One German woman found herself and her family in the middle of what could have been a deadly skirmish, but even as the Battle of the Bulge raged just a few miles away, she demanded — and got — the Christmas truce that so many others had prayed for in vain.
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/12/24/christmas-eve-truce-1944/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elisabeth Vincken</a> left her hometown of Aachen, Germany, after Allied bombs had put an end to the family&#8217;s bakery and their home in April of 1944. She and her 12-year-old son moved to a small cottage in the Hurtgen forest — which had previously been used by her husband Hubert when he went on long hunting trips. Hubert, who was drafted into the German army, was stationed nearby.
But Elisabeth and her son were alone when, on December 16th, the bloody campaign that would later be known as the Battle of the Bulge began — and it soon became clear that her husband would not be visiting for Christmas dinner as he had planned. The weather turned then as well, and brutally cold temperatures combined with low visibility resulted in a fair number of soldiers on both sides of the conflict becoming separated from their units during combat.
Still, Elisabeth and her son had saved a fat goose — nicknamed Hermann Goring because of his girth — for dinner.
The battle was close enough that the sounds of the guns could be heard even inside the cabin, so Vincken was <a href="https://battleofthebulge.org/2023/09/12/a-bulge-christmas-truce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">immediately on her guard</a> when she heard a knock on the door on Christmas Eve.
She opened the door to find three soldiers outside — two standing and one collapsed in the snow nearby — and when they began to speak, she and Fritz realized that they were Americans. All three were armed.
&#8220;I was almost paralyzed with fear, for though I was a child, I knew that harsh law of war: Anyone giving aid and comfort to the enemy would be shot,&#8221; Fritz recalled in a later interview, noting that his mother had also been well aware of the possible consequences but had been moved to compassion when she realized the wounded American was young enough to be her son as well.
&#8220;Go get Hermann,&#8221; she told her son, and he went to fetch the goose they&#8217;d been saving to share when Hubert was able to celebrate with them, along with some potatoes.
After some trial and error, they learned that both Elisabeth and one of the American soldiers spoke French — a discovery that made communication much easier among the group. The three said their names were Jim (who spoke French), Robin, and Harry.
Elisabeth had set about tending to Harry&#8217;s wounds when another knock came — and this time, Fritz opened the door to greet four German soldiers. After exchanging greetings, the soldiers informed the Vinckens that they were lost and looking for shelter from the cold.
&#8220;Of course,&#8221; Elisabeth replied. Knowing exactly what she was risking, Elisabeth invited them in as well — but told them that they must leave their weapons outside. &#8220;You can also have a fine, warm meal and eat till the pot is empty. But we have three other guests, whom you may not consider friends.&#8221;
One of the German soldiers objected: &#8220;Who is inside? Americans?&#8221;
&#8220;Listen, you could be my sons and they in there too. One of them is wounded and is fighting for his life and his two fellows are lost and hungry like you,&#8221; Elisabeth laid down the law. &#8220;It is the Holy Night and there will be no shooting here.&#8221;
Once all of the weapons were stowed and all seven men were inside, the tension was palpable — but Elisabeth went about preparing dinner anyway. &#8220;Quick, get more potatoes and some oats,&#8221; she told Fritz. &#8220;These boys are hungry, and a starving man is an angry one.&#8221;
As they waited for their meal, one of the German soldiers noticed the wounded American — and his own prior medical training kicked in, pushing aside any thoughts he had of animosity.
While Harry slept, the remaining six pooled their resources and came up with bread and wine to go with the chicken soup that Elisabeth was preparing. By the time she prayed over their meal, Fritz later recalled, she was moved to tears by the men and their willingness to set war aside on such a holy day.
By the time morning came, all seven of the men had to return to their respective places. Elisabeth gave the Americans a tablecloth to use as a stretcher for Harry, and the German soldiers gave them directions back to where they believed their units were located. And so on Christmas morning, the two groups set off from the Vinckens&#8217; cabin in opposite directions.
&#8220;Be careful, boys. I want you to get home someday where you belong. God bless you all!&#8221; Elisabeth said as they disappeared into the forest.
Years later, Fritz set out to find the men who had shared that Christmas Eve dinner with him and his mother — and through an appearance on &#8220;Unsolved Mysteries,&#8221; he was able to track down Ralph Blank.
Blank was one of the soldiers who had spent that night with the Vinckens in the Hurtgen Forest — and he was living in a nursing home in Frederick, Maryland.
&#8220;Your mother saved my life,&#8221; Blank told Fritz when they were reunited in 1996.
For Fritz, that meeting was everything he had hoped for: &#8220;Now I can die in peace. My mother’s courage won’t be forgotten and it shows what goodwill will do.&#8221;
&#8220;The inner strength of a single woman, who, by her wits and intuition, prevented potential bloodshed, taught me the practical meaning of the words &#8216;good will toward mankind,'&#8221; Fritz said in <a href="https://www.christianfamilynashville.com/index.php/spiritual/faith/1538-the-christmas-truce#:~:text=“Now%20and%20then%2C%20on%20a,the%20Battle%20of%20the%20Bulge.”" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another interview</a>. &#8220;I remember mother and those seven young soldiers, who met as enemies and parted as friends, right in the middle of the Battle of the Bulge.&#8221;

And finally the fourth candle came in

‘There Will Be No Shooting Here’: How One Woman Demanded — And Got — A Christmas Truce In Germany, 1944

'There Will Be No Shooting Here': How One Woman Demanded — And Got — A Christmas Truce In 1944

