Archive for the WWII Category
Ostfront – Odessa, NY, April 2012
Submitted by Correspondent Mike Momot (Misha) I took part in this event for the first time held annually in Odessa, New York and hosted by Scott Thompson and Fusilier Bataillon 272. I was joined by, 193rd Rifle Division member, Phil Zimmer. He distinguished himself well in his first battle. We fell in under the 9th [...]
Movie Reviews – Something Different
On those occasions that I review movies here, they are generally new releases. This is a little different. A few months ago, while hanging around Walmart to get my oil changed, I saw a DVD collection of war movies in the $5.00 bin. The title was “War Movies (WWII Collection)” Since it had 20 old [...]
Newville – March 2012
It’s February, 1943. The invincible German juggernaut isn’t so invincible now, but it is still dangerous. The Red Army is gathering its forces, setting the stage for what will later in the summer result in the great battle of Kursk. But for now, the lines are static, the nights are cold and the bleak silence [...]
Capital Wing of APS Dinner
Submitted by Bill Donegan: When Linda and I were shopping at the FIG/Gap we ran into Bill and Sharon Krause, who are members of the Capital Wing of the Airmen’s Preservation Society (as the name suggests they are aviation oriented). We have been running into them for half a decade at USO dances and other [...]
Torgau – Meeting on the Elbe
Submitted by Bill Donegan: Torgau 1945 It is good that Linda and I have been working out on the treadmill every day for months, and using the weight room. We do it to keep in shape for tactical. We had no trouble at Bedford last week-end. The only physical problem was that Linda wore a [...]
Meeting at the Elbe – Old Bedford Village 2012
On the weekend of February 25, 2012, the 2nd Gebirgs once again sponsored their annual ‘Meeting at the Elbe’ event at Old Bedford Village. This is always a good event and everyone seems to have fun. There was a shortage of Allies this year, as the Germans seemed to outnumber the Americans (and one lone [...]
Fort Indian Town Gap 2012 – Another Perspective
Bill Donegan sends us the following report on his activities at the Gap: A funny thing happened this year on the way to the GAP. Jim Barnes picked us up at our motel to take us to dinner. It was dark and Jim was not sure of the best way to exit the parking [...]
Gap – 2012
Another January, another Gap. It is always one of the few things to look forward to during the deep winter… not that this has been much of a winter. Friday, I ran into a little falling snow on the way, but that quickly dissipated. The skies on Saturday were mostly clear and while walking [...]
Events for the New Year
As we enter a new year, let’s take a look at some of the upcoming events for the next couple of months: January 2012 WWII – Battle of the Bulge Reenactment, January 25 – 29. Ft. Indiantown Gap PA. Contact: http://www.wwiifederation.org/index.html February 2012 WWII – Elbe River Event, February 25, 2012, Old Bedford Village, Bedford, [...]
Mission to Moscow II
The next stop on my trip to Moscow was the Central Armed Forces Museum, which is also known as the museum of the Soviet Army. The former is probably now more accurate, since there are exhibits from the post-soviet period as well as sections being developed that cover the whole history of Russian arms back [...]
Mission to Moscow
Always on the lookout for something new to do, I spent the last two weeks of November in Moscow, Russia. Needless to say, there is some history there. One of my stops was at ‘Victory Park’ which commemorates the victory over Nazi Germany in WWII. Unfortunately on the day I was there, the main museum [...]
Pearl Harbor
Everyone, please take a moment to remember that ‘Day of Infamy’ as President Roosevelt called it, which occurred 70 years ago today. And remember also the Americans who died in the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, which launched this country into World War II.
Troops and Trains II
Here is Part two of Bill’s report on Troops and Trains: Following our train ride with the Federal Generals, we returned to the museum to guard tables for the Nowacks (WW2 Army Air Corp, and Homefront), as well as Greg Hall (Vietnam display). On the walk back we spoke German to some tourists who could [...]
Troops and Trains 2011 pt. I
Bill and Linda Donegan attended the annual Troops and Trains event in Strassburg, Pa over the weekend of November 5th. Here is their report: Strasburg, Pa November 4, 2011 had dinner with Dave and Lois Nowack. Saturday November 5,2011 we had breakfast with the Nowacks. Linda and I dressed in Civil War attire and [...]
Ike Farm 2011
On the weekend of September 17th, I had a lot planned. Some friends had asked me to accompany them to an airshow at Martinsburg in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. This was an opportunity to visit some good friends and take in an attraction that I had not seen before. As anyone who watches [...]
New Oxford 2011
The following is an account of the ‘Liberation of New Oxford’, which occurs concurrently with the Ike Farm living history. Another bravura effort by our tireless Bill Donegan: Linda and I found another great WW2 event just 9 miles east of Gettysburg. It is New Oxford. The scenario is Alsace being first deserted by German [...]
Trolly-la-la-la
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum near Washington, Pa. held it’s annual Antique Trucks and Trolleys event on Sunday, August 28. The 28th Infantry set up a living history display as usual and a fine time was had by all. This is a fun event with a lot happening for everyone involved. Naturally, there are trolley rides [...]
Tank Farm 2011
The Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles ( aka ‘The Tank Farm’) in conjunction with the American Wartime Museum, held its annual open house August 19-21 at its site near Nokesville, VA. This is an amazing event for no other reason than that it features so many vintage military vehicles in running condition, many of which [...]
D-Day Ohio 2011 report
Our correspondent, Bill Donegan reports on the recent D-Day reenactment in Conneaut, Ohio: We had a meeting of paradigms this past week-end at D-Day Ohio, Conneaut, for sure. First we had invited our friends from the Reading Air Show, Dave and Lois Nowack, to attend. Dave was one of the downed US airmen trying to [...]
Remagen Reenactment – 2011
Bill Donegan (aka. Helmut Heudlass) reports from the front at Tidioute, PA on this past weekend’s reenactment of the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge by American forces. I was wounded on the eastern front and was sent to Remagen to the hospital to recuperate. When released from krankenhause I was permitted to stay [...]
Rowlesburg Volume II
Patricia Patterson is one of our most creative and original contributors. Here are her musings on the Rowlesburg event. I was thinking about the standard AAR template, and then ever the curious researcher, I read a variety of reenactor AAR’s just for grins. I read some of the past AAR’s, some of my own, many [...]
2011 WORLD WAR II LIVING HISTORY WEEKEND
This report by our correspondent, Matt Gillespie, is the first in a series of impressions on last week’s Rowlesburg WWII living history weekend. Not many would know or even believe that tucked away in the mountains of Rowlesburg, WV would be such a high quality museum as well as a high quality living history. [...]
WV’s Real American Hero
The following was submitted by our correspondent, Matt Gillespie: WV’s Real American Hero Recently I attended the WV American Legion Boys State Camp at Jackson Mill WV and met Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams, West Virginia’s only surviving Medal of Honor recipient. Mr. Williams is a regular visitor to the Boys State yearly one week long patriotic camp sponsored [...]
Reading Volume II
The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s WWII weekend is one of the two biggest events that I attend annually. There aren’t a lot of shows that offer such a combination of lot’s of WWII aircraft, reenactors and militaria vendors. Unfortunately, the show has been increasingly mired in complaints from the reenactors about their treatment at the [...]
First Report from Reading
The following is a review of last weekend’s Reading Airshow by our correspondent, Mike Momot: Hello all, Richelle did a wonderful job with the registration process. I felt this worked quite nicely. It certainly would have been better to have later registration hours Thursday and Friday nights for those coming from far away, [...]