The men and women who comprise the diligent cast of characters making up Lest We Forget will continue their annual historic showcase and educational opportunity in Michigan’s Great Southwest this month when they present Air, Land and Sea at 275 Upton Drive in St. Joseph on the weekend of June 22nd and 23rd, 2019.
Featuring the United States Navy, “Anchors Aweigh” will include presentations from two American Medal of Honor recipients — Donald E. Ballard and James McCloughan.
Donald E. (Doc) Ballard, a Navy Corpsman, “volunteered” to be a medic for the Marines. He was assigned to Vietnam in 1967 where he officially received three Purple Hearts. Authorities say reality is that it should have been eight, inasmuch as he treated himself on five different occasions. One of his heroic actions was to smother a hand grenade so that it wouldn’t injure a group of Marines. Fortunately, it never exploded and Doc later joined the Army where he retired as an Army Colonel. He currently operates a funeral home in Missouri and provides funerals free of charge for veterans who don’t have funds.
James McCloughan was drafted into the United States Army in 1968 and became a combat medic. In May of 1969 he distinguished himself in fighting near Tam Ky at Nui Yon Hill, where he treated the wounded while fighting North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. McCloughan was wounded multiple times during the battle but refused evacuation. After his discharge from the army, he returned to his hometown of South Haven, where he became a high school teacher and athletic coach.
In another presentation from Lest We Forget, the National Museum of the American Sailor representatives, Tricia Runzel and Kelly Duffy, will present “The Skies Above Great Lakes.” That is about the Naval Aviation History at Naval Station Great Lakes. The discussion begins by telling of how the Navy became involved with aviation. They address the Great Lakes association with Naval Aviation during both World Wars and conclude with the wider regional efforts to advance Naval Aviation during World War II. To continue that story Daniel Brandt from the Restoration Department at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo will discuss the restoration of two WWII aircraft recovered from Lake Michigan. The Douglas Dauntless SBD-2P and FM-2 Wildcat met a watery fate when WWII pilots trained with carriers steaming through Lake Michigan.
In another session, Jason Kuntz will tell the story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. In 1945 the ship was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese navy submarine I-58 and sank in just 12 minutes. Of 1,195 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The session allows you to learn the fate of the remaining 890 sailors.
John Meeks, who attended Scout Dog School at Fort Benning, Georgia is another presenter. When he arrived in Vietnam, Meeks became the 6th handler to an experienced scout dog named Artus. The German shepherd was killed in action on December 11, 1970. Meeks says, “The dogs of Vietnam, and the dogs of today all serve with honor, courage and loyalty.” He and his recently retired military dog have a great story to tell.
Another presentation features Adam Gray who learned to SCUBA dive and saw the plane that went down in 1944 where the remains of his great uncle, Bud Rybarczyk, were recovered in 2017 and returned to St. Joseph for burial. In Adam’s session, you can learn more about the life of Albert “Bud” Rybarczyk and how he has changed the man’s life.
In addition to those speaker presentations there will be several displays.
- The USS Silversides (Ss-236), a Gato-class submarine, was one of the most successful submarines in the Pacific Theater of WWII, with 4 patrols and 12 battle stars. She presently serves as a museum ship in Muskegon, and is a National Historic Landmark.
- The USS LST 393 is an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during WWII. Of 1,051 built, this LST is one of only two to survive in original configuration. She is now a museum ship in Muskegon.
- The USS EDSON, a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer, served in the Western Pacific/Far East, operating particularly in the Taiwan Strait and off the coast of Vietnam. Her exceptionally meritorious service in 1964 in the Gulf of Tonkin was recognized with the first of three Navy Unit Commendations. During the following years she was shelled by North Vietnamese land forces, and apparently received friendly fire from the US Air Force. She is now a museum ship docked in Bay City, Michigan.
- Master Modeler, Jerry Lindquist, has military artifacts and several base camp dioramas with 1,000’s of green chiclets for sand bags.
- 20th Century War Museum is a hands-on experience. Their armory and motor pool will educate and thrill kids of all ages.
- Historian Bill Sheets has a Naval display and will also narrate the 5 scheduled reenactment battles including the use of a flame thrower.
The Spirit of America Flag designer, Dale Hemphill, Armed Service Recruiters, the Red Cross and more will be on site, and Lest We Forget welcomes back three WWII boats: an LVT-2 Buffalo…a DUKW…and a Higgins Boat.
Membership in Lest We Forget includes rides in all three watercraft, and those who are not members will have the opportunity to join right on site on the days of the event. A one-year membership can be obtained for $10 for individuals, $25 for two adults and children 17-and-under, $15 for one adult and children 17-and-under, and for those over the age of 80, membership is free.
An American Huey 369 helicopter will offer Honor Flights to members/owners, and a one time donation of $100 will make you an instant 1-year member/owner.
Lest We Forget organizers say, “The Fortunate Sons, the world’s greatest tribute to America’s greatest band: Creedence Clearwater Revival, will perform a Free Concert Saturday from 7:00 -9:00 pm.” Based in Chicago, the band tours nationally and internationally to keep the tradition of CCR’s timeless music alive. Using original vintage gear and instruments, accurate costumes and spot-on musical ability, The Fortunate Sons instantly conjure up the full experience of seeing CCR in their prime. You are encouraged to bring your own lawn chair.
Visitors to the Lest We Forget 2019 event will also find food vendors on site. For a complete list of activities and speaker time schedules you can click the link below for the online version:
http://www.LestWeForgetUSA.org
The photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market is courtesy of Lest We Forget.
