May 8, 1945 "V-E DAY LETTER and LOSINA SPECIAL RECOGNITION" (Post #109)

     Liberation of Pilsen

May 8, 1945

Dear Mother

     Yes, it’s over! I don’t know just what to write or just what to say. I’m not shouting nor are any of the other fellows excited or at least they don’t seem to be. I just don’t know how to say it but it gives you just a funny feeling. It seems everyone at times are thinking.

     It’s been a wonderful day here and really very warm. The sky has been clear blue with very few clouds.

     Words can never explain how these Czechoslovakian people feel toward us after they have been under the yoke of Germans for six years.

     As we move through the towns they crowd the roads, young, middle age and old, holding out their arms and crying for joy, waving hands, flags wave everywhere. They throw flowers and wreaths all over you and rush out with little hot cakes or anything they have such as eggs and apples etc. Yes, you hate to take it but when you shake your head they just hold out the dish and tears run down their faces. What can you do? They’d open their hearts and give you the last drop of blood. A half dozen or more boys speak their language and they’ve told them the hell it has been since Germany took over, how they can never repay us. Everyone wants someone to sleep in their home. Some women stand in the chow line to wash our mess kits while others peel spuds. Our clothes are dirty from the long hard drive and they all want to help wash them. I can’t tell you in words how things are or have been but many times I’ve had to choke back.

     In all of our joy of V-E Day let us not forget to pray for the boys in the Pacific who are today fighting and giving their lives.

     Evening is coming on and darkness is beginning to fall. The silence of guns and sound of battle seems strange while off in the distance in a town I’m near you can see all colors of captured Germans flares being shot into the air to celebrate the end of six long years of hardships.

     As I said before “I don’t know just how I do feel but Thank God it’s over.”

     Love to all and pray I’ll see you before very long even though we have some work to finish.

                                     Love Son Charles

The people in Pilzen along with the soldiers had a church service honoring the liberation and the soldiers. It was a very moving tribute. After the service the congregation dispersed to the outside of the church where everyone stood at solemn attention as the "Star Bangle Banner" was played. 

My uncle, Sgt. Charles D. Knight, was billeted in the town of Losina during the Liberation of Czechoslovakia. Each year the city of Pilsen has a four day celebration in May to remember the liberation. I will share more on the celebration in a later post but wanted to share three pictures of the plaque that was dedicated in Losina during the May 2018 celebration.

The plaque honoring the 15th FAB of the 2nd Infantry Division liberating Losina.

Earl Ingram holding pen, Ivan Rollinger, a curator of Patton Memorial Pilsen Museum holding book

The plaque and the 15th FAB yearbook

From my friend Glynn Raby Jr.:
Platoon Leader, Lt (then) Earl Ingram, who has attended more than 20 of the Pilsen Festivals, including the 2018 earlier this month in May wrote in one of his paragraphs to me the following:
"The president of our association, John Batty-Sylvan, was there and he promised to promote the continuation of 2nd Infantry Division participation in the festival by younger veterans. Jim Duncan, 2nd Battalion of the 38th Infantry, was the only other WWII 2nd Infantry Division veteran there. John and I (Earl Ingram) participated in a ceremony unveiling a plaque dedicated to the 2nd Infantry Division in the village of Losina for its liberation on 7 May 1945. The 15th Artillery Battalion was the 2nd Infantry Division unit in that village."