welcome
A HERO’S More than 40 years after village was liberated, WWII veterans honored with parade
She also noted that the members of the guard unit that her father served with had yearly reunions in Alexandria the second Sunday of July for 60 years – from 1946 until 2006. By Celeste Edenloff Proud of her father’s time in the military, Wosmek shared ill Platto, a 1940 Alex- the story behind two of the andria graduate, photos she brought in. found out how much Platto was part of a unit his military service meant to that was sent over to liberate a town that he and his Army Putte, Belgium in 1944. While buddies liberated in World in Putte, a local photographer War II – more than 40 years took photos of all the soldiers after it happened. who had liberated the town. Platto went into the service In one of the photos, he capin February 1941. He served tured a picture of his daughin the National Guard Army ter, Godelieve Daans, with two through the summer of 1945, soldiers – Wosmek’s father, according to his daughter, Bill Platto, and another soldier, Lynda Wosmek, who still lives John “Meatball” Metzuck of in Alexandria. Chicago. Wosmek provided the The black and white photo newspaper with some news- shows a picture of the little paper clippings, information girl holding hands with the and photos of her father two soldiers. during the time he served. Fast forward more than 40 years. Platto and some of his National Guard buddies went back to visit the town they liberated. A celebration ensued and a parade was held for those members. Wosmek shared a photo of her father and other soldiers riding in an Army vehicle in the parade. But that is not the other photo with a story. The other photo taken in 1985 shows a picture of Platto next to a young woman in a restaurant. That woman is Daans, the same person Platto Taken in Putte, Belgium in 1944, the had a picture taken with more photographer captured a picture of than 40 years prior. his daughter, Godelieve Daans, with On a piece of paper that two soldiers, Bill Platto of Alexandria, Wosmek shared with the right, and John “Meatball” Metzuck of newspaper, it said, “Her mothChicago. Contributed photo
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In 1985, Bill Platto of Alexandria, a veteran, visited the town of Putte, Belgium, and met up with Godelieve Daans, whom he first met in 1944 when she was a little girl. Her father took photos of soldiers who had liberated the town of Putte and he took a photo of Daans and two soldiers, once of which was Platto. Contributed photo er, Den Dok, was also present with the other villagers at the gathering for the returning soldiers. It is an example of how the villagers never forgot their liberators.” WORDS FROM THE FAMILY The following information was provided by Platto’s family. It was written after a column from the Douglas County Historical Society ran in the Nov. 3, 2006, issue of the Echo Press. Bill Platto was the secretary/treasurer for the Battery C Club for the past 12-15 years. In that capacity and during that time frame, he planned reunions for his fellow veterans from National Guard Battery C Regiment 217 and Battery B Regiment 494. These veterans were from Minnesota – many from Alexandria and the surrounding area – Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Texas and California. Reunions were held in
Alexandria from 1946 to 2006. Since officers for the Battery C Club were elected annually, others were involved in planning the reunions, notably the late Julian Newhouse of Alexandria who served as secretary/treasurer for many years. These reunions were very important to the Battery C and Battery B men. However, after 60 years, the group decided the 2006 reunion would be the final one. As secretary in 2006, Platto had in his possession the memorabilia that was recently donated to the Douglas County Historical Society. Discussion at the reunion resulted in a mandate to give the newspaper clippings, photos, minutes from all reunions and more to the DCHS because of historical significance. The group of men who left Alexandria on the troop train on Feb. 25, 1941, bound for Camp Haan in California, were a special breed. They joined other young men who were
