secretary for veterans’ affairs (ONAC office national des anciens combattants). She met him some time during the summer. She enlisted him as an associate member of the Outpost Europe (reported in the Watch on the Rhine) and worked out with him where the 17 plaques should be. This is what I found for example in the minutes of the municipal council of Urschenheim 11 September 2009:

Translation: plaque in tribute to the liberators of the 3rd Infantry Division The mayor reports the mail received from ONAC re the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Haut-Rhin. This specific project initiated by the European Outpost of the Third Infantry Division and presided by Mrs Monika Stoy concerns 17 communities in Haut-Rhin liberated by these brave American soldiers. The plaque will be made at the same time as the plaque located rue de la 5th Armored Division is replaced.

DURRENENTZEN 10 OCTOBER: 10/10/2009 A 13H20 Une plaque à la mémoire des libérateurs … Plaque commémorative. Le conseil se prononce favorablement pour l’acquisition de la plaque, projet initié par la section européenne de l’association de la 3e division de l’infanterie américaine (DIUS), qui sera inauguré le dimanche 31 janvier 2010, lors de la commémoration annuelle de la libération du village.

Translation : The council agrees on the purchase of the plaque...to be dedicated Sunday January 31 during the annual commemoration for the liberation of the village. Therefore the alliance of Mrs Stoy with Mr Scherr legitimates the operation and the mayors feel under obligation to comply. In certain cases Mr Scherr had to remind the mayors who were reluctant and he sent not one but two reminders (Riedwihr for example)! There remain very few “delinquent” mayors who have made up their minds and won’t be swayed by her torrent of angry words.

COMPTE RENDU DE LA REUNION DU CONSEIL MUNICIPAL SEANCE DU 11/09/09 ONAC : PLAQUE EN HOMMAGE AUX LIBERATEURS DE LA 3EME DIVISION D’INFANTERIE AMERICAINE M. le Maire fait part du courrier reçu de l’ONAC concernant le 65ème anniversaire de la libération du Haut-Rhin. Ce projet spécifique initié par la section européenne de l’Association de la 3ème Division d’Inf. américaine (DIUS) et présidée par Mme Monika STOY s’adresse au 17 communes du Haut-Rhin libérées par ces vaillants soldats américains. Cette plaque sera réalisée en même temps que le remplacement de la plaque située dans la rue de la 5ème D.B.

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Are these plaques all « legitimate » ? 1. Plaques which are not legitimate because the Third Division should not be credited with the liberation of the following villages : Urschenheim – Durrenentzen – Widensolen – Ammerschwihr – Andolsheim - Mittelwihr

1. Among the mayors who complied is the mayor of Urschenheim. The village had fewer than 300 inhabitants in 1945. If you look at the map p. 314 of the Division History, it was off the trail of the 3rd Division. It was the objective of the 5th Armored Division (French) CC5. Order of the day for CC5:

“L a mission du C. C. 5 est d’enlever Urschenheim et Durrenentzen. Le Colonel Bourgin est chargé de coordonner l’action des différents éléments : — Sous-Groupement Daigny composé de: 1er R.C.A., 1/I R.M.L.E., moins 2 Compagnies, 1 Section de la 1/96e Génie, 1 Peloton de T.D. — Sous-Groupement Bourgin. 17 heures. — L’attaque est déclenchée ; après de violents combats, Urschenheim est pris. 97 prisonniers sont faits, un commando est envoyé en renfort pour achever le nettoyage avec un Peloton de Light. Une Compagnie de la 3ème D.I. U.S. vient renforcer l’occupation du village. Journée lourde pour le Sous-Groupement Daigny ; les pertes du R.M.L.E. en personnel et du 1er RC.A. en matériel sont élevées » (History of CC5).

Translation: 1er RAC = First Regiment of chasseurs d’Afrique : equipped with Sherman tanks RMLE: Regiment of the Foreign legion 5 pm: the attack is launched. After fierce fighting Urschenheim is taken. 97 POWs taken. A commando with a platoon of light tanks clears up the town. Then a company of the 3rd Division reinforces the forces already in town. The History of the Third Division describes exactly what happened in Urschenheim and states it clearly p. 317: “Elements of the French CC5 attacked Urschenheim from Muntzenheim at 1700. After an extremely stiff fight the town was reported clear at 2000 and Co I, 15th Infantry was ordered to take it over, which it did at 2200.”

The French had heavy losses considering the size of the village: 5 tanks destroyed (the first one by a mine when it left Muntzenheim, 4 knocked out by bazooka near Urschenheim), all the officers of the Foreign Legion KIA. The 4 remaining tanks entered the village which was heavily defended; hand to hand fighting was reported. The village was reported clear at 8 pm. The 4 tanks and the 30 survivors established defensive positions in the center of the village and then, but only then, Co I 15th Infantry arrived. So who would be considered the liberators of Urschenheim? In military terms, Co I did nothing more than exploit the gains. Yet these are the plaques inaugurated in January 2010:

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The larger plaque honors the French 5th Armored Division and is the standard plaque for that division: it lists all the towns or villages liberated by that Division during WWII and gives very few dates. It is the plaque found in every community liberated by that Division.

The plaque underneath is the standard Third Division plaque. It says: “Liberated by the soldiers of the Third Infantry Division during World War II”, which leaves the passer by wondering as to what happened and when during WWII the liberation took place! This is certainly not a historical marker and it doesn’t educate the visitors. Besides, those plaques were intended to be mass-produced at a minimum cost but “during WWII” means nothing, a date is requested and dates are known. I am aware of the fact that the term “liberator” has taken a “loose” meaning recently in the US, especially as far as concentration camps are concerned. But the true liberators remain those who fought and died for a place, not those who occupied it afterwards. Why should the Third Division boast of the liberation of Urschenheim? Where are the feats of arms justifying the claims? Is the Division trying to win a competition as to which division liberated the largest number of towns, regardless of their sizes (that would be ridiculous 65 years later but unfortunately that state of mind is prevalent), or is Monika Stoy trying to establish a record of who has emplaced the largest number of plaques regardless of the objective? And so what is her ultimate objective? Self-promotion?

The mayor Georges Poncelet was rewarded with a certificate of appreciation from Monika, similar to the ones she distributed lavishly toward the end of the plaque campaign (for example in Fortschwihr where all the school kids got one or Rouffach when she gave one to the gendarmes who had just been inspected and where she had no business to be!).

This certificate is worthless as such, it bears no official seal like the seal of the US Army or the signature of the President of the Third Division Association, only her signature which is worthless. It seems to have been made by or under cover of the Society of the Third Division, with Monika as President as she has been careful not to specify she is the president of an outpost and not the president of the Society. As a piece of workmanship, it isn’t even satisfactory: it leaves no room for the recipient’s name for example. Made on a computer, it costs nothing except the paper and the ink! Having it framed, like she did in Rouffach, doesn’t make it more legitimate.

I find this strange because in Provence the certificates seemed authentic: “Monika serves as an ambassador for the US Army Freedom Team Salute program. She presented deserving veterans and community officials pins and certificates of appreciation signed by the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Army for their efforts in recognizing our soldiers and veterans” ( The Watch 15 January 2010). So why the difference? Is it because the Freedom Team Salute ran out of funds to provide such certificates?

The mayor Mr Georges Poncelet, and Mr Scherr (ONAC –veterans’ affairs bureau) suffer from short term memory problems! On 30 April 2008, they attended the commemoration of the 145th anniversary of the battle of Camerone, the most famous battle for the Foreign Legion, commemorated every year and, since 1998, in the communities around Colmar where the Legion suffered heavy losses during the winter of 1945. The article below, in French, describes the ceremony. It is just quoted as an example of what had been done before.

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11/05/2008 01H40 (JOURNAL L’ALSACE) Urschenheim Devoir de mémoire et de respect

Le 145e anniversaire de la bataille de Camerone a été commémoré le 30 avril à Urschenheim.

« Chaque année, la Légion étrangère, où qu’elle se trouve dans le monde, célèbre l’anniversaire du combat de Camerone du 30 avril 1863 », a relevé le président Claude Gervais avant de souligner que « depuis 1998, l’amicale de Colmar a voulu honorer les communes environnantes de Colmar pour les dures épreuves subies à la libération, en 1945, où la Légion était présente ». Pour cette raison, le nouveau parvis réaménagé devant l’église Saint-Georges a connu sa première cérémonie officielle, mercredi matin 30 avril, en présence de onze porte-drapeaux, d’une quinzaine d’anciens Légionnaires et des parachutistes. Parmi les personnalités civiles et militaires se trouvaient le maire Georges Poncelet, la présidente de la société de Colmar de la Légion d’honneur Jeanne Beaume, le représentant des anciens marins de Colmar Me Paulus, le directeur de l’ONAC François Scheer, le commandant du groupement de la gendarmerie du Haut-Rhin le colonel Philippe Furmaneck, le délégué militaire adjoint du Haut-Rhin, le colonel Jean-Paul Buecher, les présidents des anciens enfants de troupe de la section du Haut-Rhin, des anciens combattants Jebsheim-Artzenheim et de l’association nationale des sous-officiers de réserve de l’armée de l’air Gaël Ribondin, Roger Laufenburger et Charles Pleis, le vice-président de l’OMSPAC Jean-Pierre Loechleiter, ainsi qu’une délégation du Centre de première intervention, sous les ordres de l’adjudant-chef Pierre Vogel.

Un pays qui n’a pas de mémoire est un pays qui meurt (A country without memory is dying)

M. Poncelet a rappelé que la commune avait placé une plaque commémorative au monument aux morts « en souvenir du 30 janvier 1945, où les hommes du 1er Régiment des Chasseurs d’Afrique, du Régiment de marche de la Légion Étrangère, des Commandos de France et des Unités des Alliés ont libéré notre commune». Il a aussi eu une pensée pour le concitoyen Marcel Crausaz, libérateur engagé dans le 1er RMLE ainsi que pour tous les hommes qui ont combattu. Relevant qu’un « un pays qui n’a pas de mémoire est un pays qui meurt », le colonel Gervais a ensuite fait un bref exposé sur la libération du village. Werner Meyer,

ancien légionnaire, a lu le récit du combat de Camerone avant que trois jeunes ne lisent le poème Dis-moi.

François Scheer, Georges Poncelet et Christian Moracchini, vice-président des anciens légionnaires, ont déposé une gerbe, suivis par Claude Gervais et Verner Meyer. Des enfants de l’école d’Urschenheim ont déposé, chacun, une rose. Dans la salle des fêtes, avant le verre de l’amitié, le colonel Gervais a remis une assiette souvenir au premier magistrat.

