Tag: Events

  • Gates of Moscow – 2012

    Gates of Moscow – 2012

    On the weekend of October 6, 2012, the 193rd Rifle Division sponsored a 1941 Great Patriotic War event, THE GATES OF MOSCOW  at Spiro’s Farm near Gettysburg, PA. The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on the Russian front on a 370 mile sector west…

  • New Oxford 2012

    New Oxford 2012

      The New Oxford WWII event as reported by our correspondent, Bill Donegan: September 12, 2012, Linda’s birthday. We hop in the car and drive to Gettysburg, PA. We made good time until we reached the MD/ PA border. There I 81 was at a standstill going north. We sat in the same place for…

  • It Was A Dark and Stormy Night…

    It Was A Dark and Stormy Night…

    Here is an email that I got from our correspondent, Patricia Patterson: Dear Rowelsburg, Just a note to say thanks again. It was a bit rough this year, but as usual you came through. We arrived on Friday, a very warm Friday and after drinking a couple of gallons of water, the tent was up,…

  • Gun Laws and Reenacting

    If you have read this blog for a while, you are aware that we steer clear of modern politics. In fact, that is our policy. There is usually plenty of other venues venting their spleen on political topics. However, gun ownership is one issue that is inextricably tied to our hobby, particularly so for the…

  • Reading Airshow

    Reading Airshow

      The following is a report by our correspondent, Eric Rowan: Reading, Pennsylvania Mid Atlantic Air Museum 22nd Annual WWII Weekend June 1st – June 3rd 2012   For twenty two years, the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania has hosted a WWII weekend. I was able to attend the 22nd annual reenactment, and…

  • Philippi Races 2012

    Philippi Races 2012

    Here is Bill Donegan’s account of his weekend at the Blue-Gray Reunion with “The Mighty Stonewall.”   God’s predestination and sovereignty were made apparent to me again this week-end at the Philippi Races. The May 31st-June 3rd reenactment of the first land battle of the civil war. I had been asked to guard Maj. General…

  • Helmut’s Newville

    Helmut’s Newville

      The following is Bill Donegan’s report on the Spring GWA event at Newville: Newville 2012 For several years my friend and neighbor, Katz, has been inviting me to the WW1 event in Newville Pa. Since I collect WW1 German equipment as well as WW2 I decided to accouter up as an Old Prussian Sgt.…

  • Ostfront – Odessa, NY, April 2012

    Ostfront – Odessa, NY, April 2012

    Submitted by Correspondent Mike Momot (Misha) I took part in this event for the first time held annually in Odessa, New York and hosted by Scott Thompson and Fusilier Bataillon 272. I was joined by, 193rd Rifle Division member, Phil Zimmer. He distinguished himself well in his first battle. We fell in under the 9th…

  • Great War – Newville, April 20-21 2012

    Great War – Newville, April 20-21 2012

    Ваня! А вот и они! Alexei, the number two man on the Maxim gun yells to his gunner, who is reloading belts. The Huns are once again swarming across no-man’s land. Soon Uncle Maxim is belching fire and death towards the dreaded sausage-eaters. Mortar rounds shriek off into the gathering dusk. Somewhere to the right,…

  • Newville – March 2012

    Newville – March 2012

    It’s February, 1943. The invincible German juggernaut isn’t so invincible now, but it is still dangerous. The Red Army is gathering its forces, setting the stage for what will later in the summer result in the great battle of Kursk. But for now, the lines are static, the nights are cold and the bleak silence…

  • Torgau – Meeting on the Elbe

    Torgau – Meeting on the Elbe

    Submitted by Bill Donegan: Torgau 1945 It is good that Linda and I have been working out on the treadmill every day for months, and using the weight room. We do it to keep in shape for tactical. We had no trouble at Bedford last week-end. The only physical problem was that Linda wore a…

  • Meeting at the Elbe – Old Bedford Village 2012

    Meeting at the Elbe – Old Bedford Village 2012

    On the weekend of February 25, 2012, the 2nd Gebirgs once again sponsored their annual ‘Meeting at the Elbe’ event at Old Bedford Village. This is always a good event and everyone seems to have fun. There was a shortage of Allies this year, as the Germans seemed to outnumber the Americans (and one lone…

  • Fort Indian Town Gap 2012 – Another Perspective

    Fort Indian Town Gap 2012 – Another Perspective

      Bill Donegan sends us the following report on his activities at the Gap: A funny thing happened this year on the way to the GAP. Jim Barnes picked us up at our motel to take us to dinner. It was dark and Jim was not sure of the best way to exit the parking…

  • Gap – 2012

    Gap – 2012

      Another January, another Gap. It is always one of the few things to look forward to during the deep winter… not that this has been much of a winter. Friday, I ran into a little falling snow on the way, but that quickly dissipated. The skies on Saturday were mostly clear and while walking…

