Issue Number 8 March 2001
All information in this Newsletter is developed by Fred Clinton, Webmaster, 63rd Infantry Division Association and does not necessarily
reflect the views of other individuals and is in no way an Official Publication of the 63rd Infantry Division Association.
reflect the views of other individuals and is in no way an Official Publication of the 63rd Infantry Division Association.
READ THE BULLETIN BOARD-
There are several new items of interest on
the Bulletin Board this month. A brief
summary of the subject matter follows:
The French Government is in process of
preparing Thank You Certificates to all
members of the American Forces that had
a hand in its liberation in WWII. Details of
the certificate and how to apply are shown
on
Bulletin Board Page 8.
Details for requesting replacement medals
are contained on Bulletin Board Page 9.
A Concentration Camp Survivor is trying to
make contact with the 63rd Infantry
Division Soldiers who liberated the
prisoners of his camp. Bulletin Board Page
9.
A US Air Force Major, a scholar of
Italian-American history,would like to
contact Italian-American veterans of World
War II . Bulletin Board. Page 9
Like to talk by e-mail to other veterans?
Check out the Yahoo Group Infantryman
e-mail discussion group. Bulletin Board.
Page 9
The 63rd Reserve Support Command is
seeking 63rd Infantry Division veterans to
speak at their monthly luncheons in the
California area. Bulletin Board- Page 9
The George C Marshall Foundation is
seeking letters, stories and memorabilia
from World War II and the Korean war to
be filed and protected forever in their
library. Bulletin Board Page 9
I have updated the Association
Membership Roster as it relates to 63rd
Infantry Division veterans. This roster
changes almost daily due to deaths and
new members.
Unfortunately it appears that we are losing
more than we are gaining, but we are still
strong in numbers. We are fortunate to
have hundreds of Associate Members who
actively support the Association. Our
thanks to them
PARTICIPATION IN THE
TORRENCE CALIFORNIA ARMED
FORCES DAY PARADE.
The Commanding General of the 63rd Reserve
Support Command has extended an invitation
to all 63rd Infantry Division veterans to ride on
their float during the only Armed Forces Day
Parade sanctioned in the West. The parade
will be held on 19 May 01. Those interested
in participating can contact Robert Sullivan at
the following e-mail address:
Robert.Sullivan@usarc-emh2.army.mil
If you have difficulty making contact, please
let me know.
PICTORIAL SECTIONS OF THE
WEB SITE.
If you haven't taken the time to review the
Pictorial Sections of the web site, the next
time you have some time on your hands log
on and go to the History Page. Who
knows, you may see someone you know.
If you don't see yourself or someone you
know, now might be the time to send in
those pictures, with captions, to be included
along with the photos shown now.
REUNIONS
Now is the time to make your plans to
attend the 53rd annual reunion of the 63rd
Infantry Division Association to be held at
Virginia Beach, VA from 28 Sept to 1 Oct
01. Details of the reunion can be found on
the Reunion Page of this web site.
ANNUAL ASSOCIATION DUES
The Association Secretary has advised me
that several hundred members have as yet
to pay their annual dues that were due in
January of this year. Please don't lose your
membership and contact with your buddies
and friends. They become more valuable
and scarce as each day passes.
There are several new items of interest on
the Bulletin Board this month. A brief
summary of the subject matter follows:
The French Government is in process of
preparing Thank You Certificates to all
members of the American Forces that had
a hand in its liberation in WWII. Details of
the certificate and how to apply are shown
on
Bulletin Board Page 8.
Details for requesting replacement medals
are contained on Bulletin Board Page 9.
A Concentration Camp Survivor is trying to
make contact with the 63rd Infantry
Division Soldiers who liberated the
prisoners of his camp. Bulletin Board Page
9.
A US Air Force Major, a scholar of
Italian-American history,would like to
contact Italian-American veterans of World
War II . Bulletin Board. Page 9
Like to talk by e-mail to other veterans?
Check out the Yahoo Group Infantryman
e-mail discussion group. Bulletin Board.
Page 9
The 63rd Reserve Support Command is
seeking 63rd Infantry Division veterans to
speak at their monthly luncheons in the
California area. Bulletin Board- Page 9
The George C Marshall Foundation is
seeking letters, stories and memorabilia
from World War II and the Korean war to
be filed and protected forever in their
library. Bulletin Board Page 9
I have updated the Association
Membership Roster as it relates to 63rd
Infantry Division veterans. This roster
changes almost daily due to deaths and
new members.
