USA – Louisville Kentucky – cérémonie de remise à la famille des équipements de George D. COBB, GI de la US Army, ayant combattu en Belgique (Sprimont).
De : PVD [mailto:pscd6035@skynet.be]
Envoyé : jeudi 15 juin 2017 20:58
À : ‘James Davis’; ‘Régine LEGER’; ‘Eddy MONFORT’; ‘Marcellin DESTORDEUR’; ‘Delphine’; Bruno BERNARD (bbernardbruno@scarlet.be)
Objet : RE: Story and pictures from George Cobb family meeting
Hi Jim,
Congratulations !
This is wonderful. You deserve to be very proud of your achievement.
There is nothing to be added to this summary.
Regine will publish it on our website and FB.
I plan also to contact a Belgian journalist. I let you know.
Can I suggest you to send it to the 101 Abn Div Ass for publication as well ?
Thank you very much again for your involvement and close cooperation in this special case.
Keep in touch.
Kind regards,
Paul
De : James Davis [mailto:jmdjdlaw@gmail.com]
Envoyé : mercredi 14 juin 2017 20:08
À : PVD; Régine LEGER; Eddy MONFORT; Marcellin DESTORDEUR; Delphine
Objet : Story and pictures from George Cobb family meeting
Hello,
Here is the story of my meeting with the Cobb family to return the kit bag, pictures and candy bars. You can use it on the White Star website or where ever you’d like. Make any corrections or changes where needed. — I’ll get you more photos once I get them from the family.
On June 11, 2017, the family of WW II U.S. Army soldier George Cobb met at Chili’s Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky (USA) to receive the kit bag and photographs that George Cobb left in a Belgian farmhouse at the start of the Battle of the Bulge. Cobb was captured by the Germans and never returned to retrieve his possessions. 72 years later, the summer of 2016, the bag was found in the attic of the same farmhouse in Sprirmont, Belgium by Bruno Bernard. Bruno’s Grandparents owned the farmhouse and Bruno remembered seeing the bag as a young child. He even found some American candy bars in the bag. As a 10 year old, he could not resist, so he opened the candy and ate it.
When the bag was found, Bruno remembered that he had eaten the candy and he wanted to put candy back into the bag before it was returned. A friend of his owns a candy , company, and when Bruno told him the story, he agreed to make some candy bars with George’s name, serial number and photographs on the wrapper. Bruno put the new candy bars into the bag and asked Ardennes White Star to help him find George Cobb so the items could be returned.
Ardennes White Star began a search to find George Cobb with only his name and serial number. After a long search, they learned that George Cobb lived in Louisville, Kentucky when he entered WW II. Next they found an address of a George Cobb in Louisville from old army records, but George had died in 1989. His wife had also passed away. Ardennes White Star, with the help of Jim Davis in the U.S.A., continued to hunt for his children and were able to locate his children in November 2016. The family was very excited to learn that the bag and photographs had been found. The family members were not able to fly to Belgium for the ceremony held in December 2016 to return the bag, so Jim Davis represented the family and received the items from Bruno Bernard.
George had four children, one of who has died, but the other three, George ‘Skip’ Cobb Junior, Jim Cobb and Phyllis Cobb (Baker) came to the restaurant with their spouses Rondi, Jane, and Don. Grandson Steve, his wife and daughter (George Cobb’s great-grand daughter). The family members were thrilled to receive the bag and photographs. They immediately recognized their father in the photographs and talked about how young he looked. His children said that he did not talk much about his experiences during WW II, but that they knew he was very proud of being a soldier and fighting in the war.
When they saw the George Cobb candy bars they cheered.
A television news reporter was there to film the story and it was on the Louisville television station that evening. Chili’s restaurant paid for all the families meals and many people in the restaurant came to the table to see the items, congratulate the family and thank them for their father’s service in WW II. Military service is part of the Cobb family. Son Skip served in the U.S. Navy for 30 years, his other son Jim was in the Army. Two of his Grandson’s were also in the Army and one of them is serving today in Germany.
At the end of the meeting, Doris Cobb (Baker) said, “this is a great day for our family. We are so very thankful to Bruno, Ardennes White Star, and Jim for bring these things home to us. We cannot ever thank you enough.” Steve said he now plans to bring his family to Belgium soon so he can thank everyone in person.
Skip Cobb said, “We cannot thank you enough. And please tell everyone in Belgium that you made us very, very happy.”
Link to television news cast: http://www.whas11.com/life/family-of-world-war-ii-veteran-receives-long-lost-bag/447896747
PHOTOS
# 1 – George “Skip” Cobb, Jr., Phyllis Cobb (Baker), and Jim Cobb with kit bag.
# 2 – Cobb family seated at table (standing in back, Jim Davis)
# 3 – Cobb family with kit bag
From: Rondi Cobb <rondicobb@twc.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 13, 2017 at 4:14 PM
Subject: George Cobb Duffle Bag
To: jmdjdlaw@gmail.com
Skip (George D. Cobb, Jr.) and I want to express our sincere thank you for bringing a piece of Skip’s dad’s legacy to us! You filled our minds and hearts with such amazing stories of so many years ago! Your presentation was enjoyed by all! We have received so many responses from all over the city citing how amazing and awesome for the Cobb Family! The candy bar story and the candy itself was a real hit! Our 2 daughters and 5 grandchildren are anxious to see their grandfather and great grandfather’s Duffle Bag! Thank you for your service in bringing such joy to the family! Skip and Rondi Cobb
15/07/2017
Camp Toccoa 501/506 à Vellereux.
Cette année, les organisateurs avaient prévu une ballade dans la région de la Sûre pour une visite des Ardoisières de Martelange. La colonne était constituée d’une cinquantaine de véhicules US de 40 – 45.