Nneɛma a Mekae sɛ Sraadi Abakɔsɛm Kyerɛwfo

Na ɛda no yɛ August 25, 1944. Beae no: Paris, France. Bere a yɛn jip no nam Champs Élysées kwan a ɛtrɛw no so no, na ɛsɛ sɛ yesi fam mpɛn pii kohintaw apon akyi bere a Nasifo atuo aboba nenam borɔn no so no.

SAA da no na wofii ase gyee Paris fii Hitler asraafo nsam wɔ Wiase Ko II no mu, na na meka Amerikafo a wodii kan hyɛn kurow no mu no ho. Fransefo mmarima ne mmea a wɔn ani agye tuu yuu baa mmɔnten so bɛmaa yɛn akwaaba sɛ wɔn nkwagyefo. Yɛdaa ahɔhodan fɛfɛ bi a Germanfo asraafo de ahopere tu fii mu saa da no ara anɔpa mu.

Ná mewɔ Europa sɛ asraafo abakɔsɛm akyerɛwfo a wɔkyerɛw U.S. Asraafo Kuw a Ɛto so Abiɛsa a ɔsahene George S. Patton Jr. ne wɔn panyin no akodi ho nsɛm no mu biako.

Nsemmisa a Ɔko no ma Ɛsɔree

Aka nna kakraa bi ma yɛahyɛn Paris no, yɛde yɛn kar no kɔfaa akwan hihiaa bi a na woyiyii Germanfo sraadi mfiri a ahyew fii so nkyɛe no so. Yegyina homee wɔ beae bi a wɔabɔ ho ban wɔ kwae a U. S. asraafo ko fae nkyɛe no mu. Na German asraafo afunu a akyinkyim atetew atu apete hɔ. Na wɔakyerɛw wɔn bɛlt so sɛ, “Onyankopɔn wɔ yɛn afã.” Nanso, na German sraani bi akyerɛw adesrɛde bi agu ɔfasu bi a ɛbɛn hɔ ho sɛ, “Ɔkannifo [Hitler], boa yɛn!”

Saa nsɛm abien no kaa m’adwenem. Nasi nniso no kyerɛe sɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ wɔn afã, nanso ɔsraani no srɛɛ nkwagye maa sodifo Hitler. Mihui sɛ ɛnyɛ Germanfo nkutoo na wɔyɛ saa. Ná afanu a wodi ako a ɛyɛ hu no nyinaa yɛ saa. Enti mibisae sɛ, ‘So Onyankopɔn gyina ɔman bi akyi wɔ akodi mu? Nea ɛwɔ he na Onyankopɔn gyina n’afã?’

ƆKo Ahorow ne Ɔko ho Kɔkɔbɔ Ahorow

Wɔwoo me Butte, Montana, wɔ 1917 mu, afe a Amerikafo de wɔn ho hyɛɛ wiase nyinaa ko a edi kan no mu. Bere a miwiee sukuu wɔ adesuabea bi a ɛnyɛ aban de mu wɔ 1936 mu no, mekɔɔ Stanford Sukuupɔn wɔ California. Nanso, mihui sɛ anigye nni afe a edi kan adesua no mu, sɛ mede toto nsɛm a emu yɛ hyew a na ɛrekɔ so wiase nyinaa no ho a. Na Japan ako afa China, Mussolini adi Ethiopia so, na na Spain Ɔmanko no rekɔ so. Ná Nasifo, Fasistfo ne Komunistfo resɔ wɔn akode ne wɔn nhyehyɛe ahorow ahwɛ wɔ saa ɔko no mu de asiesie wɔn ho ama Wiase Ko II, na Amanaman Apam no antumi anyɛ ho hwee.

Afe biako akyi no, migyaee kɔlege adesua no, na me papa penee so sɛ memfa sika a wɔde hwɛ me sukuu a aka no ntu kwan nkɔ Europa ne Afrika. Mede Germanfo po so hyɛn Deutschland twaa Atlantic Po no wɔ 1938 twabere mu, na me ne po so hyɛn no mu Germanfo asraafo mmerante bi de bere tenten gyee ahoɔden a Hitler Germany ne Britania ne Fransefo ahemman no asraafo wɔ ho akyinnye. Wɔ Paris no nkurɔfo kaa Hitler ahunahuna, n’ahohoahoa, ne ne bɔhyɛ ahorow a ɔdaa no adi nkyɛe no ho asɛm, nanso na wɔbɔ wɔn bra sɛnea wɔyɛ daa no. Bere a mekɔɔ Tangier, wɔ Afrika no, na mitumi te ɔko mu nnyigyei wɔ Spain a na ɔmanko asi hɔ no wɔ Strait of Gibraltar no akyi pɛɛ wɔ bere ne bere mu.