Americans

Belgium

Military

Nazi Germany

Readers Pass

World War II

A man describing himself as a member of ISIS gunned down two Swedish nationals in Brussels on Monday night with a rifle while shouting &#8220;Allahu Akbar,&#8221; according to reports and video of the incident.
The terrorist suspect <a href="https://themessenger.com/news/brussels-terrorist-attack-illinois-stabbing-isis-manifesto">reportedly</a> ranted about a 6-year-old Muslim boy that had been killed in a stabbing in Illinois.
Alleged video of the incident showed a man wearing a bright orange jacket jumping off a motorized scooter and opening fire on random individuals walking by. The individual chased some of the people into a building and opened fire on them as well.
A second video from the alleged terror suspect showed a man speaking in Arabic claiming to be a member of ISIS.
Eric Van Der Sypt, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/16/world/europe/brussels-shooting-act-of-terrorism.html">said</a> in an interview with local media that there had been &#8220;a claim via social media where someone says he is the perpetrator, that he has sympathies for IS, and what is also important, he mentions the Swedish nationality of those victims.&#8221;
He said that investigators do not believe at this point that the shooting had anything to do with the recent Islamic terrorist attacks in Israel that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Israelis.
The country raised their terrorism threat level from level-2 to level-4, the highest-level, which indicates that the situation was &#8220;extremely serious.&#8221; The suspect has not been caught.
“I have just offered my sincere condolences to @swedishpm following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels,” said Prime Minister Alexander de Croosaid on X, referring to the Swedish prime minister. “Our thoughts are with the families and friends who lost their loved ones. As close partners the fight against terrorism is a joint one.”
The country, which is home to NATO&#8217;s headquarters, was hit hard with ISIS suicide bombing attacks in 2016 when multiple terrorists detonated bombs in Brussels&#8217; airport and a metro station in the city. Dozens of people were killed more than 300 people were injured.

TOPSHOT-BELGIUM-POLICE-CRIME

Alleged ISIS Member Kills 2 In Brussels; Belgium Raises Terror Alert Level To ‘Extremely Serious’

ISIS

Terrorists

Battle of the Bulge veteran Vincent Speranza died on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. He was 98-years-old.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/world-war-ii-hero-famous-for-airborne-beer-dead-at-98" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speranza</a> was just a kid from Hell&#8217;s Kitchen when he enlisted in the Army, and after attending Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to the 501st Parachute Infantry under the 101st Airborne Division.
&#8220;We were just a bunch of kids, right out of high school, a lot of us like me, children of immigrant families,&#8221; <a href="https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/local/2023/08/03/auburn-iii-resident-vincent-speranza-fought-at-battle-of-the-bulge-dies/70519606007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speranza said</a> in a 2017 interview. &#8220;Our parents were so proud of this country. My father was a patriot like you wouldn&#8217;t believe. They expected their sons to defend the country, and we did.&#8221;
Speranza earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for Valor, but it was a small favor he did for a wounded friend that made him famous.
In December of 1944, Speranza and the rest of the 101st Airborne Division were in the Belgian city of Bastogne when — on direct orders from Adolf Hitler — the German army turned and surrounded the city. Speranza was visiting with his wounded friend Joe Willis in the ruins of a church that was being used to house injured personnel, and Willis asked for a drink.
Speranza reminded Willis that they were surrounded, but went looking for a drink anyway — and as luck would have it, he found a tapped barrel of Belgian beer in a nearby tavern. There were no glasses, however, so Speranza resorted to delivering the beer in his helmet.
He went back to the tavern several times for more, but was met on his return from one such trip by the regimental surgeon — who scolded him, noting that drinking beer could be fatal for any soldier suffering from intestinal trauma.
Without a word, Speranza saluted and put on the helmet, which was still full of beer at the time, and made a quick exit — and thus the &#8220;Airborne Beer&#8221; was born.
&#8220;After being a machine gunner at the Battle of the Bulge, winning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star and (spending) two decades as a public school (history) teacher, Airborne Beer is what I’m famous for,&#8221; he would joke in later years.
Speranza was one of the few American soldiers who saw the inside of Hitler&#8217;s famous &#8220;Eagle&#8217;s Nest&#8221; in Berchtesgaden, where he said he saw the German dictator&#8217;s plan to divide up the globe with the other Axis powers — Italy and Japan — when the war was over. &#8220;If anybody ever doubted why we had to fight that war, there it was on the wall,&#8221; he said.
Speranza was discharged from the Army in 1946, and became a history teacher. For decades, he returned to Bastogne for anniversaries and memorial events. He even continued to jump, celebrating his 98th birthday in March, 2023, with a tandem jump from the World War II-era &#8220;Tico Belle.&#8221;
When I met PFC Vincent Speranza, both of us had just stepped off a transatlantic flight. I was en route to Bastogne for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge — and it soon became clear that he was as well.
I was standing near the baggage claim at the airport in Brussels, Belgium — and amid a cacophony of other languages, I could hear two men arguing in plain English.
Speranza, who would have been 94-years-old at the time, was animated — punctuating his thick New York accent with his hands in a way that made his Italian-American heritage undeniable.
Seated on a motorized cart, he was talking to a younger man who I quickly recognized as Ken McAuliffe, great-nephew of General Anthony McAuliffe — the American general who refused to surrender and held Bastogne until General George S. Patton arrived.
As the story goes, on December 22, 1944, the German commander sent a letter to McAuliffe under a white flag, informing him that the city was entirely surrounded (it was) and the Americans were grossly outnumbered (they were) and demanding that McAuliffe — and most of the 101st Airborne Division — surrender.
McAuliffe, according to the history books — and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whats-merry-about-all-this-read-the-letter-general-anthony-mcauliffe-sent-his-exhausted-surrounded-men-at-the-battle-of-the-bulge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a letter he sent</a> his beleaguered troops on Christmas Eve — sent the German commander one word in response: “NUTS!”
But Speranza, who was in Bastogne at the time as a member of the 501st Parachute Infantry, told the younger McAuliffe he didn’t buy it.
“I know that’s what they had to say to print it in the papers,” he said with a wink. “But I always thought that maybe, in private, he said something with a little more teeth.”
McAuliffe said no, explaining that wasn’t the general’s style. “When my great-grandmother — the general’s mother — got word of what had happened and heard that ‘NUTS!’ hade been his reply, she just laughed and threw up her hands. ‘That’s our Tony,’ she said.&#8221;
And so I watched, in awe, as a veteran of one of the bloodiest campaigns of World War II argued — three-quarters of a century later — with the great-nephew of his own commanding general about what that general did or did not say while in the grips of one of the most desperate moments in history.
RIP Vincent Speranza, 1925-2023

Parachuting-in of soldiers in Carentan.

