During the December 18th meeting of the Lancaster County Chiefs of Police Association at the Four Seasons Golf Course a guest speaker drew the attention of members and guests alike with his riveting story of courage, perseverance, and his desire to remind all of us of the sacrifices made by veterans.

Harold Billow, age 97, and a resident of Mount Joy stood in front of the group in his army uniform and told the story of his escape from untold savagery at the hands of Nazi forces during the liberation of Europe.

The date was Dec. 17, 1944 — one day into Operation Watch on the Rhine, a surprise German offensive through the Ardennes Forest more commonly known as The Battle of the Bulge. That afternoon, Billow was an Army corporal riding in a truck near the end of a 26-vehicle convoy that was carrying soldiers of the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion through Baugnez on their way to the strategic crossroads of St. Vith.

The Malmedy massacre was a war crime committed by members of Kampfgruppe Peiper (part of the 1st SS Panzer Division), a German combat unit led by Joachim Peiper, at Baugnez crossroads. According to numerous eyewitness accounts, 84 American prisoners of war were massacred by their German captors: the prisoners were assembled in a field and shot with machine guns.

Prior to the breakfast meeting Corporal Billow had a busy schedule leading up to the 75th anniversary of the tragic historic milestone. Corporal Billow met with President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Michael Pence, and Governor Tom Wolf. Following the Wednesday morning breakfast meeting Corporal Billow was surrounded by Lancaster County Police Chiefs, Police Supervisors, and other members of the Lancaster County law enforcement community for an opportunity to have meet with a living reminder of history and what freedoms we all enjoy during this joyous holiday season.