Army Public Affairs (press release)
April 25 2005
Events at Arlington, Russian Embassy mark WWII `handshake’ at Elbe
By Eric Cramer
Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Yuri Ushakov (right) congratulates
World War II veteran Pvt. Bernard Cohn who served with the 89th
Infantry Division and met Russian troops at the Elbe River 60 years
ago. The ambassador pinned a medal on Cohn commemorating the 60th
anniversary of the historic “handshake” of forces.
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WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 25, 2005) – Dignitaries from
several countries met April 25 at Arlington National Cemetery to
commemorate the 60th anniversary of the meeting of U.S. troops with
units from the Soviet army during World War II.
A reception at the Russian Embassy followed the multiple
wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington.
Officials from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia,
Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Russia laid wreaths
in the national cemetery at a special marker which honors the
veterans of the Elbe linkup.
At the Russian Embassy, Yuri V. Ushakov, Russian ambassador to the
United States, said the day’s events held a special significance for
both countries.
`It marked the end of their difficult journey begun on the banks of
the Volga and the beaches at Normandy,’ he said. `This became a
symbol of our brotherhood in arms against a common enemy.’
Ushakov said his country continues to be a partner with the United
States in meeting the world’s terrorist threat.
`The Elbe linkup anniversary is just one of many events commemorating
the 60th anniversary of the victory, which will culminate with the
ceremony May 9 in Moscow celebrating the victory in the Great
Patriotic War,’ Ushakov said.
The ambassador presented those present with a joint statement from
the presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States saying
in part `Our nations will always remember the handshake that made
history at the Elbe, which became one of the most vivid symbols that
our countries were comrades-in-arms fighting together against Nazi
tyranny, oppression and aggression.’ The complete text of the
statement is available at
He then presented a medal commemorating the Elbe linkup to 28 former
Soviet soldiers who were there, and several American veterans who
also attended the event.
Among the Americans was Ralph George, who was a second lieutenant
with the 9th Infantry Division when the Soviet and American troops
merged. George went on to a distinguished military career, and his
service included working as the Russian liaison officer in Austria, a
time as commandant of the Spandau Prison, which housed Nazi war
criminals in the years after the war.
`I’m very honored to be recognized all these years later,’ he said.
`It’s something I didn’t expect.’
Another American veteran, Bernard Cohn, was a company `runner,’ with
the 84th Infantry Division at the time of the linkup.
`I was with Company G, of the 335th Infantry Battalion,’ he said.
`When I landed in England in September of 1944, the regiment put out
a call for mining and demolition school and went through that. I was
a mine detector during the Battle of the Bulge.’
Cohn said he is looking forward to attending the Moscow victory
celebration in May.
`I have my ticket right here, and I leave on May 6,’ he said. `This
event, the whole thing was exciting and I’m really looking forward to
that.’
Cohn still participates in the military, as a member of the Coast
Guard Auxiliary, and appeared at the Arlington and Embassy events in
full uniform. Although his uniform displayed numerous decorations and
the Combat Infantry Badge, `I wasn’t a hero in World War II,’ he
said.
Events at the embassy included a performance by children from the
embassy’s school, who sang `Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition,’
a song popular in World War II. The Russian Army’s Alexander Men’s
Chorus also performed a medley of Russian songs.