Warrior symposium offers multi-war perspectives

  • Published
  • By Justin Oakes
  • 56 Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
Luke Air Force Base, Ariz --  The stage was set, the microphone on and Luke Thunderbolts anxiously awaited the introduction of the key speakers at the warrior symposium, here, April 18. 

Two veterans, two wars, two perspectives. The warrior symposium served as a forum for Airmen to engage with the veterans and hear first-hand about their experiences and involvement during war. It was hosted by the FOCUS 56. 

Senior Master Sgt. John Bilczewski, a Luke Egress Systems Superintendent, was the first to speak. 

Sergeant Bilczewski volunteered for an 18-month deployment with the Army to Baghdad, Iraq, but not as an egress trainer -- his new role was as a senior interrogator that operated at the Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center. 

He began telling the Thunderbolts about the six months of training at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., which prepared him and other Airmen for their future roles as interrogators in the Iraqi theater. Part of their training prior to their arrival in Iraq also included working with convoys in Kuwait. 

"It was truly an amazing journey, and there was an opportunity for us to do something even more for our country," said Sergeant Bilczewski. 

Sergeant Bilczewski went on to explain about the transition from his six months of training to entering Iraq on a 365-day deployment. 

There was a big learning adjustment upon arriving and picking up where the other unit left off and all the time we had to continue to gather intelligence, Sergeant Bilczewski said. 

There were many aspects of interrogation that Sergeant Bilczewski could not elaborate on due to their classified and sensitive natures, but he did emphasize how proper procedures and protocols were followed at all times. 

Thunderbolts listened as the sergeant continued to speak about the manner in which the detainees were treated. He provided oversight during interrogations along with monitors and legal representatives to ensure that the interrogations adhered to all laws and regulations. 

"Even though we looked at each detainee on a case-by-case basis, we kept in mind that we were dealing with a variety of ideologies, motivations and religions," Sergeant Bilczewski said. 

More than 100 Airmen were trained to be interrogators. Interrogators were incorporated into Special Forces units, transported detainees to court, sent out to forward operating bases and aided in the recovery of soldiers who were missing in action. 

"At the end of the day, more than 22,000 interrogations were produced," Sergeant Bilczewski said. "We interrogated every aspect of the insurgency and by doing so showed the versatility and dedication we have in the Air Force." 

Shortly after the applause subsided for Sergeant Bilczewski's presentation, Jack Nemerov, a World War II veteran, approached the stage. 

Mr. Nemerov volunteered with the U.S. Army in February 1942 and later received an officer's commission in March 1943 due to his contributions and innovations in maintenance techniques during WWII. He was part of the first wave and initial landing force on Omaha Beach, entering force which took Paris in August 1944 and liberating force of Germany's first concentration camp, Dachau 

Luke Airmen listened intently as Mr. Nemerov described his first experience.
"We were sent to England to prepare for the invasion and were being trained as if fighting in WWI," said Mr. Nemerov. "Because of the terrain on Omaha Beach, we were learning scenarios of how to attack up a fire-down hill." 

There are five beaches that were invaded by Allied Forces. Utah and Omaha Beach were designated for the United States and the other beaches fell under British, French, Canadian and Polish jurisdiction. 

"Omaha Beach was the most fortified of all the beaches. Our boats were trying to find a place to land under intense fire and fighting units were getting separated in the water," Mr. Nemerov said. "It was an unholy mess." 

Mr. Nemerov emphasized that surviving the landing was just the beginning of the Allies' difficulties. 

"Our uniforms were wool and we were up to our chest in water on an uneven seabed. Within the first 15 minutes we had more than 5,000 casualties of which many drowned," he said. "It took us six hours before we were able to penetrate the pillbox-saturated inland." 

The WWII veteran recalled a more positive experience shortly following the initial beach invasion. 

"Along with the free French, we took the city of Paris in August 1944," Mr. Nemerov said. "Luckily, the German commandant did not defend the city, and we were greeted by the Parisians with flowers and champagne." 

After the success at Paris Mr. Nemerov described an experience in which he would rather forget -- and has taken him more than 40 years to talk about. 

His unit liberated one of the first Nazi death camps, Dachau. What he witnessed upon driving through the iron-clad doors would stay with him the rest of his life. 

"It was a terribly shocking experience," he said. "When we entered the camp, there were freshly shot bodies all over the ground. These emaciated people were barely able to stand. Even though Germany lost the war, the camp's commandant upheld Hitler's order to continue killing." 

The WWII veteran also recalled that prisoners were brought to tears upon the realization that the Allied Forces had arrived to their rescue. 

"We cried with them," Mr. Nemerov said.