Issue Number 9 April 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.
spent it and it's not even the end of April. As
usual I used Turbo Tax computer program for
preparing my taxes, but with a new twist this
year I used electronic filing. It was easy and
resulted in a quick refund. Is this a great life,
or what??
DAYS OF REMEMBERANCE
CEREMONY
The Days of Rememberance Ceremony was
held on 19 April 2001 in the Rotunda of the
US Capitol building. Although the ceremony
was not what I had expected, it was
impressive and moving.
I had expected more emphasis on the role
played by US Forces in liberating the many
concentration camps during World War II.
While some mention was made about
liberating forces , most of the comments made
related to the Holocaust and the suffering
endured by the Jewish community of Europe.
I came away thinking that most of that horrible
tragedy could have been prevented had we
and other nations acted more decisively at the
time. Something to think about when
objecting to our involvement in similiar
circumstances happening today.
The President was the keynote speaker, but
the highlight of the ceremony for me was when
members of the 3rd Infantry (Old Guard)
marched into the rotunda carrying the
divisional flags of the thirty four (34) different
divisions that were involved in the liberation of
concentration camps during WWII. I took
photos of the flags and in particular the 63rd
Infantry Division Flag. Unfortunately our flag
didn't seemed to want to unfurl as it was being
carried so the pictures don't quite show it in all
of its glory. In fact even when mounted on a
stand where it stood for the entire ceremony,
the Blood and Fire Patch was not evident.
Photos of the ceremony and our flag can be
seen on Page 15 of Miscellaneous Photos
Section
I have no idea how many 63rd Division
members were there. By chance I was seated
next to General Kroesen (E/254) and his wife
so I know that they were there.
I am planning to check with the Special
Events Office of the Holocaust Museum in a
few days to see what progress is being made
reference officially installing the 63rd Infantry
Division Flag in their Hall of Honor. Based on
a discussion with an individual in the Special
Events Office a few weeks ago, there is a
chance that there will be no official ceremony
for that installation.
PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA
IMAGES
I know I have brought up this subject many
times, but I am getting very few photos and
memorabilia images to post in the Photo
Sections of the Web Site.
Please check your files and submit your
cherished photos to be included for all to see
and enjoy. Do you have a special war
momento, such as a copy of the shipboard
paper, a German propaganda leaflet, a special
program or menu? If so, share them with the
rest of us.
Send them to me as an e-mail attachment in
jpg or GIF format or if you don't have a
scanner send the original, I will scan and
return the item to you.
You can access the photo sections from the
Division History Page.
usual I used Turbo Tax computer program for
preparing my taxes, but with a new twist this
year I used electronic filing. It was easy and
resulted in a quick refund. Is this a great life,
or what??
DAYS OF REMEMBERANCE
CEREMONY
The Days of Rememberance Ceremony was
held on 19 April 2001 in the Rotunda of the
US Capitol building. Although the ceremony
was not what I had expected, it was
impressive and moving.
I had expected more emphasis on the role
played by US Forces in liberating the many
concentration camps during World War II.
While some mention was made about
liberating forces , most of the comments made
related to the Holocaust and the suffering
endured by the Jewish community of Europe.
I came away thinking that most of that horrible
tragedy could have been prevented had we
and other nations acted more decisively at the
time. Something to think about when
objecting to our involvement in similiar
circumstances happening today.
The President was the keynote speaker, but
the highlight of the ceremony for me was when
members of the 3rd Infantry (Old Guard)
marched into the rotunda carrying the
divisional flags of the thirty four (34) different
divisions that were involved in the liberation of
concentration camps during WWII. I took
photos of the flags and in particular the 63rd
Infantry Division Flag. Unfortunately our flag
didn't seemed to want to unfurl as it was being
carried so the pictures don't quite show it in all
of its glory. In fact even when mounted on a
stand where it stood for the entire ceremony,
the Blood and Fire Patch was not evident.
Photos of the ceremony and our flag can be
seen on Page 15 of Miscellaneous Photos
Section
I have no idea how many 63rd Division
members were there. By chance I was seated
next to General Kroesen (E/254) and his wife
so I know that they were there.
I am planning to check with the Special
Events Office of the Holocaust Museum in a
few days to see what progress is being made
reference officially installing the 63rd Infantry
Division Flag in their Hall of Honor. Based on
a discussion with an individual in the Special
Events Office a few weeks ago, there is a
chance that there will be no official ceremony
for that installation.
PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA
IMAGES
I know I have brought up this subject many
times, but I am getting very few photos and
memorabilia images to post in the Photo
Sections of the Web Site.
Please check your files and submit your
cherished photos to be included for all to see
and enjoy. Do you have a special war
momento, such as a copy of the shipboard
paper, a German propaganda leaflet, a special
program or menu? If so, share them with the
rest of us.
Send them to me as an e-mail attachment in
jpg or GIF format or if you don't have a
scanner send the original, I will scan and
return the item to you.