Bere a mesan baa United States wɔ 1939 mu no, mihuu yɛn mmere no ho kɔkɔbɔ ahorow. Bere a Japanfo bɛtow hyɛɛ Pearl Harbor so wɔ December 1941 mu no, ɛmaa United States de ne ho hyɛɛ Wiase Ko II mu, mede me ho kɔdɔm Army Transport Service sɛ obi a ɔnyɛ ɔsraani. Bere a na mewɔ Alaska wɔ 1942 mu no, me nsa kaa nkra fii kuw a wɔpaw nnipa ma sraadi wɔ ɔhyɛ so no hɔ.

Britania Supɔw no so Kɔ

Bere a mebaa fie nsrahwɛ akyi no, wɔyɛɛ me ɔsraani na midii afe wɔ United States. Afei wɔde me kɔɔ England, na yɛn po so ahyɛn kuw no tuu wɔ United States Apuei Fam Mpoano wɔ 1944 fefɛw bere mu. Minyaa akodi mu kyɛfa nea edi kan wɔ Atlantic Atifi Fam bere a Germanfo po ase akohyɛn maa po so hyɛn a edi yɛn de no akyi no bɔe no. Yɛn po so ahyɛn kuw no ntam tetewee, na efi hɔ rekɔ Liverpool no, yɛn po so ahyɛn no mu biara faa ne kwan.

Bere a na yɛretwɛn yɛn dwumadi wɔ asraafo atrae wɔ England no, wɔmaa asraafo no hyiaam tiee ɔkasa bi a asraafo sɔfo bi mae. Ná ɛhaw me sɛ asraafo asɔfo hyɛ nnipa ma wɔko tia wɔn ankasa nyamesom mufo a wonni wɔn afã no, nanso bere biara wɔkyerɛe sɛ Onyankopɔn gyina wɔn akyi wɔ ɔko no mu. Ɛda adi pefee sɛ afanu no nyinaa ntumi nnya Onyankopɔn mmoa.

Ebeduu fefɛw bere mu wɔ 1944 mu no, na Amerika ne Britania asraafo ne akode akyere so wɔ Britania Supɔw no so. Ɔsahene Patton (ase hɔ) , a na akokoduru akwan a ɔfaa so wɔ Sicily ne Afrika Atifi Fam akodi no mu ama wagye din no, maa ɔkasa ntiantiaa a ɛkanyan nkate a ɛmaa asraafo no huu nea enti a wɔwɔ hɔ no pefee​—sɛ́ wɔde akode biara a wɔwɔ bekum atamfo no dodow a wobetumi kosi sɛ wobedi nkonim. Ná Patton te sɛ nnɛ bere yi mu ɔkofo bi: ɔware, wamia akode na ɔhyɛ dade akokyɛw ne akotade a edi mũ​—nsoromma ne abasobɔde ahorow bobɔ n’akotade mu. Ná ɔyɛ obi a ɔhyɛ nkurɔfo ma wɔyɛ ade, ɔka kasafĩ, na ɔpɛ nyamesom​—na ɔbɔ mpae ansa na wadi ako.

Wɔ Patton January 1, 1944 “Asraafo Mpaebɔ” mu no, ɔsrɛe sɛ: “Yɛn agyanom Nyankopɔn a wafa asase ne po so ama yɛadi nkonim bere nyinaa no, yɛsrɛ sɛ kɔ so ma yɛn akwankyerɛ a ɛhyɛ nkuran wɔ yɛn akodi kɛse a ɛsen biara yi mu. . . . Awurade, ma yenni nkonim.”

Europa Ntua

June 6, 1944 no, Aman a woboom ko tiaa Germany no asraafo de po so akohyɛn a ɛdɔɔso sen biara a na wiase no ahu pɛn twaa English Channel no kɔɔ Normandy mpoano bere a na Germanfo asraafo him atuo gu wɔn so no. Na mpoano hɔ akyere so ara bere a Third Army beduu hɔ wɔ nna 30 akyi no. Yɛdedaa amoa mu anadwo no bere a Germanfo wim akohyɛn totow atopae pii guguu hɔ no.

July 25 no, Aman a woboom ko tiaa Germany no asraafo no fi mpoano hɔ kokɔɔ wɔn anim, na dapɛn akyi no, yɛn Third Army no ko kɔɔ anim koduu Brittany Peninsula no so. Afei yɛkɔfaa Germanfo asraafo a wɔreguan mu koduu Seine River a ɛbɛn Paris no ho. Eduu September no, na Patton ntwitwiridii ne n’asraafo no ako adu France apuei fam tɔnn, wɔ nnɛyi abakɔsɛm mu akodi a ɛyɛ nwonwa sen biara no mu biako akyi. Yɛde anigye bɔɔ ose sɛ ɔko no abɛn n’awiei.

