Freedom

  • Magna Carta

    Today marks the 807th anniversary of the Magna Carta. The full name is Magna Carta Libertatum, which translates into “The great charter of Freedoms”, but in common use it is known as the Magna Carta. It was agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. The document is basically

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  • The Netherlands had been occupied by the Nazis between May 15th 1940,after the Dutch forces surrendered, and May 1945. Although many parts had already been liberated by autumn 1944. The official liberation day was set on May 5,1945. The Netherlands had a population at the time of about 8.8 million. During the 5 years of

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  • The World War II Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial Margraten is a war cemetery which lies in the village of Margraten 10 km (6 mi) east of Maastricht, in the most southern part of the Netherlands. If you have never been there it is a well worth place visting. 8.301 brave men are buried there and there are another 2,000 or so memorials

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  • To most of us,including me Joseph H. Hercker is just a random name. But to Joan Hercker it is the name of her Father. A man who sacrificed his future Father’s days so that others could celebrate theirs. He was born 2 July 1918,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. In February 1945 Joseph Hercker was stationed in France As a member of the Crusader Group, andflew 16 combat sorties between February 6 andApril 3, 1945, in the European Theater of Operations. On April 3, after completing a”medium” bombing mission of marshalling yards at Hameln and Holzmeinden in central Germany,his plane was separated from the rest of the formation in overcast weather. It is not clear what happened, but when the formation broke cover there was no sign of his

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