By “Santa” Ray Besch
and Gene Cook
Special to The Citizen
“Santa” Ray Besch of Peachtree City has a special Christmas story to share with The Citizen and its readers.
“Every year Santa has a story of something special that happened during the Christmas Season. Usually it is a memory from the children, a special message or a bright eyed child describing that special toy they have been dreaming about,” said the jolly old elf. “This year Santa was touched by something quite different. It was an elderly man I met while visiting Wesley Woods of Newnan-Peachtree City. Santa and his Number 1 helper Teri were asked to visit their annual Christmas Open House. Santa arrived early to visit with some of the residents that would not be leaving their room to socialize and then spent the next few hours visiting with those that were up and about socializing with their friends and family that came to share the celebration. After posing for many special photos one gentleman named Gene Cook came back to Santa and said, ‘I have something I would like to show you.’ He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. Well, I have received many lists of toys and letters describing expectations for Christmas morning.
This was something quite different. It was his memory from a Christmas past that had stayed with him since December 1944 and I thought it should be shared with you today.”
Santa Ray sent along the letter from Gene Cook, a World War II veteran who in recent years penned a letter recalling Christmas Eve, 1944 near Bastogne, Belgium.
The Best Christmas Present – Ever
“It was Christmas Eve and we sat huddled in a small woods just outside of Bastogne. After a week of hard fighting we were out of food, water and ammunition; everything except hope and determination. We had endured snow to our knees, freezing -40-degree cold, a lack of any warm clothing and countless casualties. We were surrounded by the enemy for eight days who outnumbered us eight-fold.
A peek of sunshine appeared and the cloudy sky began to clear when suddenly we heard, not reindeer, but the throbbing sound of airplanes. Expecting the worst, we began to see hundreds of parachutes. Frowns and worry on our faces rapidly changed to smiles and laughter as our ‘presents’ dropped to earth.
Out of the woods, onto the drop zone we ran, amidst the red, white, blue and green chutes, loading the ‘presents’ onto vehicles to distribute them where the need was greatest. The red ammunition bundles were given top priority. Everything we needed, except clothing and water, including several doctors, who like angels arrived in a glider.
Then one squad member came by holding a tin of fruit cake. ‘Merry Christmas from Troop Carrier Command’ the card read. (It was) the spirit of our brothers who understood our plight.
Christ, as His birthday present to us, had indeed visited Bastogne, far overshadowing the arrival of Patton who He sent two days later. We had persevered with the victory of freedom yet to come.
All glory to God.”
