The "Lancaster Basketball's Coaching Legend Retirees" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Lancaster's sports legend, Glenn Robinson has called it quits.  Glenn had been the coach of Franklin & Marshall College men's basketball team forever, or at least it seems that way.  

Glenn Robinson coaching F&M.

Glenn came to F&M in 1968 as an assistant coach and became the head coach three years later. He was a graduate of West Chester University where he played both basketball and baseball before being inducted into the school's Athletic Hall Of Fame in 2004.  In his first year as head coach his team ended the season at 7-14, but continued to improve until they ended the 1996 season with 29 victories!  During his coaching career he was lucky enough to coach 15 All-Americans.  I can remember heading to Mayser Gymnasium many evenings to watch some of the great teams that Glenn coached during his tenure.  Glenn has coached the Diplomats to the NCAA Division III Tournament 23 times where his teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 on 16 occasions and to the Elite Eight 10 times.  He coached his Diplomats to five Final Fours, in 1979, 1991, 1996, 2000 and 2009.  His 1991 team finished as National Runner-Up after falling to Wisconsin-Platteville in the Division III National Championship.  

Cutting the net after a big win!

Glenn was named the "Basketball Times" Division III "Coach of the Year" in 1991 and also named National Association of Basketball Coaches "Coach of the Year" 12 times, most recently in 2004, after guiding the Diplomats to a 26-4 record, Centennial  Conference title, and Elite Eight appearance.  Then on February 14, 2004, he became the winningest Division III coach in history when his team beat Muhlenberg College.  He is one of only four coaches in NCAA history to amass 900 wins, putting him on the list of coaches with the likes of Mike Krzyzewski, Herb Magee and Bobby Knight.  I assume you have heard of some of these guys!  If not, "Google" them.  Then, on February 10, 2011 he won his 800th career game against Gettysburg College.  What is more astounding is the fact that all but three of his players who earned a letter also earned their college degree.  That is almost unheard of in college sports.  When he announced his retirement on Monday, November 4, he had accumulated 967 wins, all as the coach of the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  His name will go down in Lancaster County collegiate history as one of the most successful coaches ever.  Gonna be a long time before, if ever, anyone will come close to winning that many games.  Congratulations from this blog site and a big "Thank You" for all the good times I had watching games at Mayser Gym.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Thrill Of A Lifetime!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Taking an online quiz asking me how much money is thrown into the Trevi Fountain in Rome every day.  My choices were: $750, $1,200, $3,500 and $10,000.  My guess was $750 and I was way off!  Correct answer was $3,500 a day.  It was back in 2010 that Carol and I joined a group of members from St. James Episcopal Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on a trip of a lifetime to Italy.  We had anticipated heading to Rome and the day after a visit to Assissi we entered Rome.  Our tour guide for the entire trip was Mary Lou Broucht  who was the assistant minister at St. James and who had taken numerous trips to Italy with youth groups from St. James.  Our daughter Brynn was lucky enough to have traveled with Mary Lou on one of those trips.  We arrived in Rome about 4:00 PM after a day of traveling and headed to Hotel Pace Elvezia which would be our home for a few days.  After checking into our room, we headed with a few others to a corner cafe for supper then back to the hotel for an early night's sleep.  

Standing in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

The first full day had us visiting the Coliseum, Pantheon, St. Paul's Cathedral, Di San Callisto Catacombs and finally the Trevi Fountain.  Had a chance to see it in daylight and then again when the lights came on in the evening.  

The Trevi Fountain at nighttime.

It was everything we had ever heard of, as well as seen, in books and movies...and more.  Gives me chills as I type about it!  We heard a story about a visitor throwing packets of red dye in the fountain two days before which made the water look as if it were blood.  Must have been a very unusual and moving sight.  Well, Carol and I had a few chances to throw a few coins in the water and made the most of our photo opp.  The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana de Trevi) was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Guideppe Pannini and several others.  It stands 26.3 meters (86 feet) high and 49.15 meters (161.3 feet) wide.  

Carol and I throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain.

