US AIRBORNE

Many thank you to Lou Zoghby for dedicating time to answer me. For the kindness and patience!

Louis J Zoghby was born on August 1st, 1924 in Middletown, New York. His parents, Joseph and Helene Zoghby used to own a small grocery shop. So, despite the Great Depression, the family did not have that much problem with the lack of food. Lou has a 4-year-old younger sister, they had a happy childhood.

When the war started, Lou was still in high school. He would get his degree in June, 1942. In March, 1943, at 18 years old, he was called up to serve his country.

Cette photo fut prise durant la période où Lou suivait l'ASTP Program à Harvard.

"I did my basic training in the combat engineers at Fort Devens, Massachusetts"

At that time and to prepare “replacements” after the war, the army proposed aptitude tests: the Army General Classification Test. Those who got enough points (each point matched with the QI) could attend the ASTP or Army Special Training Program.

“I got 129 and they sent me to Harvard University in the ASTP program which ended in March 1944.

I later knew that Army Special Training Program was dissolved.”

Lou Zoghby was sent to a unity which had to fight on the European Theatre. He joined the F Company of the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division. He was a Private First Class.

“I was sent to the 17th Airborne when they were on maneuvers at Camp Forest, Tennessee in March 1944, then we left for England in August 1944.”

“I was sent to the 17th Airborne when they were on maneuvers in Tennessee.  When I heard it was parachutes and gliders I was scared because I did not volunteer for that. This all happened in March 1944 after basic training. However, after training in the gliders and knowing that the airborne were very special soldiers I felt the pride in belonging.”

In England, Lou’s unit spent 4 months nearby Swindon. 4 very pleasant months. But this lovely time came to an end with Adolf Hitler’s wintry offensive. On December 27th, 1944, the 17th Airborne was sent to the front. It was linked with General Patton’s 3nd US Army. On foot, walking in the snow, the unit was firstly sent to Neufchateau in Belgium and then walked to Morhet to reach the 28^th DI.

 “The first day in the Ardennes we were told to "dig in" but the ground was so frozen that I started to sweat and took off my overcoat and hung it on a tree branch.  About two hours later we had to move out and to move on so when I took my overcoat, it was solidified because of the freeze. I hung it on my shoulder for a couple of miles but then my arm was so sore, I had to throw it away and for the rest of the war I was without an overcoat.”

On January 4th, Lou Zoghby lived his first fire, the 17th Airborne got the mission to get Flamierge.

“It was extremely cold with a lot of snow. Our mission was to open the combat with the enemies and push them back. It was very scary but we did our job. I was not wounded. Just a small cut on my hand by a shrapnel, nothing serious but I did get frostbite in my feet.”

However, Lou Zoghby keeps a great memory of the Belgian people!

On February 11th, 1945, the 17th Airborne was removed from the front to get to the operation Varsity. The men were sent in Chalons-sur-Marne, in France until March 21st.

“We were all housed in tents for about 6 weeks until we were ready for the Operation Varsity.  We could not get into Chalon-Sur-Marne because we were training for Varsity.  But, as I was the platoon leader assistant, I could go into town and bring some Champagne.  We had a lot of Champagne.”

On March 24th, 1945 began the operation VARSITY, the last airborne operation of the Second World War on the European Theatre Operation.

“As you may have read about the Operation Varsity, there were two gliders dragged behind a C47 which made the trip slower and our height above the ground was about 500 feet.  We were about nine minutes over from the German territory and we could see them running around and shooting us.”

Once above Germany, the hell burst out around the gliders, the German FLAK opened the fire targeting the C-47 and the wings of the gliders.

But thank God, the glider transporting Lou was not hit.

“We landed in a farm pasture which was muddy and some other gliders almost landed on top of us.”

Once on the ground, the objective was to engage immediately the fight with the enemy. In the afternoon of the 24^th of March 1945, the 194th had set up all its objectives destroyed 42 artillery and panzers and arrested 1.000 German.

“There were many casualties but I was lucky.”

Then, along with the British troops, the 17th Airborne carried on advancer on the German territory.

“Some of the details are vague in my mind.  It was so many years ago, it was obvious that the war was ending once loads of German soldiers began to surrender.  We carried on our advance and I remember we were crossing an open field going toward the city of Munster when I heard a mortar shell whistling in the air and I hit the ground and covered my head and the mortar shell landed about 10 inches from my head but did not explode. I lived many situations like this I had to believe someone was looking after me.”

To the announcement of the end of the war, Louis Zoghby was in Mulheim in Germany.

“I was extremely happy that is was over: I could go home. But I did not have enough points to go home so I was sent to the 82nd Airborne (325th GIR) and we occupied Berlin for five month and went back home in January 1946.”

Lou, a glass of wine in hand on a terrace in Brussels (1945)

Louis Zoghby was discharged from service on January 17th, 1946. Never during the war, Lou was a witness of the Nazi horrros.

“I could not understand the necessity of this war. Unfortunately, there were selfish men to start those things. At the time, when I looked at the young German soldier's faces, I realized they were not that different from me. They at to do their job the same as mine. I do not feel angry about then.”

Back home, Louis Zoghby went back to studies. He studied at Fordham University and got a business degree. 50 years later, he would come back to university to get 3 more Masters in 13 years while working, he was in the commercial real estate business. In 1988, he retired.

Lou Zoghby got married in 1952.

“We have four children - 3 boys and a girl. 6 grand children and two great grand children.”

Since 1988, Lou lives in Castle Rock, Colorado, nearby Denver.

Lou Zoghby belongs to several veteran associations.

“I belong to the American Legion and to the VFW but I do not attend meetings. I also belong to the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge Organization and we meet three times a year.”

Unfortunately, as he is getting older, Lou does not think he would return to Europe any more on the tracks of his own story.

His frame with the decorations