  • Events for the New Year

    As we enter a new year, let’s take a look at some of the upcoming events for the next couple of months: January 2012 WWII – Battle of the Bulge Reenactment, January 25 – 29. Ft. Indiantown Gap PA. Contact: http://www.wwiifederation.org/index.html February 2012 WWII – Elbe River Event, February 25, 2012, Old Bedford Village, Bedford,…

  • Great War Association Event – November 2011

    Great War Association Event – November 2011

    GWA events are always a hoot and this November was definitely worth the price of admission. When I arrived at Newville on Friday afternoon, the parking lot was full of more cars than I could remember seeing there. With a forecast of good weather for the weekend, a good turnout was probably a sure thing.…

  • Troops and Trains II

    Troops and Trains II

    Here is Part two of  Bill’s report on Troops and Trains: Following our train ride with the Federal Generals, we returned to the museum to guard tables for the Nowacks (WW2 Army Air Corp, and Homefront), as well as Greg Hall (Vietnam display). On the walk back we spoke German to some tourists who could…

  • Troops and Trains 2011 pt. I

    Troops and Trains 2011 pt. I

      Bill and Linda Donegan attended the annual Troops and Trains event in Strassburg, Pa over the weekend of November 5th. Here is their report:   Strasburg, Pa November 4, 2011 had dinner with Dave and Lois Nowack. Saturday November 5,2011 we had breakfast with the Nowacks.  Linda and I dressed in Civil War attire and…

  • Bulltown II

    Bulltown II

    Here is a further account of the fighting at Bulltown, WV:   (On the second day) I was asked to walk guard duty around the fort perimeter as the rest of the  garrison was asleep from the party the night before. See attached photo. As I looked out across the hollow through the trees I…

  • Logan Civil War Heritage weekend

    Logan Civil War Heritage weekend

    We recently received this  missive from a Union soldier involved in putting down the rebels in the Southern mountains (He has evidently had some schooling, but obviously lacks polish). Jim, There was a rebellion broke out in Logan Sept. 24 and 25th. It was so bad that President Lincoln himself had to come down and…

  • Ike Farm 2011

    Ike Farm 2011

    On the weekend of September 17th, I had a lot planned. Some friends had asked me to accompany them to an airshow at Martinsburg in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia.  This was an opportunity to visit some good friends and take in an attraction that I had not seen before. As anyone who watches…

  • New Oxford 2011

    New Oxford 2011

    The following is an account of the ‘Liberation of New Oxford’, which occurs concurrently with the Ike Farm living history. Another bravura effort by our tireless Bill Donegan: Linda and I found another great WW2 event just 9 miles east of Gettysburg. It is New Oxford. The scenario is Alsace being first deserted by German…

  • Tank Farm 2011

    Tank Farm 2011

    The Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles  ( aka ‘The Tank Farm’) in conjunction with the American Wartime Museum, held its annual open house August 19-21 at its site near Nokesville, VA. This is an amazing event for no other reason than that it features so many vintage military vehicles in running condition, many of which…

  • D-Day Ohio 2011 report

    D-Day Ohio 2011 report

    Our correspondent, Bill Donegan reports on the recent D-Day reenactment in Conneaut, Ohio: We had a meeting of paradigms this past week-end at D-Day Ohio, Conneaut, for sure. First we had invited our friends from the Reading Air Show, Dave and Lois Nowack, to attend. Dave was one of the downed US airmen trying to…

  • Remagen Reenactment – 2011

    Remagen Reenactment – 2011

        Bill Donegan (aka. Helmut Heudlass) reports from the front at Tidioute, PA on this past weekend’s reenactment of the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge by American forces. I was wounded on the eastern front and was sent to Remagen to the hospital to recuperate. When released from krankenhause I was permitted to stay…

  • In the Heat of the Night…and Day…

    In the Heat of the Night…and Day…

      I believe that I can honestly say that I have never been to a Manassas/Bull Run event that was not  hot. This year’s reenactment, however, took the cake (or at least baked it!). When we arrived at camp, we learned that our Lt. Colonel, Kevin Skaggs,  had brought a small table-top thermometer which informed…

  • Rowlesburg Volume II

    Rowlesburg Volume II

    Patricia Patterson is one of our most creative and original contributors. Here are her musings on the Rowlesburg event. I was thinking about the standard AAR template, and then ever the curious researcher, I read a variety of reenactor AAR’s just for grins.  I read some of the past AAR’s, some of my own, many…

  • 2011 WORLD WAR II LIVING HISTORY WEEKEND

    2011 WORLD WAR II LIVING HISTORY WEEKEND

      This report by our correspondent, Matt Gillespie, is the first in a series of impressions on last week’s Rowlesburg WWII living history weekend. Not many would know or even believe that tucked away in the mountains of Rowlesburg, WV would be such a high quality museum as well as a high quality living history. …

