During World War Two, in German occupied Belgium, Arthur Abeels, husband of Clementine and father of Roger and Janine "Jenny", made his home a safe house for downed American airmen Staff Sgt. Gerald "Jerry" E Sorensen and TSgt. Bernard "Mac" McManaman.
Roger was a member of the Secret Army, a Belgium resistance group. Arthur was president of the Ganshoren, Belgium veterans association.
On 20 Mar 1944, the B-24 Liberator "Baby Shoes" had been shot down after a bombing run over Germany. On 1 May 1944, the B-17 bomber on which Jerry Sorenson was a turret gunner was shot down after a bombing run over the railway yard at Metz, Germany. Both men had been found by the Belgium resistance and were being secreted through a series of safe houses on their way to an expected escape to neutral Switzerland. On 31 May 1944, Mac was delivered to the Abeels home followed the next day by Jerry.
Jerry, Mac and Roger Abeels became fast friends. The two rescued aviators were treated as family by the Abeels. They called Clementine Abeels "Mama" and Jerry Sorensen told her he hoped to stay with the family until the war was over.
Rather than continue to flee Belgium, Mac and Jerry decided to stay and fight in the Secret Army.
By September, the German Army was in full retreat, hindered at every step by the Secret Army. On September 3, Roger, McManaman, Sorensen and others were headed by bicycle to Marcq-les-Enghien to harass the Germans as they passed through the village. Roger and Jerry had to stop to fix a bicycle while the others continued on. Hearing what they thought was a single German vehicle, they took cover and opened fire. That vehicle, however, was the head vehicle of a retreating German column. Outnumbered and under heavy fire, they took cover in a rabbit hutch but were discovered. In the ensuing firefight, both were killed by a grenade. One half hour later an American column arrived on its way to liberate Brussels. McManaman, already in Marcq-les-Enghien, joined the American column and rode the tanks into Brussels engaging the straggling Germans on the way. Mac returned to Ganshoren the following day to learn of the deaths of Jerry and Roger.
The bodies of Jerry and Roger were found by the British Army and recovered by Arthur Abeels. They were buried side by side, with honors, in a communal ceremony at the old Ganshoren cemetery.
In 1947, during a visit to Ganshoren by Jerry's wife, Nora, the city organized a memorial service in honor of Roger and Jerry, and the city named a street after each man.
Roger was a member of the Secret Army, a Belgium resistance group. Arthur was president of the Ganshoren, Belgium veterans association.
On 20 Mar 1944, the B-24 Liberator "Baby Shoes" had been shot down after a bombing run over Germany. On 1 May 1944, the B-17 bomber on which Jerry Sorenson was a turret gunner was shot down after a bombing run over the railway yard at Metz, Germany. Both men had been found by the Belgium resistance and were being secreted through a series of safe houses on their way to an expected escape to neutral Switzerland. On 31 May 1944, Mac was delivered to the Abeels home followed the next day by Jerry.
Jerry, Mac and Roger Abeels became fast friends. The two rescued aviators were treated as family by the Abeels. They called Clementine Abeels "Mama" and Jerry Sorensen told her he hoped to stay with the family until the war was over.
Rather than continue to flee Belgium, Mac and Jerry decided to stay and fight in the Secret Army.
By September, the German Army was in full retreat, hindered at every step by the Secret Army. On September 3, Roger, McManaman, Sorensen and others were headed by bicycle to Marcq-les-Enghien to harass the Germans as they passed through the village. Roger and Jerry had to stop to fix a bicycle while the others continued on. Hearing what they thought was a single German vehicle, they took cover and opened fire. That vehicle, however, was the head vehicle of a retreating German column. Outnumbered and under heavy fire, they took cover in a rabbit hutch but were discovered. In the ensuing firefight, both were killed by a grenade. One half hour later an American column arrived on its way to liberate Brussels. McManaman, already in Marcq-les-Enghien, joined the American column and rode the tanks into Brussels engaging the straggling Germans on the way. Mac returned to Ganshoren the following day to learn of the deaths of Jerry and Roger.
The bodies of Jerry and Roger were found by the British Army and recovered by Arthur Abeels. They were buried side by side, with honors, in a communal ceremony at the old Ganshoren cemetery.
In 1947, during a visit to Ganshoren by Jerry's wife, Nora, the city organized a memorial service in honor of Roger and Jerry, and the city named a street after each man.
