A new monument to American soldiers was unveiled in Kepelský Zhůří - June 5, 2022

On Sunday, June 5, 2022, a new form of the memorial dedicated to the American 90th Infantry Division and the memory of the ten American soldiers who perished in the battle with the Nazis on May 5, 1945 was unveiled at (Kepelský) Zhůří.

The monument symbolizes the journey of American soldiers of the "90s" of Patton's Third Army from the landing on Utah Beach in Normandy, through France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany to the west of Bohemia.

The emblem of the 90th Infantry Division consists of the letters T and horizontal O - "Tough ´Ombres", Tough guys.
An estimated 700 people from the region and further afield attended the event, which took place the day before the commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the landing.

The creation of the new monument was initiated by the Pilsen researcher and publicist Zdeněk Roučka together with the mayor of Hartmanice Pavel Valdman.

The monument on Zhůří was unveiled by representatives of the American Embassy together with Klatov Mayor Rudolf Salvetro and Hartmanic Mayor Valdman. The Pilsen region participated in the creation of the monument together with the towns and villages of Čachrov, Domažlice, Hartmanice, Horažďovice, Kašperské Hory, Klatovy, Kvilda, Prášily, Sušice, Železná Ruda.

On Sunday, June 5, there was no shortage of historical military equipment, including a pair of M8 wheeled armored vehicles. It was this technique that played an important role in the bloody battle on May 5, 1945. Honorable salvos were fired from the tanks' guns.

Official poster for the event (click to enlarge):

Photo: Marie Valdmanová