Yeglin Harold

They brought freedom and found love
Harold Yeglin, 97th Infantry Division

I know from personal experience the amazing reception veterans receive from the people of Pilsen. I personally attended in 1990, 1991, 1995, 2000 and 2005. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this year's 65th anniversary celebration due to the death of my wife.
My wife's name was Miloslava (Milka) Yeglin and she was born in Štěnovice, south of Pilsen. In January we celebrated her 82nd birthday. In 1946, young Miloslava Vildova married an American war veteran from the 2nd Infantry Division and went with him to the USA. She then returned several times to Štěnovice, Plzen and Starý Plzenec to visit her parents and her two brothers behind the Iron Curtain.
Milka and I met for the first time at the festivities in 1990. I was a widower, she was a widow. We were married a year later here in Ranaoke, Virginia. Then a week later, we attended the 1991 Freedom Celebration.
Milka died in February 2010.

From the book 500 Hours of Victory by Karel Foud, Milan Jíša, Ivan Rollinger