The village had already installed a commemorative plaque at the war memorial in memory of 30 January 1945.

2. Durrenentzen : same story for this town : even the Third Infantry division history states: “French CC5 pushed on from Urschenheim to Durrenentzen, and engaged the enemy there in a hard fight. Before the town was taken the French lost nine tanks”. Yet the plaque says: “Liberated by the soldiers of the Third Infantry during the second world war”. It looks like one of the original plaques.

The mayor Paul Walter, who knew exactly that Monika was the president of the European section of the Society, had doubts about the liberation of the village by the Third because he asked Christian Burger, the curator of the war museum in Turckheim. Christian and I researched and found no trace of the Third in the archives. By that time, the commemorations had become very political. Every mayor wanted to have the presence of Captain Stoy, the representative of the US Army, they were overwhelmed by the US uniform and all the paraphernalia she wears, including what looks like the fourragère she is not entitled to wear because she did not fight in the Colmar Pocket during WWII. And because there are going to be regional elections in the next few weeks, all the officials congregated every time there was a commemoration and each town tried to outdo the next one.

However the mayor knows who the real liberators are and he paid tribute to the French soldiers first. Yet he made Monika citizen of honor of the village!

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Lors de la réception à la salle des fêtes, les personnalités réunies autour de Paul Walter, maire. (Photo DNA) Article from the newspaper : « L'anniversaire de la Liberation de Durrenentzen a

été fêté dimanche par une très nombreuse assemblée, massée place Jacques-Courant, du nom d'un libérateur tombé au village. C'est avec beaucoup d'émotion que les invités du maire Paul Walter ont suivi cette commémoration. Devant le monument aux morts, entouré de quatre porte- drapeaux, avaient pris place une délégation de l'armée de l'air US, le centre de première intervention, les anciens combattants de Kunheim-Durrenentzen, les représentants des autorités militaires et civils et les villageois tandis que l'adjoint Paul Bass présidait la cérémonie. C'est par le chant «J'avais un camarade » que débuta la cérémonie. Le maire Paul Walter salua l'assemblée et rendit hommage aux Commandos de France et Bataillons de Choc, aux Chasseurs d'Afrique et à la 3e Division d'infanterie US. Dédiée aux soldats de la 3e DIUS Les enfants de l'école ont lu le poème d'Arthur Rimbaud « Le dormeur du Val » et par la suite ils ont encore chanté le « Chant des partisans », entourés de leurs enseignants Josiane et Jean Ferraretto et Nicole Fornara. Paul Walter maire et le capitaine Monika Stoy, présidente de Ia section européenne de l'association de Ia 3e DIUS, ont dévoilé la plaque sur laquelle ont peut lire « Libérés par les soldats de la3ème Division d'Infanterie de l'Armée américaine, au cours de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale ». Les Commandos de France, Jacques Bottine et Marcel Boscher, ont fait l'appel des morts, puis les élus, les Commandos de France et Bataillons de Choc ont déposé des gerbes en hommage aux disparus. La Sonnerie aux morts et la Marseillaise ont été interprétées par Patrick Kloepfer et Jean-Thomas Maire, à la trompette, et Jimmy Schaeck, à la batterie, avant qu'un enregistrement de l'hymne US ne soit diffuse. La cérémonie s'est poursuivie à la salle des fêtes où le maire a nommé Monika Stoy citoyenne d'honneur. Elle lui remit un drapeau américain orné des 48 étoiles, identique au drapeau de la Libération. La délégation militaire US, les anciens libérateurs Choc et Commandos, le comte Elie d'Humières, dont le frère, Francois, est tombé sous les balles ennemies le 31 janvier 1945 - une rue du village porte son nom- et bien d'autres invités ont été mis à l'honneur. Le maire est revenu sur ces

terribles combats qui ont précédé la Libération tout en ayant une pensée pour les Malgré-Nous. Ce sont les Commandos et Chocs qui ont clos la partie officielle en interprétant, avec émotion, leur chant repris par l'assemblée. © Dernières Nouvelles D'alsace, Jeudi 04 Février 2010. - Tous droits de reproduction réservés

The ceremony took place square Jacques Courant (1 RCA), named after one of the liberators who fell during the liberation. The mayor said he was honoring all American soldiers who took part in the fighting for the liberation of the Colmar Pocket because the reporter mentions “the plaque dedicated to the American liberators”. Mr Scherr thinks the Third Division is equivalent to our “Rhine and Danube” association, which represents a whole army! I don’t know what he has been told about the respect of traditions by the Third... The ceremony was further enhanced by the unexpected presence of a Color Guard from Ramstein brought by Monika upon her own initiative. They performed magnificently but, considering the difficulties we have when we want a Color

Guard, we just wonder... They stayed several days in the Colmar area, hosted by local people. Look at their photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/usarmyeurope_images/4325414420/ U.S. Army Europe color guard members take part in a ceremony at the American war monument in Sigolsheim, France, Jan. 31. The ceremony celebrated the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Alsace region of France and the French and American Soldiers who fought in what is called the Battle of the Colmar Pocket. The inscription on the monument on a

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Sigolsheim hilltop called "Blutberg" -- Bloody Mountain -- by World War II German troops roughly translates to "Alsace acknowledges the ancients of the French 1st Army, Rhine and Danube, and their American comrades who liberated Alsace in 1944-1945." The color guard, led by NCO-in-charge Staff Sgt. James Kirksey (standing to the rear of the group), included members (left to right) Spcs. Anthony Spires, Joseph Piper, Travis Anglin, Michael Bacchus and Shamica Wright. (Photo by Sgt. Daniel J. Nichols) The losses of the French were heavy: 10 KIAs, 14 WIAs, 4 tanks knocked out during the two days battle. The village was cleared after house to house fighting and when it was over, the Third Division exploited the gains towards Kunheim. Stating the town was liberated by the Third Division is an imposture. And having emplaced the plaque almost right next to the plaque honouring the French dead is even worse. I really wonder if the Color Guard knew what they were doing and if they had been briefed on that particular battle.

3. Widensolen: another plaque based on fiction (431 inhab. in 1968). The liberation of the village was accomplished by TF Robelin (1st RCA) attached to CC5 with the 1st RCP. It began during the night of January 31 and took all night, due to the resistance of the enemy. It was the first time tanks attacked at night. Enemy losses were very heavy: about 60 enemy KIA, 2 Jagdpanther destroyed, 100 POWs, 2 machine guns, 50 bazookas captured, plus a large quantities of mines and grenades. The French were relieved by the Americans on February 2 at 10 am. The mayor, a woman named Josiane Bigel, knew the history of the liberation and insisted that the French should be honored. Monika managed to get her way somehow: the plaque reads: “Liberated 2 February 1945 by the soldiers of the 1st RAC and 1st RCP (parachutists) of the French Army with the support of the Third Division of the US Army”. It was officially established several years ago that Widensolen was totally liberated during the night of 2 February because the woods to the east named Schaefferwald had been cleared by the parachutists at 6 am upon request of the Third Division. The Third Division (1st Bn 15th Infantry) only took over at 10 am. What support did the Americans give the French in that particular example? The town proper was liberated on the1st. Monika always tried to honor the Third, even when there was no or very little participation, but when it comes to honoring French units who supported the Third, she forgets…

In her speech, the mayor was very careful to tell the real story of the liberation and she gave the date of February 1. The plaque in tribute to the 1st RCP lists 16 names of KIAs. Monika, once again, made a general speech about the involvement of the Third Division in the

U.S. Army Europe color guard members (left to right) Spcs. Travis Anglin, Joseph Piper, Shamica Wright and Anthony Spires talk with local World War II re-enactors portraying Soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, following a ceremony in Bischwihr, France, Jan. 31. The ceremony commemorated the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Alsace region of France and the French and American Soldiers who fought in what is called the Battle of the Colmar Pocket. (Photo by Sgt. Daniel J. Nichols) (Flickr colmar liberation)

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Colmar Pocket but could not specify what her division did for Widensolen. Monika will tell you that, thanks to her intervention, the commemorations were much better, they involved children (she says she always insists on the presence of children but we haven’t waited for her to realize we must teach the children about the past). As a proof, this is what the little town of Widensolen did a year ago: the children were involved and read texts, poems etc... The mayor did not wait for Monika to tell her what to do. See last year’s picture...

4. Ammerschwihr : November 2009: I was contacted by Henri Hobel again on behalf of the mayor of Kientzheim, Mr Joseph Fritsch, about a plaque. Henri Hobel, the historian of the village, published a book for the 60th anniversary of the liberation to which I contributed. For several years now, the three towns of Ammerschwihr, Kaysersberg and Kientzheim have commemorated together and they take turns in organizing the ceremonies. This year it was the turn of Ammerschwihr. Monika lied: she had visited the

mayor of Kaysersberg, Mr. Stoll, who had refused the plaque, then she approached the mayor of Kientzheim and pretended Mr Stoll had agreed on a plaque but Mr Fritsch was adamant, he didn’t want one. The mayor of Ammerschwihr Jean-Marie Fritsch (no connection with the mayor of Kientzheim) yielded. In order to understand this report, you have to understand local politics too. Jean Marie Fritsch had been elected mayor in 2001 but barely made it in 2008 with just over 50% of the votes. Understandably organizing a ceremony with a US Army Captain would increase his popularity.

Here’s the article from the newspaper:

Un tragique décembre 1944

Les enfants des écoles ont interprété la Marseillaise. (Photos DNA) Les Américains sont là, la nouvelle, dimanche matin 20 décembre, se propagea a la vitesse du vent, et chacun voulait les voir. Il est vrai que cette matinée dominicale du 65e anniversaire de la libération des communes de Kaysersberg, Kientzheim et Ammerschwihr fut dense et peu coutumière.

Défilé du 15/2 de Colmar, de la Musique municipale, des sapeurs-pompiers, etc., sonneries réglementaires, Marseillaises, tout contribua a faire de ces deux heures un long moment extraordinaire.

Déjà, le culte du souvenir, à 10 h, en l'église Saint-Martin, avait été concélébré avec le père Vitin, curé de New-Orléans (E-U), hébergé par Frangoise et Jean-Marie Fritsch, maire, où il a eu la surprise de retrouver Nicolas Fritsch, fils ainé du maire, qui a fait sa vie aux Etats-Unis et est venu avec sa petite famille fêter Christmas parmi les siens à Ammerschwihr. Puis lors du dévoilement de la plaque en honneur des soldats de la 3e Division d'infanterie de l'armée américaine par le capitaine Monika C. Stoy, présidente de l'association de la 3e Division d'infanterie a Milva Lane, à la tête d'une petite délégation, et dont la devise était « Nous resterons là ». C'est au prix de leurs gelures et de leur sang versé que tous ces soldats ont rendu Ammerschwihr libre. Le claquement des balles, le craquement des fusils, l'éclaboussement de la boue, et des débris de pierre qui les atteignaient lors de l'explosion des balles toutes proches, sans compter le crescendo d'une artillerie à distance, tout revécut l'espace d'une fin de matinée.

