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The student news site of Atlantic High School

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AHS JOURNALISM GOLD SPONSOR

A story of love and war

Bud Lindeman, WWII veteran

By Zoe Krueger

Hearing about history in class lecture is one thing, but listening to a person who has actually experienced one of the wars is another. In Modern World History, teacher Terry Hinzmann invites WWII veteran and AHS graduate of ‘44, Bud Lindeman, to visit his classes and share his memories of being a soldier–with a side order of love.

Bud played basketball, football, and was involved in choir while a student at AHS. He starts his story by reliving the glory days of beating Shenandoah at homecoming, where he first laid eyes on the little freshman girl who steals his heart to this day.

Lindeman signed for the army at 17, and shortly after turning 18 was sent to Camp Dodge for his physical. Without a waste of time, the army had him at Stark, FL, by May 31 for 17 weeks of basic training in the infantry.  After that, Lindeman was bussed from place to place until he travelled with fellow soldiers by ship to Liverpool, England. During the travel he endured sickness. From there, he traveled to LaHarve, France, and then on to Paris.

Lindeman talked about the Battle of the Bulge, which took place on Dec. 16, 1944. Then, he spoke of the Christmas he spent in war, and the ways men tried to decorate for a bit of cheer.

Bud told of the cold of the winter, and of being taken to a care center to be treated for frost-bitten feet.  He spent much time there, until he was back on his feet again.

On Jan. 25 (or 26) of 1945, Germany was forced back and Lindeman’s platoon was given a chance to get cleaned up. From there, they were to meet Russia at Elbe River. Bud said that during war, there is “no time to be reckless; you have to keep your head about you.”

With all the walking the soldiers did, there was not much time for sleep. Bud told the students of when he went to sleep while walking–and hit a tree. Bud said you’d have to be that tired to understand this thought but, “I was angry at that tree. I thought, ‘Ya know, I’d like to hit that tree.’”

Later, then platoon was told that if they took over a target town, they would be allowed time to sleep. “In basic training, I learned one thing: don’t volunteer.” Nevertheless, Lindeman did anyway.   He went on to lead the team towards battling the town.

At this point in his story, Bud picked up a helmet with the bullet shot through it, and tells of turning his head for a split second to talk with his lieutenant, hearing the whizz of bullets, and feeling the spot in his helmet where he was shot. Bud says, “I thought to myself, ‘he killed me.’”

After successfully taking over the town, Lindeman and his fellow soldiers entered a barn to get their promised sleep. It was there they found eight German “old people” begging for their lives.

Bud went on to explain the surrender of the German army and his story of throwing his last five grenades…at a rabbit. Bud explained that he left the war with a deeper respect for his country and a sense of the things that are truly worth dying for.

As time with Hinzmann’s students came to a close, Lindeman told of coming back home. He left the army as a first sergeant–and a brave hero. When he stepped off the train at Atlantic, waiting for him was that little freshman girl. She had written to him every day, he said, and with each letter, she would add a drop of her perfume. He has been married to “that beautiful woman for over 60 years.”

Students from the class appeared to have enjoyed the visit of Bud. Sophomore Seth Rohde said, “I always liked WWII stories, especially one with a happy ending.” Hinzmann hopes to have Bud come again.

We thank Bud Lindeman for sharing his story with us, and hope to hear it again.

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    Josh SchorleDec 12, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    Great article! It’s great that u mention the bullet hole’d helmet! Do u know if he talked about a special bible thing or not? He’s told me this story before but I can’t remember what it was about that bible.

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