Welcome to the Berten Smekens Page

Click to listen to the Berten Smekens interview on The Warrior Next Door Podcast!

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Jesse Ellico's US Army duffelbag in a private museum in Butgenbach (Ardennes).

Jesse Ellico's US Army duffelbag in a private museum in Butgenbach (Ardennes).

A piece of equipment Berten used to look for subsurface hazards.

A piece of equipment Berten used to look for subsurface hazards.

Some of the millions of unexploded ordnance that is extracted every day in Europe.

Some of the millions of unexploded ordnance that is extracted every day in Europe.

Iron harvest...

Iron harvest...

WW1 trench system being excavated in Flanders.

WW1 trench system being excavated in Flanders.

Berten honoring a fallen airman, Robert Knox, the pilot of the bomber "Picklepuss". This bomber was one of many of bombers shot down in the 100 BG or "The Bloody 100th"

Berten honoring a fallen airman, Robert Knox, the pilot of the bomber "Picklepuss". This bomber was one of many of bombers shot down in the 100 BG or "The Bloody 100th"

Berten recommends reading The Dead of Winter by Bill Warnock for a detailed history of the 99th IDs role in the Battle of the Bulge and the work of locals to identify MIAs.

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