Vincent Speranza, World War II Veteran Who Saw The Inside Of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, Dead At 98

Vincent Speranza, World War II Veteran Who Saw The Inside Of Hitler's Eagle's Nest, Dead At 98

Veterans

An American paratrooper — who once famously delivered beer to a wounded soldier in his helmet — died on Wednesday at the age of 98.
<a href="https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2023-08-03/veteran-wwii-paratrooper-10925829.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vincent Speranza</a>, a kid from Hell&#8217;s Kitchen who served with the 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne, Belgium, returned to the United States after World War II and spent twenty years teaching history.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rest in Peace, Vince Speranza
23 March 1925-2 August 2023
Thanks for the memories<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWII</a> <a href="https://t.co/vbIGSBNs5M">pic.twitter.com/vbIGSBNs5M</a>
&mdash; XVIII Airborne Corps &amp; Fort Liberty (@18airbornecorps) <a href="https://twitter.com/18airbornecorps/status/1686884938262487041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But Speranza truly became a legend amongst the locals during the Battle of the Bulge in December of 1944 — when, at the behest of another wounded soldier, he went looking for something to drink.
As Speranza explained it, his good friend Joe Willis had been wounded in battle and was among the casualties waiting for aid in the ruins of an old church building. When Willis asked for something to drink, Speranza&#8217;s initial response was to remind him that they were surrounded — but then he went looking anyway.
After a time, Speranza discovered a tapped barrel of Belgian beer in the ruins of a nearby tavern — but because all of the glasses had been destroyed in the bombings, he had no way to deliver the beer to his friend. Off came the helmet, then, and he filled it to the brim. He made several trips from the barrel to the wounded after that, delivering the drinks in his helmet.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/absolutely-true-legend-vincent-speranza-his-epic-beer-john-fenzel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">After one such trip</a>, he was cornered by the regimental surgeon, who asked what he was doing.
&#8220;Giving aid and comfort to the wounded,&#8221; Speranza replied.
&#8220;You stupid b*****d, don’t you know I have chest cases and stomach cases in there? You give them beer you’ll kill them,&#8221; he yelled.
Without another word, Speranza saluted and put on his helmet, which was still full of beer, and beat a hasty retreat — but &#8220;Airborne Beer&#8221; had already become legend.
Speranza only learned of his &#8220;fame&#8221; years later, telling a group at Northern Arizona University in 2021, &#8220;After being a machine gunner at the Battle of the Bulge, winning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star and (spending) two decades as a public school teacher, Airborne Beer is what I’m famous for.&#8221;
Speranza was one of the few American soldiers to <a href="https://timesofsandiego.com/military/2022/09/24/you-could-see-forever-wwii-veterans-parachute-to-coronado-during-force-con/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see the inside</a> of Hitler&#8217;s &#8220;Eagle&#8217;s Nest&#8221; at Berchtesgaden, where he saw a color-coded map of the world showing how the Germans, Japanese, and Italians had planned to divide power after the war. &#8220;If anybody ever doubted why we had to fight that war, there it was on the wall,&#8221; he said of the experience.
Speranza also worked closely with the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne, Belgium, attending ceremonies and reunions over the years. He also <a href="https://www.news4jax.com/positively-jax/2023/03/27/world-war-ii-veteran-jumps-out-of-plane-to-celebrate-98th-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued to jump</a>, celebrating his 98th birthday in March of 2023 with a jump from the World War II-era &#8220;Tico Belle.&#8221;
The U.S. Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, recognized Speranza&#8217;s passing, saying, &#8220;RIP WWII Veteran Vincent Speranza&#8230; The U.S Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium is heartbroken to share news of the passing of U.S. Army veteran Vincent Speranza. The entire U.S. Embassy community sends their deepest heartfelt condolences to Mr. Speranza’s family and friends. Mr. Speranza was a true inspiration to all of us and to many people across the United States and Belgium. A true force of nature, he was always present at every major ceremony commemorating the Battle of the Bulge, always ready to share stories of his service in World War II, and always humble. Thank you for your service, Mr. Speranza! You will be greatly missed, but your legacy will never be forgotten.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
RIP WWII Veteran Vincent Speranza
The U.S Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium is heartbroken to share news of the passing of U.S. Army veteran Vincent Speranza. The entire U.S. Embassy community sends their deepest heartfelt condolences to Mr. Speranza’s family and friends.
Mr.… <a href="https://t.co/k0u6Dq0QtD">pic.twitter.com/k0u6Dq0QtD</a>
&mdash; US Embassy Brussels (@usembbrussels) <a href="https://twitter.com/usembbrussels/status/1687023196266971136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Helen Patton, granddaughter of General George S. Patton, responded to the loss of her friend in a Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10228358039189745&amp;set=pcb.10228357954147619" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a>: &#8220;He bore a lot more than he let on sometimes. The weight of all those who never came home. One had only to catch him in between the song storytelling and chuckles to see him pause thinking of them with a personal realization of war at its worst &#8230; Respect my friend. I expect to keep that friendship going without boundary and love eternal.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Old soldiers never die, they just fade away. &#8211; General Douglas McArthur ‌ Rest In Peace to 98-year-old PFC Vincent Speranza. Speranza, celebrated his birthday on March 2, 2023 jumping round canopy in Kay Larken Airfield in Palatka, Florida. ‌ Vincent served in Company H, 501st… <a href="https://t.co/tXn12DjGwh">pic.twitter.com/tXn12DjGwh</a>
&mdash; Zachary Bell (@zacharyebell) <a href="https://twitter.com/zacharyebell/status/1686877550151094272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>

