12-358 Garand Picture of the Day December 24, 1944 in the De Schark Cave, Maastricht

[Mark in Rochester]

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of the Foundation of the Commemoration of the American Christmas Celebration 1944

Original photos of the Mass held December 24, 1944 in the De Schark Cave, Maastricht, Netherlands. Photo courtesy of the Foundation of the Commemoration of the American Christmas Celebration 1944.

In 1944 and inside the sandstone galleries of the De Schark cave, Brothers of the Dutch Monastery Beyart had built an altar where they held services safe from aerial bombardment. Approximately 300 Soldiers were invited to celebrate Christmas Mass.

The 1944 Christmas Eve Mass was led by a Father Dobrzynski from New York and whose full name escapes research efforts at the time this story was released.

Historical records confirm that most of the Soldiers who participated in the 1944 Mass were from the 117th, 119th and 120th Regiment, 30th Infantry Division Old Hickory, as well as some stranded crew members from allied aircraft that had been shot down. The Soldiers were part of the XIX US Army Corps, Tomahawk, who fought with the 113th Cavalry Group Red Horse and the 2nd Armored "Hell on Wheels" Division totaling approximately 30,000 soldiers who were responsible for liberating South Limburg.
At the end of the 1944 Mass, the Soldiers wrote their names on the flattened area Cpl. Barraveccia made and is now their self-made memorial.

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