Immortaliser cette page d'histoire Par le discours du capitaine Stoy, en anglais, le mois de décembre 1944 fut à nouveau présent pour tous, mais par la suite Michel Foechterlé, premier adjoint, relut une traduction en français. La nouvelle stèle en face du Schuelerhus et devant la belle maison dans le rempart, dans le petit bout de gazon la séparant d e l a r o u t e , e s t l à p o u r immo r t a l i s e r c e t t e p ag e d 'h i s t o i r e . Transi de froid, on se retrouva ensuite dans la grande salle de l'hôtel de ville. Un délicat pinot auxerrois aida au dégel, et aussi délia les langues. Des cadeaux furent échangés de part et d'autre et tout le monde voulut avoir un souvenir de la venue « des Américains ». Ce qui se fit par moultes photos, mais le capitaine Stoy émit un souhait. Elle voulait aussi titre photographiée avec les deux petites Alsaciennes de service. Vint aussi le tour de Gérard de Turckheim, président

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des anciens combattants de la 1re Armée, en vareuse d'époque, qui remit des livrets-souvenir, notamment aux enfants de l'école qui avaient ému les anciens combattants en chantant au monument aux morts, une 2e Marseillaise, en agitant de petits drapeaux tricolores. © Dernières Nouvelles D'alsace, Mercredi 23 Décembre 2009. - Tous droits de reproduction réservés

Loose translation: The Americans have arrived (Tim was there too). Everyone wanted to see them. This commemoration was full of emotions and unusual. Parade of the 15/2, a regiment from Colmar, presence of the local band, of the fire fighters, taps, Marseillaise, everything contributed to turn the two hours long ceremony into an extraordinary event in spite of the freezing cold (between 0 and 6° F). A priest from New Orleans said mass and the mayor’s oldest son, who has settled in the US, had come to Ammerschwihr for Xmas. In block letters: dedication of the plaque in tribute to the soldiers of the Third Infantry Division by Captain Monika Stoy, President of the association (society) of the Third Division. She said in her speech that the soldiers suffered trenchfoot and shed their blood for the liberation of the village.

Once again there’s no date (the only date Dec 20 is the date of the dedication with the logo of the village) but the civilians who were in their basements remember it was the 18th of December. The Third Division contributed no more to that liberation than the French 5th Armored or the Foreign legion who liberated Orbey and part of the valley and the 36th US Division who liberated the area from Sainte Marie aux Mines to Riquewihr and who at that time was doing fierce fighting near Sigolsheim, at a very heavy cost for all these units. The unit responsible for the liberation of Ammerschwihr was CC4 from the 5th Armored Division (French). Then, that night, because usually tanks and infantry work together and support each other, Captain de Saint Germain commanding the French forces asked for the support of infantry for the night. He only got it early the next morning when the 64 survivors of F Co, 141st Regt, 36th Division finally arrived, exhausted after the fierce fighting on the Sigolsheim hills and the night spent on the road. The contribution of the Third was very little because it was still in the process of relieving the 36th Division. The relief took place on Dec 21st but the French Commandant remained in charge until 24th December when the French left the sector and the Third Division took over. Patrick Baumann, a friend of mine who is also a historian (specialized in WWII aviation, the recovery of planes and the organization of meetings between enemy airmen) had asked the mayor to add CC4 on the plaque. Mrs Stoy simply wouldn’t have it. Yet CC4 lost men and tanks in Ammerschwihr that first day. The Third cannot be considered as the liberator of Ammerschwihr or as having brought a special contribution. Monika knew the contribution of the Third was controversial because she carefully wrote in the Watch on the Rhine January-February 2010 issue: “On 22 December, the village of Ammerschwihr dedicated a plaque honoring the 3rd Infantry Division’s contribution to its liberation on 18 December 1944. The village was actually liberated by French forces launching from Kientzheim, but the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry had been fighting on the hill just northwest of Ammerschwihr in the attack to take nearby Kaysersberg which began on 15 December. It was -17 degrees centigrade, and all participants remembered our soldiers had suffered such tem-peratures with no heat, no shelter, and with furious combat raging for weeks on end. Mayor Jean-Marie Fritsch of Ammerschwihr was the host of a ceremony which honored not only the liberation of his own village, but also of neighboring Kientzheim and Kaysersberg. Mayor Joseph Fritsch of Kientzheim and Mayor Henri Stoll of Kaysersberg also participated”.

If Monika had taken the time to really research what happened in Ammerschwihr, she would have found interesting facts: for example, there was a war photographer named Thérèse Bonney who visited Ammerschwihr soon after the end of the war, she took photographs of the town such as this one. There was a wonderful exhibition about famous women war photographers in San Diego three or four years ago and I flew over there especially to see it. Therese Bonney was one of them. Quotation from the San Diego Tribune: "Bonney, an American who lived much of her life in France, was something of a celebrity in her day. As McCusker writes, there was even a comic strip, “Photo-Fighter,” about her exploits in capturing the realities of war. (Apparently, Americans were far more accepting than the

Soviets of a woman photographer on the front lines.)

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The realities that engaged her most were the experiences of civilians. She strongly identifies with French refugees taking shelter in a barn or under a wagon and young girls pictured behind barbed wire in the Rivesaltes concentration camp. Bonney's compassion extended beyond making pictures too. She became an advocate for displaced people, adopting a boy and paying for his education. She also assisted with the reconstruction of a French town, Ammerschwihr , that she had photographed in ruins. Yet you end up wanting to know more about her early life and about why she devoted far less time to photography after the immediate postwar period. Still, it's the pictures that matter most in the context of an exhibition, and Bonney made dignified ones of people under dire circumstances. They distinguish her work".

A member of the municipal council has tried for years to have a plaque or a street sign honoring that lady but to no avail. She wasn’t even mentioned during the ceremony. If I had been Monika, I’d have paid tribute to her.

Kaysersberg and Kientzheim preferred to have their own commemorations later without Monika. The mayor of Kientzheim had a surprise in January! Read the newspaper report:

« La grande surprise du jour fut le passage fort impressionnant de la délégation militaire américaine de la 3e DI US avec trois drapeaux, sous le commandement du capitaine Monika Stoy. Elle a apporté les salutations de l'armée américaine qui avait participé à la Libération, il y a 65 ans. A la commune, le capitaine Stoy a offert un drapeau à 48 étoiles, identique à celui qui flottait lors des combats ; et en clin d'oeil nostalgique à ces heures terribles, elle fit distribuer des tablettes de chocolat et des petits biscuits, les mêmes que recevaient les enfants du village au sortir des caves où se terraient les familles, il y a 65 ans».

© Dernières Nouvelles D'alsace, Mercredi 03 Février 2010. - Tous droits de reproduction réservés

Translation : the surprise of the day was the arrival of the American military delegation of the Third US Division with three men from the Color Guard, led by Captain Monika Stoy. She was bringing the greetings of the US Army who participated in the liberation 65 years ago. Captain Stoy offered a 48-star flag to the town, and she had chocolate and cookies distributed, just like the chocolate and cookies the children received. Monika had never been invited to that dedication which didn’t concern the war: it was the inauguration of a multi-purpose hall. And here she comes in the middle of the dedication and she steals the show! How rude but typical of her… She behaves as if she has conquered the land. At least she knows where to get fed!

5. Andolsheim: : it was liberated on 1 February by the 75th Division, a newcomer on the scene. This division had come from the battle of the Bulge and remained in the Colmar Pocket for six days only. The role of the 75th was to relieve the Third Division and jump off from a point just south of the Colmar Canal and forge ahead along the Horburg-Andolsheim-Appenwihr-Wolfgantzen axis. One regiment (the 289th) attacked Horbourg and Andolsheim.

« Cette manifestation débuta par l'arrivée d'un détachement de soldats de la 3e et 75e Division d'infanterie de l'armée américaine, qui, sous le commandement de la 1ère Armée française, avait libéré le village. Le maire, Christian Rebert, avec Monika Stoy, présidente de la section européenne de l'amicale des anciens de la 3e Division d'infanterie US, dévoilèrent une plaque commémorative en l'honneur des combattants américains ayant participé a la libération d'Andolsheim (Dernières nouvelles d'Alsace 1 Février).

Caption : Le maire Christian Rebert et Monika Stoy représentant l'armée américaine ont dévoilé la plaque commémorative. (Photo DNA) -The mayor and Monika Stoy representing the US Army...

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Translation: This ceremony began with the arrival of a squad of soldiers from the 3rd and 75th divisions who, under command of the First French Army, had liberated the village. Etc...

The plaque displays both insignias, the Third on one side and the 75th on the other. But the Third never was in Andolsheim for the liberation though it had held the sector before. The only mention I have found of Andolsheim in the Third Division History is: “Upon completion of this action, the Division was to group the bulk of its infantry in the Holtzwihr-Riedwihr area, and the bulk of its attached Armored Combat Command in the Horbourg-Bischwihr-Andolsheim area, prepared to... ”.

Monika was aware of the facts when she wrote her report in the January-February issue of the Watch on the Rhine: “ Additionally, the communities of Katzenthal and Niedermohrschwihr are emplacing plaques honoring the 28th ID and Andolsheim, will honor the 75th ID”. But she couldn’t help adding the Third. Why not “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s”?

6. Mittelwihr: it is difficult give the date of the liberation of this village. It is considered the village was liberated on December 19 by the 36th Division. After fierce fighting and heavy bombing the Germans had withdrawn to the vineyards to the east. A defensive line was established to the south and east of the village which was in ruins and had been evacuated. Sergeant Bell from the 142nd Regiment was awarded the Medal of Honor on the 18th when he captured the schoolhouse. Then the 3rd Division began the relief of the 36th.