World War II Hero Famous For ‘Airborne Beer’ Dead At 98

World War II Hero Famous For 'Airborne Beer,' Dead At 98

General

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/belgium" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belgian</a> trade authorities destroyed more than 2,300 cans of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alcohol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miller High Life</a> meant for <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a> earlier this week because the brews were labeled the “Champagne of Beers,” a violation of European Union international customs policies.
The General Administration of Belgian Customs and the Champagne Committee, which monitors and regulates the shipment of alcohols for the wine region of Champagne, France, confirmed in a <a href="https://www.champagne.fr/en/additional-information/media/champagne-press/protected-designation-origin-destruction-beer-cans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that the two entities destroyed the American beverages after they were intercepted in Antwerp, Belgium. The “Champagne of Beers” label was considered an infringement on the “protected designation” of the term “Champagne.”
German authorities “did not contest” the decision to nix the Miller High Life shipment, which was destroyed in Ypres, Belgium, with the “utmost respect for environmental concerns by ensuring that the entire batch, both contents and container, was recycled in an environmentally responsible manner,” according to the statement.
Champagne Committee Managing Director Charles Goemaere lauded Belgian authorities for their “vigilance with regard to the Champagne designation” and their responsiveness to the organization. “This destruction is the result of a successful collaboration between Belgian customs authorities and the Comité Champagne,” he remarked. “It confirms the importance that the European Union attaches to designations of origin and rewards the determination of the Champagne producers to protect their designation.”
Miller High Life, the flagship product of Miller Brewing Company, is an American lager <a href="https://www.millerhighlife.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">created</a> with a blend of malted barley, hops from the Pacific Northwest, and Miller yeast. The brand is owned by Molson Coors, a multinational Canadian and American publicly traded firm.
&#8220;Every year we do thousands of controls on protected designations of origin. It is very important for us to be able to work closely with organizations such as the Comité Champagne,” Belgian Customs Service Administrator Kristian Venderwaeren added in the statement. “The Comité Champagne helps train our teams and provides information that allows us to identify whether products are genuine or counterfeit. When a counterfeit is detected, as is the case here, we also agree on the decision to destroy these goods and how to get them destroyed.”
The zealous customs authorities in Europe have not been the only entities to turn their noses at a popular brand of American beer in recent weeks. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the Belgian company which owns Bud Light, witnessed backlash in the United States after executives partnered with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who gained notoriety for chronicling his supposed “gender transition” on TikTok for more than a year.
Consumer demand for Bud Light appears to have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-straight-hate-on-bud-light-is-real-and-these-sales-numbers-show-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plummeted</a> in the weeks since the partnership was unveiled through a social media campaign. A number of public figures have denounced the product, which is traditionally popular among males; country music star Brantley Gilbert, for example, smashed a can of the brew to the ground at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/f-that-country-music-star-gets-tossed-a-bud-light-during-concert-smashes-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concert</a> last weekend.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1681913061093000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1nSUp7X_GMxrPR-OuaxTA7">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anheuser-busch-ceo-breaks-long-silence-amid-dylan-mulvaney-pr-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> at the end of last week in response to the controversy but did not make mention of Mulvaney or transgenderism and neglected to offer an apology to offended customers. Bud Light Marketing Vice President Alissa Heinerscheid is reported to be taking a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bud-light-marketing-vp-takes-leave-of-absence-amid-dylan-mulvaney-controversy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leave</a> of absence from the company as of Friday.

Glass ofBbeer

If Only It Were Bud: European Authorities Destroy Thousands Of American Beer Cans

European Authorities Destroy Thousands Of American Beer Cans

Alcohol

Economy

European Union

Germany

World

The U.S. Embassy in Belgium posted a security bulletin on Wednesday warning that local officials have increased the presence of law enforcement on the streets after threats were allegedly made of an attack on Brussels&#8217; 2 and 6 metro lines.
&#8220;Police have heightened security in response to a threat of a possible metro attack to be conducted today, March 8,&#8221; the embassy <a href="https://be.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-brussels-belgium-march-08-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;Continue to be aware of your surroundings and use caution when traveling in and around Brussels.&#8221;
The embassy instructed U.S. citizens in the area to avoid crowds, keep a low profile, be aware of their surroundings, keep an eye on local media reports, and monitor alerts from the State Department.
The Brussels Times <a href="https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels-2/397388/potential-terror-attack-on-brussels-metro-hoax-or-not-tbtb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Belgium&#8217;s National Crisis Centre indicated that the threat of a potential terror attack on the metro train did lead to an increase in vigilance but that the likelihood of an attack is low.
The report said that the threats were originally sent to the European Commission in emails that were &#8220;written in Russian threatening an &#8216;explosion'&#8221; on Wednesday.
The threats were reportedly sent by the same person who contacted the European Commission in February and again earlier this month warning that the attacks would be in response to the European Union&#8217;s &#8220;aggressive policies&#8221; against Russia.
Belgium officials reportedly said that they believe that &#8220;an attack is unlikely&#8221;.
The threats were being taken very seriously in light of the horrifying Islamic terrorist attacks that the country experienced in 2016 that killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds more.
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-1938">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/22/world/europe/brussels-attacks-graphic.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attacks</a> from ISIS terrorists were carried out by suicide bombers at Brussels Airport and at the Maelbeek subway station in central Brussels.

