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Reading Volume II

June 15, 2011 - 5 Comments

by Jim Barnes

 

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 hands of the organizers and volunteers. As a result there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of reenacting groups that are attending. It was obvious  last year and more so this year.

To be fair, some of the folks at the organization level seem to have realized that this is a problem and are making some efforts to smooth things over. Getting Richelle Savant to coordinate the reenactor registration was a good move. She is a very nice lady and seemed to genuinely want to be helpful. I don’t think anyone blamed her for any snafus that occurred.

One issue that affected our group, the 193rd Rifle Division, in particular was location. The Pacific theater was expanded this year, so we lost the area that we have had for the last three or four years. The 9th SS, who are usually our neighbors were also moved. At first, we were told that we were to be moved next door to Grossdeutschland, near the French Village, but at the last minute, we were moved to the very farthest reaches of the grounds – out past the end of the vendors by the firing range.

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New Deal Festival

News, WWII

First Report from Reading

Posted June 10, 2011 - No Comments
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...

Civil War, Veterans

Col. George R. Latham’s tombstone dedication

Posted June 4, 2011 - No Comments
Col. George R. Latham's tombstone dedication

  The following is a post from our correspondent, Matt Gillespie: The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Buckhannon Camp #49 organized a dedication ceremony for the newly erected tombstone of Brevet General George R. Latham at Heavner Cemetery on Memorial Day.  Latham was a prominate officer during the Civil War and a prominate citize...

Local News, News, Veterans

Mountaineer Military Museum’s Memorial Weekend Vet-together

Posted May 29, 2011 - 1 Comment
Mountaineer Military Museum's Memorial Weekend Vet-together

  The following is a report filed by our correspondent, Matt Gillespie: Saturday I traveled to Weston, WV to take part in the Mountaineer Military Museum’s Memorial Weekend Vet-together.  There were several reenactors and veterans present who took part in the cook-out in front of the museum.  The cook-out was sponsored by the VFW Auxil...

Civil War, Local News, News

HARRISON COUNTY CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL 150TH ANNIVERSARY

Posted May 23, 2011 - 1 Comment
HARRISON COUNTY CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL 150TH ANNIVERSARY

  Here is Nick Korolev’s report on the Civil War doin’s in Clarksburg last week: MAY 13-15TH Despite a weekend of scattered showers, the Harrison County Civil War Sesquicentennial 150th Anniversary went off with hardly a hitch May 13 -15th. Funded by the state and sponsored by local historical societies and business as the kick ......

Civil War, Local News, News

Prickett’s Fort – School of the Soldier

Posted May 18, 2011 - No Comments
Prickett's Fort - School of the Soldier

The WVRA held it’s annual School of the Soldier at Prickett’s Fort, near Fairmont, WV over the weekend of April 30, 2011. The weekend was well attended and the weather was pleasant. The fort is a good location for this sort of event for a number of reasons. There are numerous historical connections to the ... ...

News, WWI

Last Combat Veteran of WWI Dies

Posted May 7, 2011 - No Comments

The last combat veteran of WWI, Claude Choules, who served on the British Battleship, HMS Revenge in WWI, died in a nursing home in Australia at the age of 110. According to the  BBC news release, Mr. Choules witnessed the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in 1918 and its subsequent scuttling at Scapa ... ...

News, WWI

GWA Spring Event

Posted April 29, 2011 - 2 Comments
GWA Spring Event

It’s spring, 1918 and on the killing fields of France, the armies are stirring in the mud and filth of the trenches. The Kaiser’s forces prepare for an offensive that will strike a decisive blow and divide the allied lines. The western allies including the new American troops and the hardened veterans of the Russian ... ...

Civil War, Events, News

LONG ROAD HOME – COLD HARBOR

Posted April 22, 2011 - No Comments
LONG ROAD HOME - COLD HARBOR

  Here is Nick Korolev’s report on the latest installment of ‘The Long Road Home’ event series:   The weekend of April 8-10th Clover Hill Village, Appomatox, VA had the first installment of a special series of events titled “The Long Road Home” which will follow Civil War soldiers on the final campaign leadin...

News, WWII

Reenactor Shopping

Posted April 18, 2011 - 1 Comment
Reenactor Shopping

  One of the neat things about doing a 20th Century impression, is the availability of items from that time period, pretty much under our noses. Antique shopping can provide a wealth of useful material and be fun as well. The Donegans recently scored big. Here is Bill’s account: Here is a shopping tale about ... ...

Civil War, Civilian Living History, Cold War, Dark Ages living history, Korean War, News, revolutionary war, WWI, WWII

Military Through the Ages 2011

Posted April 7, 2011 - 1 Comment
Military Through the Ages 2011

This year, I attended my third ‘Military Through the Ages’ at Jamestown Settlement. For those of you who have not attended this event, it is a high-quality, prestigious time-line event. Since it takes place in the environs of the reconstructed Jamestown Settlement and museum, it is doubly interesting. As usual, there were a wide variety...

News

Hurricane Civil War Event 2011

Posted April 3, 2011 - 1 Comment
Hurricane Civil War Event 2011

William Donegan   The following was submitted by our correspondent, Bill Donegan:   This was the 14th annual reenactment of two early Civil War battles here in West Virginia: the battle of Hurricane Bridge and Scary Creek. I have attended all of them. There are always a lot to do at this event: The Hurricane ... ...

