Annual Bastogne-Tet Luncheon

 Feb 7 2015

Oregon Cascade Chapter Annual Bastogne-Tet Luncheon, Salem, Oregon was attended by Robin Sink McClelland and her husband Keith McClelland, President Don Christensen,

Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Gomes and wife Kaye, Walt & Nelda Allegar, Webmaster Ray Westbrook, Joan Lupescu, Lyle RA King 1/327 B Co. and wife Judy, Richard and Helen Peterson of the 11th Airborne School and Volunteer at Evergreen Air Museum, John Noland H Co 506 WWII, John Plavala A 2/502 VN and William Wingett E Co. 506 WWII.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, Jerry Gomes introduced Robin Sink McClelland. Robin described her trip to Bastogne this past December in honor of the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. She showed us mementos she received during this trip and described the importance of archiving materials, scanning documents and authenticating items. She is working with the 506th Association and the R.F. Sink Library at Ft Campbell in archiving WWII items for historic purposes. The chapter presented Robin with a check in the amount of $101 to present to the museum at Tococca, Georgia.

John Nolan, H Co 506 WWII, a replacement who came into the 101st two months before the war ended, recounted a scene he witnessed with Colonel Sink in Austria ---“ The German soldiers were surrendering by the thousands. A German Officer marched up to Colonel Sink to surrender to him, clicked his heels and smartly saluted. The German Officer was wearing a chest full of medals…….immediately Colonel Sink reached over and yanked off one of the medals and tossed it to the ground and stepped back frowning at the German. The German Officer snapped to attention and clicked his heels again and smartly saluted Colonel Sink a second time. Col Sink proceeded to rip off another medal from the officer’s chest and toss it to the ground…….And the German Officer snapped to attention clicked his heels and saluted again…….”

As Robin Sink McClelland mentioned, there are always new things to learn and recollections to be recorded about WWII. Bill Wingett promised to attend the 75th Anniversary of WWII in Europe. He has corresponded for years with friends in Holland and described how he receives letters from “children of children” of the WWII era. Bill will be celebrating his 92nd birthday in July, 2015. Walt Allegar was commended for supporting the chapter by bringing pins, patches and stickers to our events. All the proceeds from his sales are donated back to the chapter.

Walt presented all the veterans at the luncheon with military coins. A motion was made and passed to donate $101 to the Portland Airport USO and

to donate $101 to the Oregon Department Veterans Administration Veterans Home in Lebanon, Oregon. Don Christensen reminded everyone to attend our annual D-Day in July.