Speech by State Secretary for Defence at reception of American delegation 30th Armored Infantry Division
State Secretary Gijs Tuinman of the Netherlands held this speech in Valkenburg in the context of the 80-year liberation of the municipality.
Good afternoon,
Mr. Thayer, Mr. Mayor,
Veterans, officers,
Friends and family,
It is an honour for me to be here with you today to commemorate ‘Old Hickory’. The more I look back at World War 2, the more I am amazed by the Allies: how brave they were; how tough they were;
and how they were prepared to give their lives for people they had never met before… And for the children and grandchildren that followed.
When I was a boy, I heard stories about my grandfather,
who fought in the Dutch army at the Grebbeberg in 1940,
and was wounded in action. I looked out over a forest from the windows of my childhood home in Valkenburg. As the story goes, two allied pilots hid from the enemy in that forest. And during the liberation of Valkenburg, an ‘Old Hickory’ soldier died there. His name was Henry Morgan. Years later, when I was a veteran myself, I visited the grave of Henry Morgan to pay my respects.
Standing at his grave, I felt the presence of history. I felt what these historic deeds had meant for Europe; for my country; for my own family.
And I feel that same presence of history upon meeting you, Mr. Thayer. Like so many allied soldiers, you crossed the Atlantic to fight for a free Europe.
In Normandy, you volunteered for patrols near enemy lines… near enemy fire, moving forward hedge by hedge, meadow by meadow, eating cold K-rations when possible, and getting a bit of sleep at night if you were lucky.
In Germany, you ran to a burning tank, climbed onto its turret and pulled out your wounded commander - despite enemy fire from four German tanks.
In Belgium, you fought in the Battle of the Bulge and you were the only survivor from your unit.
At nineteen years old, you had already experienced so much. And these are just a few examples of the action you saw.
Mr. Thayer, I want to thank you personally. 80 years ago, you set foot in Heerlen: the town where I was born. And so I am one of the grandchildren of the people you liberated on that day. With your bravery, you gave my family a future. And I feel so fortunate to be able to thank you in person.
The Dutch people will never forget what you and your comrades did for us. We will keep sharing stories such as these, to honor the bravery of men like Mr. Thayer. And by serving in the military. By getting ready to defend Europe, now that it is under threat again. By bringing your history into the present, and by telling and retelling the stories of our liberators. Thank you.