75th Division newsline No. 6
28. January 1998 - Hello veterans and friends of the 75th Division !
Finally, we are back ! We had a fantastic time over the last
Schützenfest (15 June 1997) in Plettenberg, Germany, with veterans of
the 75th Div (Jack Mistler, Chas Allred and Joe Karr).
After Schützenfest, we had to care about our normal business work and
shortly after, trouble with our PC and eMail-system started. Now
everything is fixed and we hope, that we can keep up with the eMails
that are coming in. (Maybe we send the newsline more often, but
remember: it´s free !) We want to inform you about everything happening
around the 75th Div. Especially we want to reach out to veterans, that
don't know the 75th Div Veterans Association. Maybe you are interested
to meet your old buddies, and so our most important news is at No. 1:
List of contents:
1.) 1998 Reunion of the 75th Division
2.) Schützenfest in Plettenberg, Germany
3.) Mike Pinkertons father (75th Vet) is online now !
4.) Philip Bradley regarding flags
5.) Rik Peirson regarding 1LT John Silas Sheffield Peirson, 75th Div.
6.) Report on 75th Div Veterans visit in Germany, Schützenfest
1998 Reunion of the 75th Division !!!
Time: 15 - 19 July 1998
Place: Spokane, WA, USA
Hotel: Double Tree Hotel
Spokane City Center
322 N. Spokane Falls Ct.
Spokane, WA 99204
Phone: 509-455-9600, Ext. 4338
Room rate is singles and doubles $ 76.
Trpls $ 91, Quads $ 106. + 10.1% tax.
Cut off date
for registration: 15 June 1998
Chairman and
more information:
Angelo Borracchini
617 South Nevada St.,
Seattle, WA 98108
Phone: 206-682-1590
Fax: 206-682-1585
(Please tell him, that you heard it over the 75th Div eMail-newsline !)
2.)
The next Schützenfest in Plettenberg,
Westphalia, Germany
(last command post of the 75th Div HQ in WWII)
is: 06 – 08 June 1998
(ask Jack Mistler, Chas Allred or Joseph Karr how much fun you
will have!)
******************************************************
DON'T BE A LURKER.... GET INVOLVED... YOU ARE A MEMBER...
MAKE THE MOST OF IT
******************************************************
Some eMails as a response on our newsline No. 5:
3.)
Wed, 28 May 97 17:55 +0100
Re: FW: 75th Division newsline No. 5
From: mikepink@aol.com (Mike Pinkerton)
Dear Sir:
Thanks for keeping us up to date on what is going on. I have been
relaying the info over to my grandfather, Ned R. Hickel, Sr. whom as you
may recall, was a member of the 75th during WWII. Well, his family has
finally convinced ole "Pa Pa" to get on-line, so we have hooked him up
with internet access and e-mail. He may be pretty slow on it at first,
but he should catch on quick. Anyway, you can start sending the
newsletter directly to him, instead of via me. He is really excited
about getting stuff like this. His e-mail address is:
Captned@webtv.net
Thanks again,
Mikepink
__________________________________________
4.)
From: cbradley@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Philip R. Bradley)
Fri, 30 May 97 16:59 MET DST
Subject: Flags
Dear Mr. Wilmink,
I was most gratified and truly amazed with the success you have
achieved in finding the battle flags and chains of office of your city.
(Note from Moderator: We know where the chain is, but still search the
flags)
I am a retired US Army Reservist. I retired with the rank of
Lt. Colonel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. I am quite familiar
with the laws of war. During wartime, soldiers are permitted to take as
war booty any of the enemy's equipment, including their weapons.
However, soldiers are forbidden to take an enemy soldier's decorations.
The Chain of Office and the antique flags were clearly outside
the bounds of war booty. The taking of these items was a theft. The
taker was a thief. Militarily, he was a looter.
Under the laws of the United States a thief is incapable of
passing good title to an article which is stolen. The subsequent
purchaser from a purchaser from a thief does not have good title. In
short, the items in question remain the property of your city or your
county, whichever the case may be.
