Song: I'll be Home for Christmas

Following "White Christmas" from 1941 and again in 1942, Bing Crosby released "I'll be Home for Christmas" in October 1943.

Some soldiers never made it home.
Will you be home for Christmas?
Where exactly is your home?

The simple words and melody were an instant hit with anyone, such as soldiers in World War II, who were away from home. It was an ever present hope to be home with friends and loved ones during the holidays.

I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

"Some day you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God." Billy Graham (1918 - 2018, life on earth)

Bing Crosby followed "White Christmas" with "I'll be home for Christmas" in October 1943.
Simple words, repeated until fades out.
Why was/is the song so popular?

With the Soviet Red Army fast approaching Germany in 1944 from the East, Hitler mounted one last offensive in the West in December, a few weeks before Christmas.

Some 120 captured soldiers were massacred by German SS troops at Malmedy on December 17, 1944.

Others fought on.

PFC Harold Billow (1923-2022) from Marietta, PA, later living and working in Mount Joy, PA. He was known for flags every Memorial Day.
PFC William F Reem (1923-2003) from Elizabethtown PA. His daughter was in the EAHS class of 1974.

The battle was named the Battle of the Bulge because of the shape it made in the front line.

More: Battle of the Bulge

$Name: Ed Boll$

Ed Boll (1924-2014) was a member of Saint Paul's for 80 years.

Fought in the Battle of the Bulge, recipient of two Purple Hearts.
Played semi-pro baseball, amateur photographer.
Elizabethtown High School and College.
39 years at Armstrong Industries as Chief Chemist.
Wife of 65 years, Minerva (Hess) Boll.
Two sons and daughter, active in youth fellowship.
Ran 9th to 12th grade Sunday School

More: SPUM: Ed Boll

In a hurry, the German troops of SS officer Peiper opened fire at Malmedy in France and massacred about 84 captured American soldiers, on a cold December 17, 1944, one week before Christmas. There were other related smaller massacres raising the total. Three were a few survivors.

James 4:14

All

KJV: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Greek: οιτινες ουκ επιστασθε το της αυριον ποια γαρ η ζωη υμων ατμις γαρ εστιν η εστε προς ολιγον φαινομενη επειτα δε και αφανιζομενη

Many soldiers fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Some did not make it home for Christmas. Some 120 were massacred at Malmedy on December 17, 1944. There were some survivors.

PFC William F Reem (1923-2003) from Elizabethtown PA. His daughter was in the EAHS class of 1974.
PFC Harold Billow (1923-2022) from Marietta, PA, later living and working in Mount Joy, PA. He was known for flags every Memorial Day.

I met Harold Billow (1923-2022) at a restaurant in Mount Joy on December 13, 2016, and talked to him for a while. At the time, he was the only living survivor of the Malmedy massacre.

James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. [kjv]

οιτινες ουκ επιστασθε το της αυριον ποια η ζωη υμων ατμις γαρ εστε προς ολιγον φαινομενη επειτα αφανιζομενη [gnt]

More: Matthew 6:19-21: A treasury of treasures of which to treasure

More: Philippians 2:15 deceptive appearance of a shining light

More: Battle of the Bulge

A survivor from December 17, 1944, a week before Christmas was PFC William F Reem (1923-2003) from Elizabethtown PA. His daughter was in the EAHS class of 1974.
December 17, 2019 (75 years later): ... the daughter of Pfc William F Reem, is in Malmedy Belgium memorializing her father. Today by chance, she encountered a similarly aged American on the tour who was the son of a soldier in the Jeep that encountered and saved PFC Reem on his dangerous return to American troops ....

The brother of William Reem would have his own day during the Korean war.

More: Battle of the Bulge

William Reem had a brother, 2nd Lt Robert Dale Reem (1925-1950), of Elizabethtown, Naval Academy graduate and Medal of Honor posthumous recipient from Korean war, falling on a hand grenade to save his men during the advance of the Chinese to the Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War;

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [kjv]

μειζονα ταυτης αγαπην ουδεις εχει ινα τις την ψυχην αυτου θη υπερ των φιλων αυτου [gnt]

10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. [kjv]

More: Battle of the Bulge

Timeline of the Korean war.

John 15:13

All

KJV: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Greek: μειζονα ταυτης αγαπην ουδεις εχει ινα τις την ψυχην αυτου θη υπερ των φιλων αυτου