From Boy Scout to Soldier, Simon J. Gurdal

Simon Gurdal was fourteen when the Germans occupied his home Verviers, Belgium in 1940. He said "all we could do was to hide ourselves. One day our bell rang. It was two ladies who had a six year old Jewish girl, Annie. The lady said 'she's for you' and they rushed away. Annie had a piece of paper in her coat pocket which read: I am a Jewish girl, please take me in and hide me." In 1944 I was 17. One of the boyscouts in my troop said Let's join the army. I said, let's go. Seven of us went to Saint Nicolas-Waes and soon we were in the army. We were sent north to fight with British Field Marshal Montgomery in Operation Market Garden. One time I found myself in a foxhole with two Americans, a Canadian, and a Polish soldier. I was wounded but went back into the fight.

I am now an American citizen. I'm proud to wear the badge of Belgian Brigade Piron. What I tell you comes from my memory but mostly from my heart.

Come take the opportunity to meet Simon at the Main Library. No registration required.