Nanso, anidaso a ɛte saa biara tu yerae bere a mpofirim no wɔdan nneɛma ne asraafo no mu dodow no ara maa Britaniafo Sahene Montgomery asraafo no wɔ atifi fam no. Wɔkɔtow hyɛɛ Germanfo asraafo so wɔ hɔ wɔ Holland. Nanso asiane bi bae bere a wim asraafo kuw bi anhu na wɔkɔtɔɔ Germanfo asraafo akuw abien a wɔyɛ den mu na wokunkum wɔn no. Na Aman a woboom ko tiaa Germany no asraafo a wɔkae no antumi anko ankɔ wɔn anim bio, na ntua no anyɛ yiye.

Bulge Ɔsa No

Hitler ne n’asahene de hokwan yi boaboaa wɔn ho ano faa asraafo afoforo na wɔboaboaa ntwitwiridii bebree ano wɔ kokoam wɔ baabi a na U.S. asraafo nnɔɔso no. Nasifo ntua yi a wɔtoo din sɛ Bulge Ɔsa no, fii ase December 16 anadwo bere a na amununkum kabii bi asi no. Ná ntua no atirimpɔw ne sɛ ɛbɛma Germanfo asraafo afa atamfo no mu akosi Atifi Fam Po no ho, na akyɛ Aman a woboom ko tiaa Germany no asraafo no mu abien, na wɔako afa wɔn po so hyɛn gyinabea titiriw a wɔde nneɛma fa hɔ brɛ wɔn no.

German asraafo no faa atamfo no mu na ankyɛ na wɔkaa Amerika asraafo a na wɔwɔ Bastogne no hyɛɛ mu. Third Army a Ɔsahene Patton tua ano no san wɔn akyi ntɛmntɛm, na bere a yɛnantew twaa kwan tenteenten akyi no, awiei koraa no yebedui, na yɛtow hyɛɛ Germanfo asraafo no so. Nanso, esiane amununkum kabii ne osu a ɛtɔe bɛyɛ dapɛn biako nti, yɛantumi amfa wim akohyɛn anko.

Patton Mpaebɔ

December 22 no, biribi sii a ɛkaa sɛnea na midwen honhom fam nneɛma ho no kɛse. Adapɛn kakra a na atwam no, Ɔsahene Patton maa n’asraafo no sɔfo panyin yɛɛ mpaebɔ nkrataa a na wɔde bedi dwuma akyiri yi wɔ Germanfo Siegfried mpasua a ɛtrɛw kɔ Rhine Asubɔnten atɔe fam no so. Nanso afei Patton ma wɔkyekyɛɛ mpaebɔ nkrataa 350,000 wɔ nnɔnhwerew kakraa bi ntam, na ɔma wɔmaa Third Army no mu sraani biara biako. Na ɛsrɛ Agya no sɛ “ɔmma osu kɛse yi nnyae tɔ,” na “ɔmma wim ntew mma ɔsa no” na ama U.S. Asraafo atumi “de yɛn atamfo no nhyɛso no ne abɔnefosɛm no aba awiei, na wode W’atɛntrenee aba nnipa ne aman mu.”

Nea ɛyɛ nwonwa no, wim tew mpofirim anadwo no na anyɛ kusuu bio nnanum a edi hɔ no. Eyi maa Aman a wɔboom ko tiaa Germany no asraafo ne wim akohyɛn him atuo guu Nasifo asraafo no nyinaa so, na wɔsɛee wɔn. Eyi na ɛde Hitler ntua a etwa to no baa awiei, na n’asraafo a wɔadi nkogu no fii ase guanee.

Patton dii ahurusi. Ɔkae sɛ: “Misusuw sɛ mɛsan mama wɔatintim saa mpaebɔ nkrataa no 100,000 bio. Awurade wɔ yɛn afã, na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛka yɛn ahiasɛm kyerɛ No.” Na misusuwii sɛ ‘So anka wim rentew December 23, sɛ́ wɔkyekyɛɛ mpaebɔ nkrataa no anaasɛ wɔankyekyɛ?’ Wɔn a wɔka wim nsakrae ho nsɛm kyerɛkyerɛɛ mu sɛ mframa bi a ano yɛ nwini a na ɛbɔ fi Rusia asasetaw no so na ɛbɔɔ amununkum no hwetee.

