Almost 80 years after the end of the Second World War, John Althuizen received the Veterans Pin on Sunday. That happened in the War Museum in Overloon. Born and raised in Deurne, he fought with the American liberators as an 18-year-old and was awarded a prize for this in America, where he went to live after the war. He considers it a great honor that he has now also received recognition in the Netherlands. “It’s a big surprise, I didn’t expect this,” he says in a soft voice.
John Althuizen was eighteen when the American liberators invaded his native village Deurne in 1944. He knew some English and offered his help, first only as an interpreter, but later also as a soldier. As ‘Johnny the Dutchman’, as the Allies called him, he fought along. At the Battle of the Peel, for example, but later he also crossed the Rhine with the American army.
“He lived in America and was out of the picture with us. Not out of mind.”
He was wounded several times, ended up in hospital and then returned to his unit. In America he has already received several awards for his heroism, including a Purple Heart. He received a personal thank you letter from former President Donald Trump. “Not everyone here agrees with Trump,” says wife Jeanne, “but we are honored that he received a letter from Trump. This president would not do that.”
He does not experience the fact that he is only now receiving recognition in the Netherlands as a disappointment. “We’ve been gone so long,” his wife says. It doesn’t make the excitement any less. “Seeing the places where he fought back then doesn’t do much for him. But a day like today is very emotional.”
“For John it is now mainly the honor.”
According to military officer Rob Somers, who pinned up the Veterans Wear Badge on behalf of the Veterans Institute, it is not exceptional that Althuizen had to wait so long for ‘his’ recognition. “He lived in America and was out of the picture with us. Not out of mind, certainly not, so we finally found him again.” For younger veterans, veteran status gives a lot of extra attention and help, explains Rob Somers. “For example, if they have to deal with serious ptsd complaints. But for John it is now mainly the honor.”
Althuizen is now 97, but the fierce veteran is working through a killer program this week. On Sunday he arrived in the Netherlands from Boston in the early morning. He then immediately traveled with his wife and three other veterans to the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek, then got in the car to Overloon and will continue to the commemorations in Normandy and Brittany in the coming week. The four veterans signed the book ‘The Rifle’ in Overloon, in which they, but also many other veterans, have their say.
“We are tired now,” acknowledges Jeanne Althuizen. “But we’ll survive,” she adds with a laugh.