« Le maire a dévoilé dimanche une plaque commémorative de la Libération. (Photo DNA) Dimanche 17 janvier, la traditionnelle cérémonie des voeux à Mittelwihr a pris une dimension exceptionnelle avec deux temps forts, dont la commémoration de la libération du village le 25 décembre 1944 par la 3e Division d'infanterie US après quatre semaines de combats acharnés et de bombardements. Un évènement que la municipalité a voulu rappeler a la mémoire de la population en dévoilant une plaque commémorative sous les arcades, vestiges de l'ancienne église d'un village sinistré à 100%. Comme l'a souligné le premier magistrat Hugues Spenlehauer, les souvenirs de ces jours de cauchemar sont a jamais gravés dans nos mémoires. Il est de notre devoir de les transmettre à nos enfants et tout faire afin que de telles atrocités ne se reproduisent plus. Pour rendre hommage à ces Américains venus de si loin se battre pour nous, pour une terre qui n'était pas la leur, nous dévoilons aujourd'hui une plaque commémorative afin que l'oubli n'efface jamais ces événements. Une cérémonie rehaussée par l'hymne américain et la Marseillaise interprétés par la société de musique locale, en présence du conseiller général Henri Stoll, du président de la Communauté de communes du Pays de Ribeauvillé Pierre Adolph, du capitaine Stoy, représentant l'armée US.

Translation : Caption : the mayor dedicating the commemorative plaque

Sunday January 17: the traditional New year address was an exceptional event with two main points: the commemoration of the liberation of the village on 25 December 1944 by Third Infantry Division after four weeks of fierce fighting and shelling. .. an event the Mayor wanted to make memorable… We must teach our children so it may never happen again. In order to pay tribute to those Americans who came from so far away to fight for a land which wasn’t theirs, we dedicate today a commemorative plaque so we may never forget…”

They have the wrong date. I have a book written by a historian of the village giving the 19th or 20th. The mayor mentioned the liberation by the 3rd Division after 4 weeks of fierce fighting and bombing. I agree with the bombing but the fierce fighting was done by the 36th Division for several weeks before the Third appeared on the scene. The 25th is the date of liberation for Bennwihr. Even if we adopt the 25th because the villages are next to each other, there was no action on the ruins of Mittelwihr after the 20th.

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2. Plaques which don’t give the complete picture: towns liberated by the Third with other units: Ostheim - Holtzwihr – Bennwihr - Horbourg – Riedwihr … 1. Ostheim: the village is located on both banks of the Ill river. The west bank was liberated by the 36th Division on 6 December 2009 and the east bank on 23 January 2010 by the Third. I think both units should have been mentioned on the plaque. There has been a plaque honoring the Third for years, so what’s the point of having another one?

2. Holtzwihr: We have already seen that the village was liberated by the Third Division + CC4 5th Armored Division (French) and that there was a plaque mentioning all units at Audie Murphy’s memorial plus the insignia of the Third on a street sign. So why have another plaque? Monika wanted ! She had set a number several months ago: there would be 50 plaques. Why 50? So in November 2009 she visited Patrick Baumann, the historian from the town: this is an e-mail from him dated Jan 28: Translation : Baumann Patrick to Lise Pommois : “Brief answer as I’ll be away till Monday. For Holtzwihr I was responsible for the plaque because I wanted to have both the French and the Americans on the same plaque. She had tried to sell me her plaque in October but I refused before she could tell me the price. The town paid for the plaque. As the Stoys had not been invited, she came in uniform with the rep from the veterans’ Affairs Bureau and she found a place among the officials, especially for the official photo! Tim even wanted to make a speech but was prevented to do so!”

Note she had tried to SELL her plaque, she used to SELL them before I found out about the business and warned the Third Division Association. She was warned and became more cautious. We’ll see what happened in Ribeauvillé. She wanted a plaque honouring the Third alone. Why? She came in UNIFORM: she always does because she thinks people will respect her more as they think she represent the US Army officially. She was definitely not invited, the mayor didn’t want her but she

managed to be right in the center of the photo with the mayor! And then she left. After the dedication at Audie Murphy’s memorial, the ceremony continued at the war memorial but she did not attend. This is what Patrick Baumann wrote to two members of the ROTM (Rock of the Marne association: they drive vintage WWII vehicles and provide a color guard for ceremonies, they are professional though they are not in the army). Patrick Baumann 06 07 43 61 87

Christophe, Mitchy

Au nom de la commune de Holtzwihr, je vous remercie encore pour la prestation, lors des cérémonies de la libération de votre association " Rock of the Marne" qui perpétue le souvenir de la 3 ème division d'infanterie US pendant la seconde guerre mondiale. Comme d'habitude depuis 10 années votre présence rehausse l'hommage que nous rendons à nos libérateurs Américain et Français ainsi que aux victimes civiles de notre commune. Notre grande déception de cette cérémonie fut le départ de la représentante US Mme le capitaine Stoy qui est venue assister à la manifestation rendant hommage aux soldats US et Français et surtout pour mettre en valeur sa présence devant la presse. Malheureusement elle n'a pas été digne de rendre ce mène hommage aux victimes civiles lors de la cérémonie au monument aux morts. Comme excuse elle me dit qu'elle devait se rendre à la cérémonie d’Ostheim qui avait lieu plus tard. Un peloton du 15/2 de Colmar était présent à Holtzwihr et se rendait aux mêmes cérémonies et de plus la commune d'Ostheim attendait ce peloton pour commencer les leurs. D'autre part lors d'une conversation à mon domicile au mois de Novembre Mme Stoy, m'avait exprimé son énorme mécontentement de mettre sur la plaque, qui fut inaugurée samedi, le non du CC 4 de la 1er Armée. Elle aurait souhaité vivement que la commune mette en place la plaque qu'elle nous

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vendrait. J'ai refuse cette proposition et nous avons financé une stèle avec les moyens de la commune. Je regrette énormément ce comportement qui ressemble plus à du Bisness à l'Américaine que à du devoir de mémoire dont nous somme en charge.

Patrick BAUMANN Correspondant défense Holtzwihr Président Association de Souvenir Aérien dans l'Est de la France

Translation: First paragraph: he thanks the members of the Rock of the Marne association (re-enactors and vehicle drivers) for their presence at the ceremonies. Second paragraph: we were very disappointed to see US representative Captain Stoy leave after attending the ceremony paying tribute to the US and French soldiers and showing off in front of the press. Unfortunately she did not find it worthwhile to pay a similar tribute to the civilian dead when we went to the war memorial for the ceremony. She told me as an excuse she had to attend the ceremony in Ostheim which was going to take place later. But a platoon from the 15/2 regiment stationed in Colmar attended the ceremony in Holtzwihr and was also going to Ostheim. When I met with her in November, she had told me how angry she was to see the CC4 mentioned on the plaque we dedicated last Saturday. She wanted the town to emplace the plaque she was going to sell us. I refused and the town paid for the new plaque. This behaviour looks more like American style business than the duty of memory for which we are responsible.

3. Bennwihr: Bennwihr would be a case for a mixed inscription, to the 36th Division and to the 3rd. The 3d because on December 23rd the 15th Infantry launched an attack against Bennwihr and the neighboring town of Sigolsheim in order to straighten out the line and get better defensive positions. VI Army Group was to hold these defensive positions till the attack on the Colmar Pocket on January 20. Bennwihr was bitterly contested until December 25. Thus the town was “liberated” by the Third but it seems to me that the 36th should be mentioned because it fought for the town for over two weeks before being relieved by the Third. In 2005, the Stoys enjoyed Bennwihr, there were no problems. They even praised the r-enactors: “Following the dedication ceremony, the dignitaries moved to the village’s war monument and laid a wreath in honor of the fallen. The village band played the national anthems and French taps. The Rock of the Marne Association led by Chris Viller was present with a color guard, proudly displaying the national colors and our beloved Marne Division flag. They looked superb. Thanks to the local historians, chaired by Mrs. Wagner, the village held an exhibition reflecting the destruction and reconstruction of the village”. Now they pretend they don’t look like professionals and they don’t want them at ceremonies. What happened in Bennwihr during the five years from 2005 to 2010? The Stoys have overstayed their welcome. They were not wanted last December. In his e-mail Richard, a member of the ROTM, mentions the fact that Monika sent letters last summer to all the mayors from Provence to Alsace forbidding the mayors to ask the Rock of the Marne re-enactors to attend the ceremonies. What right did she have to give such an order? According to John Shirley, a former president of the Society of the Third, “Monika turned off two good team members of OP Europe, Andre and Eric. I do not know if Eric was a member, but he did work with her. She and Tim have made these untruthful comments about the ROTM, probably because she could not control you. She told me not to deal with Andre Watrinet and Laurie Guelt, both very helpful to me and the tour group in Provence. She dropped me when she realized I would work with the ROTM along the tour route. Her attempts to condemn the ROTM has been very destructive and sad, but fortunately a lot of French people know about the problems she has caused.” Original Message Subject: FW: [Fwd: Bennwihr 24 Dec 2009] Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2010 19:47:32 +0100 From: Richard Jozefiak <richard0606@hotmail.fr> To: <jbshirley1@att.net> CC: Pascal Michel <michelmitchy@aol.com>, <pommois@wanadoo.fr>, Jeremy Gérard <gerardjeremy1944@hotmail.fr>, Eric Durieux <americ1776@aol.com> References: <4B39071B.3040700@att.net>,<74CDE7734D4247169E346CB2C7609193@msieurvilvil>

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Dear John and everybody, “I'm very new in the Association, my son and I know Mitchy and Jeremy since 3 years, the other guys since January 2009. As you know I was one of the 8 members who celebrated the Bennwihr ceremony. Rock of the Marne was contacted and invited by the Bennwihr mayor to participate to this important celebration. Some of us were unable to come, so I was in charge to discuss with the mayorship, we exchanged several calls and a mail during December to organise this important event. We arrived the 23rd of december evening to Bennwihr, we met Mr Fuchs ,the mayor, and during our conversation relating last august events he ask us why we are mad about Mr & Mrs Stoy. Our answer was that we do not have any problem with them, but they wrote to you and other mayors asking to avoid Rock of the Marne. At 10 to 10, on the 24th morning, we were surprised to see Mr and Mrs Stoy arriving and going directly to the cityhall. Few minutes later they left the cityhall and stood beside the inhabitants. The outside wreath-laying ceremony was very short and without them. After when the color guard moved towards the hall, they approached us and Mr Stoy saluted us, he congratulated us for our uniforms and asked to Eric, "What association are you? " "Rock of the Marne" answered Eric "Yes but which one", asked Mr Stoy "Rock of the Marne", continued Eric "Do you know Pascal" asked Mr Stoy "Yes, of course, hehis our president, but was unable as Chris Viller to come" After that, the conversation was finished, Mrs Stoy moved towards the hall, followed by her husband.