Belgium Mourns After Deadly Brussels Terror Attacks

U.S. Officials Issue ‘Security Alert’ Over Possible Attack In Major European City

Terrorism

A current <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> official, and former advisor to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hillary-clinton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hillary Clinton</a> during her presidential runs, will speak to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/europe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European</a> officials in the coming week about countering “disinformation.”
The official, James P. Rubin, who is the special envoy and coordinator for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/state-department" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State Department</a>’s Global Engagement Center, will be in the United Kingdom until February 28, which will be followed by a trip to Belgium on March 1.
“In London, Special Envoy Rubin will meet with UK officials to solidify support for counter disinformation efforts. In meetings with UK counterparts, he will discuss efforts by Russia, the People’s Republic of China, and other actors who deploy disinformation to undermine democracy and national security around the globe, and how our nations can collectively counter threats in the information space,” the State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/special-envoy-and-coordinator-for-the-global-engagement-center-rubins-travel-to-london-and-brussels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement.
During his London trip, which began on Thursday, Rubin will take part in the Phoenix Challenge Forum, a <a href="https://phoenix-challenge-new.webflow.io" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conference</a> that is put on in part by the Department of Defense and the U.K. Ministry of Defense.
The goal of the conference is to “drive knowledge collaboration and solutions across Defense and Security Organizations, Academia, Private Sector and International Partners to address complex issues related to Cognitive Security, Information Competition &amp; Conflict, and Malign Influence.”
In Belgium, Rubin will also speak with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a> officials about countering “foreign disinformation.”
Rubin, <a href="https://www.chartwellspeakers.com/speaker/james-rubin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who was</a> a foreign affairs advisor for both the Clinton and Obama administration, was part of Hillary Clinton’s failed 2008 and 2016 presidential runs. During the 2016 campaign, Rubin suggested that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> was working with the Russians to hack Clinton’s emails.
“So the idea that a candidate for president is aiding and abetting a foreign power in its intelligence operations is, as I said, unprecedented. We really don’t know how to describe it, except I think it’s the clearest possible evidence of being – of the fact that the nominee for the other party is unfit to be commander-in-chief,” Rubin <a href="https://2009-2017-fpc.state.gov/260592.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> in response to Trump calling for Russia to release the emails.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
He also suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin was in support of Trump’s candidacy because Putin believed that Trump would have a more favorable foreign policy toward Russia.
Democrat claims about Trump colluding with the Russians ended up falling flat, as an investigation headed up by Robert Mueller found no evidence of any collusion. Subsequent studies have also found that Russia’s influence on the election was much less than previously claimed by Democrats and the legacy media.
Rubin also has worked as a <a href="https://www.politico.eu/author/james-p-rubin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contributing editor</a> for POLITICO magazine where he blasted Trump and his foreign policy in several columns.

TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-EU-POLITICS-BREXIT-DEMONSTRATION

Former Hillary Clinton Campaign Advisor To Speak With European Officials About Countering ‘Disinformation’

Europe

Hillary Clinton

Russiagate

State Department

United Kingdom

American service members have often spent their holidays away from loved ones — and in harm&#8217;s way — and the men who found themselves in the besieged Belgian city of Bastogne just before <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/whats-merry-about-all-this-read-the-letter-general-anthony-mcauliffe-sent-his-exhausted-surrounded-men-at-the-battle-of-the-bulge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christmas of 1944</a> were no exception.
Bastogne, which sits just a few miles from the border of Luxembourg, had been under German control since <a href="https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/german-invasion-of-western-europe-may-1940" target="_blank" rel="noopener">May of 1940</a> and had only been liberated by Allied troops a few months earlier in September — and much of the 101st Airborne Division remained in and around the city.
Other divisions were scattered throughout the surrounding area, many composed of replacement troops who had only recently arrived in Europe: among them were elements of the 106th Infantry &#8220;The Golden Lions,&#8221; the 9th Armored &#8220;Phantom&#8221; Division, and the 28th Infantry &#8220;The Bloody Bucket.&#8221; Some were still waiting for supply drops, ammunition, and even winter uniforms.
The surprise attack began on December 16th when German Panzer divisions pushed back towards Bastogne, catching the mostly-green American troops in the frozen Ardennes Forest off guard and breaking through roadblock after roadblock. Some put up a good fight, but many were driven back into Bastogne and forced to regroup.
On December 17th, just outside of a nearby town called <a href="https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-malmedy-massacre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malmedy</a>, a Hitler Youth graduate turned Waffen SS (Schutzstaffel) General Joachim Peiper and his men captured over 100 American soldiers, all part of Battery B of the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. After a brief skirmish, the Americans who were unable to escape into the woods surrendered — and after taking their personal possessions from them, Peiper&#8217;s men lined the unarmed Americans up in eight rows in a nearby field and opened fire. The few who survived by pretending to be dead recalled hearing laughter as the SS soldiers fired.
<div id="attachment_480713" style="width: 735px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-480713" class="wp-image-480713 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-535821117-725x576.jpg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-535821117-725x576.jpg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-535821117-300x238.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-535821117-768x611.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-535821117.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" />Massacre of American soldiers near Malmedy, 1944, Belgium, Second World War war, National archives, Washington, . (Photo by: Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)</div>
By December 20th, the city of Bastogne itself was under siege, entirely surrounded and vastly outnumbered by the enemy — and word of Peiper and the massacre at Malmedy had gotten to soldiers and civilians alike. Snowy and frigid weather conditions made supply drops all but impossible, and even on the ground, visibility was limited.
Bastogne had also been inundated by &#8220;stragglers&#8221; — soldiers who had been assigned to units that had been overrun as the Germans had moved to encircle the city — and so Team SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fouled Up) was born. Men from tank battalions, men from artillery groups, cooks, barbers, it no longer mattered: if they could carry a weapon and stand a post, they were temporarily reassigned to SNAFU and used as much-needed replacements to aid the 101st Airborne.
<a href="https://www.asomf.org/the-battle-of-the-bulge-asom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two days into the siege</a>, on December 22nd, a German contingent approached waving a white flag — and delivered an ultimatum to Major Alvin Jones, who commanded the 2nd Battalion, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment.
&#8220;The fortune of war is changing. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne,&#8221; the letter read. Demanding surrender — within two hours — the German commander threatened to destroy the city if the Americans did not comply. He also promised that the Americans would be blamed for any resulting civilian casualties.
&#8220;The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hour’s term,&#8221; the German commander wrote. &#8220;All the serious civilian losses caused by this Artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.&#8221;
&#8220;They want us to surrender,&#8221; Jones told Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe.
McAuliffe, who was acutely aware of the situation, laughed in the face of certain doom: &#8220;Aw nuts!&#8221;
He went to write a return memo, but told his staff, &#8220;I don’t know what to tell them.&#8221;
Lt. Colonel Kinnard commented, &#8220;Well, sir, that first remark of yours would be hard to beat.&#8221;
And so McAuliffe&#8217;s reply read simply:
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">To the German Commander:
Nuts!
The American Commander</blockquote>
Colonel Joseph H. Harper, commander of 327th Glider Infantry, delivered the note to the Germans — reportedly delighting in the chance to explain to them what it meant: &#8220;If you don’t understand what &#8216;nuts&#8217; means, in plain English, it is the same as, &#8216;Go to Hell.’”
McAuliffe followed that note with an <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2021/12/nuts-mcauliffes-1944-christmas-letter-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equally blustery</a> Christmas Eve letter to his troops, detailing both the German commander&#8217;s demands and his response.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
75 years ago this Christmas Eve, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe wrote this letter to his troops during the Battle of the Bulge. Today we remember the service members who served during the holidays both then and now and wish you a Merry Christmas! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoVeteranEverDies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoVeteranEverDies</a> <a href="https://t.co/VuYyhYqqVj">pic.twitter.com/VuYyhYqqVj</a>
&mdash; National Cemeteries (@VANatCemeteries) <a href="https://twitter.com/VANatCemeteries/status/1209458808587784192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;What’s Merry about all this, you ask? We’re fighting — it’s cold, we aren’t home,&#8221; McAuliffe&#8217;s letter read. &#8220;All true but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest? Just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West.&#8221;
&#8220;We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division,&#8221; McAuliffe continued. &#8220;These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division’s glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us, their radios blared our doom.&#8221;
McAuliffe, after sharing his flippant response to the German demand for surrender, concluded with these words: &#8220;Allied Troops are counterattacking in force. We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the success of the Allied Armies. We know that our Division Commander, General Taylor, will say: &#8216;Well Done!&#8217; We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas.&#8221;
The Germans did deliver the <a href="https://www.asomf.org/the-battle-of-the-bulge-asom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised barrage</a> of artillery and bombs, bringing assault after assault over four days beginning on the 22nd — but on December 26th, a late Christmas gift finally arrived: General George S. Patton and his Third Army severed the German lines completely, breaking the siege of Bastogne.
<div id="attachment_480727" style="width: 721px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-480727" class="wp-image-480727 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-119462242-711x576.jpg" alt="" width="711" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-119462242-711x576.jpg 711w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-119462242-300x243.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-119462242-768x622.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-119462242.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" />American military commander Lieutenant General George S. Patton (1885 &#8211; 1945) (center left) talks with Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe (1898 &#8211; 1975), Bastogne, France, December 28, 1944. PhotoQuest/Getty Images</div>