Unfortunately it appears that we are losing
more than we are gaining, but we are still
strong in numbers. We are fortunate to
have hundreds of Associate Members who
actively support the Association. Our
thanks to them
PARTICIPATION IN THE
TORRENCE CALIFORNIA ARMED
FORCES DAY PARADE.
The Commanding General of the 63rd Reserve
Support Command has extended an invitation
to all 63rd Infantry Division veterans to ride on
their float during the only Armed Forces Day
Parade sanctioned in the West. The parade
will be held on 19 May 01. Those interested
in participating can contact Robert Sullivan at
the following e-mail address:
Robert.Sullivan@usarc-emh2.army.mil
If you have difficulty making contact, please
let me know.
PICTORIAL SECTIONS OF THE
WEB SITE.
If you haven't taken the time to review the
Pictorial Sections of the web site, the next
time you have some time on your hands log
on and go to the History Page. Who
knows, you may see someone you know.
If you don't see yourself or someone you
know, now might be the time to send in
those pictures, with captions, to be included
along with the photos shown now.
REUNIONS
Now is the time to make your plans to
attend the 53rd annual reunion of the 63rd
Infantry Division Association to be held at
Virginia Beach, VA from 28 Sept to 1 Oct
01. Details of the reunion can be found on
the Reunion Page of this web site.
ANNUAL ASSOCIATION DUES
The Association Secretary has advised me
that several hundred members have as yet
to pay their annual dues that were due in
January of this year. Please don't lose your
membership and contact with your buddies
and friends. They become more valuable
and scarce as each day passes.
IS IT SPRINGTIME YET?? Well if it is
I guess my system just doesn't want to
don't know how it is where you are, but the
wind and temperature here in the Northern
Virginia area certainly don't let you feel as if
it is Springtime. I am ready for some
warmth. !!!
TAPS
I must start the newsletter off with some
sad news. Cpl Irwin Gold, Antitank
Company, 253rd Infantry passed away the
morning of 18 March 2001. As you recall
Cpl Gold was one of our buddies listed in
last month's newsletter as needing some
encouragement and support to bring cheer
to him during an extended illness. . I don't
know what burial arrangements have been
made, but condolences can be sent to
Irwin's daughter at e-mail address:
lgold@charter.net or by regular mail at:
Lisa Gold 3955 E. 3rd Street, Long Beach,
CA 90814.
I must also sadly announce the death of my
friend LTC Mike Myers, Platoon Leader,
G Company 254th Infantry. Mike passed
away on 19 March 2001. Mike was also
one of our buddies listed in last month's
newsletter as needing encouragement and
support to bring cheer to him during an
extended illness. Mike's widow, Mary
advises me that burial arrangements have
not been finalized ,but that Mike will be
buried in Arlington National Cemetery on a
date to be determined. Condolences can
be sent to Mike's widow at e-mail address:
mary653@mymailstation.com or by regular
mail at: 8714 Curtis Ave, Alexandria, VA
22309. Telephone: 703-780-4930. Men
of the 63rd who want to attend Mike's
interment at Arlington National Cemetery
can contact Mary or the family for details
and date. I will be unable to attend
because I will not be in the Washington
area for the next couple of weeks. I hope
that 63rd Infantry Division veterans in the
Washington area will take the time to honor
our friend and comrade at the time of his
burial.
FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE
WITH PALM I get many questions from
254th veterans and members of their
families about the French Croix de Guerre
with Palm won by the Regiment for their
heroic actions in the Colmar Pocket area.
Mostly they want to know what kind of a
medal or decoration they should have or
can wear to show receipt of the award.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that the
individual member of the 254th can wear to
show award of the French Croix de Guerre
with Palm.
Do not despair--As a member of the 254th
Infantry Regiment during the time the
Regiment was in the Colmar area you are
eligible to join the American Order of the
French Croix de Guerre. As a member you
are then eligible to apply for, at a cost, a
rather nice certificate attesting that you
were a member of a unit receiving the
French Croix de Guerre. The certificate is
in color , in French and suitable for
framing. I have included a partial image of
the certificate at the bottom of this
newsletter. Partial because the certificate is
16" X 12" and my scanner couldn't capture
it all. Just below the American Order of the
French Croix de Guerre membership
information on the website there is also a
description of a Blazer Pocket Badge you
can buy and wear if you want to impress
your friends and relatives.