During World War Two, in German occupied Belgium, Arthur Abeels, husband of Clementine and father of Roger and Janine "Jenny", made his home a safe house for downed American airmen Staff Sgt. Gerald "Jerry" E Sorensen and TSgt. Bernard "Mac" McManaman.
Roger was a member of the Secret Army, a Belgium resistance group. Arthur was president of the Ganshoren, Belgium veterans association.
On 20 Mar 1944, the B-24 Liberator "Baby Shoes" had been shot down after a bombing run over Germany. On 1 May 1944, the B-17 bomber on which Jerry Sorenson was a turret gunner was shot down after a bombing run over the railway yard at Metz, Germany. Both men had been found by the Belgium resistance and were being secreted through a series of safe houses on their way to an expected escape to neutral Switzerland. On 31 May 1944, Mac was delivered to the Abeels home followed the next day by Jerry.
Jerry, Mac and Roger Abeels became fast friends. The two rescued aviators were treated as family by the Abeels. They called Clementine Abeels "Mama" and Jerry Sorensen told her he hoped to stay with the family until the war was over.
Rather than continue to flee Belgium, Mac and Jerry decided to stay and fight in the Secret Army.
By September, the German Army was in full retreat, hindered at every step by the Secret Army. On September 3, Roger, McManaman, Sorensen and others were headed by bicycle to Marcq-les-Enghien to harass the Germans as they passed through the village. Roger and Jerry had to stop to fix a bicycle while the others continued on. Hearing what they thought was a single German vehicle, they took cover and opened fire. That vehicle, however, was the head vehicle of a retreating German column. Outnumbered and under heavy fire, they took cover in a rabbit hutch but were discovered. In the ensuing firefight, both were killed by a grenade. One half hour later an American column arrived on its way to liberate Brussels. McManaman, already in Marcq-les-Enghien, joined the American column and rode the tanks into Brussels engaging the straggling Germans on the way. Mac returned to Ganshoren the following day to learn of the deaths of Jerry and Roger.
The bodies of Jerry and Roger were found by the British Army and recovered by Arthur Abeels. They were buried side by side, with honors, in a communal ceremony at the old Ganshoren cemetery.
In 1947, during a visit to Ganshoren by Jerry's wife, Nora, the city organized a memorial service in honor of Roger and Jerry, and the city named a street after each man.
Roger was a member of the Secret Army, a Belgium resistance group. Arthur was president of the Ganshoren, Belgium veterans association.
On 20 Mar 1944, the B-24 Liberator "Baby Shoes" had been shot down after a bombing run over Germany. On 1 May 1944, the B-17 bomber on which Jerry Sorenson was a turret gunner was shot down after a bombing run over the railway yard at Metz, Germany. Both men had been found by the Belgium resistance and were being secreted through a series of safe houses on their way to an expected escape to neutral Switzerland. On 31 May 1944, Mac was delivered to the Abeels home followed the next day by Jerry.
Jerry, Mac and Roger Abeels became fast friends. The two rescued aviators were treated as family by the Abeels. They called Clementine Abeels "Mama" and Jerry Sorensen told her he hoped to stay with the family until the war was over.
Rather than continue to flee Belgium, Mac and Jerry decided to stay and fight in the Secret Army.
By September, the German Army was in full retreat, hindered at every step by the Secret Army. On September 3, Roger, McManaman, Sorensen and others were headed by bicycle to Marcq-les-Enghien to harass the Germans as they passed through the village. Roger and Jerry had to stop to fix a bicycle while the others continued on. Hearing what they thought was a single German vehicle, they took cover and opened fire. That vehicle, however, was the head vehicle of a retreating German column. Outnumbered and under heavy fire, they took cover in a rabbit hutch but were discovered. In the ensuing firefight, both were killed by a grenade. One half hour later an American column arrived on its way to liberate Brussels. McManaman, already in Marcq-les-Enghien, joined the American column and rode the tanks into Brussels engaging the straggling Germans on the way. Mac returned to Ganshoren the following day to learn of the deaths of Jerry and Roger.
The bodies of Jerry and Roger were found by the British Army and recovered by Arthur Abeels. They were buried side by side, with honors, in a communal ceremony at the old Ganshoren cemetery.
In 1947, during a visit to Ganshoren by Jerry's wife, Nora, the city organized a memorial service in honor of Roger and Jerry, and the city named a street after each man.
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