A Mother's Love

In December 1944 during the opening phase of the "Battle of the Bulge," 82nd Airborne Paratrooper Lt. Thomas L. Rockwell gave his life while attempting to halt the overwhelming German offensive in Belgium. In 1946, 17 months following the loss of her only son, Mildred Rockwell traveled from Pennsylvania to ravaged and war torn Belgium to visit the place where her beloved son fought and died.* Her son Thomas now rests Honored in Glory in Belgium. He is buried in the American Military Cemetery at Henri Chapelle with 7,988 other American sons. While on this pilgrimage to Belgium, Mrs. Rockwell also visited the Warlet family who had adopted Thomas' grave site. This voluntary gesture by many Belgian families was made to pay tribute to the sacrifice made by the United States of America to free their small nation from nearly five years of German occupation. *Quite an undertaking in 1946.