News, WWII

Newville Eastern Front Event 2011

Posted March 27, 2011 - No Comments
Newville Eastern Front Event 2011

On March 11-12, 2011, the 193rd Rifles and the German WWI group, Fusilier Regiment Nr 90, sponsored what has become an annual event at the GWA site at Newville. This time, it was a spring 1945 scenario. For those of you have never been there, the GWA site is an amazing place. No other reenacting ... ...

Civil War, News, WWII

War Poems

Posted March 16, 2011 - 4 Comments

  We received the following poems from Diane Watson, whom the Donegans met at the U.S. Christian Commission Chapel service in Gettysburg a few weeks ago. Anywhere Close I’m wearing Blue, my Brother’s in Gray He left when the conflict arose I love the Union, he disagrees We’ll talk when he’s anywhere close.   Saw .....

News

Frank Buckles

Posted March 11, 2011 - 1 Comment

Last month, on February 27, Frank Buckles of Charlestown, WV , the last Doughboy, passed away. He recently celebrated his 110th birthday. According to the Memphis Commerical Appeal, “Sixteen years old, he lied about his age to get into the Army and badgered his superiors until they sent him to the French front with an ... ...

Civil War, News

The Long Road Home – A Preview

Posted March 3, 2011 - No Comments
The Long Road Home - A Preview

The following is a report from Nick Korolev on a unique series of Civil War events taking place over the next 5 years: Clover Hill Village, Appomatox, VA over the next five years will be having a special series of events titled The Long Road Home which will follow Civil War soldiers on the final ... ...

WWII

Meeting at the Elbe – OBV 2011

Posted February 25, 2011 - 2 Comments
Meeting at the Elbe - OBV 2011

The 2nd Gebirgs once again hosted their Elbe River event at Old Bedford Village on the weekend of February 19, 2011. This is always a well-run and fun event and this year was no exception. The event commemorates the meeting of Soviet and American troops at the Elbe River near Torgau, Germany in April, 1945. ... ...

News, WWII

Uncle Luck — One of Our Correspondents is Published

Posted February 18, 2011 - 2 Comments

If you are passing by the local newstand this week, you might check out the latest issue of  “America in WWII” magazine. Our intrepid traveling correspondent, Bill Donegan has an article published in the latest Issue. Titled “Luck Was On Our Side,” the article recounts the adventures of his uncle, Lester L. Call, who served...

News, WWII

Report II from FIG/GAP 2011

Posted February 13, 2011 - No Comments
Report II from FIG/GAP 2011

The following is Bill Donegan’s report on this year’s FIG event from the perspective of the German chaplin: Report from FIG/GAP 2011 I was glad to have been at the GAP again this year. I am glad also that it was not too cold. I wish to thank Pete and Kate Gentry, and Brad and ... ...

Military Through The Ages 2009, News, Old Bedford Village, WWII

Upcoming Events – February and March

Posted February 7, 2011 - No Comments

Things have been slow on the blog for the last month or so, due to real-life job responsibilities and a lack of events to cover. Hopefully that will be changing now.  With FIG over, the reenacting season is starting to crank up.  Here are some events coming up in the next couple of months: February ... ...

News, Pictures from FIG, WWII

GAP 2010

Posted February 3, 2011 - 3 Comments
GAP 2010

January 25th through the 28th saw me once again trekking up to Fort Indiantown Gap for the annual Battle of the Bulge reenactment/ living history extravaganza/militaria vendor mall. As usual, it was a large affair with a lot of activities for the WWII living historian. This year, for the first time, I got there on ... ...

News

Frank Buckles

Posted January 31, 2011 - 1 Comment

Tuesday, February 1, is the birthday of Frank Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of WWI. According to Wikipedia, today Mr. Buckles “lives at Gap View Farm, in Charles Town, West Virginia, and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During World War II, Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese ... ...

News

Winter Doldrums

Posted January 16, 2011 - 1 Comment

It’s that time of year when the holidays are over and the reenacting season hasn’t really started. Winter doldrums are upon us.  Living Historians are typically making repairs or additions to their kits and getting ready for the upcoming season. WWII reenactors have the Battle of the Bulge Reenactment at Fort Indiantown Gap, coming up ...

News, WWII

A Reenactor on Film

Posted January 7, 2011 - No Comments
A Reenactor on Film

It is always cool when knowledgeable living historians get to work with a film project and are able to help the producers ‘get it right.’  The following is a conversation that Bill Donegan had with Reenactor par excellence, Jenna Onuska on the Wehrmacht forum regarding a film project in Maryland: Jenna: My 15 minute claim ... ...

News, WWII

Old Bedford Village – East Front Tactical 2010

Posted December 31, 2010 - No Comments
Old Bedford Village - East Front Tactical 2010

The annual Fall Eastern Front event was held at Old Bedford Village on the weekend of November 12-14. This year offered an interesting  change from the usual format. Rather than just a series of firefights between the combatants, this year involved a day-long scenario in which German units (in this case, Grossdeutschland and 11th Panzer) ... ...