Timberwolves Reunion Albuquerque – Sunday

[CATEGORIES: Travel, WWII, Veterans.]

Sunday morning is the traditional memorial service for the WWII veterans of the 104th Infantry Division.  Sunday evening we have the formal banquet dinner and dance.

We have ‘official’ speeches’ by VA chaplain Ronald, Timberwolf vet Bob, and Pup Jerry.  Additional remarks are made by visiting Dutchwoman Esther, Belgian Vincent, and Maj. Gen. Moffat (Ret.).  No one speaks too long.  Considering what they have to say, believe me, no one is bored.

Every… single… speaker… is meaningful, pertinent, intelligent, thoughtful, thought-provoking and inspiring.  To name a few, and slight no one by their absence, veteran Bob, a 21 yr.-old BAR-toting infantryman in WWII and never wounded, speaks of those children and fellow soldiers alike who did not survive the war.  We here today are the lucky ones.  Jerry, he and his brother Mike very young babies when their father was KIA in 1945, speaks of growing up without a father.  Young 20- and 30-something adults and Europeans Esther and Vincent both eloquently express the appreciation their generation feels for living in a free Europe 68 years after the war.

After the ceremony I hear two vets, attendees at quite a few past reunions, say they think this is the finest memorial service of any of them.

Following are pictures of the memorial service, evening dinner banquet, and the Monday morning final breakfast.  Hover your cursor over a picture or click on it to see a caption.  Within the enlarged photos click the X upper-left to return to this page.

The program cover.

The podium.

Memorial candles.

L-R: Cmd. Sgt. Major (Ret.), Lt. Col., Brig. General.

Vets at the right of me.

Vets at the left.

The Colors have been posted.

Lighting the candles in remembrance.

Pup Mike lighting candles.

Dutch friend Esther reads a poem she wrote in English. It’s beautiful.

Belgian Vincent.

Jerry speaking of his father.

Putting out the candles to remember fallen comrades.

Keith putting out a candle.

The Color Guard leader thanks the vets.

Retiring the Colors.

Glen and Keith with top brass.

Banquet photos, Renee and Piet.

Banquet crowds gather.

Not everyone wants a photo taken.

THERE you are! Nancy, Mary Lou, and Keith.

Bill, Esther, and Peggy.

Esther and photographer Art.

Lyle and Terry.

Peggy, Piet, and Nancy.

Talkers and diners and talkers.

Vet Shirl and daughter.

Pups President Andy with announcements.

Dinner!!!

Vet Mel tells jokes. What a hoot!

A visiting Navy vet tells jokes.

Jokes by vet Simon. He should perform in the Catskills!

Vet Bob gives remembrances.

Vet and Shrine Clown Leonard wraps the jokes segments.

Cmd. Sgt. Major, Brig. Gen., Cmd. Sgt. Major (Ret.)

Disco dancing concludes the evening, but most people reminisce.

Monday morning, one more breakfast!

Happy Trails, good friends.

See you NEXT YEAR for the MINNESOTA REUNION!!

It’s all about freedom, IMO.  Get it, hold on to it, don’t ever let it go.

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