We joined our colour guard near the hall's stage. Bennwhir organised a very nice ceremony with testimonials, songs, a small play. I was surprised not to see Mr & Mrs Stoy seated by the officials. Just after testimonials during a short intermission Mr & Mrs Stoy left the hall and we never saw them again. After all presentations, during the cocktail I asked to the Mayor, "Why didn't you tell us yesterday that they would be at the ceremony." His answer was: "I didn't know that neither, I've learned that when I saw them arriving this morning at the city hall. We have been preparing this event for more than a month, and they never contacted us. They arrived this morning and try to impose themselves at the last minute, while everything was organised."

4. Horbourg the plaque is only partly justified. “The 2d Battalion and Company L, 7th Infantry, together with CC4 attacked Horbourg shortly after noon January 31. By 1435 they were in the town fighting a stubbornly resisting foe. By 1535 they held half the town and were fighting from house-to-house as the French armor drove on through. Artillery was directed on enemy withdrawing from the town. A TOT was placed on the west side of the III River and advance elements of the 2d Battalion reached the- III at midnight putting the town completely in our hands”. (Division History). The account forgets the participation of the 75th division who participated in the clearing of the town. The newspaper says: “unveil the plaque in honor of the Third

Division soldiers”. But the plaque displays both insignias: 3rd and 75th. However it doesn’t mention the CC4. There is no doubt the ceremony was most impressive with the Color Guard, the French soldiers and the officials. 5. Wickerschwihr, Riedwihr: the 5th Armored Division (French) should also be mentioned on plaques.

3. Plaques hardly justified: no feats of arms : Neuf-Brisach - Baltzenheim – Russ - Rothau – Wisches – Schirmeck – Barembach – Labroque 1. Baltzenheim: In December, I was contacted by Aloyse Brunsperger, a historian from Neuf-Brisach and a member of the Rhine and Danube Association re the plaque for Baltzenheim. I told him the liberation of the

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village had been fast and there had been no feats of arms because I didn’t know at the time plaques would be installed in every place where a Third Division soldier had gone through, so it seems. This is what the The Third History book says p. 318: “The attack got off at 0500 February 2. 2d and 3d Bns (7th Infantry) abreast. By 0615 Co I had penetrated to the northern edge of Kunheim. The 2d Bn became engaged in a small arms and MG firefight for Baltzenheim at 8 while 3d Bn fought to clear Kunheim. By 0900 both towns were cleared”. What I didn’t know is the plaque had already been purchased. Aloyse was just trying to get a clear conscience; Read the extract from the minutes of the meeting of the municipal council: COMPTE-RENDU DES DELIBERATIONS DU CONSEIL MUNICIPAL DU 30 NOVEMBRE 2009 Etaient présents : ... 65EME ANNIVERSAIRE DE LA LIBERATION DE BALTZENHEIM Le 2 février 2010, Baltzenheim compte commémorer le 65ème anniversaire de la libération du village. La commune a d’ores et déjà acheté une plaque commémorative en l’honneur de la 3ème division d’infanterie de l’armée américaine. Afin de mettre cette plaque en valeur, Monsieur le Maire propose de mettre en place un socle en grès. Deux entreprises ont envoyé des devis concernant ces travaux, la société Scherberich de Colmar et la société Alsagranit de Neuf Brisach. Le Conseil Municipal, après en avoir délibéré décide de confier ces travaux à l’entreprise Scherberich de Colmar pour un montant de 1 042,91 euros TTC. Cette somme sera inscrite au budget 2010. Translation : 65th anniversary of the liberation of Baltzenheim On 2 February 2010, Baltzenheim will commemorate the 65th anniversary. The town has already bought a plaque in tribute to the Third Infantry Division. In order to “show off” the plaque, the Mayor proposes to put a sandstone base in place. Two firms have sent estimates, Scherberich from Colmar and Alsagranit from Neuf Brisach. The members of the council chooses Scherberich for a total cost of 1042.91 euros. To be entered in the 2010 budget. Comment: Baltzenheim had 207 inhabitants in 1962 (over 500 today). Therefore it is a small village with a restricted budget. And they have gone into unnecessary expenses for this commemoration. They had to buy the plaque (interesting that there is no mention of the price in the minutes of the Council!), buy the stone and have it installed, pay for the reception... The plaque is a standard one. So one can wonder if Monika didn’t sell it to the town.

2. Russ and the other towns in the Bruche valley: this must be a joke! On December 25, the 3rd Bn, 15th regiment marched (or raced or drove in trucks) through Labroque, Schirmeck (the right bank of the Bruche river), Barembach, Russ, Wisches.... The Third went very fast, chasing the Germans who were quickly withdrawing, abandoning lots of material behind. The enemy’s objective: a fortification on the hill overlooking Mutzig at the exit of the valley where they would sustain a siege for several days. There was no action whatsoever in those towns. I have a film from the National Archives showing the race through the town with the civilians massed along the streets handing out apples to the soldiers as they walked by. The last resistance had been before Schirmeck: snipers and MG nests had been encountered and wiped out. The History Book of the Third sums it all p. 276: “The last phase of the Meurthe-Rhine river push was a sweep out onto the Alsatian plain, clearing scores of towns in route. There were only brief firefights with bewildered isolated enemy groups”. CCA of the 14th Armored Division also drove through Russ, passing through the 3rd Infantry. The enemy had likewise withdrawn from Rothau before the Third moved in on the 24th but enemy arty positions were still on the hills overlooking the town and 120 shells fell on the town that day. Therefore the liberation resulted in 4 civilians killed and 4 wounded and destructions. I contributed to an excellent historical magazine in

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2004 about the liberation of the Bruche valley. Commemorating is fine but having a huge ceremony with a plaque dedication, officials attending etc... seems to be overdoing it. Just as the naming of the town square after the Third Division. This is Russ. The mayor was contacted only a few days before the ceremony. Everybody pitched in, people collected stories from veterans or witnesses. Several officials attended. It was a great ceremony for a small village who had never really commemorated before. And because it was a great success (it was bound to be with the presence of vehicles and re-enactors), the other towns decided to do likewise at the end of January. In the meantime history was forgotten: the 3rd was not the only one marching down the Bruche valley to Schirmeck but there were two other divisions, the 100th and the 14th Armored. Watch the Russ ceremony on www.lcvtv.com. It is worthwhile.

The mayor of Russ made a wonderful speech (in French unfortunately). Monika’s speech was the same she made everywhere: she briefly told the history of the Third Division but obviously had no notion she was standing across the road from a stone quarry where men suffered because they worked under harsh conditions. Their crime: they refused to be good Nazis, they helped POWs escape... And did she know then that on the mountainside behind the Nazis had established a concentration-extermination camp? At least a good time was had by all and the children will remember it. And it seems the people in the Bruche Valley were not as “hysterical” as those in the Colmar Pocket. There was nothing of the pomp seen in the plain, the ceremonies were simpler.

3. Neuf-Brisach: Monika was there on November 11 and participated in the Armistice day ceremony. No one knew exactly who she was as the newspaper reports “ Une invitée exceptionnelle, le capitaine Monica Stoy de la base américaine de Ramstein en Allemagne, était au nombre des participants » (an exceptional guest, Captain Monika Stoy, from the US base in Ramstein , was among the participants). No doubt it was during this ceremony that she persuaded the mayor to have a plaque honoring the 3rd Division since there was one in tribute to the 75th. There again I was contacted by Aloyse Brunsperger but to no avail. The official chronology (Center of Military History) states: “Elements of 30th Infantry are led by civilian into Neuf-Brisach and easily clear the fortress city of the few enemy remaining there”. There was a great ceremony which didn’t make everyone happy as the city is running a huge debt of 1.4 million euros. Read this excerpt from the Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace:

DNA 18 Feb. Neuf-Brisach / Conseil municipal Trafic de plaques La libération et l'Unesco : Plusieurs habitants de Neuf-Brisach ont contesté le choix de poser les plaques commémoratives américaines sur la place de la mairie, jugeant que la libération de Neuf-Brisach n'était pas forcément l'épisode heureux que l'on s'imagine. « Il aurait mieux valu installer la plaque à l'entrée de la ville, à la Porte de Bâle, suggère le conseiller Bernard Domart. On aurait pu demander de l'argent aux Américains pour la réfection du pont de la rue de Bâle au titre de l'Unesco »... On peut toujours essayer. JF-O Translation: the plaque business Liberation and Unesco: several inhabitants of Neuf Brisach have contested the choice of location for the American commemorative plaques as the liberation of Neuf Brisach was not the joyful event you can imagine. It

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would have been much better to install the plaque at the entrance to the town, Basel gate, as suggests a member of the Council. We could have asked the Americans for money to repair the bridge rue de Bâle. We can always try...

Special cases: Colmar – Niedermorschwihr – Katzenthal - Ribeauvillé 1. Colmar : the City had a hard time making her understand they didn’t want a plaque to the Third Division.

They settled down their difference of opinion by having a plaque made for all units of XXI Corps but they missed out the 254th regiment of the 63rd Division, then attached to the Third Division and engaged in the battle of Jebsheim. Yet the insignia of the 63rd is on the Sigolsheim monument. The plaque is supposed to have been set “upon request of Outpost 5845” but that’s misleading as it is not what she wanted. The French insignia are not satisfactory either: they represent the 5th Armored Division and the Rhine and Danube association as if they were two different entities. The 5th Armored is part of the Rhine

and Danube Association.

2. Katzenthal/Niedermorschwihr: those two villages were liberated by the 28th Division, Monika fought hard but the mayors withstood the assault and she was obliged to yield.

3. Ribeauvillé: I helped Sylvie Moussier, a member of the municipal council, for the commemorations in Ribeauvillé. The town was liberated by the 36th Division and I brought photographs back from the National Archives for Sylvie’s exposition. I had just heard Monika had offered plaques to Kaysersberg, Kientzheim and Ammerschwihr. I told her about it. Three days later, Sylvie told me they had had the visit of Monika and since Jean-Louis Christ, the mayor and member of Parliament for that constituency, could not get rid of Monika, he asked Sylvie to deal with the problem. Sylvie told Monika to leave, they wanted to honor the 36th Division, not the Third. She sent Monika the following fax because Monika kept insisting on Ribeauvillé putting up a plaque for the Third Division and she requested to be invited as the guest of honor for the commemoration and also to make a speech. Copy of some of my correspondence with Sylvie Moussier: Letter from Sylvie : Sylvie Moussier to me show details 11/30/09 ..... SToy-story ! Elle est revenue à charge jusqu'au dernier moment ! Le député-maire Jean-Louis CHRIST a bien compris les choses et il est indigné par ce démarchage insistant et insultant: elle a même présenté une plaque avec une dédicace au-dessus de laquelle se trouvent respectivement à gauche et à droite l'écusson de la 3ème et celui de la 36ème !! symboliquement à égalité ! Une lettre lui expliquant que nous refusions toute plaque et toute intervention autre qu'en mémoire de la 36ème était exclue est encore partie vendredi plus un fax ! Donc aucune ambiguité : il refuse fermement toute intervention de Mrs STOY à Ribeauvillé. Translation: Stoy-story! She persisted till the last moment! The mayor and MP Jean-Louis Christ has perfectly understood the situation and he is outraged at this persistent and insulting form of canvassing. She has shown a plaque with an inscription above which are to the left and to the right the insignias of the 36th and of the 3rd Division, symbolically placed on the same level!

