I don’t meet many WW2 vets these days. I know we owe them our gratitude, no matter our country. I love this quote by Dick Winters, who led Easy Company in the 101st and was featured in HBO’s Band Of Brothers miniseries. So self-effacing.
[QUOTE=Capt. Richard Winters]
I treasure my remark to my grandson who asked, “Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?” Grandpa said, “No… but I served in the company of heroes”.
[/QUOTE]
Father Hans, a kid during the occupation of the Netherlands, was my spiritual guide when I was young. In the long years I’ve suspected he was Mom’s lover. She could do worse, but there was better weather she could lock us into.
I’ve posted this before; can’t remember if it was to this thread.
Belgian Boy salutes Canadian troops
Little guy practises hard to get it just right; and then the sergeant repays the compliment with his own salute and “Eyes Right!” for the column.
Thanks to coldfire and all the folks who keep this alive. More importantly, thanks to my dad and all the others who fought for our freedom and that of strangers. They made the world a better place.
I love that clip. The boy is so earnest, and the soldiers’ response is great!
Nobody dumped this yet.?
What is the world coming to 
great thread.
Indeed, a great thread. To absent heroes. May we never forget all that was given and all that was lost.
Thanks, I needed good cry. Didn’t blubber a therapeutic amount so I watched it a couple more times.
Since this thread first started, my uncle who was with the Canadian Army in the liberation of the Netherlands has passed on. 
As has my uncle, who was with the RCN during the Battle of the Atlantic.
A cousin, who was part of RAF Bomber Command, was shot down over occupied Europe. There were no survivors.
I may just pour myself a glass of whiskey and raise it to absent friends.
Thanks for the bump, yojimbo. Hope you’re doing well!
For those who have lost veteran relatives or friends, my condolences. The years roll by, and the number of ww2 vets alive is shrinking fast. It was very apparent at the annual commemoration of the dead on the 4th of May over here. It’s literally down to a couple of handfuls of men now. If you were 18 in 1945, you’re 91 now…
Coldy! How the hell have you been? I’ve missed you.
Liberation of the Netherlands - 74 years ago.
And this thread is old enough to vote and drink in most countries.
Reading the OP and saying hello to you are both fine annual traditions, Coldy.
I was well into the thread before I realized it was 19 years old. But let me join in appreciation of Coldfire’s fine sentiments, by echoing posts like this one:
My father had a cousin who is buried in Europe. His plane was shot down and he survived, along with a couple other crew members. He and the others were captured by the Germans and his cousin died a short while later. According to the other Americans he was treated for his injuries by his captors but he still was hurt too bad to make it. The cousin has a headstone set up in a cemetery here where a number of family relations are interred, and it notes the actual site of his burial. I do not know if family has ever visited there.
And it is still the best thread on the Dope.
Thanks for being the OP. 
Just spent some time re-reading many of the posts here. Next year will be 75 years of peace in Europe (well, except for the Balkans, and there’s always some damn-fool thing in the Balkans).
You did us all a great service by starting this thread 19 years ago, Coldplay; may we continue it with you as long as we have a memory of what so many sacrificed to give us that peace.
Seconded. I hope it’s not just because you want to look in on the thread every May 5th. I’d really like to see your peculiar type of no-nonsense Doper posting more often.
So please say you’ll be sticking around.