Dear NBC News,
I was unable to locate where I could submit a story request on the NBC Web Site for the Nightly News, so if the person who receives this could possibly forward it to Brian Williams or Tom Brokaw, or the right person who can get it to them for consideration I would greatly appreciate it.
I think this would be a heartwarming 2014 Christmas Story for the Nightly News and would like Brian or Tom to consider airing it. In watching them over the years tell stories of our veterans, I feel they can deliver the heart felt emotion of our recent find, to celebrate and honor the life of my Uncle Jack Varuso, an American World War II Army Soldier from New Orleans, Louisiana, and tell the story of how my dad, his only brother who never truly got over his death 70 years ago, has finally gotten another bit of peace and closure recently discovered in a second and a half of old World War II film footage.
My Uncle Jack like all of the family was born in New Orleans. At just 18 years old he boarded a train, just blocks from where the National World War II Museum sits today, never to be seen again by his only brother and family until now. With this winter and Christmas in particular marking the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, I have located in all probability the last film footage of my uncle Jack alive, taken December 26, 1944 in Bastogne Belgium, after a fierce battle with the German’s on Christmas the day before.
What makes our story interesting, is since the loss of his only brother, my father Frank Varuso has watched hours and hours of and countless World War II film footage over the past 70 years looking for his brother. Over the years and on many occasions watching the old footage with him, my father would say his brother was out there somewhere. For years he stared at the faces of soldiers hoping for just a glimpse of his brother.
Recently as a gift to my father, my older brother “Jack” (named after my Uncle Jack), and recently retired from the Air Force sent him “THE WAR”, a Ken Burns directed and produced DVD set about World War II aired on PBS. On an afternoon visit with my father, I noticed the DVD set and inquired as to where he had gotten them from. My dad, who served in the Navy during World War II, and always eager to talk about the war and military told me about the DVD’s, and mentioned one DVD in particular (Episode Six – The Ghost Front) highlighted some of the Battle of the Bulge battles fought under horrific cold and snow conditions in the Ardennes Forest and on Christmas Day in 1944 in the Town of Bastogne Belgium.
My dad knew it would interest me, because like my dad in recent years I had become increasingly interested in my uncle’s whereabouts in the war and often wondered how he died. At my Dad’s insistence I took the DVD’s home, where they sat on my counter for a month, with my dad inquiring every other day if I watched them. One afternoon he again inquired and I told him I would look it that night, so around 9 PM I put Episode Six – The Ghost Front in the DVD Player. As I viewed the footage, my initial thoughts were the documentary was done very well, the background music, film footage and narrative kept my interest as the story moved closer to the documented date of my Uncle Jack’s death, which was January 26th 1945.
As I continued to watched, there was this sadness I felt viewing the horrific conditions the young soldiers fought in, but it was the footage of soldiers getting a break from the harsh weather and fighting, and taking a moment to erect a small Christmas tree on December 26, 1944 in Bastogne Belgium that really captured my interest. The soldiers seemed to be relaxed and it appeared moral was good that day after breaking through the German Army that had surrounded them in the Town of Bastogne the day before on Christmas. With that, the camera panned over to several soldiers standing together, and for a second one of the faces, the last solider in the clip caught my eye. It seemed to have happened so quickly, I had to re-play it numerous times to finally pause it in the right spot to get a clear picture of that last solider on the end. In staring at the soldier for the first few seconds nothing registered, and then in a confused moment it hit me, it was my uncle Jack. My God, after all these years there he was. As I sat there in the state of disbelief and amazement as to how I found him in this second and a half film clip, my thoughts and imagination could only wonder if it was a sign from him.
Being my Uncle Jack’s only family member to ever travel to his gravesite at the Henri Chapelle America Cemetery in Belgium a few years ago, my visit was an emotional honor and privilege, and something I will always cherish. Standing at the foot of his grave site I sensed this connection and felt I could see him and feel his presence, and now again for a moment the same emotions of this young man’s face frozen in time has a message 70 years later. Although tempted to call my dad that night and tell him, it had gotten late, so rather than have him up all night thinking about it, I waited until morning.
The next morning I went to my Dad’s home and without telling him why I was there, I placed the DVD in the player and called him over to watch. As he watched the DVD and at the precise moment I paused it, his emotions took over as he realized what he was seeing. Like me the night before, my Dad was in the state of disbelief realizing we found his brother. In looking at the paused still footage of my Uncle Jack with my Dad, we were struck by his expression. My Uncle Jack was smiling, a message and gift for my Dad written on his face. It was his smile that told us he was at peace.
At 87 years old and in failing health, this gift to my Dad was like no other I could have ever imagined, and something else he and I will carry with us always. As to the other men in the footage with my Uncle, it will be interesting to see if any of them are still alive, and can further tell the story of that day in particular. With this year being the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, there is a planned Tour by a group, Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, to Honor the Battle this December 2014. Historians have documented the Battle of the Bulge as a turning point in in World War II that help bring it to a rapid end.