Last Hurrah of the PT Vets

The PT boat veterans of WWII are calling it quits for their reunions after this year. The article recounts this proud moment for Belgium, the Ostrich State of Europe:

A Belgian-flagged troop transport ship, the Leopoldville set out for France across the English Channel on Christmas Eve 1944, ferrying fresh troops to the Battle of the Bulge. She was torpedoed about five miles off Cherbourg. Shortly after receiving her distress signal, PT Ron 30 was dispatched to pick up survivors. When they arrived, they could hardly believe what they saw.

Instead of staying behind to help the troops into life boats, most of the Belgian crew had abandoned ship. Ultimately, more than 500 soldiers went down with the ship; another 248 died from injuries or drowned.

As Steve Makitra's PT boat pulled up, the Belgian crew was already in a motor transport, ready to leave the trapped troops behind. Steve and his crew immediately recognized what was happening, locked and loaded their .50-caliber machine guns, and were ready to blow the fleeing Belgians out of the water. Their commanding officer stopped them.

Q: How do you spell "speedbump" in German?

A: "Belgium."