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A letter explaining why we refused any plaque and any intervention except in tribute to the 36th Division was mailed on Friday plus a fax! So there is no ambiguity: Mr Christ firmly refuses any intervention of Mrs Stoy in Ribeauvillé. The fax and letter Dear Mrs STOY You paid us a visit in Ribeauvillé on the 23rd of November 2009. You expressed your wish to have dedicated in our town a plaque in loving memory of the 3rd DIUS. You argued for an active presence of the 3rd in our town, after it had relieved the 36th DIUS. You also argued the 3rd had its PC in our town. We have the highest esteem for the job you do at the service of The United States of America.in order to keep the loving memories of those young men fallen in Europe during WW2. But please let us give an account of the following historical facts : Ribeauvillé has been completely cleared by the 36th DIUS on December 3rd. It hold the front line in the Northern part of the Pocket of Colmar from December 3rd to December 18th. Then you argued that Ribeauvillé was the PC. of the 3rd DIUS. But please do accept the PC of the 3rd was not really operational at this date. Indeed all the units southwards of Strasbourg were put under French Command at the date of December 2nd.. 1944. This is an exceptional fact on the theater of operations during WW2. It undoubtedly means the Americans are under the Command of General de Lattre de Tassigny. On account of all these arguments, you will understand that it is impossible to follow up. You are requested not to dare ask us again about it. We would like to make you observe that we celebrate the 65th Anniversary of the Liberation with an exhibition of photos retracing the steps of the 36th during the 2 years that the Division spent in Europe. We will pay tribute to the 36th and also honor the sacrifices of those young men for the freedom of our populations. Sincerely Yours Since the Ribeauvillé plaque was probably one of the last ones to be sold in the Colmar area by Monika, Sylvie confirmed what she had told me before : the price of the plaque ! Sylvie Moussier to me show details 12/2/09 En effet ! je vous confirme que la facture adressée aux municipalités est de l'ordre de 2000 euros ttc. pour une plaque ! Sans compter les frais liés à la réception, les cartons d'invitation etc.... Translation : Yes indeed, I confirm the check given to the towns is 2000 euros TTC (taxes included) for a plaque, not taking into account the expenses for the reception, the invitation cards etc.

I sent an e-mail to John (Shirley) about what was going on in Ribeauvillé. John Fisher sent Tim or Monika an e-mail asking for explanations. Tim answered. Monika has never replied to anything. Tim wrote: “Another category is towns liberated by other units - Ribeauville in Alsace is a classic case - it was liberated by the 36th DIV in early December, but when 3ID replaced that unit in mid-December it became the location of the Division Command Post and many of our support units worked out of the vicinity of the village for significant portions of the fighting in the Colmar Pocket. We approached them with a proposed plaque which addresses both the 36th DIV's liberation of the village as well as the significant period of the 3ID's operating there”. Tim has never mentioned Ribeauvillé was a failure for Monika and the mayor is very much against them.

4. Riquewihr: in February, she visited André Hugel in Riquewihr. André is a great friend and the historian of the town, especially as regards WWII. I have a letter from him explaining how the meeting went. He found her very persistent, she wouldn’t listen to him, she showed a book full of models of plaques, more than 50 he said. She never succeeded in convincing him Riquewihr should have a plaque to the Third Division (it was liberated by the 36th). But André is not the mayor and who knows what pressure she can apply on him?

Towns with plaques she did not visit for the commemorations: obviously she couldn’t find the time to attend all commemorations. She didn’t go to Volgelsheim because the plaque had been dedicated on

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November 10, a day ahead of time for the Armistice. Here she is giving the mayor one of her certificates of appreciation. – to Biesheim : the village has a square named after corporal Forrest Peden MOH. There was a fine ceremony without Monika but with the commanding officer of HQ Co Franco-German brigade. The town is turned toward Germany. Was a plaque to the Third Division offered? Does the mayor consider the stele erected in tribute to Peden as sufficient?

There are places she didn’t visit which would have been appropriate: she doesn’t seem to have visited

Mutzig (the town or the fort). Yet the fort would have been an exciting place to visit The Mutzig Fort was built and completed by the Germans in 1897. It could house as many as 6,500 soldiers underground for three months at a time. It took our division one week to capture the 200 Germans left in the fort (2009 tour program). What about Molsheim? And Jebsheim, a most important battle but she is not wanted there… She wanted to go to Strasbourg though the Third never liberated the City, just occupied after its liberation by 2nd French Armored Division. I suspect she met with resistance from the French. Maybe these plaques will be emplaced in May since there are more….

But she visited places where she had no plaque business and she managed to be treated like the guest of honor: Herrlisheim près Colmar, Wintzenheim, Eguisheim (the two photos), Rouffach (she even attaended an inspection of the gendarmes’ new barracks and gave them a certificate)… the monument in honor of aviator Marin la Meslée… She even gave away her certificates and decorated the officials with her pins or the Medal of the Society of the Third Division. Eguisheim Rouffach: this town is very important as it was on February 5 that the 12th Armored Division (US) coming from the north operated the junction with the Moroccons coming from the south, thus sealing the exits of the Vosges mountains. Whoever had not left the mountains by that day was trapped and captured. Why was Monika there? What did she know about the military importance of the town? The whole ceremony was naturally centered around the French regiments. If Monika had been a historian, she could have reminded the people about the significance of Feb 5 for the Colmar Pocket and thus she would have paid tribute to the Americans, accomplishing at least one of her objectives. But she did not. Note she joined the officials when they laid the flowers. Though she never contributed one wreath, she always managed to join in.

The cost of the plaques She wanted to sell them (2000 € at Ribeauvillé, testimony of Sylvie Moussier), Holtzwihr (testimony of Patrick Baumann who refused before she told him the price). Then because she had probably been warned by my e-mail to John Shirley, she let the towns have the plaques made but she imposed the inscription. The prices differ though the plaques are similar in size and inscriptions. See p. 21: Baltzenheim: there is no mention of the price paid for the plaque in November 2009 but the monument the town had made cost 1043 euros. The mayor wanted a monument worthy of the plaque.. A friend of mine has contacted the mayors in order to know how much they had spent: very few have answered so far because they are embarrassed! Some have sent a photo of the plaque without revealing the cost. Colmar: 960 euros (it is a large plaque)

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Urschenheim and Niedermorschwihr: 352 euros without the tax (421 euros tax included). Same for Katzenthal. This is expensive: such plaques cost about 250 euros (+ tax 19.6%). There is no doubt that this is a business, profiting Monika and the plant where the plaques are made.

Conclusion on the plaques 1. Monika targeted mostly small villages where they have rarely, if ever, seen American soldiers and the mayors were flattered with the presence of an American soldier covered with decorations or other insignia. Her uniform looks phony. According to a friend of mine who was in the US Army: “First off, these folks should NOT be wearing the shoulder patch of the 3rd Infantry Division unless it is worn as a former war time overseas unit on the right shoulder. Only combat patches may be worn there. On the left shoulder they must wear the RETIRED patch.” “I also do not know why that woman is wearing the blue Special Forces shoulder patch on her right shoulder. Women do not serve in combat jobs in the US Army and I do not think any woman are even assigned to Special Forces, especially overseas. I suspect she is phony. Also, what color is her beret? Active duty airborne troops wear a maroon beret (3rd Infantry Division wears black) while Special Forces wear the green beret (a dark green). She should be wearing the standard US Army issue black beret”. Moreover she wears the fourragère and only the veterans who were in combat in the Colmar Pocket can wear it. AR 670-1 (Extracts) Applicability. This regulation applies to active and retired Army, Army National Guard of the United States (ARNGUS) and U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) personnel. Paragraph 30-2 (7) c. When outside the limits of the United States or its possessions. Army National Guard and USAR personnel not on active duty and outside the limits of the United States or its possessions will not wear the Army uniform, unless granted authority by HQDA. However, on occasions of military ceremony or other military functions in a foreign country, ARNG and USAR personnel may be granted authority to wear the Army uniform after they have their status accredited by the nearest Army attaché. In a foreign country that does not have an Army attaché, however, ARNG and USAR personnel must obtain authority to wear the Army uniform for a specific occasion from the military authorities of the country concerned.

30.3. Wear of the uniform by retired personnel

d. Retired personnel not on active duty are not authorized to wear shoulder sleeve insignia, except as follows: (2) Retired personnel are authorized to wear the shoulder sleeve insignia for U.S. Army Retirees on the left shoulder. The insignia consists of a white cloth disc with a blue border, and an inner white disc with a red border, which bears a blue and white adaptation of the coat of arms of the United States. The outer disk that surrounds the coat of arms contains the inscription “UNITED STATES ARMY” in red letters at the top, and the word RETIRED in blue letters at the bottom (see fig 30–1). Figure 30–1. Shoulder sleeve insignia, retirees (3) Retired personnel may wear the shoulder sleeve insignia for former wartime service (SSI–FWTS) on the right shoulder if they were authorized wear of the SSI–FWTS while on active duty. f. In addition to the occasions for wear listed above, retired personnel are authorized to wear the uniform only on the following occasions. Uniforms for these occasions are restricted to service and dress uniforms; the BDU and physical fitness uniforms will not be worn. (1) While attending military funerals, memorial services, weddings, inaugurals, and other occasions of ceremony. (2) Attending parades on national or state holidays, or other patriotic parades or ceremonies in which any active or reserve United States military unit is taking part. Wear of the Army uniform at any other time, or for any other purpose than stated above is prohibited. She wears her uniform and beret should be black for the Third Division) all the time, even for private visits, and it is obvious she wants to impress people and create a sense of inferiority in them. She abuses the prestige of the uniform.

