Flander's Field (From our Archives and Lee R. Christensen)

 

           

Ardennes American Cemetery 

The approach drive at Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium leads to the memorial, a stone structure bearing on its façade a massive American eagle, and other sculptures. Within the memorial is the chapel, three large wall maps composed of inlaid marbles, marble panels depicting combat and supply activities, and other ornamental features.

The Ardennes American Cemetery is the final resting place for 5,317 Americans, with 65 percent of those being fallen airmen of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Their headstones are aligned in straight rows that compose the form of a Greek cross. Along the outside of the memorial, inscribed on granite slabs, are the names of 463 of the missing, whose remains were never recovered. The façade on the far (north) end that overlooks the burial area bears the insignia, in mosaic, of the major U.S. units that operated in northwest Europe in World War II.

The reason poppies have become associated with Armistice Day and with this poem, in particular, is because red poppies began to bloom like crazy in the field in Flanders where men had fallen and been buried–where they hadn’t bloomed like this before.

                 

                              

Charles Rutishauser ID: 39835671  Entered the Service From: Utah  Rank: Technical Sergeant  Service: U.S. Army Air Forces, 526th Bomber Squadron, 379th Bomber Group, Heavy  Died: Sunday, June 18, 1944  Buried at: Ardennes American Cemetery  Location: Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium  Plot: D Row: 16 Grave: 4  Awards: Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters,  Purple Heart T/Sgt Charles E. Rutishauser is also remembered with a marker here in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery

Thanks Kathy .  Your picture added  much to the posting.   I don't think any
of the Rutishausers  still around.  I've looked for James a number of times
over the years and have never found him.  I have the action report on the
mission from which Charles did not return.  He and two  others  went down
with the plane, five others POW's.

 Kathy:    And yes, we have a Mt. Pleasanter buried there, Charles Rutishauser, KIA               June 1944.  And by  comparison, a trivia note,  three versions of the poem, page 152, my  book.

                               lee