My dad Lynn Aas was a Private 1st Class in the (little known) 17th Airborne Division, 193D GIR (Glider Infantry Regiment). When he walked into the Battle of the Bulge carrying a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) on December 25, 1944, there were 55 guys in his platoon. Fourty-five days later when they walked off the front lines he was one of only 5 guys left. The rest were either killed, injured, or had frozen feet.
On March 24, 1945, he rode in a glider over the Rhine near Wesel, Germany in Operation Varsity. He ended up with a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. At age 94 he is still active and lives on Otter Tail (MN) lake in the summer and in Minot ND the rest of the year.
In March of this year we went back with him to Bastogne for a 70th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of the Buldge. Attached is a photo of my siblings and I with him in front of the field where he landed in a glider exactly 70 years earlier, to the hour.
We are really proud of him and I love telling his story to anyone who will listen.
Dan Aas (pronounced like OZ)
Eden Priaire, MN
PS, I moved here from Fargo in June of 1987, and have been a loyal listener ever since.
