99-Year-Old WWII Vet Revisits Dutch Village He Liberated 80 Years Ago

On September 12, 2024, Kenneth Thayer, a 99-year-old American World War II veteran, made a poignant return to Mesch, a small Dutch village of approximately 350 residents. This visit marked the 80th anniversary of the village's liberation from Nazi occupation by Thayer and his fellow soldiers of the 30th Infantry Division, nicknamed "Old Hickory" after President Andrew Jackson.

The ceremony, attended by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, initiated a year-long series of events commemorating the Netherlands' liberation. Thayer, accompanied by the royal couple, arrived in a vintage military vehicle, traversing the same muddy paths through orchards and fields that he had crossed eight decades earlier.

Recalling the events of September 12, 1944, Thayer shared his experience:

"We went up the next day and we found that I had accidentally crossed the border. We didn't think anything of it, you know, it was just another day on the front line."

What seemed routine for soldiers who had fought their way from Normandy through northern France and Belgium became a pivotal moment in Dutch history, marking the end of over four years of Nazi occupation that began in May 1940.

The liberation of Mesch was just the beginning. The following day, September 13, 1944, American troops reached Maastricht, the provincial capital of Limburg and the oldest city in the Netherlands, founded in 50 BCE. However, complete liberation of the country would take several more months, with the northern regions remaining under occupation until May 1945.

Thayer, while honored at the event, paid tribute to his fallen comrades. "It wasn't just me and there are hundreds and hundreds of guys who didn't make it. They're not here, you know," he stated, emphasizing the collective sacrifice of American forces.

The enduring gratitude of the Dutch people is evident in the "Adopt-a-Grave" program at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, where 8,288 American service members are buried. Local residents have "adopted" all the graves, regularly visiting and placing flowers on special occasions.

Jef Tewissen, a 74-year-old Mesch native, expressed the deep-rooted appreciation: "I have only heard good things from my father about the Americans." Thayer reciprocated the sentiment, stating, "The Dutch people were always tops with us."

This mutual respect underscores the strong bond forged between the American liberators and the Dutch people during one of history's darkest periods. As the Netherlands continues to commemorate its liberation, including the annual National Liberation Day on May 5th, the memory of brave soldiers like Thayer remains an integral part of Dutch history and gratitude.