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Date Posted: 13:00:28 05/25/13 Sat
Author: Marika's story posted for a friend by Rebel
Subject: Chocolate Bars and Stale Doughnuts

I am posting this for Nancy H. who's husband Ron is retired from the military. She emailed me and asked me to post this for her as it is one she had saved on her computer and has a Memorial Day theme.

For all who gave thier lives for our freedom, thank you! -Rebel =)

Chocolate Bars and Stale Doughnuts

Author: Marika, mdonders@nations.net

Rating: G

Summary: Harm and Mac get sent to assist with a JAG investigation at NATO HQ.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. JAG and characters are property of Donald Bellisario and CBS. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made, etc. etc.

 

 

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CHOCOLATE BARS AND STALE DOUGHNUTS

 

"Mackenzie, Rabb. In my office." Admiral Chegwidden marched though the bull pen on the way to his office.

 

"Sir." Mac and Harm came to attention in front of the Admiral's desk and waited for him to quickly scan through the messages that Tiner had handed him on the way in.

 

"I have an assignment for both of you. You will be on the next flight to the Netherlands." The Admiral handed a file to Cmdr. Rabb. There has been an incident at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

 

"Uh, Sir?" Why are we going to Holland if the incident occurred in Brussels? Mac gave the Admiral a questioning look.

 

You will be going to the AFCENT base in the south of Holland ... uhm.. near a town called Brunssum. You will be interviewing a couple of civilian employees as well as several members high up in the chain of command. That is the reason we can't send just anybody. They may be peripherally involved in a sensitive case being investigated by the JAG in Brussels. We are dealing with an alleged case of treason. The details are in these files. Read them and go home and pack. Your flight leaves at 1435. Dismissed.

 

"Aye, Aye, sir."

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

0600 LOCAL

AFCENT HQ

BRUNSSUM, ZL, THE NETHERLANDS

 

MAY 5

 

 

"Colonel. A Major Mackenzie and Lt. Cmdr. Rabb of the JAG Corps to see you, sir."

 

"Send them in."

 

Before Mac and Harm could come to attention, the Colonel waived them to sit down. "Good morning folks. You probably will need to get a bit of rest to adjust to the time change. Then tomorrow, you can get started with the investigation. Lt. Parks will show you to your quarters."

 

"Um, Sir. We would like to get started today. Is there a problem with that?" Mac asked.

 

The colonel smiled. "No, except that it's 5 May , a national holiday here ... you won't be able to get hold of any of the civilians you need to interview. And some of my staff who are on your list are at Margraten today as part of the ceremonies."

 

Harm and Mac both gave him a questioning look. Before he could explain, the lieutenants voice came over the intercom. "Sir, the Mayor is here to see you. Apparently she has a delivery for you."

 

"God save me from politicians! Don't they take holidays?" the Colonel grumbled. "Lieutenant. Show these officers to their quarters while I go deal with Madam Mayor."

 

"I wonder what this holiday is about. A dutch version of theCinqo de Mayo celebration? And I thought that was only a Mexican thing? Harm grinned as he led Mac out of the office. As they followed the lieutenant across the base, they saw the colonel meet with the Mayor next to a small truck. "The Mayor doesn't like us very much," Lieutenant Parks volunteered. "There have been a quite few incidents at local establishments. This base used to be the headquarters of the local mine, and most of the neighborhoods around us are populated by elderly retired miners. They like their pubs quiet and resent the noise that 18 and 19 year olds bring. Also, we're next to a national forest, and the environmentalists worry that the base is a cause of polution. And even with the mines closed for over 30 years, there is still a lot of emotion attached to these buildings. The coal that used to be mined here was the lifeblood of the region."

 

They watched in surprise as the Colonel suddenly laughed out loud. He shook hands with the Mayor and she left. The colonel came over and joined them.

 

"What's in the truck, Sir?" the lieutenant questioned his CO.

 

"Chocolate candy bars. Her father apparently runs a local candy factory. She said it is tradition for her father to deliver chocolate to the base today, but he is in the hospital, so he had her take care of it." Turning to Harm and Mac he continued: "If you have nothing better to do, and you are awake this afternoon, you may want to head down to Margraten. I've been to the ceremony only once, but it was very moving. The lieutenant can give you a map and information and sign you out a vehicle.

 

Harm and Mac gave each other a look that said "Are we missing something here?

 

 

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LATER THAT DAY

MARGRATEN, ZL, THE NETHERLANDS

 

 

Since they had nothing better to do, Harm and Mac did decide to drive down to Margraten just to see how US Military personnel was involved in what was a Dutch celebration. Oddly enough, Lt. Parks told them to just to ask for the cemetery, once they got to the town, although the lieutenant was pretty sure that they could just follow the crowd. They drove as far as they could through the small town and when pedestrian traffic got to heavy, they pulled over and parked and continued on foot. They looked at the people.