Two Infantrymen, Bastogne, Belgium, Ardennes-Alsace Campaign, Battle of the Bulge, December 1944

Blizzard, Bluster, And Bombs: Christmas Eve At The Siege Of Bastogne, 1944

A watch owned by a Dutch Jew — which was stolen by Nazis during World War II — was returned to his descendants in working order after being missing for 80 years.
In 1910, Alfred Overstrijd a Jewish man living in Rotterdam, Netherlands, made a watch for his brother Louis and gave it to him on his 18th birthday, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/16/world/europe/nazi-soldier-watch-netherlands.html">reported</a>. More than thirty years later, after the German army invaded the Netherlands, Nazi soldiers arrested Louis. That’s when a Dutch historian believes the Nazis took the watch before sending both Overstrijd brothers to Auschwitz — where Alfred would be murdered during the Holocaust. 
Richard van Ameijden, Alfred&#8217;s grandson, was emotional after receiving the possession that was taken from his family before they died in the Holocaust. “I think it’s really beautiful and remarkable that this all came together,&#8221; he said.  
&#8220;It came right out of the blue,” he added.
According to the Times, after the watch was taken by the Nazis, it somehow ended up in a cornfield and then hidden in a farmhouse clock in Belgium. Rob Snijders, a historian, has a theory on how the watch could have traveled so far. 
“During the war, people across Belgium and the Netherlands were forced to accommodate Nazi soldiers,” the Times wrote. “A Belgian farmer named Gustave Janssens housed three soldiers and, unhappy about the situation, made them use a cornfield next door as a bathroom. It’s likely that the watch fell from the pocket of one of the soldiers in the field, Mr. Snijders said.”
Snijders then believes the farmer housing the Nazis found the watch and saw it belonged the inscription on the back which stated it belonged to Overstrijd. The farmer didn’t give the watch back but instead hid it in his clock. The watch stayed there for the next 80 years.
When the farmhouse was recently sold, the farmer’s grandson, Pieter, found the watch hidden in the clock. The grandson then emailed Snijders asking for help to find the original owner. Snijders posted information about the watch on social media and within 24 hours, Snijders had a lead on who it belonged to. 
Snijders planned to meet with van Ameijden and his relatives after finding him on LinkedIn, and he gave the watch back to the family. Van Ameijden told the Times that he would share the watch with his sisters and noted that they were all sad that their mother was not alive to share the possession with them. The living descendants of the Overstrijd brothers said they don&#8217;t know much about their ancestors&#8217; stories, but now they have a piece of family history to remember them by. 
“There were tears, I saw them,” Snijders said after the meeting. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hoe het horloge van opa Alfred na bijna 80 jaar weer terugkwam naar <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rotterdam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rotterdam</a>; een verhaal dat begint met een wildpoepende Duitse soldaat in een Vlaams korenveld. luister 🔊 hieronder of lees het verhaal van <a href="https://twitter.com/CelinevdBurg_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CelinevdBurg_</a> <a href="https://t.co/DaVwmslhcD">https://t.co/DaVwmslhcD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RTV_Rijnmond?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RTV_Rijnmond</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/joodsamsterdam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@joodsamsterdam</a> <a href="https://t.co/MAALnNReIt">pic.twitter.com/MAALnNReIt</a>
&mdash; Jacco van Giessen (@jaccovangiessen) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaccovangiessen/status/1513190357294587909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Auschwitz

