On Memorial Day last Saturday, among other memories pertinent to the day, I recalled this one, added long after I had written my Reminiscences of World War II:

The inhabitants of Mannheim, quite naturally, feared the worst from this forward thrust of our troops but soon discovered that we respected civilians—and for that matter the German soldiers too, only doing what we had to do and deeply regretting the resultant injuries, deaths and destruction. We were particularly fond of the little children and wouldn't harm them for the world. My younger brother Donald just sent me a letter related to this:

I have a great footnote to the activities of your 103rd Infantry Division. A month ago Gene and I were eating at the Riverdale Senior Citizens Center when an older lady sat across from us at the table. She introduced herself in broken English that caused us to ask where she was from.

"I'm from Germany," she replied. "I came to Ogden in 1967."

Then she startled us as she could hardly contain her emotions as she blurted out, "I was 14 years old when the American soldiers arrived in Mannheim. We were afraid that we would be harmed and brutally treated, but the soldiers gave us food and treated us kindly. They played with us. They hugged us and loved us and we cried when they moved on."

When I mentioned that my brother Wendell was part of the 103rd Infantry Division that entered Mannheim, she indicated that she remembered the unit identification very well. So, her story is a great parting note to the 103rd as well as to all other American army units. The U.S. does not go into battle to conquer and enslave peopleÑto keep them down in a subservient position; but the purpose is to free and build people upÑto recognize the sanctity of life and the value of each human soul.

So, add that footnote to the 103rd which was a common experience of all American fighting soldiers wherever they went.

Donald's letter overwhelmed me with emotion. Imagine! I could have actually given that then young girl a hug as I shared some K-rations with her and others.