The Artifacts & Death Site of the 101st Airborne's Mad Major | American Artifact Episode 120
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- Опубликовано: 12 мар 2024
- John Stopka, who was nicknamed the "Mad Major", was one of the legends of the 101st Airborne. Unfortunately, after fighting in Normandy and Holland, this legend would die a tragic and unfortunate death at the end of the Battle of the Bulge. In this episode, we are going to the site where John Stopka was killed along with a few artifacts that were recovered from the site years after the war.
Learn more on the work of Reg Jans, visit regjans.com.
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory...
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What a shame that this happened after all he went through to get to that point 😢 Thanks for remembering him.
I just saw a youtube video about the last air raid of WW2 and this small group of P-51 pilots were returning to home base after a strafing run over Japan. They wound up in a cloud bank and coming out of it, one of the planes was gone, possibly from flak. They get back and find out the Japanese surrendered three hours earlier. This was recounted by the lost pilot’s squad leader and best friend. Now, that is a tough pill, yes?
Love hearing about military history, I’m a Vietnam Veteran disabled and find it all interesting. Thanks
Thank you for your service & I truly mean it. My mother is a veteran. I have three sons, my youngest being 19. He's thinking about joining the Army or Air force
Thank you and thanks to your family for their service.
Thank you for your service, Sir. God bless you!’🇺🇸👏💯🫡
God bless you brother thanks for your service and your sacrifice!!✌️🇺🇲
Rangerbull, thank you for your service and welcome home.
As a veteran, I am moved by these stories. It is so sad to see their belongings, items that so long ago were there as part of the tragedy.
As always, I appreciate what you guys do. By making these videos, you are keeping these brave men memories alive.
Belongings are in a museum but if they have a name I would think the items would be returned to a family member.
Thank you for your service 🙏
@ddandthegirls It was an honor to have served. Like me, there are thousands of veterans out there who honor the memory of the fallen and are humbled by their selfless sacrifices, with honor, duty, and heroism.
What a tragic end, to have gone through all them major battles and to die from so called friendly fire how heartbreaking ❤️🩹
I just love the content of this channel it’s by far the best military history channel out there, thanks JD and all who make it possible
Great stuff JD, as always. In Poland we also have stories about our crazy major, what the Germans called him. This is Major Henryk Dobrzanski "HUBAL". I recommend reading its history, there is even a movie about it on RUclips HUBAL. Just to mention briefly, after the defeat of the Polish troops in September 1939, the major did not support the order to disband the unit and, together with his subordinates, created a "separate unit of the Polish army". Continued the fight against the occupier with the support of the local civilian population. The Germans had a lot of problems with him, so when they finally managed to kill him in an ambush, they took his body and hid it in unknown place because they were so afraid of the legend about the major. A great figure and hero in our country. I recommend reading the story of this Polish army officer.
Very cool. Had to be a hell of a man to be feared even when he's dead
@@1CUR5ED9 yeah You right about that. Germans was so afraid of him. Great person, if you have a chance to read about him just do it. There is much more about him.
Thanks for this JD. I looked up Maj. Stopka's medals: Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, & Purple Heart. His DSC Citation is available on the Military Times Hall of Valor site.
It is incredibly moving for me every time You return artifacts to their battlefield resting places. It's hard to describe the emotional impact this has on me. It is somehow far more profound than the mere sum of it's parts taken separately! Thank you JD and Erik for all that you do and God bless !:-) 🙏💜⚡
It’s a good day when these guys post.
January loosing those soldiers to friendly fire is a sad end. Thank you Erik for bringing those artifacts to where the lieutenant colonel or Major lost his life to friendly fire. By the bombing. Thanks for sharing this history.
💯👍👊
As an Australian I thank you for your videos I enjoy WW2 history both from the US , Commonwealth and the entire allies from the Eto the PTO and the dessert theatre of operations and Asia it brings how it was in those times and how the greatest generation gave it their all in the name of freedom .
Australia does not get enough credit for their contribution in WW2. The fighting in New Guinea was just as important as the campaign in Guadalcanal.
The thousands of stories that we will never know is astounding. But at least we have this one among so many others. Both good and bad. Or far worse. War is hell. I'm glad that these heroes are still remembered. God bless all of our veterans. 💯❤️🇺🇸
My uncle was in the 502. He is creditted for capturing Dr. Robert Ley.
I keep coming back to listen to the stories it also a moment to remember my dad.
Thank you for your dedication to research! I am fascinated with finding information on anything to do with the 101st Airborne, as my adoptive grandfather was in one of the glider units during WWII. He died long before I was born, so I never fully got to hear his story, but I do know he was captured and spent time as a POW in Japan. Again, thank you so much. Listening to the stories of others helps paint a clearer picture of what my grandfather may have experienced, the good and the bad.
This was brilliant to watch. As a former member of the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division I am steeped in the lore of Major Stopka, and many others of that unit. I never knew the true facts surrounding his demise however. Thanks for telling the true story and walking the actual ground upon which he walked. So many stories I have heard about friendly fire incidents such as this are sad, but are the facts f war. These events still happen today as many can attest.
All deaths are sad but when those deaths are caused by friendly fire, well that just takes it to a whole new level. Great job as always. Loving the WW2 history!
Another thing to look for in my next visit to your museum coming up in June. To anyone planning a trip to Gettysburg make sure to give Eric’s museum a visit. He has some amazing artifacts in his collection.
Thank you for this great story. May history buffs like you keep this battle fresh in our memories. May the following generations never forget. How is your son Eric?
War can be so random. Survival is often just a matter of chance.