I suggest that you notify the shop which has possession of the
items as well as immediately contact the United States Embassy in
Germany and the German Embassy in the United States of the situation
that you have described in your e-mail. I further suggest that you
ascertain whether Germany has a consular office in Philadelphia. If
Germany does not maintain such an office, then the office closest to
Philadelphia will suffice for your purposes. Notify your
consul. If you will provide me with the name and address of the
antique shop which is in possession of the items which I discuss above,
then I will be very glad to send a copy of this letter to that antique
dealer so that he/she will be informed of the state of affairs to which
I refer. In you communications to the respective embassies and
the consularoffices you must make it clear that all of the items that
you seek to recover are antiques; that they long predate World War Two
and that they have no connection with either the Wermacht, the
Kreigsmarine, the Shutzstaffel, the Luftwaffe, or the National Socialist
Party. It would be wise to include the Gestapo as well since the
Gerheimatstatspolezi was one of the most vicious of all of the German
criminal organizations of the war period.
I am truly sorry that your quite extraordinary skills as an
investigator did not achieve the same success for my search for the
woman who had given refuge to the Jewish woman in Brilon that you have
achieved on behalf of your fellow citizens of your city. However, as
the French say, "C'est la guerre."
Philip R. Bradley
______________________________________
5.)
Thu, 12 Jun 97 20:49 MET DST
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 11:50:58 -0700
From: Rik Peirson rik@dayone.com
Dear mkw Detective --
I just discovered the 75th Infantry Division Homepage!
First, thank you for going to the troble to document the hisory of the
75th. This means a great deal to me because my Father -- 1LT John Silas
Sheffield Peirson, was killed at the Bulge on Christmas Day, very near
the beginning of the fighting.
This is a part of his history (with the 75th) that I never knew, and
because of you, I can pass on to my family.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all --
Rik Peirson
Santa Barbara, CA USA
PS:
Dear Rolf --
Assuming you're the person behind MKW. I just discovered your company's
page on the web.
In connection with the note I just sent (from the 75th Inf. Div. page) I
might also mention that I am the developer (and webmaster) of a site for
the American World War II Orphans Network . . .
Which you'll find at . . . www.west.net/~awon
A number of the men who died in WWII (including my own Father) are
pictured under the heading of "Our Fathers," if you have interest.
Thank you again for the work you've done in connection with the unit's
stay in Plettenberg.
Best -- -- Rik Peirson
-------------------------------------------
Dear Rik,
thanks for the informations you emailed me. I will visit your page in
the next days. At the moment, we have here big celebrations because of
the 600 years birthday of our town. 3 Veterans of the 75th will also
come to that event.
If you would like to know more about the unit of your father, please
email me all informations about his military career that you have, and
enclose your full mail adress, maybe with fax and phone-numbers. I can
then fax it to the president of the veterans association, who can
publish it in their newsletter Bulge Buster. Maybe then some veterans
will write or call, that knew your father or fought with him. Its worth
a try !
In the meantime, please read the 5 newslines about the 75th, that I have
put together from emails. There maybe are useful informations in for you
!
Greetings from Germany
Rolf G. Wilmink
------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 09:54:48 -0700
From: Rik Peirson rik@dayone.com
Subject: 75th Division Correspondence -- Thanks!
Rolf --
Just wanted to wish you a happy anniversary for your town!
I wanted to especially thank you for sending me that collection of
correspondence,
as I know you did it at what is obviously a very exciting and busy time
for you.
I'll let you know of any results . . . but meanwhile wish you a great
celebration!
Best regards --
Rik Peirson
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Rik Peirson
Day One × Santa Barbara, CA × USA
Marketing, Advertising, Interactive Communications
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
6.)
