Event Overview: Harold W. Billow, United States Army, World War II Veteran, Malmedy Massacre Survivor

2015-01-30T10:58:39-05:00

Dear RallyPointers,

Last night I had the honor of being in the presence of Harold W. Billow, United States Army, World War II Veteran, Malmedy Massacre Survivor.

(Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malmedy_massacre)

Harold is 92 years old, and sharp as a knife. He told an amazing story of his ordeal, and moved the crowd many times. He also managed to make us all smile and laugh. Quite an amazing guy.

Harold Billow was a member of Battery B, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. He is one of only two remaining survivors of the infamous Malmedy Massacre known to still be alive. This massacre by the Germans during World War II was a war crime in which 87 American prisoners were killed in cold blood in the snow on December 17, 1944 at Baugnez crossroads near Malmedy, Belgium. The mass murder of American POWs came to be known as the greatest war atrocity committed against American soldiers on the Western front. German soldiers of Kampfgruppe Peiper (part of the 1st SS Panzer Division and a tough German combat unit led by the aggressive Lt. Col. Joachim Peiper) used pistol, tank and machine gun fire to kill the Americans. Harold buried himself under bodies and tried not to breathe heavily for fear of his breath being seen. Anyone showing signs of life was shot through the head.

After laying hours in a field of dead bodies, Harold and a few other soldiers found an opportunity to get up and RUN to a nearby cottage. As suspected, Harold realized that they were spotted. He tried getting his fellow brothers to leave the cottage, but they stayed. According to what I heard, Harold ran out the back door and hid far away in a hedgerow. He watched as the house was eventually surrounded by Germans who then doused the place in gasoline, and set it ablaze. As people ran out of the house to escape the smoke, heat and flames, the Germans opened fire and killed every one of them.

I took several photos, but haven't cropped or fixed them up yet. I will share what I have now, and will then share more once I do my work to them. I also captured some video of Harold recounting his story. I will share that too once it is uploaded to YouTube.

Thank you for your time, your interest, and for reading this.

God bless each of you, God bless America, and God bless Harold Billow.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2015 11:05 AM

2015-01-30T11:05:38-05:00

Such an honor.

While stationed in Hawaii, I had the honor of participating in a 65th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor formation on Hickam AFB. Afterwards, my family and I went to the Arizona Memorial. I had the distinct honor of hearing the stories of a couple of Pearl Harbor survivors.

My advice for anyone is to talk to these heroes and hear their stories. It is so important to make sure their stories live on long after they have passed on.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2015 11:17 AM

2015-01-30T11:17:38-05:00

I would be very interested in ANYTHING you have to post on your experience in being in the presence of this hero.

Response by Cpl Anthony Pearson made Jan 30 at 2015 11:21 AM

2015-01-30T11:21:23-05:00

Harold mentioned this book. Said it is a VERY good account of what happened, and he strongly recommended it. I plan to buy it this weekend:

http://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Crossroads-Untold-Malmedy-Massacre/dp/ [login to see]

On December 17, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, more than eighty unarmed American soldiers were shot down after having surrendered to an SS tank column near the small crossroads town of Malmédy, Belgium. In vivid prose with revealing details, Fatal Crossroads reconstructs the previously untold story of the largest single atrocity committed against American POWs on the Western front in World War II.

Fatal Crossroads: The Untold Story of the Malmedy Massacre at the Battle of the Bulge: Danny S....

Fatal Crossroads: The Untold Story of the Malmedy Massacre at the Battle of the Bulge [Danny S. Parker] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. On December 17, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, more than eighty unarmedAmerican soldiers were shot down after having surrendered to an SS tank column near the small crossroads town of Malmédy

Response by Cpl Anthony Pearson made Feb 2 at 2015 9:27 PM

2015-02-02T21:27:55-05:00

Response by Cpl Anthony Pearson made Feb 2 at 2015 10:03 PM

2015-02-02T22:03:43-05:00

One of my favorite photos from that evening.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 7:36 AM

2015-02-05T07:36:26-05:00

WOW! Thank you so very much for sharing Cpl Anthony Pearson Amazing! Much Respect to Harold!

Response by SFC Boots Attaway made Feb 5 at 2015 8:37 AM

2015-02-05T08:37:03-05:00

Cpl Anthony Pearson, that must have been a real honor. The only 2 that I ever got to meet were Gen Omar Bradley and Gen Hal Moore but no one like the hero that you met. The stories he could tell would be great to hear.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 9:09 AM

2015-02-05T09:09:42-05:00

Thanks for sharing that bit of history, Cpl Anthony Pearson. Harold Billow seems like an amazing man.

Response by CW3 Eddy Vleugels made Feb 5 at 2015 10:43 PM

2015-02-05T22:43:29-05:00

Awesome...thanks for sharing!

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 18 at 2015 1:10 PM

2015-02-18T13:10:53-05:00

Thank you for sharing. I had never heard of anyone surviving. It seems that people who survive events such as that live richer lives despite being haunted by the ghosts of their past. I can well imagine your honor at being in the presence of this survivor. My mother-in-law was a survivor of a pogrom who lost several family members. She bore the scars of saber and bayonet wounds. Still, she was full of humor and love and lived beyond 100. I was blessed to know her (as well as marry her daughter).

Response by PFC George Schneider made Jun 9 at 2016 5:44 PM

2016-06-09T17:44:36-04:00

Harold and I were members of the South Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. I was president of it for 15 years but resigned after retiring to Louisiana. I have been trying to locate Harold (or his relatives) with no success. All phone numbers I have have been disconnected. I am in the process of completing a book of my memoirs which features Harold's stories as related to me by Harold and would like to locate a good quality photograph of him during the war to include in my book. Does anybody know how to contact Harold or any of his relatives?

Response by SP5 Dave (Shotgun) Shockley made May 21 at 2017 12:13 PM

2017-05-21T12:13:40-04:00

Now that is what I call a real hero. GOD Bless you sir. Anthony thank you for sharing. Is there an archive where this type of story can be permanently stored on RP?

Response by SGT Eric Knutson made May 24 at 2017 12:47 AM

2017-05-24T00:47:16-04:00

Yes, Thank you Cpl Anthony Pearson, Great read about a Great man, I envy your opportunity to meet him,

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Feb 4 at 2018 6:06 AM

2018-02-04T06:06:21-05:00

Outstanding...I just sent in an uncut viideo of the trial, I'll try to resend it in here also...

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Feb 4 at 2018 6:08 AM

2018-02-04T06:08:55-05:00

https://youtu.be/u5X0VyAJUOo

Here it is, I think you'd find it psychologically insightful, if a trifle grim, grisly, and macabre, admittedly, which, as I'd mentioned elsewhere, was, I'm afraid, if you'd watch it, unavoidable, as it was inextricably woven into the video, watch it, and you'll see what I mean, hope is of interest, many thanks...

Malmedy Massacre Trial Uncut

Read the Malmedy Massacre Investigation Report here: http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/pdf/Malmedy_report.pdf The Malmedy massacre trial was held in May...