 

"You know Harm. This doesn't look like the makings of a fiesta, at least nothing like the fiestas we had in Arizona." Most of the crowd consisted of older people, some young adults, quite a few what looked like retired US military and their wives, and groups of school children.

 

"So what exacly is today's holiday?" Harm questioned.

 

Mac dug out some information that Lt. Parks had given them.

 

"Bevrijdingsdag". Mac tried to pronounce it, but was pretty sure she butchered the word. She spelled it out for Harm.

 

"Ooh, that tells me a lot." Harm rolled his eyes to punctuate his sarcasm.

 

Mac pulled out a pocket dictionary and smacked him in the arm with it before she thumbed through it. "Independence day!? Hmmm, I wonder if there will be fireworks?"

 

A older women walking behind them chuckled. Harm and Mac turned around. "Sorry," she smiled. "But it is not YOUR Fourth of July. Bevrijdingsdag could be translated as independence day, but a more literal meaning is liberation day. Here, would you like a chocolate bar?"

 

"Ma'am? What's the deal with the chocolate? Is that part of the celebration?" Harm questioned.

 

"Not really. It is something some in my generation tend to do. On today we like to give chocolate to Americans, especially service men ... uhm persons." She smiled at Mac. "You see, we have many independence days. Independence from Spain, from Napoleon...if you go back far enough, I guess from the Romans. Today is Liberation Day.."

 

All of a sudden, it dawned on Mac. "World War II."

 

The woman smiled. "Yes. Today we remember the end of World War II. It's a celebration of freedom and also a day of remembrance for all those who gave their lives.

 

"But still. Why the chocolate?" Harm questioned.

 

The woman handed him a candy bar and smiled. "You must understand, young man. My parent's generation probably remember things differently. They might have handed you a pack of cigarettes in return for the Lucky Strikes or offered you a can of SPAM. But I was only thirteen when the American soldiers marched into our town. I don't know what they do in the north of Holland... they probably do something to remember the Canadians and the British. But we were liberated by Americans. You have to remember ... we had nothing left. Little food, no soap, no tea, no fuel...no sugar, the winter before had been horrendous. It got so cold that water would freeze in the toilets and our breath would create icicles on the blankets as we slept. We used to go on day-long bike rides just to find some milk or a couple of potatoes... The Americans came in and what I remember most, beside the overwhelming relief and joy, were the candy bars the soldiers gave us. Hershey. I kept the wrapper and framed it. By the way, my name is Miep. My husband Andre is already at the cemetary." They shook hands as they introduced themselves. "Andre remembers the doughnut a soldier gave him. It was stale, but he thought it was the best thing he had ever tasted. When we lived in America a few years ago, he would buy doughnuts and let them sit on the counter for two days before eating them." She grinned as Harm and Mac wrinkled their noses. "So when we think of giving something back, we think of chocolate. And those of us here in Margraten, go the cemetery."

 

"Ma'am, what's the significance of the cemetery?" Mac asked.

 

"You'll see" the woman answered, her eyes smiling sadly.

 

They got to where the crowd was gathered for the ceremony. There were two color guards, Dutch and American. A bugler of the Royal Dutch Marine Band turned and played taps. The crowd was silent. Dutch and American military, some town dignitaries and quite a few civilians stood at attention. It was a simple and short ceremony. No speeches, no fanfare. People put flowers and a couple of wreaths at the base of the monument and around the flagpole flying the Stars and Stripes. Then Harm and Mac watched as school children with colorful carnations fanned out throughout the cemetery to place flowers on the graves. Simple white marble crosses and an occasional Star of David, listing just name, rank and dates of birth and death and the location where they died, uniformly covered the now peaceful green field.

 

"Sometimes people forget, and they resent NATO military stationed in our country. During peacetime, it can seem like such a waste of resources. But school children still come here for field trips. And those who lived through it, will never forget. We tell our children, but I'm not sure they can understand. They've only known peace and freedom. But places like this make the history books real, concrete. It is one thing to say that Allies, and in this part of the Netherlands, Americans died to liberate our country, but it is another thing to come here, and see the markers covering their graves. Today is our liberation day, but it is also remembrance day ... like your Memorial Day."

 

"So you come here every year, ma'am. Wow."

