AFTER BULGE INCIDENT
By Roger Marquet
Belgian Citizen

As I was researching what happened to the 11th Armored Division during the Bulge, I received an account from John Fague (21st A.I.B/11th Armd Div.). In this account, John told from an infantryman's point of view what happened to him and his comrades during the Bulge. I was very impressed by the combats and especially touched by the death of all these young men who came from overseas to liberate my country. When I found out that one of these KIAs was buried in the Henri Chapelle American Cemetery (only 20 miles away from my house at the time), I decided to adopt his grave, meaning that I would attend the Memorial Day Service every year and place flowers three times a year on the grave. His name was Robert Allen FORDYCE and he was from Company B / 21st Armored Infantry Battalion / 11th Armored Division.

Bob was born on April 30, 1925, in Waynesburg, PA. He graduated from high school in 1943. He was involved in school activities and played on the basket ball team (just like my son and daughter, 30 years later). He was inducted into the Army on July 26, 1943 and received basic training at Camp Roberts, CA. He studied under the ASTP at the College of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA (I visited Tacoma 7 years ago). After ending ASTP, he was transferred to the 21st A.I.B at Camp Cooke, CA. He arrived in Belgium on December 29, 1944 and was killed in action 2 days later.

On New Year's Eve, December 31, 1944, as he was in his foxhole, with Frank Hartzell on the slope facing the village of Chenogne, he received a German shell and died instantly... alone, in the cold and snowy weather, far away from his parents, girlfriend and country. And he was only 19 ... What a cruel world we are living in!

I happened to find his picture in the 50th Anniversary Thunderbolts book; I had it reprinted and enlarged and the picture is now on my office wall.  The story is not over.

My wife and I wanted to retire in the Ardennes (we were at the time living in the Liège area), and since we knew the exact place where Bob Fordyce was KIA , (John Fague had showed me the place when he came back to Belgium in 1997), we were able to buy that same land and had our new home build over there, in the tiny village of Chenogne.  While our house was being built, we had the visit from the man who was just beside Bob when the German shell exploded; Frank Hartzell who was a Sergeant in the same Company B.  Frank came to the spot and was able to confirm to me that the place was indeed correct.

After moving to our new house in February 2001, I planted a tree and put a plaque on a rock in front of it. I dedicated it to Bob Fordyce's memory, at the exact spot where Bob was killed.

I find this story very positive : Bob's blood gave life to a new home for his adoptive friends beyond the grave. Bob Fordyce's death is a concrete example of giving his life to free the lives of other people. Bob is now a member of my family, just like a glorious ancestor who could have been my son at the same time because he was only 19 and he looks so young and so ingenuous on the picture. I was born on September 9, 1945, so age wise, Bob could have been my father. But, because his life was cut short at the age of 19 and because I am now 58, I consider myself more like a possible father to him. Very strange and emotional feelings!

And the story in not over yet!

Thanks to Harold Brandt - he is here too - another friend from 11th Armored , I was able to come in contact with Bob's sister, Mae Jean Frazell and, who after a while decided to make me a sort of heir to Bob's memorabilia. Thus she sent me three packages containing a lot of emotional things that I engaged myself to give to my own son when my time on earth ends. So, I am now the owner of the flag which was on Bob 's casket during his funeral, all his medals, badges and patches, a lot of pictures, his birth certificate, his scholar results, his High School Band's hat, some newspapers clippings, and so on, and so on...

The story is not over.

In August 2003 I was invited by the 11th Armored Division to be the guest speaker during their annual reunion in Buffalo, NY. Mae Jean Fordyce is living in New York State… And I was able to meet her twice during my stay in Buffalo.
Now, the circle is closed up and I will do my best so that Bob Fordyce's story never ends in our memory. One of my motto is : ''If someone remembers you, you will never die.''