By late fall 1944, the unit had arrived in Heerlen, Netherlands, just east of Maastricht and practically on the German border. It was a very bad winter. While the officers took over an abandoned house that had belonged to a Dutch Nazi, the rest of the men were billeted in private homes in town. Two of the men who are alive today—Ray Cross and Roger Rickon—told us that they were staying for a while in a glass factory—until someone reminded them that if the building was hit by the Germans, flying glass would be harmful to their health.
Sergeants Hueni and Ottea, Heerlen, Holland, 1945
Shop area, Heerlen, 1945
Part of the group in Heerlen: Tindall, Patrick, Bodiford, Mason, Faehling, Dickson, Ottea, and Grady.
Dad and Donald McGowan, bottom row, last two men on right; others unidentified
Doing business in Heerlen; names of men not known
Dad wrote on the back of the photo below, “Christmas Eve in Heerlen, Holland, 1944. Some tree, eh what? Inside small arms repair truck, Sergeants Johnson and Andrews. Last year, darling!” They thought, correctly, that the war was nearing an end.
Dad and John Andrews, and their Christmas tree
The Battle of the Bulge, at Ardennes–directly south of them in Heerlen–took place in December and January. Wikipedia says, “The surprise attack caught the Allied forces completely off guard and became the costliest battle in terms of casualties for the United States, whose forces bore the brunt of the attack, during all of World War II. It also severely depleted Germany’s war-making resources.”
WWII Tracings 
My father (Floyd W. Stone) was in Infantry scout who was almost killed by a German Hand grenade on the border just outside Heerlen. His injuries sent him home after spending 6 months in a hosptial in Paris.
My father and his family lived in Heerlen at this time. The family name was Luken – Heinrich was my father’s name he was about 15 years old at this time. He had a sister Carolla. If anyone remembers e mail me hlueken50@optonline.net
Hello from Heerlen in The Netherlands!!! I was surprised at seeing the pictures of Heerlen in the winter of 44/45. That was in the street where late my dad lived. He always told me about his friendship and adventures with the American soldiers at the stone factory nearby. The granddad of my wife was working at the LTM-remise. He was always trading Dutch souvenirs that he made himself , for food or equipment. Some of them have survived over 75 years now. So happy I finally found a picture. Peter
My mother lived in Heerlen (Heerlerbaan to be precise) and used to tell stories of the war. Her name was Berta Dohmen and she had 6 brothers and 4 sisters. My American father was part of the liberation and amongst the many soldiers that Dutch girls fell in love with. They married in 1945, lived in occupied Germany post war and had twins in 1946. Shortly after, they moved to the US.
My uncle had a tavern in Heerlerbaan { Heesbergerweg } right across from the water tower, his name was Frans Huijten
Always nice, reading stories of my hometown, Heerlen. Peter Pauweld
Where and when did you live in Heerlen, I left there for the US in 1956
in 1956
I lived in Heerlen near de Molenberg from 1969 – 1974. Prior to that, I was in Houston where I was born. Now live in Perth, Western Australia. Where in the US are you?
I live in Davenport Iowa, right by the Mississippi. I have family that lives in Molenberg
Any family who live in Landgraaf? I also lived in Peter Schunkstraat near Heesberg. When I went back to visit my mother with my son, we loved going to Sneeuwwereld that was built on a coal pilings hill.
Lots of family in landgraaf, cafe Bijsman Aakerstraat is one of my nephews, another one has a tabaco shop on the Stationstraat, 3 nieces life in Molenberg en one nephew lives in Scheasberg
I was born and raised in Heerlen and I remember well the day we were liberated. it was Sunday Sep. 17 on a Sunday, I was all of 8 years old. Dad and us 4 boys went to 9 hour clock Sunday mass { mam stayed home because she was not feeling well} when all of a sudden all hell broke loose. We made it out of church and hightailed it home, there was a lot of explosions and smaller ordnance fire all around us but we made it home safe except dad he got hit with some shrapnel in his left arm. Mam had 3 German soldiers in the basement with her, they did not want to fight any longer and were waiting for the Americans to come in and surrender to them and they did. That night we had 40 soldiers spend the night in our basement and the next day they all got somewhat of a bath and a barber came and gave them all a haircut and shave, those guys had not been out of their close for 6 weeks, they fought all their way true the north part of Frans and all of Belgium and then in our part of Holland, the county { provense } of Limburg. That happened before the real cold set in. Nick Huyten
Dear Nick, thank you very much for sending us your memories of that special day. Even though you were just eight years old, I can understand how that day would not be a day to ever forget!
Thank you Andrea, I did a podcast with my oldest daughter about live and living during the German occupation, it is stored in the library of congress and since it is just 20 minutes long, it is just a drop in the bucked on what it was really like.
That was very good of you to do the podcast for the Library of Congress. Is it available on their internet site? It is so important to preserve those times.
Lobe that story, Nick! My mother would have been 20 when Heerlen was liberated. My father was an American officer & they met around that time. Naturally she fell in love with a ‘hero’. The y married & lived in Germany for a year during the occupation & had twins. The German people were starving & my mother traded food for jewellery. I still have a ring from that trade.
*Love
What was your mothers maiden name, we new quite a few Dutch girls that married American soldiers?
Her maiden name was Dohmen. The family lived on Hambeukerboord
The name is not familiar and the Hambeukerboord was on the north side of the town while I lived south west of the town Heerlen
Near Heksenberg?
Heksenberg is very close to Mezenbroek, all these little villages are part of the town Heerlen. Heksenberg has a small, maybe 200 acres, pine forest on a hillside and in the middle of is a very quint little Chapel that we used to hike to and have a picknick or do sunday mass or both. My grandparents on my mothers side use to life there, their name was Eigelmann
I still live in Heerlen and sometimes a focus on things happpend in Heerlen in wartime.
In 1944 I lived at the Aarweg 19, it was a side street of the Benzenrader weg close to Bekkerveld.
Film footage September 18th 1944 Molenberg – Heerlen , The Netherlands
Thank you, Richard. I will forward this clip on to our friends in Heerlen. In fact, we will be visiting there in about three weeks. Thanks very much for sending. Are you in the Netherlands?
Andrea
This is great footage. My American father arrived in Heerlen where he met my Dutch mother in 1945. They married and went to Germany to part of the occupation.
Great to hear from you again, Cindy. Yes, our friend Peter in Heerlen is quite excited about this clip! Hope you are doing well.
Dear Mr Huyten, I do hope you will read this comment. I would like to know if there have remained some photos of the liberation of Heerlen? Thank you, Peter from the Netherlands.
I have a copy of photo taken on the day of our liberation(17 Sept. 1944) by a newspaper photographer that was in the newspaper the next day or so (Limburgs Dagblad) and it shows the thank that came up the dirt road and is stopped in front of our house me and my mother are also in that picture.
My mother lived in Heerlen during the war. She turned 18 a few months after they were liberated. In early Dec she met my father..who was on leave. My grandmother invited him to the house and he stayed overnight in one of the bedrooms. My mother’s family slept in the cellar afraid of stray bullets and bombs. Later my father was wounded near Samree Belgium..shortly before the battle of the Bulge. They corresponded for 7 years and were married in 1951.. on their honeymoon my dad went in search for his old fox holes..how romantic
Very interesting story. My father was stationed in Eys Holland not far from Maastrict in a radar unit, the 401st Signal Company, [avn]. Dad said it was extremely cold the winter 1944, time of the Battle of the Bulge.