Datum: Fri, 20 Jun 97 22:54 +0100
From: mkw-detective@t-online.de (MK-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH)
subject:Report on veterans visit to Germany
To: Bill Burke, 75th Div (Exercise)
Rolf ....General McDaniels and I will be unable to make it for the big
celebration...He basically gave me a choice !! Go to the 75th Reunion
in Kansas City in August or go to Germany in June......
Since we are still trying to obtain more artifacts and archives for our
museum he felt we would be better served if I went to Kansas City in
August. I really would have like to come to Plettenberg but my son is
still in school and the timing is not good I will be going to Brazil on
company business the 18th of June and it would have been difficult to
schedule both trips.
----------------------------
Bill,
you will never know what you have missed. Was disappointing you (or
somebody else from the 75th EX) did not come.
I did not recieve the 75th flag or table flag I asked for to honour the
veterans.
We had three veterans here: Mr. Mistler (with nice), Mr. Allred (with
wife) and Mr. Karr (with son).
They had a great time here !
Friday:
*******
We visited the march to the queen and the shooters hall. Veterans were
welcomed by the president and vice president of the rifle association.
In the evening, we had dinner at the best restaurant in town with a view
over the whole city.
Saturday:
*********
Morning:
Official reception from the mayor and the city director in the city
hall. Veterans recieved a lot of presents, incl. huge picture book about
Plettenberg. Press was there taking pictures.
Afternoon:
Ceremony to honour the fallen comrades. Words of priest were simultan
translated. March to the rifle range. Veterans had US flag on their
table, shot on the bird, saw the bird fall, felt the tension in the
range, had big fun.
Evening:
Dinner in the rifle assn. hall, Mr. Mistler had traditional dinner
(after 52 years) with the Schulte family.
Sunday:
*******
From 11 to 12 Concert of the Old Ironsides, US military marching band.
Until 13:30 visit to the place of the old POW camp. Vets talked to
citizens and visited the rooms they slept in 52 years ago !
TV-crew filmed it, press made photos.
13:30 meal with the US Military band and nice talks.
14:30 to 16:00 Big march through the city, people said that US Band was
the best.
After marching in the packed hall, the US band played two songs just for
the veterans, that were standing on the stage and holding an US flag.
20:30 crowning ceremony with military tatoo:
In his official speech, the president of the rifle association mentioned
the veterans here as guests of honour and even spoke to them directly in
english, (will include it as soon I have it) what we had never before in
the history since 1836 ! It was very touching.
Veterans recieved the official 600 years medal, that normally only
members of the rifle association recieve.
Dance after that.
Monday:
*******
Visit to the beer court in a huge tent. 1000 people inside.
In the afternoon coffee and cake in my place. We saw the video, that
runs in the museum of the 75th Div in Houston and the first TV-report
about the flag search. Went through a lot of 75th documents. Vets
recieved rifle association books, a reprint of the Declaration of city
rights and historic heslipho-coins. Heartbreaking to say goodbye to
Mistlers, that had to leave.
In the evening gala dance in the shooters hall with long robes and
tuxedos. Veterans were invited to a secret insiders meeting, that only
few of the rifle association members know !
Tuesday:
********
Karr jun., sen. and me went to Hemer to a reception by the Mayor of
Hemer, press was there. Mr. Karr recieved a book about Hemer and a
graphic.
Then visit to the Bluecher barracks, where the POW-camp STALAG 6a was in
1945.
Reception by the barracks vice-commander, Major Bomke. Three course
meal.
Visited the Leopard II tanks and the memorial room, in which they have
photos of members of the 75th hanging.
Mr. Karr found the places from where he took the photos of the 75th Div.
Press took pictures, too.
Wednesday:
*********
Souvenir shopping of the Karrs in Plettenberg.
This is just a rough summary of the trip. Mr. Mistler will write a
report about all that, and I am sure, that he can express better than
me, what the veterans felt during their days here. Hope that Mr. Karr
jr. will also email me his report. Will forward them to all when I
recieved them.
Greetings from Germany
Rolf G. Wilmink
75th Div WWII Vets homepage