U.S. Marine gives two big thumbs up for the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne, Belgium
101 Airborne Museum Le Mess - Bastogne的点评
点评:A Belgian friend of mine arranged a private tour of the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne, Belgium on the 18th of April 2026 for two of us – a Belgian Army officer and me a U.S. Marine (both of us no longer on active duty, though!). It was an absolutely superb day, and an incredibly interesting tour. I can’t thank Johnnie enough…he was our host and guide…and one of the three Belgians responsible for putting together this wonderful, privately funded museum. Johnnie delivers an excellent strategic/operational briefing at the outset of the tour, and after about an hour and a half of viewing the superb collection of artifacts and dioramas in the museum (not to mention the realistic basement/bunker!), Johnnie led us on a tour around the former defensive perimeter of Bastogne, narrating critically key events. Johnnie has an incredible wealth of knowledge about all facets of the “Battle of the Bulge”; from strategic to tactical; about the attacking Germans, the defending Americans, the local Belgians, et al. I particularly enjoyed following the path carved out by former-Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams and his tank battalion to relieve the defenders in the city. If you are an American, you can’t help but be impressed…it’s a remarkable story…and I again, I thank Johnnie and all the Belgians who have preserved this museum and the battleground around Bastogne. On a scale of 10, you definitely earn a 10! Semper Fidelis, Patrick Carroll
翻译:2026年4月18日,一位比利时朋友为我们两人安排了一次私人参观,地点是比利时巴斯托涅的第101空降师博物馆。我是一名美国海军陆战队员,也是一名比利时陆军军官(不过我们都已退役!)。那真是精彩绝伦的一天,参观过程也令人受益匪浅。我非常感谢约翰尼……他是我们的接待人和导游……也是三位负责筹建这座由比利时人出资兴建的博物馆的比利时人之一。参观开始时,约翰尼为我们做了精彩的战略/作战简报。在欣赏了博物馆内精美的文物和立体模型(更不用说逼真的地下室/掩体了!)大约一个半小时后,约翰尼带领我们参观了巴斯托涅的旧防御工事,并讲解了其中的关键事件。约翰尼对“突出部战役”的方方面面都了如指掌,从战略到战术,无所不知。关于进攻的德军、防守的美军、当地的比利时人等等。我尤其喜欢沿着克雷顿·艾布拉姆斯中校和他的坦克营开辟的道路,去解救城内的守军。如果你是美国人,你一定会印象深刻……这是一个非凡的故事……我再次感谢约翰尼和所有保护这座博物馆和巴斯托涅周边战场的比利时人。如果满分是10分,你们绝对值得10分!永远忠诚,帕特里克·卡罗尔