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www.lestweforgetusa.org

Contact: Victoria Dunlop,
Public Information Officer
269-468-5679, vicki@birdbite.com

This Event Contact: Don Alsbro,
Colonel US Army (Ret)
269-925-7176, dealsbro@sbcglobal.net

May 27, 2014
Lest We Forget Presents A Walk Through American History Re-enactments

BENTON HARBOR - Lest We Forget will bring live action as you Walk Through American History
during re-enactments on the shore of Lake Michigan at Tiscornia Beach and in fields at the Southwest
Michigan Regional Airport during their seventh tribute to veterans and our military history.

Lest We Forgets 2014 WWII, Korea and Vietnam Re-enactment occurs June 20-22. Patriotism will be
apparent as the "Avenue of Flags" welcomes visitors along Airport Road, with flags erected through
the cooperation of the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph Exchange Club and the Bridge Academy. The display
will be in place June 13-23. In Berrien County, the Commissioners have given Lest We Forget a
proclamation calling for county residents to fly their flag for the month of June in honor of the numerous
patriotic activities taking place.

The unexpected return of beach landings to the event will please attendees and re-enactors alike! The
Normandy D-Day battle with landing craft on Saturday at 10:00 am is in honor of Rex Welch, WWII
veteran and member of the 82nd Airborne Division who jumped in Africa, Italy, Normandy and
Holland, in addition to fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. The Okinawa Beach Landing begins at
12:00pm and will honor Arden Pridgeon, who landed at both Leyte and Okinawa with the 96th Infantry
Division. Both of these individuals will be present to witness the re-enactments.

Staging begins Friday, June 20, with activities around the Twin Cities. The Vietnam Huey helicopters
arrive around noon and offer membership rides to the public. Throughout the day, thunderous War Birds
will arrive at the airport and be on display for the weekend. We are honored by having the Confederate
Air Force from Oklahoma and the Liberty Jump Team from Texas. The C-47 plane that they
jump out of was used on D-Day. Plus, this group is traveling to Normandy, France to jump during
the 70th Anniversary commemoration in June - then flying directly to Benton Harbor. So we will have
present the plane that was used in 1944, and again in 2014! This is a unique and exciting itinerary to be
included in, making this re-enactment and your witnessing it an historical event! Plus, there will be
12 jumpers and they will be using WWII type parachutes. Troops, other vendors and vehicles will
continue to arrive at the airport Friday and set up camp. Meanwhile, the Heritage Center in St. Joseph
will be conducting narrated walks of patriotic statues downtown along the Bluff. Your chance to roll
with the waves occurs Friday from 2-4 pm at Tiscornia Beach, where a WWII landing craft will be
giving rides to the public. Rides will be offered on a donation basis. At 3 pm there will be a special ride
involving WWII veterans: all veterans are encouraged to take a ride.

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Friday evening, Celebration Cinema in Benton Harbor will be the site of Walk Through History from
7-9pm. Clips of WWII, Korean and Vietnam Wars will be featured along with presentations by Medal
of Honor recipients from all three conflicts: Hershel Williams (WWII), Duane Dewey (Korea) and
Allen Lynch (Vietnam).

Saturday starts early as the Chow Hall, located in the airport terminal, opens to the public at 7am. The
Leap Dogs parachute team will perform a patriotic flag drop to open the ceremonies at 10:00am and
the Normandy D-Day Beach Invasion will begin with beach pyrotechnics and War Birds will attack
the beach and landing craft deliver troops to storm the beach.

Following this invasion, Lest We Forget has created "Inchon Remembered." Korean veterans will be
honored in a landing craft ride along the shoreline. This will be followed by the spectacular
demonstration of a Flame thrower, which will shoot a rolling ball of fire across the sand, growing bright
red before it blackens and smoke dissipates into air. We are anticipating that Sang il Kim, Consul
General of Korea in Chicago will be present and he will ride with the Korean veterans on their landing
craft Inchon Remembered ride and then speak to the crowd. Later Saturday evening, the Korean
veterans will have a private dinner with the Consul General.

The Okinawa Beach Landing begins at noon as the beach is hit by war birds and culminates later in the
iconic scene of the Iwo Jima Flag Raising, and will be witnessed by Hershel Williams, Iwo Jima Medal
of Honor recipient.

Activity at the beach concludes, however landing craft rides will continue from 2-5pm, but from the
Benton Harbor DNR Boat Launch on Riverview Drive in Benton Harbor. At the airport, interactive fun
can be had in the way of rides on the Huey and Bell helicopters. Membership may be required, but
applications are available.

Those who served our country experienced war first-hand, and several individuals will share with us
how it impacted their lives. Hear "Vietnam War as Seen by Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Allen
Lynch, listen to "Korean War--Essence of War" by Art Clark and Red Sage, and take in the words of
Duane Dewey, Korean Medal of Honor Recipient.