Germanfo Nkogudi ne Ɔko Akyi Germany

Aman a woboom ko tiaa Germany no fefɛw bere mu ntua no na ɛde Hitler ahemman no baa n’awiei, na wogyaee akodi koraa wɔ May 7, 1945. Saa da no na mewɔ Germanfo akuraa bi ase wɔ Rhineland, beae a mihyiaa ɔbea hoɔfɛfo a ɔbɛyɛɛ me yere akyiri yi, Lilly, oguanfo a ofi Belgium no. November 1945 no, migyaee sraadi na me ne U.S. asraafo a wɔwɔ Germany no mufo a wɔkyerɛw abakɔsɛm kɔyɛɛ adwuma December mu no, Frankfurt ɔdekuro kaa me ne Lilly boom sɛ awarefo.

Na abakɔsɛm akyerɛwfo no adwuma ne sɛ wɔbɛkyerɛw ɔman no sodi ho abakɔsɛm. Ɛde Germanfo asahene a wɔfaa wɔn nnommum ɔhaha pii dii dwuma de kyerɛw ɔko no ho abakɔsɛm sɛnea Germanfo hui no. Midii mfe anum wɔ Germany sɛ abakɔsɛm nhoma so korafo panyin. Afei, yɛne yɛn mma baanu, Gary ne Lizette, tu kɔɔ United States.

Wɔ me ne m’awofo nsrahwɛ bi akyi no, mekɔɔ Montana Sukuupɔn. Misusuwii sɛ me sraadi adwuma no aba awiei. Nanso, wɔ 1954 fefɛw bere mu, bere a na merebenya sukuupɔn mu abodin wɔ nnipa asetra ho adesua mu no, me kan nnamfo baanu bi ma metee sɛ U.S. Army Artillery and Missile Center Museum a ɛwɔ Oklahoma no rehwehwɛ ɔkwankyerɛfo ne ɔhwɛfo. Mibisaa hokwan no ma wɔfaa me, na yetu kɔɔ hɔ.

Asraafo Tete Nneɛma Akorae Mu Dwumadi Ahorow

Afei, mesan kyerɛw sraadi ho abakɔsɛm bio. Meyɛɛ nhwehwɛmu, meboaboaa akode dedaw ano, meyɛɛ oyikyerɛ, metutuu akwan, memaa ɔkasa ahorow, metutuu fam de hwehwɛɛ tetefo nneɛma, na mede me ho hyɛɛ sraadi ne abakɔsɛm ho guasodeyɛ ahorow mu. Metew nnipa ne apɔnkɔ a wɔhyɛ tete ntade horow kuw bi a enyaa ahengua so a wɔde ɔmampanyin no trae wɔ 1973 mu wɔ Washington, D.C., ho nsrabɔ no mu kyɛfa no. Mibuee asa bi a wɔde frankaa kyerɛ wɔ so, a na ɛkyerɛ ɔman no frankaa ne asraafo akuw horow frankaa ho abakɔsɛm ne atetesɛm. Mfe a abɛsen no mu no, tete aprɛm akorae dan biako no abɛyɛ asraafo tete nneɛma akorae a ɛso sen biara wɔ ɔman no mu.

Saa bere yi nyinaa no na yɛn mma no renyin. Bere a yɛn babarima, Gary, wiee ntoaso sukuu akyi no, ɔnantew basabasa. Ɔkɔyɛɛ Marine Corps no muni na ɔkɔɔ Vietnam Ko no bi. Bere a odii mfe abien wɔ amannɔne akyi no, yɛn ani gyei sɛ ɔsan baa fie dwoodwoo. Ɛda adi pefee sɛ akodi mfa asomdwoe mma. Mmom no, yɛahu sɛ Amanaman Nkabom no mu aman akɔ so ne wɔn ho wɔn ho adi ako bere a ɔkɔm ne nyarewa kunkum wɔn manfo no.

Adwumagyae ne Abasamtu

Awiei koraa no, bere a mede mfe 33 ayɛ sraadi adwuma akyi no, misii gyinae sɛ bere aso sɛ migyae adwuma. Ɔsahene no ne asraafo no nyinaa yɛɛ adwumagyae ho nhyehyɛe titiriw bi maa me, na Oklahoma mantam no amrado tuu da koro, July 20, 1979, sii hɔ maa me din. Me nsa kaa mmoa a mede mae wɔ sraadi ho abakɔsɛm ne tete nneɛma akorae ho no ho nkamfo nkrataa.

