12-13-14 september 1944
Old Hickory
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, the following units of the American Army involved :
- 113 squadron van de 113 cavalry group ( The Red Horse)
- 117 Infantry regiment
- 119 Infantry regiment
- 120 Infantry regiment
- 125 cavalry squadron of the 113 cavalry group
September 11th: 120th Infantry regiment advanced from Tongres to the Albertkanaal and in eastern direction to Maastricht. This part of the Old Hickory also liberated Eben-Emael and "Klein Ternaaien".
September 13th: Old Hickory (117th and 119th, supported by 113 cavalry group nicknamed Red Horse) came from the south, where the villages of Mesch, Eijsden, Rijckholt, Banholt and Eckelrade, ST. Geertruid and Noorbeek were liberated (september 12th). This part of the Old Hickory advanced from the east. ( Heerderbrug and Akersteenweg) and from there to Wyck.
September 14th: Early in the morning 117th Infantry regiment crossed the river Maas by boats, from Wyck, to (the westpart of the) city of Maastricht, where they met their colleagues.
After the Liberation of Maastricht and surroundings the greater part of the army went on to prepare for the liberation of other parts of the province and the Netherlands.
The 127 AAA and the 131 AAA (no parts of Old Hickory) 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 ( www.shak1944.org)