It is the largest and most magnificent fountain in the city and considered one of the most famous fountains in the world.  You may have seen it in one of the following movies: Roman Holiday, La Dolce Vita, The Lizzi McGuire Movie, Sabrina Goes to Rome and my favorite...Three Coins in the Fountain.  The fountain was refurbished in 1988 to remove discoloration caused by smog  and in 1998 when the stonework was scrubbed and all cracks repaired as well as the fountain being equipped with recirculating pumps.  The backdrop of the fountain is the Palazzo Poli with a triumphal arch on the palazzo façade.  To stand in front of this iconic piece of architecture in one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world was...well, incredible.  And, to take a few coins from my pocket and share them with Carol to throw in the water was unbelievable.  The chills I felt told the whole story for me.  We then redid the coin throwing with a friend taking our photograph as we stood, back to the fountain, and threw the coins over our shoulder.  And, to think that over $3,500 is thrown into the fountain every day is amazing.  The money that is collected every day does more than just inspire good luck to it's visitors, it is donated to a local charity that helps the less fortunate.  It was published that in 2016, $1.5 million was thrown into the fountain which was used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy.  And, what about trying to reach into the fountain to get one of the coins as a souvenir.  Well, it is illegal and the fountain is patrolled by quite a few gendarmes.  You can read all you want and look at thousands of photographs or movies of the Trevi Fountain, but to stand in front of this iconic fountain and throw a coin into its water is indescribable!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "So Where Is Kokomo?" Story

Names are under the photo.  Click to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  Listening to one of my wife CDs that features songs of the Beach Boys.  Songs such as Wouldn't It Be Nice, Don't Worry Baby, Barbara Ann, God Only Knows, California Girls, Surfin' U.S.A., 409, Help Me Rhonda, In My Room, and one of my favorites...Kokomo.  Over the years the Beach Boys recorded and performed 214 songs and I think I heard every one of them.  Naturally, just like other artists, I enjoy certain songs better than others, but that's why they make so many in hopes of selling more hit songs.  Most had a reason for being written, but Kokomo makes mention of many tropical locations in the song, but the title doesn't tell of any one location in particular.  Aruba, Jamaica, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Key Largo, Montego, Martinique and Montserrat are all mentioned, many times over, but not one time does the song tell you where Kokomo might be.  

One of the covers that carried the record.

There is a Kokomo in the state of Indiana and one in the state of Mississippi, but who wants to spend a day at the beach in one of those cities.  There actually used to be a Kokomo Island in the Caribbean, but it was named that by the Sandals/Royal Caribbean Resort/Cruise line company.  And...they actually named it after the song!  That island now goes by the name of "Sandals Cay."  As I read more I found that the band's inspiration for the song was a pool-side bar at a hotel in Islamorada, one of the little island towns in the Florida Keys. The song was written by Terry Melcher with the help of John Phillips, who was a former member of The Mamas And The Papas, along with Beach Boy Mike Love and Scott McKenzie, who had a hit in 1967 with "San Francisco."  John Phillips daughter Chynna was in the group Wilson Phillips with Brian Wilson's daughters, Carnie and Wendy.  Mike Love came up with the chorus part: "Aruba, Jamaica, ooo I want to take you to Bermuda, Bahama, come on, pretty mama.  Key Largo, Montego....."  John Phillips wrote the verse while Terry Melcher wrote the bridge, where it goes, "Ooo, I want to take you down to Kokomo, we'll get there fast and we can take it slow..."  When you hear many of the songs from the 60s and 70s from a variety of singers or groups, you don't realize just how much goes in to the producing of the song before it is sung.  As I did some research on some of the Beach Boys songs I came across so many names that I will never remember, yet they may have won an award for what they did with a particular song.  The Kokomo single was first released in July of 1988 and peaked at the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 5, 1988 and was the first #1 hit by the Beach Boys since 1966 when Good Vibrations made it to #1.  That marked the longest time span between two number-one hits in America for any band in 22 years.  It was also their only #1 hit not written by or produced by Brian Wilson.  And, with all this research I still have no idea where to find Kokomo.  I did put together ten photos which I have taken over the years that could have been taken in Kokomo, had there been a place such as that.  Check out the photos and see if any look like Kokomo to you.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

My wife's favorite photograph that reminds her of
a place in the Caribbean that could be called Kokomo.
It was taken at Carlisle Bay, Barbados

Her second choice was this photo taken at Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

And...her third place photo which was also taken at Grace Bay Beach.

Crane Beach on Barbados.

Bottom Bay Beach in Barbados.  This is perhaps my favorite Caribbean beach site.

Long Bay Beach in Tortola.

Shoal Bay East Beach on Anguilla.

This was also taken on Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos.

Pinel Island off the coast of St. Martin's Orient Bay Beach.

And, one more photograph from Grace Bay Beach.

The "The Thanksgiving Turkey From Heaven" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Starting to think about where I might want to buy my Thanksgiving Day turkey this year.  For those reading this who are not United States citizens, the holiday known as Thanksgiving is often traced back to the time when the Pilgrims and Native Americans broke bread together, but the holiday wasn't truly established until 1863 under President Lincoln.  A few traditions continue from that first "feast" in 1621.  One is the gathering of family and friends around the dinner table when a Thanksgiving prayer is offered and the traditional feast is consumed.  For most Americans, that feast includes turkey and all the fixin's.  We in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania are very lucky to have several excellent places to buy a fresh holiday turkey rather than a frozen one.  Places such as Doorstep Dairy in nearby Terre Hill, Lancaster Farm Fresh in East Hempfield Township, Livengood Family Farm in West Lampeter Township, Meadow Run Farm in Ephrata Township, Shady Acres Farm in Mount Joy Township, Weaver's Turkey Farm in Leola, Stauffer's of Kissel Hill Fresh Foods with several locations and my personal favorite, Esbenshade Turkey Farm in Paradise.  

You really can't go wrong with a turkey from Paradise.  Esben- shade's turkeys are farm-raised, broad-breasted, all-natural with weights from 10 to 30 pounds.  The senior member of Esbenshade's is 89 year old Bob Esbenshade who has worked on his family farm for more than half of the farm's existence which dates back to the Civil War.  He still manages the birds on the farm which was founded in 1858 and considers itself the country's oldest turkey farm.  

Bob and his turkeys.  Bob's the one with the blue hat!

He was born on the farm as were his dad, granddad and great granddad.  Today it is solely a poultry producer.  They have produce approxi- mately 8,000 Broad Breasted Whites a year in turkey houses for the past 40 years.  Bob's father used to hatch the turkey eggs himself, incubating then in a garage and the stripping room of the tobacco cellar.  Today the farm, which is on either side of the historic Strasburg Railroad line,  has the birds delivered as poults from a hatchery in Michigan.  

The young turkeys.

They receive the poults a day or two after they have been hatched.  Once on the farm they live in well-lit wooden and cinder-block floor houses and feed on alfalfa hay.  The feed comes from White Oak Mills in nearby Elizabethtown, PA.  They pride themselves on the quality of the birds they sell.  They are grown to 10 to 30 pounds and killed in the fall.  After the feathers are removed, the carcases are drained of excess water in metal-grate wheelbarrows.  

This one has been invited to Thanksgiving dinner!

Then the giblets are stuffed in the bird and the birds are bagged.  A machine shrinks the wrapping around the bird and it is weighed and put in an individual box.  The turkeys are stored in refrig- erated trailers until the customer comes for it.  They only begin to kill them two weeks before Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas.  Bob reported that he has a customer who comes from Illinois to buy a fresh turkey.  Turkeys not sold after the holidays are frozen to be sold throughout the year.  My wife, Carol, usually prepares turkey with stuffing (known to many as filling or dressing), both regular and oyster stuffing, asparagus wrapped in bacon, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn puddin', applesauce, cranberry sauce, warm rolls and pumpkin bread.  For dessert there was always pumpkin pie, cherry pie and ice-cream.  No one ever left the table with an empty stomach!  So, for those whom do not celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving...I'm sorry to say you are missing a great meal with family and friends.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The English Language...With Apologies Too Mrs. Eisenhart!" Story

It was an ordinary day. Wondering if Mrs. Eisenhart, my favorite high school English teacher, will be rolling over in her grave after finding out what I am about to share with you.  I had Mrs. Eisenhart as my English teacher in 11th grade and still vividly remember the day I had to stand in front of my class and read something I had written as an exercise in writing and speaking.  I wrote a story about playing football when I was in 9th grade and when I reached the part where one of my friends broke his leg, I was interrupted when Mrs. Eisenhart banged her hand on her desk and said, "That is not a proper word!"  The class got silent except for a few of my friends who I could tell were laughing.  What word did I add to my story that caused the outburst ... the word "busted."  If you "Google" it today, you may find that it is listed as slang for smashed or broken, but back in 1960, it more than likely wasn't a word as of yet ... at least in Mrs. Eisenhart's class.  

This may be a Middle School book, but

it has helped me with basic English.

Out of all the memories I have of being in high school, the memory of that fateful day in English class is probably on the top of my list of memories along with the memory of my homeroom classmates that would pay me to read the Bible verse for them in homeroom before the start of the day, as was the custom, and perhaps law, in mid-20th Century.  Well, much has changed since the 60s and the English language, believe it or not, is one of them.  Today I could use my "busted" and not be yelled for using it.  A few of the many rules that have changed are: (1) Don't end sentences with stranded prepositions.  You can now say things such as, "Where is this bus taking us to?" or "How long will we be going for?"  Boy would I have heard it for doing that years ago, but not anymore.  (2) Don't split infinitives.  When Captain Kirk, of Star Trek fame, said, "to boldly go where no man has gone before", the adverb 'boldly' is said to split the infinitive 'to go.'  And, that was a "NO-NO" in Mrs. Eisenhart's class, but acceptable today.  (3) Never begin a sentence with a conjunction.  Conjunctions such as "and, but, not, yet, so and nor" should not be used to start a sentence.  But, it seems since writing is communication, clarity can only be a virtue. And, didn't the Bible use plenty of them, such as: And God said, 'Let there be light.' and there was light.  But, I still would have been in trouble in my English class. (4) Another rule is never start a sentence with 'hopefully', such as: "Hopefully, the taxi will arrive soon."  

This is one of my favorite books when I
am writing.  Even though it looks as if it
were written by a relative, Geraldine is
not a relative, just a help with my English.

This is one adverb that my English teacher said should not be used to start a sentence.  Not sure why, but it was verboten. (5)  Clichés should be avoided like the plague.  Even thought they can be an easy way to express yourself, they are for the lazy person when writing something.  If you're not sure what a cliché may be, here are a few examples:  Never a dull moment, Sands of time, Long arm of the law, Cool as a cucumber, Writing on the wall and Hook, line and sinker.  I recently read the 5 easy ways to improve your grammar which I found to be easy in themselves.  They were: (1) Learn the parts of speech, (2) Read all the time, (3) Listen to how others speak, (4) Play grammar and word games, and (5) Take a class.  I'm sure Mrs. Eisenhart would be thrilled if I did.  And, if you have been correcting my English grammar while reading this story, just keep it to yourself, since I know darn well there have been plenty of mistakes.  But, (did you catch that mistake?) if Mrs. Eisenhart were still alive today she would be so proud of me for having written this blog for over 10 years now.  Even though it is filled with grammatical as well as spelling mistakes, she would have been proud.  But, I no longer have anyone to correct me when I make a mistake.  And, may God bless your soul, Mrs. Eisenhart and I'm sorry for saying so many nasty things about you!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Yes, I do know my story title is incorrect!

The "Farmer Herman And The Flooding Barn" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a variety of things online and came across a children's book titled "Farmer Herman and the Flooding Barn" which was written by Jason Weber, the national director of foster care initiatives at Christian Alliance for Orphans, and was illustrated by 344 people!!  So, what's the story behind this book?  The story began in 1988 in a small Nebraska farm town known as Bruno.  Mr. Herman Ostry and his family had a barn that needed to be moved out of the way of flood waters.    

The barn on Mr. Ostry's property that was to be moved.

After obtaining quotes from various contrac- tors, he realized that moving the barn wasn't going to happen.  Then one night at supper he joked to his family, "I'll bet if we had enough people we could pick up that barn and carry it to higher ground."  His son Mike took the idea seriously and thought about what his dad wanted to do and came up with a plan.  He counted the boards and timber in the barn and estimated the barn's weight at 16,640 pounds.  Then he began welding a grid of steel tubing together which brought the total weight to almost ten tons.  

344 people moving the barn.

Mike's system provided a handhold for 344 people, which meant each person would be lifting about 55 pounds.  It just so happened that the little town of Bruno was planning its Centennial Celebration that same summer and the planning committee decided to make the moving of Herman Ostry's barn a part of the official celebration.  On July 30, 1988, local TV cameramen were on hand, along with 4,000 spectators.  344 volunteers lifted the barn in unison, walked the barn 115 feet to higher ground in three minutes and deposited it in a new location.  So how did that all happen?  Did Mike really figure in the full weight of the barn accurately including nails and hardware?  And, how about the metal pipe grid?  Wasn't there a group of people who wanted to try tractors and front-end loaders?  And, where did the 344 volunteers come from.  What if one of those people hurt themselves and sued Herman.  

Another photo showing the movers.

And what if some moved in the wrong direction.  But, Herman's barn got moved because Nebaskans know if one person is in need, everyone else will show up in a heartbeat to help out.  They don't argue, they don't complain.  They cheerfully get the job done and then they have a beer and gather at someone's house to play a few rounds of sheepshead, whatever that might be!  At times Nebraskan farmers look more like the church than the church does.  I guess the Bible verse 1 Peter 3:8 tells the story...Above all, be of one mind.  Be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.  So, where does this Jason Weber guy, the author of the children's book, come into the story?  Well, he was in Lincoln, Nebraska one day for a conference and decided to drive to Bruno to meet with the Ostry's and see the barn.  He wanted to ask them if he could turn their story into a book to raise money to help foster children.  

Herman autographs a copy of the book.

Herman said, "Go for it, and if it touches even a little bit and cheers children up, what more could you ask for?"  Weber also had the idea of having each of this 344 people who helped move the barn to draw one element - perhaps a cat, boot, goat, etc. - and have an illustrator use all those images in the book.  He asked Mrs. Ostry if she could draw a sun.  Weber than said to Mr. Ostry, "You know there's some people that think it's crazy to get 344 people to illustrate a book."  Mr Ostry replied, "Yeah, that's what they told me too.  but sometimes you have to do something a little bit crazy to get something done."  Chris Dorvak, Herman Ostry's married daughter, and two of her children contributed drawings as did "Duck Dynasty star John Luke Robertson and the Christian band, Jars of Clay.  So, for those reading my story today, just about anything is possible if you set your mind to it.  Just ask Mr. Ostry!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "'Be The Change' Foundation Of St. Maarten" Story

Click on image to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about the Soldier of Orange Award that was awarded to Mélanie Choisy who co-founded the "Be The Change" Foundation with her Aunt Erika Cannegieter in May of 2012 on the island of St. Maarten.  When Erika tragically died of cancer a few years ago, her niece Choisy took over the reigns of the Foundation and has been simply amazing in carrying on the Mission and Ideals of the organization.  The "Be The Change's" mission is to encourage the St. Maarten community to actively contribute to various non-profit organizations and local causes.  This will be done by way of igniting a social philanthropic movement, hence making a united effort to change and improve life on the island.  

Erika Cannegieter, co-founder of "Be The Change."

Their website says they are all about joining forces and making things happen for our island's grassroots community initiatives.  The article that featured Mélanie was in the island's "The Daily Herald" newspaper and shows Mélanie receiving the 10th Annual Award in Holland.  She is only the second person from the Dutch Islands to receive the award.  

Mélanie Choisy, co-founder of "Be The Change"
and winner of the Soldier of Orange Award.

Every year, the Soldier of Orange Fund, which is part of the Oranje Fonds, awards young people for addressing a social problem within their community, just like the original Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje), Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, did in his day.  Every month the "Be The Change Foundation" selects an NGO project to raise money by means of crowd funding to support that project, or to create awareness within society of a variety of topics, such as poverty, culture and environment. After her Aunt passed, Mélanie started the Erika Cannegieter Educational Scholarship Fund, open for applications for financial support to young people who could use a helping hand during their studies.  The island of St. Maarten was devastated in 2017 by Hurricane Irma and Mélanie was responsible for helping with the distribution of drinking water and supplies for those in need.  She has become a local celebrity who is greatly loved and appreciated on Sint Maarten.  My wife, Carol, and I have known Erika Cannegieter's parents, Barbara and Dee, for many years and wish we would have had the chance to meet this wonderful young woman.  Her legacy lives on in her niece and all the work Erika and Mélanie did to start the "Be The Change" Foundation.  I'm sure that Erika would have been proud of what her niece has done, and is still doing, on the island of Sint Maarten.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The, "Well It Has Happened Once Again!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an online article written by Julia Hammond titled "4 Incredible Places to Retire in the U.S."  Right away I knew what I was about to read in the next few minutes for it has happened more than once in the past couple of years.  

Sarasota, Florida

Began the article reading about Sarasota, Florida where over a third of the residents in Sarasota County are over 65 years of age making it a top spot for retirees.  The big draw is the warm weather which barely drops below 60 degrees in the winter months.  There are over 35 miles of flat, sandy beaches which are perfect for early morning walks and warm water perfect for swimming.  There are over a dozen movie theaters as well as double the number of art galleries.  And, a final draw would have to be the fifty plus golf courses in the area.  

Palm Desert, California

The second place to retire would be Palm Desert, California which has a median age of 55.5 years and an increase of over seven thousand people over 65 between 2000 and 2016.  But, climate is the big factor as this city's attraction.  Summer temperatures are high, but winters are mild and the lack of rainfall is perfect for those with ailments compounded by damp conditions.  And, there are plenty of hiking trails, horse riding, tennis, golf and swimming to occupy the leisure time.  A big draw in Palm Desert is the 150 restaurants in the town plus the many more in nearby Palm Springs.  Perhaps the three large hospitals may be a big draw also.  

Kennebunk, Maine

As for the next city, Kennebunk, Maine, the harsh winters isn't what draws retirees to this location, but the high number of senior citizens ranks second after Florida.  The small town vibe, low crime rate, quiet life and good food is what makes about a third of the residents of this town retirees.  OK, now I am getting to the final city.  

Skyline of Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I know I should be proud of the fact that my town of Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania is one of the top places to retire, but after multiple other stories of Lancaster being a good place to retire, I'm beginning to get worried that there won't be enough places in my town for my wife and I to stay.  And, Lancaster wasn't just one of the top four, it was the #1 spot in the U.S. to retire.  Six factors were taken into account during the rating of places to retire.  They were: housing affordability, desirability, retiree taxes, the happiness index, job market and health care quality.  Seems Lancaster scored well in housing affordability and happiness.  The charming downtown and nearby Amish community also helped.  About the only bad thing was the fact that it is a hard city name to pronounce.  Seems we who call Lancaster home already can pick out a newbie as soon as they open their mouth and say the name of the city.  Most call our city Lan-cass-ter instead of Lanc-kiss-ter.  Hey, we really have too many old people living in our town already.  Find another place to stay!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Veteran's Day 2019: A Hometown Hero" Story

Harold Billow as he appeared in 1943 in uniform.

It was an ordinary day.  Driving through the small town known as Mount Joy which is a bit over 10 miles to the east of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I have visited the town in the past to buy ice hockey supplies, to eat with friends and to watch my grandson play baseball.  But, today I am on another type of visit...to take photographs of the front of the home of Harold Billow who is the last remaining survivor of the WWII Malmedy Massacre which took place on December 17, 1944, at the Baugnez Crossroads in Belgium.  His front yard is home to 87 small American flags to honor the men who died due to the massacre which was part of the Battle of the Buldge.  

Harold Billow in uniform.

The 96 year-old veteran of the war has placed the flags on his front lawn for many years in memory of his friends who served with him during that tragic event in 1944.  As I drove down Main Street in Mt. Joy, I passed telephone pole after telephone poll that carried a banner honoring a serviceman who lived in Mt. Joy and before long I saw the banner honoring Harold Billow with his photo from the 1940s on one side and his current photo on the other side.  Harold's story is hard to read at times and the fact that he survived the Malmedy Massacre is remarkable.  In December of 1944, he was a 21-year-old Private with Battery B, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion.  He was riding in a convoy of jeeps and trucks en route to the Belgian town of St. Vith.  

Map showing location of massacre.
Click on image to enlarge it.

It was a day after the Germans launched their attack known in history as the Battle of the Bulge.  The Germans had hopes of driving a wedge through the Allied armies advancing eastward toward Germany.  As his convoy was moving out of Malmedy it reached the crossroad village of Baugnez shortly after noon.  As they turned south onto N23, they were suddenly attacked by tanks and half-tracks of Kampfgruppe Peiper which was a tough SS unit led by Lt. Col. Jochen Peiper.  Some Americans in the lead vehicles got away, but the rest were trapped and the men, about 130 of them, were gathered as prisoners by the SS troopers.  They were disarmed, told to put their hands in the air and herded into a field on the east side of the N23 behind the Café Bodarwe which sits in the intersection in Baugnez.  There they stood together, waiting and helpless.  

Remains of soldiers on the snow-covered field of Malmedy.