Heavy sounds overhead herald the Warbird Flyover. Witness the Korean Flag Drop and dash for
candy during the Korean War Chosin Reservoir Tootsie Roll Drop in the Battlefield with the Liberty
Jump Team. Often called the Forgotten War, be assured, the soldiers have not forgotten, and the Tootsie
Roll Drop will remind them that these sugary candies saved many lives in the freezing temperatures in
Chosin by providing needed energy but also being molded in place to plug holes in damaged
equipment!

Today, learn or remember as the Vietnam War is re-enacted in the airport Battlefield. Watch Johnny
Mayo with his dog who he has trained to do what his War Dog Kelly did in Vietnam, saving his life.
Plus, there will be two aircraft that were used in Vietnam, #369 Huey Medevac and #801 Huey
gunship, a flame thrower, Vietnam vehicles and the 25th Infantry Division, Wolfhounds. This
Vietnam re-enactment will bring back memories!

New this year is the opportunity to bring your well-worn flag for proper disposal during our American
Flag Retirement, located outside of the hangar. The Fiskars Hanger will start hopping around 6pm
when the Canteen opens. See the 40's Fashion Show, hear "Voices of Freedom" from Grand Rapids,
and be ready to boogie during the Hangar Swing Dance featuring Big Band Music by Moonlighters.
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Early risers on Sunday can have breakfast at 7am when the Chow Hall re-opens and another addition to
the event takes place a Classic Car Show! Classic car owners are invited to breakfast and to display
their cars at the airport. At 9am, the Church Service will be led by Chaplain Steve Green, re-enacting a
WWII church field service.

Landing rides continue from the DNR Boat Launch and the Huey and Bell helicopter rides also
continue. A rare chance for education and stories of first-hand experience will be shared much on
Sunday as you will have many opportunities to hear from veterans during informative presentations.
These include Larry McLean and Hershel Williams discussing the Flame Thrower; Al King, a
Tuskegee Airman; Johnny Mayo and Gary Lulenski on "War Dogs in Vietnam and How Their Role
Has Changed," as well as "General Patton" by General Patton aka James Goodall.

There will be another Patriotic Parachute Flag Drop and War Bird Fly Over, plus a Missing Man
Formation. If you missed the flame thrower on Saturday or need to watch it once more, your chance is
on Sunday at 1:30pm. The Liberty Jump Team takes to the skies with a WWII Ground Battle ending
the activities before the re-enactors break camp and bring to a close a very exciting, sometimes
emotional, but certainly unforgettable experience.

For questions please call Don Alsbro at 269-921-7176, dealsbro@comcast.net or online:
www.lesLweforgeLusa.org and on facebook: www.facebook.com/lesLweforgeLusa

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CAPTIONS FOR LWFs Re-Enactment
1. Monlca Cruss show-
cases a 40s-sLyle weddlng
gown along wlLh oLhers
modellng perlod ouLflLs ln
Lhe fashlon show

2. Amerlcan flags flanklng
each slde of Lhe enLrance
Lo Lhe SW Mlchlgan
8eglonal AlrporL welcome
vlslLors durlng Lhe evenL

3. AlrcrafL susLaln damage
during the Battle for the
Airport during the 2013
LesL We lorgeL
re-enacLmenL ln 8enLon Parbor

4. 8e-enacLor porLrays Ceneral
Ceorge aLLon, who
commanded Lhe 1hlrd uS
Army ln Lhe Luropean 1heaLer
of WWll

3. Soldlers ln gear pose wlLh Lhelr weapons
durlng re-enacLmenL
baLLles durlng Lhe 2013
evenL


6. Soldlers advance up
1lscornla 8each ln SL.
!oseph durlng Lhe
recreaLlon of Lhe
normandy 8each
lnvaslon. 8each landlngs, lasL lncluded ln 2012,
will return for this Junes event!

7. MlllLary vehlcles and a
hellcopLer supporL Lroops
durlng ground baLLles and
alr aLLacks aL Lhe alrporL


(conLlnued nexL page)


8. A Leap uog parachuLlsL commences
Cpenlng Ceremonles wlLh a paLrloLlc flag drop








9. llre Lhunders across Lhe flelds durlng Lhe specLacular
demonsLraLlon of a flame-Lhrower




10. Soldlers rush Lo sLorm Lhe beach from Lhelr gaLor
afLer landlng on 1lscornla 8each



11. Landlng crafL approachlng Lhe shore. 1hls landlng crafL
owned by 1om rlce, was in the movie Flags of Our Father.





12. Soldiers advance up the beach re-enacting battle
while spectators surround the action.




FOR HI-RES versions of the above, please email vicki@birdbite.com with numbers you request.