EVENTS

Veteran’s Day Program

Sat. Nov. 2, 2019 9 am– 12 pm

East Windsor Historical Society’s Museums on the Green, 115 Scantic Rd, E Windsor, CT 06088

For all veterans, family, and interested visitors.

Airplanes pictured are scheduled to appear in a flyover,“The Stars and Bars Team” will fly over the Museums to honor our Veterans, the motorcycle and more items (weather permitting) will be at the museum except Snoopy.

To those who gave all their tomorrows so that we could have today. And to those veterans that served in any conflict that threatened our freedom and way of life; that we unfortunately too often take for granted and forget to say thanks to those who served their nation. The “Stars and Bars Team” will dedicate this fly-over as a small measure of gratitude by paying tribute to our veterans by remembering their sacrifices and heroism. The team respects all of our veterans and armed forces by preserving their dedication to the conflicts they participated in. They also want to recognize all of those at home who supported the entire mobilization necessary to equip our heroes who served and fought on foreign or domestic soil.

The “Stars and Bars Team” are a group of men who call they sky their true home. Most of them not only share a deep passion for the freedom and expression of flying as an occupation or lifestyle or recreational sport; they believe in the preservation, restoration, operation and education of history and historical artifacts that make us remember the lessons of history. The aircraft that will fly over the ‘Museums on the Green’ on Nov. 2nd (weather permitting) represent all our armed services and those who have or do presently serve. The aircraft are all over 80 years old and served and trained aviators during WWII between 1935 and 1945. The planes have been restored and are maintained and owned by private pilots who are also retired servicemen or civilian pilots. They dedicate their resources, time and training to flying these aircraft for pleasure and sport. Upon request of veterans organizations, municipal officials or veteran related functions they will fly over events such as the ‘Museums’ who are honoring Veterans on Nov. 2nd. These men are all volunteers who believe in “giving back” to those who served by flying in formation whenever they can answer a request to do so.

The vintage military trainers were used for war time reconnaissance or training for the purpose of teaching aerobatic and basic flight training. They also prepared pilots for either assignment to bomber or fighter groups. The aircraft served at Army, Navy and Marine Bases and also at British Allied Royal Air Forces Bases on three continents during the WWII conflict. The Stearman & British Tiger Moth are owned and flown by the “Tiger Moth Drivers”, Bill Kulle, Tim Wells, Gil Wilcox, Augie Gorreck and Bob Welch. The Fairchild PT23 is owned and flown by Harland Aviesee and the Aeronca L-3B is owned and flown by Ret. F-16 Pilot O-3 Captain Ken Drumgold.

On display a reproduction of a BMW 1942 German Army Sahara Motorcycle A 2015 Ural, Russian reproduction of a 1942 BMW German Army Sahara Model sidecar motorcycle used in North Africa by Rommel’s Africa Corps will be on display. The German BMW had direct 2 or 3 wheel drives and was much better suited to the desert conditions. This was a highly valued piece of battle equipment. The allies captured all the German cycles they could get and painted them in American or British colors with stars. The side cars were filled with ammunition and medical supplies and they ran them to the front lines when needed. This cycle represents one of those twists of history where both sides used the same vehicle because it was so well designed. The motorcycle is owned by Bob Welch.

WWII and Iwo Jima Traveling Museum

Gary Roy will bring his WWII and Iwo Jima Traveling Museum and set it up in our parking lot. (weather permitting) Gary and his wife Marianne built this museum to honor and remember the men and women who fought and died for our country. Their goal is to educate visitors about the history and stories of our veterans who served. The museum is contained in a 20’ x 8 ½’ trailer which is wide enough to walk through and is handicapped accessible. It has display cases, TV/video, dioramas, reference materials and a sitting area.

“Connecticut Rosie the Riverters” by Gretchen Caulfield

In addition to all the above mentioned displays, the Museums be selling the newly released book “Connecticut Rosie the Riverters” by Gretchen Caulfield. ($19.99 with $10 going to the museums) It is a collection of biographies honoring the brave women who worked on the home front for the war effort. Gretchen is the National President of the American Rosie the Riverters Association. If you want a copy of the book and but miss our Nov. 2nd event, Gretchen will be at the Connecticut Valley Brewing Company, 765 Sullivan Ave, S Windsor for a book signing On Nov. 7th from 6 – 8 pm.

Our Museums will have their military display which spans the Civil War to Vietnam. We will also have a TV/video of interviews with East Windsor veterans, a “Tell us your story” table, and coffee and sweets. If you have the expertise, will you help us identify some of our military uniforms while you are visiting? Please join us on Nov. 2nd 9 – 12 to honor all veterans.

Who are the SGU Vietnam Veterans?

The CIA and Surrogate Warfare, Special Forces of the United States recruited, trained, and paid Lao/Hmong soldiers to fight the North Vietnamese communists in Laos and along the Ho Chi Minh trail from 1961 to 1978 during the Vietnam War. They fought side-by-side with the American Armed Forces and rescued downed American pilots throughout the Vietnam War. Even after the withdrawal of United States troops from Vietnam, several SGU units remained and continued to fight the communists. The SGU lost over 35,000 brave warriors. Many, many more were wounded ,and a lot of these soldiers were captured and sent to POW camps where they were tortured and died. Several dozens were able to escape to refugee camps in Thailand and eventually made their way to the United States.

Former Major Sar Phouthasack (now Honorary General) was recruited and trained by the CIA to put together a local force in Laos and to patrol the Ho Chi Minh Trail, rescue downed US pilots, and conduct covert operations behind enemy lines where U.S. forces were forbidden to enter.“General Sar” and his family and many of the other Lao/Hmong SGU units eventually escaped and became refugees in the U.S. A lot of them settled in Connecticut and became citizens, held jobs and paid taxes. Kimmy Sevieng Suparat was an E-5 combat nurse assistant from 1972-1975 and was captured by the communists and served 9 years, 4 months, and 5 days in a POW camp before escaping. “Miss Kimmy” now resides in Windsor, CT. Sar Phouthasack will be available at the East Windsor Historical Society’s Museums on the Green Sat., November 2, from 9am to 12pm to answer questions.

Also available will be Mr. “Sprayed and Betrayed AO” (aka former U.S. Army Sgt. Gerry Wright). Gerry will be displaying his Orange “trike” with black Grim Ripper trailer that is part of his nationwide motorcycle tour to garner legislative support for The Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act. He will also be able to answer questions about the recent Blue Water Act passed by the US Congress but yet to be implemented by the Veterans Administration.