80 Years After His Death At Auschwitz, A Jewish Man’s Precious Possession Has Been Returned To His Family

Holocaust

Jewish

Nazis

Netherlands

On Friday’s episode of “Morning Wire,” The Daily Wire’s Ian Haworth joined John Bickley and Georgia Howe to discuss the emergency NATO summit in Belgium on Thursday dealing with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Haworth spoke of the leadership at the summit issuing a joint statement calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to &#8220;immediately stop this war and withdraw military forces from Ukraine, and call on Belarus to end its complicity.&#8221; He also mentioned the universal call at the summit for a ceasefire and the necessity for Russian forces to allow “rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians,” as well as the delivery of aid.
On Wednesday, NATO’s secretary general said NATO was set to approve major increases in the number of troops stationed in Eastern Europe, to the tune of 40,000 more troops, with new battle groups being placed in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia — all of which rest on NATO’s eastern flank, Haworth noted. NATO had also announced it would continue to provide further assistance in cybersecurity and guarding against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who asserted Russia had utilized phosphorous bombs to kill both adults and children, called on NATO to provide 1% of its planes and 1% of its tanks.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=BENT7773469268&amp;start=663" width="100%" height="200" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Also on Thursday, the United Nations, calling for a ceasefire, approved a resolution on Thursday to blame Russia for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Belarus, Syria, North Korea, and Russia voted against the resolution. China abstained.
The United States has approved accepting 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, as well as sanctioning more than 300 members of the Russian government and 40 Russian defense companies.
On Thursday, <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/biden-snaps-at-reporter-who-notes-his-sanctions-failed-to-deter-putin-youre-playing-a-game-with-me/">when a reporter asked him</a> why his sanctions failed to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine, Biden said &#8220;sanctions never deter,&#8221; and added that he had never claimed that sanctions would deter Putin. Vice President Kamala Harris <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/02/20/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-in-press-gaggle-2/">asserted</a> on February 20, “The purpose of the sanctions has always been and continues to be deterrence.”
A reporter stated, &#8220;Sir, deterrence didn&#8217;t work,&#8221; then asked, &#8220;What makes you think Vladimir Putin will alter course based on the action you&#8217;ve taken today?&#8221;
&#8220;Let&#8217;s get something straight. Do you remember, if you covered me from the very beginning, I did not say that, in fact, the sanctions would deter him,&#8221; Biden claimed. &#8220;Sanctions never deter. You keep talking about that. Sanctions never deter. The maintenance of sanctions, the maintenance of sanctions, the increasing the pain, and the demonstration why I asked for this NATO meeting today is to be sure that after a month, we will sustain what we&#8217;re doing, not just next month, the following month, but for the remainder of this entire year. That&#8217;s what will stop him.&#8221;
Monday’s episode of “Morning Wire,” and all episodes of “Morning Wire,” can be listened to <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/sc/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336">here</a>.

NATO Summit On Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine

NATO Summit Calls For Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire, Wants Russia To Withdraw

Russia

Ukraine

The nation of Belgium will no longer be recommending the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for citizens under the age of 31, after data shows that using it for the first or second dose of vaccination may cause heart inflammation such as myocarditis.  The decision was announced last week by the Belgian Vaccination Task Force.
According to <a href="http://brusselstimes.com/health/201359/moderna-no-longer-used-to-vaccinate-under-31s">The Brussels Times</a>, Danish studies indicate &#8220;that vaccination with Moderna resulted in an increased risk of inflammation of the heart muscle in young men following the first or second dose in comparison with the Pfizer vaccine,&#8221; for those between the ages of 12 and 39.
Moderna is still considered safe for booster shots, as only half a dose is given at that time. &#8220;The decision for the basic vaccination of 18- to 30-year-olds is based on international knowledge of possible side effects that are very rare. We took this decision as a precaution,” Gudrun Briat, a spokesperson for the Vaccination Task Force, told The Brussels Times.
The government official stressed the side-effects typically went away on their own but said the better option would be avoiding it altogether for the Pfizer jab, which was show was shown to be safer.
“Usually the inflammation is harmless and goes away without being noticed, but if there is an alternative vaccine available, it makes more sense not to take any risks,” Briat explained.
She also added that the symptoms typically show themselves within two months of receiving the Moderna shot, so if you had one a while ago there is likely nothing to worry about.
Belgium is the latest European country to limit the use of Moderna in younger people.
As The Daily Wire reported in October, several Nordic countries also curbed its use based on similar studies showing the potential for heart inflammation:
<blockquote>Sweden’s health ministry announced on Wednesday that it was pausing injections of Moderna’s vaccine for those aged 30 and younger. Denmark announced a similar pause for those aged 18 and younger, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-06/sweden-halts-moderna-s-covid-vaccine-for-people-aged-30-or-under">Bloomberg</a>.
Finland followed suit on Thursday. Finnish health official Mika Salminen said the government was pausing injections of Moderna’s vaccine into males aged 30 and under. All three countries cited evidence that Moderna’s vaccine may be a source of myocarditis, or heart inflammation, in young people.</blockquote>
Likewise, studies from BMJ — a global health researcher — indicate that risk of myocarditis, &#8220;for those aged 12-39 years, the absolute rate was 5.7 per 100,000 after receiving the Moderna vaccine,&#8221; or in other words was very low.
Regarding policy implications for the United States, Elizabeth Profita, MD, clinical assistant professor of pediatric cardiology at Stanford Children’s Health in Palo Alto, California, and Gerard J. Boyle MD, FACC, medical director of pediatric heart failure and heart transplantation at Cleveland Clinic Children’s in Ohio, recently told <a href="https://www.thecardiologyadvisor.com/home/topics/pediatric-cardiology/myocarditis-covid-19-vaccine-mrna-pfizer-moderna-adolescents-young-adults/">TheCardiologyAdvisor.com</a>, that the studies surrounding COVID-19 vaccines generally indicate that they are safe for adolescent and young adults, but that more studies are likely needed:
<blockquote>Dr Profita: There is an ongoing need for tracking and data regarding myocarditis cases occurring after vaccination.
Dr Boyle: The mRNA vaccines have been part of research in the field of immunization for many years now and are not as new as most believe. Research specific to COVID-19 should be directed at defining the interval at which boosters need to be given, and to treatment of breakthrough infections to minimize the impact of infection. Additionally, this technology has the promise of potentially developing a “super-vaccine,” which may be directed at multiple potential viruses.
Given the risks associated with COVID-19 infection vs the rarity of, and recoverability from, post-vaccine myocarditis, it is strongly recommended that all eligible children and young adults be fully vaccinated. </blockquote>

