The soldiers, who just a dozen or so days earlier had begun carrying out tasks at the barracks of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment as part of the third rotation of the Armored Brigade Combat Team, began their celebration with athletic competition. At the morning formation, dressed in sportswear, American and Polish soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder.
At precisely seven o’clock in the morning, the national anthems were played and the national flags of both countries were raised. The soldiers then ran a five-kilometre course through the barracks of the Bolesławiec unit, singing and carrying flags symbolizing their countries.
After the run, competition began in various sports. Following the US Army sappers’ victory in American football, the artillerymen went on to achieve a series of successes, including in soccer, the relay race and tug-of-war. The joint competition helped strengthen Polish-American ties and establish closer contact with the allies.
After the sporting events, a ceremonial formation was held, during which the commander of the 91st Engineer Battalion, Lt. Col. Matthew Rogers, presented an outline of the history of the holiday being celebrated and thanked the soldiers for the effort they put into their daily service.
The ceremony was attended by a delegation of soldiers from the 23rd Artillery Regiment led by its acting commander, Lt. Col. Sławomir Kula, and the Mayor of Bolesławiec, Piotr Roman. Both the artillery commander and the mayor warmly welcomed the new rotation of American soldiers to the Bolesławiec garrison and the capital of Polish ceramics, wishing them satisfaction in their service in our country, which provides an opportunity to learn about our culture, monuments and history.
The celebration of the United States Army holiday concluded with the singing of the traditional “Sto lat,” after which Lt. Col. Rogers invited the guests to cut the commemorative cake together and then sample their native Texan cuisine.
Polish-American relay race:
Tug-of-war competition, part 1:
Tug-of-war competition, part 2:
Excerpt from the soccer match between Polish soldiers and Americans:
