Reenactment Event Attracts Crowds and Historians
Michael Opitz
Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: Diversions
The other weekend, while putting off work that didn't need to be done that minute, I decided to head over to Fort Verde to the "History of the Soldier" event. As a member of 501st PIR, a World War Two reenactment group, I was looking forward to seeing some of my friends and educating the public about my hobby.
I arrived at the park at around 9:30 a.m. There were plenty of different impressions to be seen, including Mexican-American war era, Civil war era, and Buffalo Soldier.
I was expecting to see a table occupied by my buddies, but there was nothing from the 501st PIR; there were only Germans and an army airforce ground crew.
Feeling abandoned, I walked over to the Germans and began to speak with several of my friends on the dark side.
I found that one of the WWII veterans famous to the reenactors in Arizona was there: Gerhard Franzski, a veteran of the 10th SS Panzer Division. Talking with Gerhard is always a pleasure because he can provide a view of the war that we often don't get here in the US.
After hearing a war story that included the capture of an Irish Major and alcohol, I bid farewell to my German counterparts.
I made my way over to the airforce maintenance tent, and met Scott Dunkirk. Scott showed me around the tent and all the equipment that they had. The big drawing point in the tent was a highly polished trashcan in the center.
One of the guys, Murphy, found the trashcan rusted and almost useless; he spent hours restoring the can. Whenever someone threw trash into the trashcan, Murphy got quite irate.
The airforce maintenance group had a bunch of goodies other than Murphy's trashcan, including a belt of .50 caliber ammo and various tools.
Talking to Scott, I found out that theyaircraft maintenace group took part in a B-24's practice bombing run somewhere in the Midwest.
Before I left there was a "fashion show" where we showed off our uniforms and equipment. At the show, my friend Chris dressed as a WWII Scotsman and played his bagpipes.
After Chris finished, I decided to call it a day and headed home.
I arrived at the park at around 9:30 a.m. There were plenty of different impressions to be seen, including Mexican-American war era, Civil war era, and Buffalo Soldier.
I was expecting to see a table occupied by my buddies, but there was nothing from the 501st PIR; there were only Germans and an army airforce ground crew.
Feeling abandoned, I walked over to the Germans and began to speak with several of my friends on the dark side.
I found that one of the WWII veterans famous to the reenactors in Arizona was there: Gerhard Franzski, a veteran of the 10th SS Panzer Division. Talking with Gerhard is always a pleasure because he can provide a view of the war that we often don't get here in the US.
After hearing a war story that included the capture of an Irish Major and alcohol, I bid farewell to my German counterparts.
I made my way over to the airforce maintenance tent, and met Scott Dunkirk. Scott showed me around the tent and all the equipment that they had. The big drawing point in the tent was a highly polished trashcan in the center.
One of the guys, Murphy, found the trashcan rusted and almost useless; he spent hours restoring the can. Whenever someone threw trash into the trashcan, Murphy got quite irate.
The airforce maintenance group had a bunch of goodies other than Murphy's trashcan, including a belt of .50 caliber ammo and various tools.
Talking to Scott, I found out that theyaircraft maintenace group took part in a B-24's practice bombing run somewhere in the Midwest.
Before I left there was a "fashion show" where we showed off our uniforms and equipment. At the show, my friend Chris dressed as a WWII Scotsman and played his bagpipes.
After Chris finished, I decided to call it a day and headed home.
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