Vaccine

Belgium No Longer Recommending Moderna Vaccine For Those Under 31 Due To Risk Of Heart Inflamation

COVID-19 Vaccine

Moderna

BASTOGNE, Belgium — World War II veteran Bennett Stampes returned to Bastogne for the first time this week, 77 years after he was wounded there in 1944.
Stampes joined three other veterans of the brutal Ardennes campaign — better known as the <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/last-surviving-band-of-brothers-officer-a-jewish-soldier-who-toasted-his-sons-bar-mitzvah-with-cognac-stolen-from-hitlers-eagles-nest-dies-at-99/">Battle of the Bulge</a> — for a ceremony held at the <a href="http://www.101airbornemuseumbastogne.com">101st Airborne Museum</a> in Bastogne. Because it was his first trip back, he was presented with a Battle of the Bulge service medal.
Lieutenant Colonel <a href="https://www.libertyjumpteam.com/peter-plank/">Peter Plank</a>, a retired founding member of the Liberty Jump Team, has made it his mission to escort veterans back to the battlefields of Europe — and he joked as he presented the medal that he had even helped Stampes to get a passport in order to make the trip a reality.
Helen Patton, granddaughter of General George S. Patton, moved forward to pin the medal on Stampes&#8217; chest. &#8220;You didn&#8217;t need a passport last time you came, did you?&#8221; she joked. And after some confusion over whether she should pin it to his coat or to his shirt, she began to sing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The moment 97-year-old WWII veteran Bennett Stampes joined Helen Patton in a spontaneous song. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/battleofthebulge77?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#battleofthebulge77</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LibertyJumpTeam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LibertyJumpTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZpNFWd4nyN">pic.twitter.com/ZpNFWd4nyN</a>
— Virginia Kruta (@VAKruta) <a href="https://twitter.com/VAKruta/status/1470032646545805327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote>There&#8217;ll be bluebirds over 
The white cliffs of Dover 
Tomorrow, just you wait and see 
There&#8217;ll be love and laughter 
And peace ever after 
Tomorrow, when the world is free 
The shepherd will tend his sheep 
The valley will bloom again 
And Jimmy will go to sleep 
In his own little room again 
There&#8217;ll be bluebirds over 
The white cliffs of Dover 
Tomorrow, just you wait and see</blockquote>
Stampes joined Helen in the song, pausing only when she changed the name in the second verse from &#8220;Jimmy&#8221; to &#8220;Bennett.&#8221;
&#8220;I had a feeling there was a song in there somewhere,&#8221; Patton laughed as everyone applauded.
U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Nicholas Berliner stepped up next, delivering a message to the gathered veterans and spectators.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbBelgium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USAmbBelgium</a> gives moving remarks to WWII veterans gathered for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/battleofthebulge77?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#battleofthebulge77</a> at the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne. <a href="https://t.co/wwBT6I3uW4">pic.twitter.com/wwBT6I3uW4</a>
— Virginia Kruta (@VAKruta) <a href="https://twitter.com/VAKruta/status/1470033404020285442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We all owe you a debt of gratitude,&#8221; Berliner began. &#8220;We&#8217;ve talked about remembrance and what&#8217;s happening in the world and what happened then, and we know that what you did was to make sure that that would never happen again. And that&#8217;s why what this museum is doing is so important, what all the others are doing is so important to keep the memory alive, of remembrance, so that not only we remember this but so the next generation also remembers this, that your grandson learns about this. Because it&#8217;s through learning about this, through knowing what happened, knowing how this came about, knowing what these men did, what they experienced, what they lived through — that we make sure that it doesn&#8217;t happen again.&#8221;
&#8220;So this is a vital mission,&#8221; Berliner continued. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been — it&#8217;s really remarkable how that memory is kept alive in Bastogne. Every time we come here, we see how the veterans are remembered, how their legacy is honored, and how this whole town participates in that — and dare I say, much of Belgium, too, because I think particularly here in Belgium, they know the price of this. It happened twice in just over the last century, it happened twice. And so they know that this freedom that we enjoy was fought for and was not necessarily the norm throughout history — something precious, something that we need to fight for and maintain and be diligent and be vigilant and be careful. But to you, we owe enormous gratitude for what you gave, for what you did, answering your country&#8217;s call and being there. So, thank you.&#8221;
Stampes, still standing, saluted Berliner — and then turned to salute others in the crowd.
December 16 is the 77th anniversary of the <a href="https://history.army.mil/html/reference/bulge/index.html">Battle of the Bulge</a> — the German counteroffensive siege of Bastogne that resulted in over 75,000 American casualties but also marked an important turning point in the war, as the German Army was irreparably weakened.

WWII veteran Bennett Stampes and Helen Patton at the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne, Belgium. 12/12/2021

WATCH: World War II Veteran Breaks Into Song During Ceremony Honoring His Service In Belgium

Menu