Activities

Eisenhower World War II Weekend

The students of St. Louis de Montfort Academy stepped off the bus and into a “war zone.” GI’s on jeeps and motorcycles whizzed around camouflage tents, guarded by machine guns, field artillery and mortars. It was like a scene from Operation Market Garden in Holland or D-Day in Normandy during World War II. But no, it was actually Sunday, September 22, 2002 and the students were at General Eisenhower’s Farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for the closing of the Eisenhower World War II Weekend.

German officer shows his medal to students of the Academy

Each of the site tents was a “Living History Exhibit” of a regiment or division that fought in World War II. At the tent of the 78th Infantry Division, an officer demonstrated the workings of his machine gun, mortar and recoilless rifle, or “bazooka.” A Belgian SAS soldier explained his role in Operation Market Garden. Irish Guards displayed the equipment of an infantryman, including the smart dress uniform that is still used at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Even a Soviet rifle company was represented. One re-enactor put on such a good Russian accent, talking about the sinister ways of Comrade Stalin, that he left many in the crowd wondering. There was even a small German contingent. Its officer demonstrated the workings of a “potato masher,” the German grenade. He also showed off his Iron Cross and some campaign medals, souvenirs his veteran father brought home from the war.

Lectures given by World War II veterans also proved a big attraction. U.S. Navy submarine officer Murray Frazee, who served on the USS Grayback and USS Tang, spoke about his experiences sinking Japanese ships in the Pacific. U.S. Coast Guard photographer, Charles Wehrle spoke about his coverage of the Omaha Beach landings on D-Day, the invasion of Okinawa and the aftermath of the atomic bomb at Nagasaki. Finally, two veterans of the legendary 101st Airborne Division gave the best lecture. Flanked by re-enactors, one of them completely equipped with a parachute, Messrs. Joseph Lofthouse and Ralf Kelly described their combat jumps in Operation Market Garden, D-day, and at the Battle of the Bulge. Both spoke with the gravity that characterizes men marked by battle, and it was impressive to see the respect shown to these men who faced death in the service of their country.

As the students were about to tour General Eisenhower’s home, a re-enactor for the 82nd Airborne Division exclaimed, “I haven’t seen boys look like gentlemen since I was a kid! You guys look like the all-American class of ’53!” Although the students were dressed casually, their behavior and deportment impressed him. He said, “You don’t see young people like you gentlemen anymore.” After conversing with the gentleman about the Academy, the students went to see the simple home where President Eisenhower entertained such figures as French president Charles de Gaulle and Soviet premier Nikita Kruschev.

Thus ended an interesting outing that acquainted the students with the soldiery of both Axis and Allied Armies, and their experiences in that terrible war predicted by Our Lady at Fatima. Pulling away from the “war zone,” the students reflected: With the current sad state of the world—much worse than it was over fifty years ago—what new, more terrible chastisement can we expect from God in our days?