12-13-14 september 1944

Liberation of Maastricht, the Netherlands

More than 30.000 soldiers are ready for the Liberation of Limburg, among them more than 5.000 for the Liberation of Maastricht.
In the Liberation were, among others, involved the following units of the American Army:

• 113 squadron of the 113 cavalrygroup ( The Red Horse)
• 117 Infantry regiment
• 119 Infantry regiment
• 120 Infantry regiment
• 125 cavalry squadron of the 113 cavalry group

After the Liberation of Maastricht en surroundings the greater part of the army went on to prepare for the liberation of other parts of the province.
The 127 AAA and the 131 AAA were left behind to protect the bridges across the river Maas and Maastricht.

30 years later, during "reunion"trips of many veterans, a number of them visited the Schark caves.

Not only the names of the men, who attended the Christmas Eve celebartion in 1944, and who wrote their names on one of the limestone walls, have been preserved.
Even the "reunionists" of the "Old Hickory", often accompanied by their partners, wrote their names on a wall on September 11th 1974, even in 1984.
Many of these names are still there, most behind glass for protection.
A decorative monument, designed by one of the Smitshuysen brothers, emphasizes them.

These names are put together. These lists (reunion 1974 and reunion 1984) are not yet complete.
You can recognize the names of Col Ben Ammons, David Knox, Capt. Goodall, whose pictures are also in the book "The liberation of Eijsden-Margraten in september 1944".
Should there be someone, who knows more about soldiers, who liberated Maastricht, and who might have been in the Schark cave, please inform us through the website.