 

"Actually, Major, I come here every day. I'm part of the cemetery volunteer staff. You know, to help people who are looking for a particular name, or members of a particular unit. That sort of thing. But on Bevrijdingsdag, I come and I look and listen, and usually find somebody who will listen to the story. Like you two. Spend some time and look at the names, and remember. These men died for all our Freedom, so now we must live so as to deserve that gift, so that they did not die in vain.

 

Harm and Mac spend the rest of the afternoon walking through the cemetery, looking over a brochure Miep had given them and reading dates and locations of battles and skirmishes off the headstones. Some they knew from history books, and some, like Arnhem, from the movies, but many were names of small towns in and around the south of Holland. Some of the soldiers made it into Germany. They stopped at a marker of a Captain Roberts. He was 35 when he died in a town that sounded like it was in Germany. Miep came up behind them. "I see you found Capt. Roberts."

 

"Did you know him?" Mac asked.

 

"I guess I know all of them ... in a way. I've done quite a bit of research tracing the men who rest here. Some of them have a special place in my heart ... Capt. Roberts is one of them. He died in Germany, a month after we were liberated. You know, he landed at Normandy on D-day." She shook her head sadly. "He survived the Omaha beach on D-day and died when his truck he was riding on his way home hit a landmine. He had a wife and two daughters. He never saw the youngest one. I met her when she came to visit with her children a couple of years ago. It's something people tend to forget. These are not just individuals who are buried here. They are sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, lovers..." She looked at Mac and Harm. "Sometimes I think THEY are the biggest heroes, those who love the soldiers and stick by them but have to wait at home..." Mac gently squeezed Harm's shoulder. All this was bringing back memories of his father. The gesture of care did not go unnoticed by Miep, and she smiled a knowing smile.

 

After having stopped for a bite to eat at a local roadside cafe, Mac drove back to Brunssum through the twilight. They were silent, reflecting on what they had seen today.

 

Harm whispered "I really don't feel like dealing with a possible treason case tomorrow."

 

Mac answered, "I know what you mean...but...we owe it to them...to men like Capt Roberts

and to all who served with honor and courage.

The end.

  

Post script:

 

With gratitude to all those United States Veterans who helped to liberate the Netherlands in World War II, and especially to the families of those who are buried at American Cemetery at Margraten. As I did, Dutch school children still go on field trips to place flowers on the graves and the memories of chocolate and doughnuts (as well as cigarettes and first kisses with handsome GI's) are still passed down from parents to their children. And although all the characters and events in this story are fictional (and some aren't even mine...), my father, to this day, prefers his doughnuts a little stale.

 

Peace! And please say a prayer for all the NATO troops serving in the Balkans and around the world. 

They need our support.

 

 "Marika Donders"





This tells about the locals adopting the graves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u4itZfKKoo

 

In Margraten is the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Europe's third largest war cemetery for unidentified soldiers who died in World War II. 8,301 soldiers are buried there under long rows of white crosses and stars of David. All graves are adopted by locals, who attend the graves and lay flowers every now and then. There have been regular visits here by soldiers who survived the war to visit a former comrade, hoping he's buried there somewhere. But now there are few left of them, so the once massive tributes are growing thin. President George W. Bush was the first American president who visited the cemetery, on 8 May 2005. Margraten is the final resting place for Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for action during the Normandy campaign in June, 1944.

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Replies:

[> This is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. -- Lee, 14:31:32 05/25/13 Sat [1]


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[> What an amazing story! Loved it! -- Nettie, 16:06:30 05/25/13 Sat [1]


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[> Beautiful story, thank you for sharing it with us. -- usmgrad, 17:42:14 05/25/13 Sat [1]


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[> Inspirational! -- achaon, 22:36:53 05/25/13 Sat [1]


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[> Beautiful! -- Cristina, 00:56:33 05/26/13 Sun [1]


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[> Beautiful story, thanks for sharing it with us! -- Ciara, 09:10:56 05/26/13 Sun [1]


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[> Very heartfelt story reminding us we should 'never forget'. -- JoyZ, 09:20:18 05/26/13 Sun [1]


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[> Thank you. -- Laurence, 09:50:24 05/26/13 Sun [1]


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[> Thank you for sharing this beautiful story god bless them all -- Bev uk, 10:09:16 05/26/13 Sun [1]


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[> Wonderful tribute to our fallen. Thank you for sharing. -- Beth, 08:43:31 05/27/13 Mon [1]


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[> A lovely tribute for Memorial Day weekend, thank you for posting on THBX. -- Can Sheshe, 18:28:27 05/28/13 Tue [1]


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[> thank you for this -- Karen joy, 01:07:33 05/29/13 Wed [1]

Beautiful.


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[> Wow. I agree with all the comments. Beautiful and inspiring. -- Dee, 14:59:38 05/30/13 Thu [1]


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