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2. Most of the plaques are plaques for plaques’ sake: no dates except the meaningless “World War II”– the same plaque whether the town was fought over or the soldiers just marched through it – no mention most of the times of the other units involved – the accumulation of plaques defeats its purpose, just as “too many cooks spoil the broth”. It seems the campaign had to be conducted in haste. A larger plaque with the description of the action would have been much better. It seems she was just trying to establish a record. The French were willing victims but it was enforced on them, they had no other option. The only thing she cares about is to have first prize for the number of plaques emplaced and her picture in the newspapers. The more pictures, the better. This is self-promotion. She has no consideration for the people she deals with: she asked a lady from the Alsace-Etats Unis Association to translate texts for her and never thanked her for the work done. She even totally ignored her when they met. 3. The competition between units as to who liberated the most towns is ridiculous 65 years later. De Lattre himself insisted on the co-operation between the French and the Americans during the winter of ’44-45. Devers did the same. Most ceremonies in Colmar at that time emphasized that fraternity of arms. If you want to be historically correct, you have to admit Americans and French fought side by side. I know most of the material was American but the casualties were French. However this fierce competition between units exists and we can’t ignore it. The 101st Airborne has placed monuments in several places from Normandy to Bastogne and has claimed the “liberation” of Hitler’s nest in Band of brothers. I remember when Band of brothers was being produced, the Third contacted Stephen Ambrose and asked him to change the end and replace the 101st by the Third, but it was obvious he wouldn’t and couldn’t do it! The French 2nd Armored Division also claims to have been there first. The 2nd Armored claims the liberation of Strasbourg and conveniently forgets there were American infantry and artillery units with them…. 65 years later, this competition is unhealthy.10 years from now we will only remember what we were liberated from and maybe whether we were liberated by the Americans or the French. This is all politics.

They had no option because they don’t know who she is! In the first newspaper reports she is just a soldier from the US Army. Then she becomes the President of the Society and at the end she speaks on behalf the US Government!

« Herrlisheim / Il ya 65 ans, la Libération … le capitaine Monika Stoy, présidente des Anciens de la 3e D/US, en présence de nombreux habitants et des sapeurs-pompiers... Le maire a honoré le capitaine US Monika Stoy de la médaille d'honneur de la commune et lui-même a regu une distinction américaine des mains de la présidente des Anciens libérateurs du village » (DNA). Translation : Captain Monika Stoy, president of the veterans association of the Third Division…. The mayor decorated her with the medal of honor of the town and he received an American award from the hands of the president of the liberators of the village. Note: Herrlisheim was liberated by the French and the 12th Armored Division, not by the 3rd!

Herrlisheim is only an example. In most newspaper articles, she is the President of the Society. In others she is the rep of the US Army. In Rouffach she even speaks on behalf of the US Government. « …cérémonies se sont déroulées en présence des élus locaux autour de Jean-Pierre Toucas, le maire, qui a retracé ces moments pénibles vécus par les libérateurs pour que Rouffach retrouve sa liberté, et des adjoints, de Jean-Paul Diringer, conseiller général, d’Etienne Zind et d’Antoine Salmeron, les deux libérateurs de Rouffach, la veuve du conducteur de char Gollentz, la capitaine Monika Stoy, de l’US Army, qui représ entait le gouvernement américain (Captain Monika St oy…,».

Examples : President of the Society

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She is the President of the Society of the Third Di vision in the official invitation sent by Ammerschwihr December 20, 2009 A Captain from the American base in Ramstein… (Neuf-Brisach 11 novembre 2009) La commémoration de l'Armistice de 1918 a eu lieu mercredi autour du maire Richard Alvarez, des élus municipaux dont le conseiller

général Hubert Miehe, du député Eric Strauman, et en présence des pompiers sous le commandement du capitaine Paul Poudevigne,

avec la participation musicale de l'Harmonie municipale. Les associations patriotiques du secteur (28e RIF, ANSORAA, Anciens du 9e RG, Rhin et Danube, le Souvenir Francais et l'UNC) étaient

représentées a cette cérémonie, et l'armée dont la gendarmerie avec le lieutenant Christine Dubois assistait eéalement a la cérémonie.

Une invitee exceptionnelle, le capitaine Monica Stoy de la base americaine de Ramstein en Allemagne, était au nombre des

participants. Les écoliers y ont aussi participé en interprétant l'hymne national sous la direction de Jolle Renaudin, alors qu'Aureélie

Zimmermann a lu un poème de circonstance…

Le maire Richard Alvarez a fait lecture du texte du 11 novembre du secretaire d'Etat a la Défense et aux anciens combattants Hubert

Falco, tandis que résonnait la sonnerie aux morts, et une gerbe fut déposée au monument aux morts.

© Dernières Nouvelles D'alsace, Samedi 14 Novembre 2009. - Tous droits de reproduction réservés

Nobody knows who she is and therefore the mayors are afraid of not being politically correct! And besides, on the French side, we are dealing with officials’ personal ambitions at election time… If nobody knows who she is, it is because she doesn’t have a proper business card: it is computer made like the certificate. She leaves people in a state of uncertainty, doubting. They see “President” and don’t realize she is only the president of an Outpost. Several mayors even questioned Vincent Carver, the US Consul in Strasbourg, as to who she is. He could only ascertain she is (or was) a captain in the US Army. Christophe Viller, an ROTM, asked the American Embassy in Paris about her just before the Colmar ceremonies. This is the copy of the e-mail he received: *De :* Bartee, Brad A [mailto:BarteeBA@state.gov] > *Envoyé :* jeudi 28 janvier 2010 16:35 > *À :* VILLER Christophe > *Objet :* RE: Request of Informations regarding Ability of US Army > Officers to represent officially the Embassy > > Mr. Viller, > > CAPT (retired) Stoy and Lt Col Stoy do not officially represent the US > Embassy. Capt Stoy is, I believe, President of the European Chapter > of the 3^rd Division. She is not, not, officially representing the US > Embassy. The Stoys represent 3rd Division and only 3rd Division > only, not the Embassy, not the European Command (EUCOM), nor the US > Government as a whole. > > I hope this answers your question. Please also let us know if there > are problems or issues. > > Thanks, Brad

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There is no doubt she is very clever. She deceives everybody and she knows how to achieve what she wants without spending a penny. Tim pretended in a letter to John Fisher that they pay for all their expenses. But this is what Monika herself wrote in the latest issue of the Watch on the Rhine (March 10, 2010): “General Carter Ham, an old Marne Man, Commander of United States Army Europe supported the events with a color guard and public affairs support the weekend of 30 and 31 January… Colmar, Horbourg-Wihr, Andolsheim, Bischwihr, Wisches, and Schirmeck provided meals and/or lodging to our soldiers during their stay in Alsace, as did the organization Americans in Alsace… My special thanks go to Mayor and Mrs. Fritsch from Ammerschwihr for hosting me in their home for almost the entire month. I would like to thank Society members Paul and Joyce Schewene who donated twenty 48-star flags which I presented to each community.” Note: from his bio General Ham commanded the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division 1993-1995 but I wouldn’t say he is an old Marne Man. But how come the US Embassy in Paris knew nothing about this on the 28th when the ceremonies took place on the 30th and 31st? And the Color Guard stayed over the weekend. Absence of Vincent Carver, the US Consul: surprisingly enough, the US Consul seemed conspicuously absent during that period. I can remember 1994-95 when I met Shirley Barnes at almost every commemoration, and I have similar memories for 2004-2005 with Christopher Davis. When Christopher Davis could not attend, he delegated Major Allen Pepper. I understand Vincent carver wanted to delegate someone for the Colmar ceremonies but Monika refused. I had asked a few mayors not to forget to invite the US Consul for their ceremonies but nobody did apparently. I feel uneasy about that situation. If everything was perfectly clear, why would she refuse the presence of US officials?

A WWII symposium in Colmar May 2010 She is now trying to organize a symposium in May and at the same time she will have more plaques emplaced! “There will be more plaque dedications in conjunction with V-E Day ceremonies between 6 and 8 May in Alsace, as well as in Provence in August. The city of Salzburg will commemorate the 3rd Infantry Division’s role in its liberation with a plaque dedication on 3 May. The city of Augsburg will dedicate a plaque on 28 April, and Berchtesgaden and its surrounding communities will dedicate a plaque on 4 May. These plaques are the result of our five year project to have the French honor our Marne veterans and are the primary project of Outpost Europe”. (Watch on the Rhine 10 March 2010) So the plaque fever hasn’t abated. Excerpt from a newspaper article : “Face a l'indifférence de la plupart des maires envers ces soldats, le capitaine Stoy a participé à la publication d'un livre sur l'histoire de la 3e Division ainsi qu'à la pose de nombreuses plaques. Vétérans et conférenciers se retrouveront les 5, 6 et 7 mai lors d'un symposium organisé a Colmar » (DNA 29 January)

Translation of the whole article: Yesterday morning, Captain Monika Stoy from the Third Division took advantage of her stay in Colmar to meet members of the Alsace-Etats-Unis Association. Thanks to her initiative, 7 American soldiers will participate in the commemorations. Especially in Colmar and Schirmeck. It is the first time we'll be in this town liberated by the Americans, she says. Her objective is to pay tribute to American soldiers, especially the Third Division, then stationed in Germany. Its soldiers participated in the liberation of some 250 French towns from St Tropez to Algolsheim and have long been forgotten. I am happy to hear some towns pay homage to them whereas others do nothing. The indifference of most mayors toward these soldiers has led her to publish a book on the Third Division and to install numerous plaques. Veterans and lecturers will meet on 5, 6 and 4 May for the symposium organized in Colmar. What is remarkable is the fact a newspaper reporter was there when she met Mrs Donnard, the president of the Alsace-Etats Unis Association. Monika wants to publicize every move she makes. She even managed to be invited at the Donnards’. Mrs Donnard had doubts about the "business" and contacted me and other people and we have all reached the conclusion Monika is a very determined ambitious person and she is pursuing an objective which has nothing to do with the veterans but which is self-promotion.

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The objectives of the symposium are:

Why: To honor the veterans of the Battle of the Colmar Pocket To preserve history To educate the American and French publics on this very difficult battle To publicize ONAC, Colmar, the Army Historical Foundation, the US Army Museum, and the Museum of the Battle of the Colmar Pocket in Turckheim. The elimination of the Colmar Pocket is not “a very difficult battle”. To understand it, you really have to study the whole western front before going into details. You have to know when the Pocket was created. Because it involved both French and American units, you have to study both armies, speak the language if possible… This is an idea which has come up in the past two months but it cannot be improvised. How is she going to educate the French and the American public? And how is she going to preserve history when it is obvious from the first plaque campaign that history has not been preserved? And why should an American retired Captain want to publicize ONAC which is a government agency? Up to now the curator of the Museum in Turckheim has not been contacted.