You can access the photo sections from the
Division History Page.
ESCHRINGEN
A few weeks ago I received a package from
Mr Ronald Schmidt of Eschringen,
Germany which contained a small book
relating to the war years history of
Eschringen. Eschringen is a small town just
before Ensheim and the Siegfried Line and
was the first town that I passed through on
the way to the Siegfried Line on 15 March
1945.
In that the book was in German and the fact
that my German is limited to ordering beer
and finding a place to sleep, I was not able
to read and appreciate the war from the
viewpoint of the citizens of Enschringen.
Coming to my rescue was Mr Chris
Munsch, Unit Administrator of the 302 MI
Company,(63rd Reserve Support
Command) in California. He volunteered to
use the book as a training task for his
German translators. Mr. Schmidt sent
him a copy and only a couple of days ago I
received the first translated portion of the
booklet. That translation appears the
Eschringen Translation Page
My thanks to Mr Munsch and his translators
for their efforts. Mr Munsch tells me that
more of the translated book will be
forthcoming in the near future.
REUNION
There is still plenty of time for you to make
your plans to attend the 63rd Infantry
Division Association Reunion to be held at
Virginia Beach, Virginia from 28 September
to 1 October 2001.
Go to Reunions and get the details.
I hope to see you all there.
BUDDY SEARCH AND MAIL CALL
There have been a number of new entries on
the Buddy Search and Mail Call Pages since
the last issue. Please take the time to go to
those pages or check out the consolidated
listings at the following:
Consolidated Mail Call Listings
Consolidated Buddy Search Listings.
ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP
LISTING
The Association Membership Listing has
been updated. I have added a number of
new members and unfortunately deleted too
many names of our buddies who have
passed away.
NEW PHOTO OF WAR'S
DESTUCTIVE NATURE-
BENNWIHR, FRANCE
I have just added an aerial photo of
Bennwihr France taken after the batttles in
that village , January 1945. Take a look and
see what a beating that small village took
during the war. If you were to visit
Bennwihr today you would never know it
suffered such devastation.
NEW PHOTOS OF JEBSHEIM,
FRANCE AFTER THE BATTLE OF
JEBSHEIM.
I have just received a number of photos
depicting the destruction of Jebsheim France
caused by the Battle of Jebsheim during the
latter part of January 1945. I should have
them entered in the Pictorial History of the
63rd Infantry Division in Combat section
sometime within the next few days. You will
be able to access them from the Pictorial
History Photo Section
A few weeks ago I received a package from
Mr Ronald Schmidt of Eschringen,
Germany which contained a small book
relating to the war years history of
Eschringen. Eschringen is a small town just
before Ensheim and the Siegfried Line and
was the first town that I passed through on
the way to the Siegfried Line on 15 March
1945.
In that the book was in German and the fact
that my German is limited to ordering beer
and finding a place to sleep, I was not able
to read and appreciate the war from the
viewpoint of the citizens of Enschringen.
Coming to my rescue was Mr Chris
Munsch, Unit Administrator of the 302 MI
Company,(63rd Reserve Support
Command) in California. He volunteered to
use the book as a training task for his
German translators. Mr. Schmidt sent
him a copy and only a couple of days ago I
received the first translated portion of the
booklet. That translation appears the
Eschringen Translation Page
My thanks to Mr Munsch and his translators
for their efforts. Mr Munsch tells me that
more of the translated book will be
forthcoming in the near future.
REUNION
There is still plenty of time for you to make
your plans to attend the 63rd Infantry
Division Association Reunion to be held at
Virginia Beach, Virginia from 28 September
to 1 October 2001.
Go to Reunions and get the details.
I hope to see you all there.
BUDDY SEARCH AND MAIL CALL
There have been a number of new entries on
the Buddy Search and Mail Call Pages since
the last issue. Please take the time to go to
those pages or check out the consolidated
listings at the following:
Consolidated Mail Call Listings
Consolidated Buddy Search Listings.
ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP
LISTING
The Association Membership Listing has
been updated. I have added a number of
new members and unfortunately deleted too
many names of our buddies who have
passed away.
NEW PHOTO OF WAR'S
DESTUCTIVE NATURE-
BENNWIHR, FRANCE
I have just added an aerial photo of
Bennwihr France taken after the batttles in
that village , January 1945. Take a look and
see what a beating that small village took
during the war. If you were to visit
Bennwihr today you would never know it
suffered such devastation.
NEW PHOTOS OF JEBSHEIM,
FRANCE AFTER THE BATTLE OF
JEBSHEIM.
I have just received a number of photos
depicting the destruction of Jebsheim France
caused by the Battle of Jebsheim during the
latter part of January 1945. I should have
them entered in the Pictorial History of the
63rd Infantry Division in Combat section
sometime within the next few days. You will
be able to access them from the Pictorial
History Photo Section