Battle of the Bulge Reenactment Jan25-30

[OLDCHEV4X4]

The battle of the Bulge reenactment at Ft Indiantown Gap is Jan 25th - 30th.
World War II Federation Battle of the Bulge
Is anybody going?
I plow the driveway of a WWII Vet that was in it. I asked him to go a couple times and he says.."I was there, Why in the He11 would I want to go see it again?"
He got a bronze star, but nobody knows how he got it.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

My grandfather was there also and earned a Broze Star with V device. I wish I could go. -Jay

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Might have to see if this is possible for me....

Since I've never been to one, how would this work? Show up and watch? I noticed a registration form, is this for participants? Or all attending?

 

[OLDCHEV4X4]

You can just show up and watch without registration.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

Cool, sounds like a plan

 

[paulfarber]

The GAP is right down the road from me.. I used to participate but it really is the 'minor league' of events.

There are lots of people there, but its really funny to see some of the clowns that show up. As for the public side, there really isn't much of a public battle. Walking through the barracks is OK the first time you do it.

I guess its OK for a first timer, but a lot of 'higher end' reenactors skip it completely.

 

[Alredneck]

Hmm sounds interesting, got some pics form last year.

I volunteered for the Normandy jump in 2004 the last of the C141 jumps when I was with the 101st. Got denied! Dagnabit!

 

[Whitey]

I went for the first time last year an got a few bargains in the barracks, but a good portion of the stuff is reenactment related, which I'm not really into. The public battle was kinda interesting. The best part was watching the squirrels fall/jump from the trees when the battle began! The base itself is kinda neat if you're into snooping around to look at the new gear they have parked around. Got some closeup pics of a SEE last time.

 

[73m819]

Battle of the Bulge Reenactment

When I first saw this, I thought it was going to be me laying on the couch after I just retired in Aug.

 

[Deuce_and_a_Half_Dragon]

What is this public battle? If it's what I think, sounds fun

 

[JeepMan]

Then where do the "higher end" reenactors go ??

 

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Looks like there will be plenty of snow for a realistic reenactment.

 

[68t]

Oldchevv4x4 thanks for the great post. The ww2 vetrans were my heros, I wish i had my mv there, If ok i would like a big picture of your dad truck,

 

[paulfarber]

Then where do the "higher end" reenactors go ??

Ost Front (a few weeks after the bulge cluster f___ )Its invite only so no drag kings and units are much more squared away.

There are so many more quality events... this one simply won't die.... mainly becuase the cap busters are a larger % of attendees.

The Gap used to the do all end all, but $$$ overcame common sense and now anyone can show up as long as they pay.. and it shows.

Seeing that the WWII Federation gave up 501(c)(3) status its nothing more that a pay to play event. WWII Weekend in Reading PA is worse, but this one is still good for a ton of laughs.

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

Not to denigrate the actions of the WWII vets, but the Bronze Star is also known as the "every man's medal" because in 1947 the US Army decided that every man who had earned a Combat Infantryman's Badge during WWII was also entitled to the Bronze Star Medal.

So every soldier who saw combat got a Bronze Star.

 

[firefirefire90]

Not to denigrate the actions of the WWII vets, but the Bronze Star is also known as the "every man's medal" because in 1947 the US Army decided that every man who had earned a Combat Infantryman's Badge during WWII was also entitled to the Bronze Star Medal.

So every soldier who saw combat got a Bronze Star.

my grandfather earned 2 or 3 of those suckers in Korea, along with 3 purple hearts. I would love to see his reaction when I asked him if it was an "every man's medal"

 

[paulfarber]

The demeanor and attitudes of WWII combat veterans just 2-5 years after the war are going to be significantly different now. So asking if a saying from 1947 would have the same meaning today is not really a fair question.

We didn't start to give them the due credit till the 80s-90s.

I think the late Richard Winters words about medals and hero's is probably the most accurate with respect to the attitude the vets have.

I think the only redeeming value the BoB event at the GAP has is that US and German vets show up and freely talk to us whipper snappers. I even think their stay is free. Most cap busters never visit the vet barracks or attend the memorial.

Just goes to show you what the 'quality' of people at the event is.

 

[LanceRobson]

Not to denigrate the actions of the WWII vets

I think that's exactly what you are doing.

In many ways the Bronze Star today is a kind of a war related Good Conduct Medal. The Bronze Star may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. When awarded for bravery, it is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces. Many people with jobs involving a lot of responsibilities or significant contributions to the war effort will get one as a matter of course, in some cases without ever having set foot in theater. However a "V" device, which is awarded for valor, denotes conspicuous conduct in combat while placing one's self at increased risk of one's own life.

The standards for earning a Combat Infantryman Badge in WWII were much more stringent that they are today and required a long period of direct ground combat to earn the badge. Back then the award of a CIB denoted the same type and duration of service that was later required for the award of the Bronze Star. That's why the retroactive awards were made.

Being a WWII grunt was very different than today. Due to a horrible replacement policy a grunt stayed in combat until he was either killed or so seriously wounded as to be disabled. If he could be patched up in theater, he went right back to combat and stayed there until the end of the war. They all knew that they were there until they were killed, seriously wounded or the war ended. I have no problem with any of them receiving a Bronze Star. That's what the medal exists for.

My father served as an infantryman with the 1st Infantry Division from mid 1943 through the end of the war. He fought in Sicily, hit Omaha Beach on D-Day, fought across France and into Belgium for the Battle of the Bulge and on into Germany. Due to combat and climate related casualties the unit he served in had over a 300% percent casualty rate during that time. His older brother fought in three Pacific island campaigns before being seriously wounded in the second Philippines campaign. My mother's oldest brother went up the cliff at Point Du Hoc as a member of the 2nd Ranger Battalion and was wounded there on 7 June. All three earned Bronze stars with V devices during the war.

When the war against Germany ended both the European vets were detailed for the invasion of Japan and were being rushed to the Pacific. theater. Thankfully the war ended and they didn't get there.

My oldest brother spent two years in Vietnam as an infantryman where he earned two Bronze Stars with V devices and I served as an infantryman for over 25 years.

I suspect that if any of of our family's WWII infantry vets were still alive they would have a different opinion than you about the medal just as my brother and I do.

For anyone interested in the Gap reenactment;

World War II Federation Battle of the Bulge

Lance