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
The US Holocaust Museum recently invited
63rd Infantry Division veterans and their
families to join them in a Day of
Remembrance to be held at the US Capitol
Building in the Rotunda on 19 April 2001.
This is a day to give thanks and recognition
to the many American soldiers that played a
part in the liberation of the concentration
camps in Europe. The 63rd Infantry
Division flag will be among the many
divisional flags to be displayed during the
ceremony. Unfortunately the invitation list
has been prepared and submitted based on
the response to my message several weeks
ago. Written invitations should be
forthcoming from the US Holocaust
Museum within the next few weeks based
on the list submitted. As I recall there were
some Fifty (50) 63rd Infantry Division
veterans and their guests that were
included. Pictures of the ceremony will be
included on the website sometime around
the end of April 01.
I guess my system just doesn't want to
don't know how it is where you are, but the
wind and temperature here in the Northern
Virginia area certainly don't let you feel as if
it is Springtime. I am ready for some
warmth. !!!
TAPS
I must start the newsletter off with some
sad news. Cpl Irwin Gold, Antitank
Company, 253rd Infantry passed away the
morning of 18 March 2001. As you recall
Cpl Gold was one of our buddies listed in
last month's newsletter as needing some
encouragement and support to bring cheer
to him during an extended illness. . I don't
know what burial arrangements have been
made, but condolences can be sent to
Irwin's daughter at e-mail address:
lgold@charter.net or by regular mail at:
Lisa Gold 3955 E. 3rd Street, Long Beach,
CA 90814.
I must also sadly announce the death of my
friend LTC Mike Myers, Platoon Leader,
G Company 254th Infantry. Mike passed
away on 19 March 2001. Mike was also
one of our buddies listed in last month's
newsletter as needing encouragement and
support to bring cheer to him during an
extended illness. Mike's widow, Mary
advises me that burial arrangements have
not been finalized ,but that Mike will be
buried in Arlington National Cemetery on a
date to be determined. Condolences can
be sent to Mike's widow at e-mail address:
mary653@mymailstation.com or by regular
mail at: 8714 Curtis Ave, Alexandria, VA
22309. Telephone: 703-780-4930. Men
of the 63rd who want to attend Mike's
interment at Arlington National Cemetery
can contact Mary or the family for details
and date. I will be unable to attend
because I will not be in the Washington
area for the next couple of weeks. I hope
that 63rd Infantry Division veterans in the
Washington area will take the time to honor
our friend and comrade at the time of his
burial.
FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE
WITH PALM I get many questions from
254th veterans and members of their
families about the French Croix de Guerre
with Palm won by the Regiment for their
heroic actions in the Colmar Pocket area.
Mostly they want to know what kind of a
medal or decoration they should have or
can wear to show receipt of the award.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that the
individual member of the 254th can wear to
show award of the French Croix de Guerre
with Palm.
Do not despair--As a member of the 254th
Infantry Regiment during the time the
Regiment was in the Colmar area you are
eligible to join the American Order of the
French Croix de Guerre. As a member you
are then eligible to apply for, at a cost, a
rather nice certificate attesting that you
were a member of a unit receiving the
French Croix de Guerre. The certificate is
in color , in French and suitable for
framing. I have included a partial image of
the certificate at the bottom of this
newsletter. Partial because the certificate is
16" X 12" and my scanner couldn't capture
it all. Just below the American Order of the
French Croix de Guerre membership
information on the website there is also a
description of a Blazer Pocket Badge you
can buy and wear if you want to impress
your friends and relatives.
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
The US Holocaust Museum recently invited
63rd Infantry Division veterans and their
families to join them in a Day of
Remembrance to be held at the US Capitol
Building in the Rotunda on 19 April 2001.
This is a day to give thanks and recognition
to the many American soldiers that played a
part in the liberation of the concentration
camps in Europe. The 63rd Infantry
Division flag will be among the many
divisional flags to be displayed during the
ceremony. Unfortunately the invitation list
has been prepared and submitted based on
the response to my message several weeks
ago. Written invitations should be
forthcoming from the US Holocaust
Museum within the next few weeks based
on the list submitted. As I recall there were
some Fifty (50) 63rd Infantry Division
veterans and their guests that were
included. Pictures of the ceremony will be
included on the website sometime around
the end of April 01.
French Croix de Guerre certificate. Full
size is 16" X 12". The extreme sides and
bottom of the certificate were not
size is 16" X 12". The extreme sides and
bottom of the certificate were not
