“She could say thank you every day for the rest of her life, but it would never be enough. For her, liberation was a very personal thing.”

This week, we speak with Alan Amelinckx, Program Manager of Interpretation and Education with the U.S. National Park Service at Springfield Armory National Historic Site and Coltsville National Historical Park. 

Alan shares how his childhood in France, hearing his father’s stories of German occupation, shaped his own service and career path. After serving as a Medical Sergeant with the US Army, including a deployment in Iraq, he spent nearly a decade with the American Battle Monuments Commission, managing military cemeteries overseas in France and Belgium. Once he returned stateside, he worked for the National Cemetery Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, before joining the National Park Service. 

In this episode:
– Hear how descendants of World War II B-17 airmen uncovered a surprising connection after 30 years of friendship
– Learn about the unique architectural differences between World War I and World War II sites
– Reflect on how evolving technology can bridge the gap between generations and continents, allowing veterans and their families a chance to commemorate from afar