To have survived all those battles only to get killed by friendly fire. Probably happened more than I like to think about. Rest in peace.
Having lunch out working in the country. Loved this episode. You have some great friends JD
Very moving. It's always sad to see how close these brave men were to surviving the war only to be struck down in a tragic accident.
My grandpa was at The Battle, his recounting of events were amazing and terrifying.
Man all i can say is the 101st and easy company 506th were a tough group of men i have tons of respect for those men and all they went through and experienced
My Dad was in the 47th AFA, part of the 5th Armored. They lost men to a friendly fire incident. Bombed by Allied aircraft. They even had identification panels out. Later, their attached AA battery, quad mounted .50. cal on halftracks, shot down a British Spitfire. He didn't acknowledge recognition signals and they downed him. Got to the crash, pilot survived it and they helped him out. First thing he said was, "Good shooting Yanks!"
Incredible story and touching to see the spot where it all happened.
I’ll be in Gettysburg in April and look forward to seeing these items
Had an uncle who served with the 200th field artillery battery. A non assigned federalized 155 millimeter artillery unit that went where needed to provide artillery support. One day despite having their flags and other identification criteria fully displayed they were attacked by a P47. After the first pass by the P47 they were ordered to return fire if the P47 made a second pass which it did and so the quad 50's opened up on it, hit it and sent it crashing down in the woods. When they went down to look at it they discovered that it had been flown not by some green first or second lt. but rather by a USAAF full colonel who was dead when they found him.
As an army vet I appreciate these videos. I will be in Bastogne in September this year. I was an MP in Berlin 1975 at Check Point Charlie.
I saw Check Point Charlie in December 1973, quite an experience late at night.
Another interesting and informative video. Thanks for doing this for us to see and learn!
Keep it up. We can’t forget this.
Love the channel. Thanks
Another great episode JD
Fabulous effort. Lest We Forget.
JD and Eric, Job well done. Thank you!
great history lesson again
Well done, once again…..Thank you, Andrew
Thx, JD
respect all vets thanks
Thanks JD
Really enjoyed the video mate can't wait for the next one
Thanks JD...
Great video JD fantastic piece of history Thank you sir
Looking good out there Eric
Crazy how he survived those battles only to die in friendly fire. I could only imagine how that pilot felt after learning he bombed friendly troops.
Thanks JD epic video keep up the good work JD
when did the relics digged out? 30 yrs ago? thx
Thank You for covering this. SGT. M.E. OSWALD A Co. 2/502 INF, 101st ABN 81 & 82
I had a great uncle who was killed in Normandy on D-Day +3. I did an Internet search with his info, and was able to find the actual after battle report. He was mistakenly killed by friendly artillery fire. His framed Army portrait is on the list of things I will keep after my parents pass on. He will be honored, at least as long as I'm alive.
Thank you
Be safe have a good weekend JD
Is it just me or did that fella talk fast!? History is so interesting to me.
Devastating that our men were killed by friendly fire
I was wondering: were there any repercussions when an incident like this occured?
Love these videos, I have been to a few of the major battlefields in France and Germany but there is no way I can get to all you have shown us. Appreciate the knowledge and artifacts that Erick contributes but the ball cap he wears has gotta go LOL.
Could you do a video covering “The Great Locomotive Chase”? It was a civil war raid that happened on April 12, 1862 in northern Georgie.
It's a bit of an irony to have been killed by friendly fire after all the hell he'd been through. One can only speculate what he might've done had he lived!!
Rest in Peace, sir!! Enjoy your time with The Father in Heaven, sir!!
MARANATHA,!!! HOOAH!!?
I'm curious as to what type of aircraft or squadron dropped the 500 lb bomb and how many more bombs were dropped. And the total of kia.
Reg said that there were dozens of killed and wounded. Eric said that it was a P47 that dropped the bomb.
Respect!
I bet those pilots had nightmares about this 😢
I’m new to your channel. Have you been to hunedoara castle ? I know this is a bit late but he was a paranormal and occult well I would say amateur. I can never find much true information about the pit and Hitler and what they really were after . Did they lower people down like the ones before them ? Did he find something that truly scared him or may he have found something he couldn’t handle . They can show us all the weird documentaries about that Hitler wanted to harness supernatural power. But why did they even go that route
You can only hope the poor souls that dropped those bombs never knew that happened.
If you can point me in the right direction to find out what the 210th MP company did i know they were involved in D Day but not much after that my grandfather who i never got to meet served in it he was a private but his records got destroyed in a fire so my aunt and i have been trying to find out more about what he may have been part of he named her after his best friend who was killed
THE GREATEST GENERATION
is that @ the bois jacques monument
Dang. The irony.
Lest we forget
Man how often are you in France?
Not as often as it seems. I just film a lot when I’m there.
Can u tell me weather you have a active Facebook please
It's a shame all the battlefield deaths by friendly fire. It just shows you how desperate things were at this stage of the war. Young soldiers and inexperience pilots making critical mistakes.
😊all lives matter,past present, future. 🎉
How many men killed by friendly fire…😔
Boy I gotta tell ya I'm no big fan of all this WWII memorabilia, I just have a passing fancy of war films and mostly documentaries; I gotta admit I've listened to a ton of stories about "friendly fire" incidents taking place in Europe, post D-Day. I mean a ton. See I'm just coming across these and not looking for them, but Damn!, those P-47 pilots had to be drunk after hearing all the tales of them either strafing or bombing friendly troops. Now of course I expect if someone were to do an exploratory inventory of these incidents they'd find there was no significant number of them more than in any other theater. I'm just saying!?! It seems odd or strands out, To Me.
More good content from JD..thanks.
LOL! 😃