*Fact or Fiction*

It was a dark and uninviting morning. The men were crowded together in the foxhole, praying to God that their lives would be spared. Everyday mysterious clouds would cover the horizon and span for at least one hundred miles. At approximately the same hour every morning, thousands of crows would begin to fly out of the clouds. The men knew it was because they had invaded the homeland to fight for their country. The stage was set during World War II and my great-grandfather, Julius, began to stick his head out over the edge of the foxhole and “Boom….”, a fighter jet had just dropped a bomb.
Here and there fellow Americans were screaming and frantically running for a place to hide. The Germans shot several times into the barricade. Everyone in his group had been killed, except for him. It was silent, so the Germans began to wonder what was happening. Julius had to think fast. He played dead to save his life. The Germans were not satisfied with having killed a whole group of men, and with guns in tow, they were quickly approaching. The enemies entered the foxhole and began to kick and beat the Americans, to ensure they were all dead. Julius endured the pain, so as to not show he was still alive. They also took the valuables and belongings from the group; they took my great-grandfather’s watch, assuming he was dead. Soon after the Germans had left, he joined another platoon, and they began to head toward Amsterdam.
Unknowingly the Germans had received knowledge of where the Americans were going, and decided to follow them on their journey. The men realized this and spotted what seemed to be heaven across the way. Most of the men decided to hide in the building, thinking that their enemies would never think to look in there. Julius and a few of his comrades chose to continue on to Amsterdam. As they turned around a ghastly sight they beheld. The Germans had torched the structure and all the men hidden away inside. Now there were only four men and my great-grandfather. They killed each German soldier that was surrounding them. The Americans fought them off one by one, and proceeded to Amsterdam. Now during this time, some people would hide soldiers in their houses to keep them safe. Julius and his few fellow soldiers were invited into a house by a lady and her daughter. They were kept a secret in the basement of the house. The next day, German soldiers ordered that they be allowed to search the woman’s house. Without a worry in the world, she let them in. The Americans were so well hidden that the Germans did not suspect one thing. Little did my great-grandfather know, this woman who saved his life, would later turn out to be my great-grandmother. He had to leave Amsterdam and continue to fight for his country; but before he went on his way, the lady gave him a pair of wooden shoes that were the custom in that part of the world.
In 1946, after having successfully defeated Germany and Japan, Julius and his American counterparts were taken to New York by ship. He was being discharged from the 75th infantry of the army. The naval officers had to check the records of everyone who had safely arrived back in the U.S.A. When it came time for Julius to stand on solid ground, it was discovered that there was no record of him ever being drafted into the war. There were no records of him fighting for his life, his country, or his fellow soldiers. According to the U.S. government, he was never there, but he had proof-the love of his life! Two years later when the members of the 75th infantry got together in New York City, they decided to go on a game show. My great-grandfather was chosen to play, “Winner Take All”. He ended up winning a trip to, of all places, Amsterdam. He took his best man, his brother Clyde with him. After stepping off the plane, he immediately headed to the house on Tulip Street. Right then and there, he proposed. She said yes and less than four hours later, they were officially married. After saying farewell to her loved ones, the two were off to America, to a little place called Valdese, North Carolina.
The beginning of the war caused many problems and was devastating to Julius. By the conclusion of the war he was so glad that he fought for his country and came out victorious. He also never would have met the love of his life, if he had never joined the army.