Ná ɛsɛ sɛ anka m’ani gye yiye. Nanso, bere a misusuw me kan asetra ho no, m’ani annye. Sɛ anka mɛda akodi mu ahude ankasa adi no, mede m’asetra nyinaa kamfoo akodi, sii ɛho atetesɛm, ntade ne abasobɔde ahorow, akode ne akwan a wɔfa so ko, ne emu apɔmpɔmpɛ so dua. Ɔsahene Dwight D. Eisenhower, a akyiri yi ɔbɛyɛɛ U.S. Ɔmampanyin a ɔto so 34 no mpo kae sɛ: “Nea ɔko de ba ne ogya, ɔkɔm ne ɔyaredɔm . . . Mabɛtan ɔko. Ɔko nsiesie biribiara.”

Bere bi akyi no, metee sɛ na Eisenhower maame yɛ Yehowa Ɔdansefo​—ɔsom a na ɛrenya me so nkɛntɛnso dedaw denam Bible a na me yere ne Adansefo no sua so. Aka asram asia na magyae adwuma no, wɔbɔɔ no asu sɛ Ɔdansefo wɔ 1979 mu. Ohui sɛ wasakra. Anigye ne ɔpɛ a na ɔwɔ sɛ ɔbɛka nea wasua akyerɛ afoforo no maa yɛn babarima no ne ne yere, Karin, fii ase suaa Bible no, na wɔn nso bɛyɛɛ Adansefo a wɔabɔ wɔn asu wɔ afe biako ntam.

Nanso, na minnye nni. Na ɛte sɛ nea gye a Onyankopɔn ankasa de ne ho begye nnipa nsɛm mu de wiase yi aba awiei, na ɔde wiase foforo a ɔko nnim aba no ntumi mma. Nanso, me nso mifii ase ne Adansefo no suaa ade, a ade titiriw nti a meyɛɛ saa ne sɛ mehu sɛ ebia wɔn som no mu gyidi horow no wɔ nnyinaso pa bi anaa. Esiane nimdeɛ ne ntetee a na manya wɔ nhwehwɛmu mu nti, misusuwii sɛ ɛrenkyɛ na mahu mfomso ne abirabɔ ahorow wɔ wɔn gyidi no mu.

Asetra Kwan Foforo

Nanso, bere a me Bible adesua no kɔɔ anim no, ankyɛ na mihui sɛ midii mfomso. M’adwenem naayɛ no tu yerae, ma mihuu nokware no pefee. Nokwarem no, mitumi hui sɛ Onyankopɔn bɔhyɛ a ɛfa trenee wiase foforo ho no wɔ nnyinaso pa a wotumi gyina so nya mu ahotoso. (2 Petro 3:13; Adiyisɛm 21:3, 4) Na hwɛ akomatɔyam a ɛyɛ sɛ mihui sɛ Satan Ɔbonsam a ɔne nneɛma nhyehyɛe yi sodifo no na wama nnebɔne ne nsisi abu so wɔ adesamma mu mprempren na mmom ɛnyɛ Ade Nyinaa So Tumfoɔ Nyankopɔn no! (Yohane 14:30; 2 Korintofo 4:4) Enti, Yehowa Nyankopɔn nnyina ɔman biara akyi wɔ amanaman no akodi mu, nanso, odwen adesamma ho.​—Yohane 3:16.

Wɔbɔɔ me asu 1983 mu wɔ Yehowa Adansefo nhyiam bi ase wɔ Billings, Montana, de yɛɛ m’ahosohyira ma Yehowa no ho sɛnkyerɛnne. Me ne me ba Gary nyinaa som sɛ asafo mu mpanyimfo wɔ yɛn asafo ahorow mu. Me ne Lilly de aseda ma Yehowa sɛ ɔnam n’Asɛm ne n’Adansefo no so abue yɛn komam ama yɛate Bible mu nokware no ase, ma enti yɛte nea ahude a ɛrekɔ so sisi a ɛhyɛ yɛn awo ntoatoaso yi agyirae no kyerɛ no ase. (Mateo 24:3-14; 1 Yohane 2:17)​—Sɛnea Gillett Griswold ka kyerɛe.

[Mfonini Fibea wɔ kratafa 9]

Parisifo guan bere a Germanfo totow atuo, August 1944 (U.S. National Archives photo)

[Mfonini Fibea wɔ kratafa 10]

U.S. National Archives photo

[Mfonini wɔ kratafa 11]

Germanfo akodi mfiri a asɛe na ahyew, France, 1944

[Asɛm Fibea]

U.S. Department of Defence

[Mfonini wɔ kratafa 12]

Me ne me yere ne yɛn babea wɔ 1947 mu