There is no doubt the ceremonies were wonderful. Ceremonies always are with soldiers in attendance, whether French or American, and firefighters and gendarmes in uniform. And most mayors were very careful to remind the spectators of what the ceremonies were about. They honored both French and American units. School children were involved, as they have been for the past few years. Historians set up exhibitions as we have always done in the past, ever since the 1980. Before then, I admit nobody spoke much about WWII, we were trying to be reconciled with our neighbors. But since the mid-1980s, things have changed, knowledge has progressed, lots of books and historical magazines have been published and we haven’t waited for Monika Stoy to educate us. I also wonder why the Society of the Third Division hasn’t gotten involved in the project since it means publicizing the deeds of the whole Division? The current President hardly knew what was going on last November. Following my e-mail, he wrote to the Stoys, asking for information.

From: OCSJFisher@aol.com <OCSJFisher@aol.com> Subject: MARNE TRAIL PROJECT To: timmoni15@yahoo.com Cc: MARCH5@aol.com Date: Monday, November 30, 2009, 11:38 AM

TIM I WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE MARNE TRAIL PROJECT AT PRESENT NO ONE IN THE SOCIETY CAN COME FORTH WITH COMPLETE DETAILS

FROM YOUR EMAIL IT APPEARS PART OF YOUR DUTIES IS VISITING TOWNS IN EUROPE LIBERATED BY DIFFERENT UNITS OF THE MILITARY, NOT JUST THE THIRD ID DOES THE ARMY SUPPLY THE MEMORIAL PLAQUES FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS REPRESENTED BY YOUR VISITS?

AT PRESENT WE ARE EVALUATING DATA FOR FUTURE BUDGETS AND ARE NOT AWARE OF A SOCIETY NEED TO SET ASIDE ANY FUNDS FOR THE 'MARNE TRAIL' PROJECT

COULD YOU PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN EUROPE IN CONNECTION WITH THE 65th ANNIVERSERY AND WHAT YOU SEE WILL BE THE FUTURE NEEDS OF THE MARNE TRAIL PROJECT

This is what Tim replied and you will see it isn’t always accurate: In 2004 and early 2005 we attended about 65 ceremonies in Alsace in support of 60th anniversary ceremonies for various community's liberation. At that time we determined that the French had forgotten a great deal of their WWII history in that many places ignored the role of the US forces, especially the 3 rd ID in their liberation. We sent letters to every community we could identify from the Division history and asked them to honor our WWII veterans with commemorative plaques. These plaques are paid for by the communities themselves, in honor of their liberators. The first plaques were dedicated in 2006, and have been dedicated every year since then. When we are in France, if there are ceremonies in other towns which were liberated by other divisions, we will go to represent the US Army, and we encourage town leaders to consider dedicating plaques in honor of those units, 36th DIV, 45th DIV, etc.

In some cases, towns which were not liberated by the 3rd ID still express the desire to dedicate plaques, and we have helped them with the history of the campaigns, identifying which unit did the liberation, and then helping with unit patches and texts.

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There have been cases where towns have been liberated through the combined efforts of two divisions - Shirmeck in Alsace for instance - both the 100th Division and the 3rd Division helped to liberate it. Neuf Brisach has for years believed it was liberated by the 7th INF DIV, but it wasn't, it was liberated by the 3ID, with some 75th ID involvement coming from a different direction. They only have a plaque to the 75th, we are working to add ours. Some towns were entered by another unit after the 3ID had fought to the outskirts of the town and provided support by fire, or had already caused the Germans to withdraw, as was the case with St. Die.

Another category is towns liberated by other units - Ribeauvi lle in Alsace is a classic case - it was liberated by the 36th DIV in early December, but when 3ID replaced that unit in mid-December it became the location of the Division Command Post and many of our support units worked out of the vicinity of the village for significant portions of the fighting in the Colmar Pocket. We approached them with a proposed plaque which addresses both the 36th DIV's liberation of the village as well as the significant period of the 3ID's operating there.

The only time we have asked for financial support from the National Society in support of this project was for money to cover some of the floral wreaths at the ceremonies - this was turned down because there is nothing in the constitution or byelaws that authorizes support of the outposts for such activities.

The US Army has no role in the project and provides no support .

Monika just returned from a 3 week trip to Alsace to cover several plaque dedications and she and I will be going back in December, January, and February for more dedications in Alsace for the 65th anniversary. Later in April and May there will be plaque dedications in Germany - Augsburg. Bad Reichenhall, Bischofswiesen, and possibly Nuernberg and Munich, as well as a big 65th anniversary ceremony on 5 May at the memorial bronze tablet on the Obersalzberg which Monika and I donated two years ago. August will see another trip to Southern France f or a final set of plaque dedications , so by September we expect to have over 50 memorial plaques honoring the Rock of the Marne in France and Germany.

Monika and I travel on our expense, rent our cars, pay for our lodging and meals. Sometimes communities cover our lodging and meals, but most of the cost is out of pocket. We do it gladly on behalf of our great v eterans, it needs to be done.

We understand the Society does not have very much money and have not expected any financial support from it, other than our request for some money for wreaths.

Rock of the Marne!

Tim

Comment: I would also like to be able to live abroa d for several months without spending any money! With a weak dollar, you really wonder how th ey can make both ends meet unless they live off the land, which is not exactly honouring t he veterans of that land.

The conclusion : they have found a cushy job . All the hard work of preparing the comme-morations is done by others and paid for by others, all they have to do is enjoy the celebrity and get the credit at hardly any cost to them. Because they thought she was a VIP, the mayors went beyond the call of duty when setting up their commemorations. School children especially will remember the colors, the flag bearers, the national hymns. Look at the picture of Colmar:

Children dressed in traditional French garb stand next to a newly dedicated memorial plaque at a ceremony in Colmar, France, Jan. 31, that commemorated the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Alsace region of France and the French and American Soldiers who fought in what is called the Battle of the Colmar Pocket. The plaque reads “In Honor of the American Soldiers of the 21st U.S. Corps who participated in the liberation of Colmar 65 years ago under the command of the 1st French Army.” The photo is of U.S. Maj. Gen. John W. "Iron Mike" O'Daniel, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division during

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the Battle of the Colmar Pocket, receiving a French military award for heroism and valor, the Croix de Guerre, from French army General Lattre de Tassigny, in Feburary, 1945. (Flickr)

So will the members of the Color guard:

Spc. Drew Torres of the V Corps, Special Troops Battalion Communications Office, salutes the colors during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner at a commemoration ceremony in Horbourg-Whir, France, Jan. 30. The ceremony commemorated the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Alsace region of France and the French and American Soldiers who fought in what is called the Battle of the Colmar Pocket. “It’s been a great experience…just being where our grandfathers and other veterans have been and fought at,” said Torres, who served as a backup member of the color guard and provided all-around support to his team during the mission. (Flickr)

The re-enactors even got praise from the professional soldiers.

Local World War II reenactors portraying Soldiers of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division, stand at the position of attention during a ceremony in Bischwihr, France, Jan. 31. The ceremony commemorated the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Alsace region of France and the French and American Soldiers who fought in what is called the Battle of the Colmar Pocket. (Photo by Sgt. Daniel J. Nichols)

U.S. Army Europe color guard members climb to the top of a veterans cemetery during a ceremony in Sigolsheim, France, Jan. 31. The ceremony celebrated the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Alsace region of France and the French and American Soldiers who fought in what is called the Battle of the Colmar Pocket. The color guard, led by NCO-in-charge Staff Sgt. James Kirksey(standing to the rear of the group), included members (right to left) Spcs. Anthony Spires, Joseph Piper, Travis Anglin, Michael Bacchus and Shamica Wright. (Photo by Sgt. Daniel J. Nichols) (Flickr)

A great photo reminding us of the harsh winter of 1945 and of the sacrifices of the French soldiers

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also, a fitting tribute paid by American soldiers to other soldiers.

Did Monika feel these emotions or was she counting the number of plaques remaining to be sold? She never seemed to show any emotions for the civilian victims for example.

But if the mayors or historians from the villages had not told the story of their liberation, if work hadn’t been done patiently over the years to reconstitute the story of the Colmar Pocket, I doubt if we would have learned anything. We haven’t even heard of the great men who made up the Division.

On the contrary, over-emphasizing the role of the Third Division has diminished it. The Third Division did not liberate all of France by itself! If a French citizen went to the US and, without permission from higher authorities, emplaced plaques all over the battlefields where the French fought during the revolutionary war, or forced the local mayors to do so, totally neglecting or minimizing the role of the American forces, what would you think? Mind your own business!

Lise M. Pommois

Honored member of the 42d Division, honorary member of the 14th Armored and 36th Divisions

author of « Winter storm, war in northern Alsace November 1944-March 1945 and of several books in French on the Alsatian campaign,

member of the 12th Armored Division museum Abilene TX March 2010

N.B. To confirm the confusion around Monika and the damage caused, here is an e-mail transferred to Christophe Viller by Mitchy (leader of the ROTM) and then to me: ---------- Message transféré ---------- From: Claude LAURENT <laurent.cl@wanadoo.fr> To: Michel PASCAL <Michelmitchy@aol.com> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:45:04 +0100 (CET) Monsieur, Anciens du 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes, et de l'Amicale des Vieilles Suspentes, nous avons très souvent rencontré, le capitaine Monica STOY, et son époux, aux cours des cérémonies en Alsace et notamment à Jebshein et & Windensolen, où notre régiment était aux ordres du général O'DANIEL. Cette année nous avons appris, par la presse, car une mauvaise coordination entre les municipalités, ne nous a pas permis d'être présents, en ces lieux, en même temps que le capitaine STOY. C'est par la presse que nous avons, une semaine après, lu que le capitaine STOY était, à présent, la présidente de l'Amicale de la 3th DI US. Nous regrettons d'avoir loupé cette rencontre, aussi, nous nous adressons à vous afin d'avoir, si possible, l'adresse de l'Amicale de la 3th DI US et du capitaine STOY. Avec mes remerciements anticipés, recevez, Monsieur, les salutations de vieux paras. Claude LAURENT Translation: Veterans of the 1st Regiment of Paratroopers, we have often met with Monica Stoy and her husband during commemorations in Alsace and especially in Jebsheim and Widensolen where our regiment fought under general O’Daniel’s orders. We could not be there this year at the same time as Captain Stoy because of a lack of co-ordination between the towns. We read in the newspapers a week later that Captain Stoy now was the President of the Society of the Third Division. We are sorry we couldn’t meet her and hope you can give us the address of the Society and of Captain Stoy. Thanking you….. Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched!