|
March 2002: This is the actual spot where Robert Cahow fell in 58 years ago. It has now become a place of pilgrimage, not only for those interested in the battle, but for those relatives, both German and American, who find some solace and perhaps hope in what this simple memorial stands for. Cahow is but one of many soldiers who fell in these woods, in the last winter of the last war. Where ever he now marches, could it be that Cahow leads a column of fellow "missing" men back towards the families and the final resting place that they all deserve?
On December 13th 1944 soldiers of the USA 78th Infantry Division went into action in the Hürtgenwald. They were known as the "Lightning" Division on account of their lightning bolt shoulder patch. The Division was made up of the 309th, 310th and 311th Infantry Regiments. In the 311th was a Pfc Robert Cahow, his Army number was 36206366 and he had originally joined the Army in Wisconsin. The units target was Schmidt, the elusive objective for the 28th Infantry Division during the fighting in November 1944.
Pfc Cahow was in action against elements of the 272nd Volksgrenadier Division. This unit had been in action several weeks and was in theory supposed to be preparing for the Wach am Rhein offensive. In the fighting that followed Pfc Cahow was listed as MIA. The Ardennes offensive opened on December 16th 1944 and the fighting in the Hürtgen forest was sidelined by events further south in the Ardennes.
The Interment service is recounted here by Cpt. Laura Kenney of the present day Lightning Division.
The chill sound of "Taps" wafted over the cemetery as 78th Division WWII veteran PFC Robert T. Cahow, listed as Missing in Action for fifty-six years, was finally laid to rest. The bugle was played by Cahow's nephew and namesake, PFC Robert Cahow, Wisconsin National Guard, during the internment ceremony that fittingly took place during the Memorial Day weekend. Even more appropriately, Cahow was accompanied to his grave by a contingent of 78th Division soldiers from the same unit he fought and died with, so many years ago. These young soldiers of today's 3/311th Regiment stepped proudly, and felt the honour keenly, as they escorted and carried the casket of their fallen comrade to its final resting place. The six soldiers: SFC Tony Mitchell, SFC Sean Lucas, SFC Franklin Fayson, SSG Alphonso Hilton, SGT Robert Copeland, SGT Micheal Guyette, were led by CSM Joseph Robertson.
Col. John McLean, 78th Division Historian, who had been instrumental in identifying Cahow as a 78th Division veteran served as the Officer in Charge of the funeral detail. The ceremony took place in Cahow's home town of Clear Lake, Wisonsin, population 942. At least two/thirds of that population attended the service. Numerous 78th Division WWII veterans, also attended in order to honour their fallen comrade. One such veteran, CW4 William Elwood, sought and received permission from the Association to fly to Hawaii - where the Army's forensic laboratory for identifying remains is located - and serve as the 78th Division Association official honor guard to escort Cahow's remains home
|
|
