Day
Five July 14 |
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The
first thing in the morning, we gathered in the church in Bruyeres for a
special mass of remembrance. The woman leading us in song had an amazing
voice. It was a moving service. |
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After the
mass, Lawson tried to organize us for group shot on the steps of the church.
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We were
wearing our white caps, white shirts, and khaki pants--but unfortunately
it was raining, so we didn't make a unified showing--and as usual many
of us were as eager to take the photo as to be in the photo.
The steps
where we were standing as the looked in 1944. |
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After the
group photo, we went up to the Bruyeres monument (past the house and garage
with the street sign on it that we had visited before). A large crowd was
gathered there before us. |
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The fire brigade
was there. |
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As was
the band, even in the rain.
The GIs marched
in to French commands. |
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The officials
and the veterans went foward to the memorial to lay the wreaths. |
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Shelby, pointing
to her grandfather. |
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We went
down to look at the statue by Shinkichi Tajiri. Unfortunately, it was
very dark and very wet so it's hard to see just how powerful the statue
to Friendship and Peace is in its setting in the woods.
I heard someone
ask Nelson Akagi whether he remembered, and he answered, "I remember."
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Unfortunately,
time was short and we had to hurry back into town so we could join the parade.
The first group was the firemen, second were the GIs, we were third, followed
by the dignitaries. |
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The first
two groups marched smartly along but we walked and waved to the passersby
in our rain gear. |
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The ceremony
held in the town square was honoring firemen. Apparently Bastille Day is
the day for awards and promotions. The red cushion holds a series of medals
that are being handed out. |
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There was
great good feeling in the square as we handed out candy and flags. |
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While waiting
for lunch, we explored the square. 
Every roundabout we
went by had a modern sculpture in the middle, but this was the largest.
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Throughout
the region, there were bright beautiful annuals everywhere--filling people's
yards and here in the town square. |
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Lunch was
set up in a large tent--with teeter-totter benches! |
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The mayor
made a speech which was translated by the woman on the left--about how what
happened in Bruyeres should not be forgotten by all the younger generations. |
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He then again
gave a heart-felt thanks to all the 442nd and gave the veterans pictures
of Bruyeres. |
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We were then
free for the afternoon. Liz and I wandered off to see if the chocolate store
was still open, but Bastille Day is clearly a serious holiday. Nearly everything
in town was closed and people were home. |
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This is looking
down the street the opposite direction. I didn't realize it at the time
so didn't take a picture, but we passed by this fountain--now brightly painted. |
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We were the
ones who were out and about in town. |
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We ended up
having a lovely cup of coffee at a sidewalk cafe. |
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As we sat
there, Don came by and told us to go look at the exhibit and how to get
there. We climbed up the stairs to the well-laid out series of photos. When
we arrived, the Japanese film crew were interviewing the Bryant brothers
about what it meant to them. John Bryant made a moving speech about how
much this trip meant to him. Then the Hardwick sisters spoke, though Janet
had lost her voice. They said what they had said so often, the 442nd brought
their father home to them and only the 442nd could have done that. I hope
some of this deep appreciation makes it into the documentary. |
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From the exhibit:
their father and mother, the letter they'd left at the memorial trying to
express just what the rescue of the Lost Battalion had meant to them, their
father in uniform, and at the Las Vegas reunion. |
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From the
exhibit, we headed back to the bus to listen to the last songs of the
band concert. The bus driver made a point of letting us know that one
of the pieces was the march for Napoleon's guard.
The band
uniforms were snappy. They changed out of them in the parking lot. |
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And then,
sadly, we started to say goodbye to the wonderful people we met on the trip.
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And then back
to the hotel to consume various liquids and say farewell to Epinal, which
was an amazing few days. |
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