Billow remembered two Germans setting up two machine guns atop a tank.  Then an officer rolled up in a staff car, stood and drew his pistol.  "He shot a guy to the right of me," Billow said.  "Then he shot a guy to my left."  The officer yelled a command to the two Germans on the tank and "they opened up fire where the rest of us guys were standing.  They were trying to kill everybody because they weren't to take any prisoners," Billow said.  More Germans joined in the killing spree, firing machine guns and small arms into the mass of prisoners.  Wounded men were shown no mercy.  Billow saw a medic  bandage a wounded man and then both were shot in the head.  When the firing began, some men, like Robert "Sketch" Mearig, one of several Lancaster County soldiers in the 285th ran to safety, but many, like Billow, simply dropped face down in the the snow and played dead.  Some got away with it while others did not.  "The Germans went through the field and everybody who showed any sign of life, they point blank shot them through the head," Billow recalled.  

Howard and Vera Billow on their wedding day.

Billow laid in the snow for what seemed like forever.  "I was thinking, 'I hope I survive so I can get back and tell people what they did to us,'" he recalled.  Another Lancaster County man, James Mattera, said, "Come on guys, let's get out of here," and a number of men jumped up and ran.  Billow was one of those who ran.  He still remembers the German bullets chewing up the ground around him as he fled.   They ran into the nearby café, but quickly left when they realized the Germans saw them enter.  He ran west and was later picked up by American soldiers of an engineering battalion.  Many of the other men in the café weren't as lucky, since the Germans set the café on fire and killed the soldiers when they fled the flames.  87 Americans died in the Malmedy Massacre including two Lancaster County men, Luke Swartz and George Steffy.  

On the reverse side of the banner shows
Harold Billow today.  His service to our country
was from 1943 to 1947 in the U.S. Army.

Billow recalled Swartz telling Ernie Bechtold, who had been his neighbor back home, "Ernie, something terrible is going to happen today."  Bechtold told Swartz, "not to talk so dumb.  Swartz died, shot in the head, but Bechtold survived.  Many who did escape traveled to Nuremburg after the war to testify in the war crimes trials of Germans who took part in the killings. I'm positive that Mr. Billow will never forget the horror and killing that took place that day, December 17, 1944.  And, that is why every 4th of July, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day, the front lawn of Billow's home at 206 Fairview St. in Mt Joy is festooned with 87 flags.  " There is a flag to represent each guy who fell that day," Harold W. Billow says!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Photographs That Were Lost In My Files" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Going through the many files of photographs I have saved from various websites during the life of my blog.  I use the files to try and illustrate or document my stories with photographs or illustrations.  Photos come from various Lancaster, Pennsylvania websites such as Facebook pages "The Lancastrian" and "Remember When in Lancaster" as well as a few Pinterest pages.  I have posted a few of my favorites that I have never used before with a brief caption to tell you what the photograph or illustration may illustrate.  Hope you find a few you may enjoy.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary. PS - Remember to click on images to enlarge them. 

Lancaster's first train station in center city.

JFK speaks in Lancaster's Square.

Wooden covered bridge across the Susquehanna River that was burned by the Union Troops
during the Civil War to stop the South from crossing and possibly reaching Philadelphia.

Lancaster County Amish riding in a very unusual wagon.

Post Card of Lancaster's Union Stock Yards near my home on North Queen Street.
It was the largest stockyard east of Chicago.

This was Hannah Bosley, Corn Doctress who was born a slave in Harford County, Maryland,,
June 7, 19812.  She bought her freedom and settled in nearby Columbia, PA in 1841.  Doctor Bosley
was intimately and favorably known here and in Philadelphia.  She was a chiropodist and died
in 1895 at the age of 83.  She was known for taking care of corns on your toes and feet.

This is a cast iron radiator with a bread warmer built into it.

Another neat Amish photo.  Getting gas!

A bit tough to tell what this photo is.  I used to swim at the Lancaster Water Works
which is pictured here under the stone arch of the railroad tracks.

Lancaster's Rocky Springs Amusement Park ride "The Wildcat."
My friend's grandfather ran the ride and would allow us to continue
to ride it without stopping if there was no one in line.

As you can see, this is Harrison Ford who was in Lancaster County to film
his hit movie "Witness."  Below you can see the filming outside Zimmerman's  Store.