  • Reading Volume II

    Reading Volume II

      The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s WWII weekend is one of the two biggest events that I attend annually. There aren’t a lot of shows that offer such a combination of lot’s of WWII aircraft, reenactors and militaria vendors. Unfortunately, the show has been increasingly mired in complaints from the reenactors about their treatment at the…

  • First Report from Reading

    First Report from Reading

        The following is a review of  last weekend’s Reading Airshow by our correspondent, Mike Momot: Hello all, Richelle did a wonderful job with the registration process.  I felt this worked quite nicely.  It certainly would have been better to have later registration hours Thursday and Friday nights for those coming from far away,…

  • Col. George R. Latham’s tombstone dedication

    Col. George R. Latham’s tombstone dedication

      The following is a post from our correspondent, Matt Gillespie: The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Buckhannon Camp #49 organized a dedication ceremony for the newly erected tombstone of Brevet General George R. Latham at Heavner Cemetery on Memorial Day.  Latham was a prominate officer during the Civil War and a prominate citizen afterward.…

  • Mountaineer Military Museum’s Memorial Weekend Vet-together

    Mountaineer Military Museum’s Memorial Weekend Vet-together

      The following is a report filed by our correspondent, Matt Gillespie: Saturday I traveled to Weston, WV to take part in the Mountaineer Military Museum’s Memorial Weekend Vet-together.  There were several reenactors and veterans present who took part in the cook-out in front of the museum.  The cook-out was sponsored by the VFW Auxiliary. …

  • HARRISON COUNTY CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL 150TH ANNIVERSARY

    HARRISON COUNTY CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL 150TH ANNIVERSARY

      Here is Nick Korolev’s report on the Civil War doin’s in Clarksburg last week: MAY 13-15TH Despite a weekend of scattered showers, the Harrison County Civil War Sesquicentennial 150th Anniversary went off with hardly a hitch May 13 -15th. Funded by the state and sponsored by local historical societies and business as the kick…

  • Prickett’s Fort – School of the Soldier

    Prickett’s Fort – School of the Soldier

    The WVRA held it’s annual School of the Soldier at Prickett’s Fort, near Fairmont, WV over the weekend of April 30, 2011. The weekend was well attended and the weather was pleasant. The fort is a good location for this sort of event for a number of reasons. There are numerous historical connections to the…

  • LONG ROAD HOME – COLD HARBOR

    LONG ROAD HOME – COLD HARBOR

      Here is Nick Korolev’s report on the latest installment of ‘The Long Road Home’ event series:   The weekend of April 8-10th Clover Hill Village, Appomatox, VA had the first installment of a special series of events titled “The Long Road Home” which will follow Civil War soldiers on the final campaign leading up…

  • Military Through the Ages 2011

    Military Through the Ages 2011

    This year, I attended my third ‘Military Through the Ages’ at Jamestown Settlement. For those of you who have not attended this event, it is a high-quality, prestigious time-line event. Since it takes place in the environs of the reconstructed Jamestown Settlement and museum, it is doubly interesting. As usual, there were a wide variety…

  • Report II from FIG/GAP 2011

    The following is Bill Donegan’s report on this year’s FIG event from the perspective of the German chaplin: Report from FIG/GAP 2011 I was glad to have been at the GAP again this year. I am glad also that it was not too cold. I wish to thank Pete and Kate Gentry, and Brad and…

  • Upcoming Events – February and March

    Things have been slow on the blog for the last month or so, due to real-life job responsibilities and a lack of events to cover. Hopefully that will be changing now.  With FIG over, the reenacting season is starting to crank up.  Here are some events coming up in the next couple of months: February…

  • GAP 2010

    GAP 2010

    January 25th through the 28th saw me once again trekking up to Fort Indiantown Gap for the annual Battle of the Bulge reenactment/ living history extravaganza/militaria vendor mall. As usual, it was a large affair with a lot of activities for the WWII living historian. This year, for the first time, I got there on…

  • Old Bedford Village – East Front Tactical 2010

    Old Bedford Village – East Front Tactical 2010

    The annual Fall Eastern Front event was held at Old Bedford Village on the weekend of November 12-14. This year offered an interesting  change from the usual format. Rather than just a series of firefights between the combatants, this year involved a day-long scenario in which German units (in this case, Grossdeutschland and 11th Panzer)…

  • Great War Association Fall Event – 2010 pt.2

    Great War Association Fall Event – 2010 pt.2

    On the weekend of November 6, I was able for the first time, to take part in a WWI event at the GWA site at Newville, PA., thanks to the support and loan of equipment from John Pepper and Keith Allen. The group I was with, is La Legion Russe, which portrays “a machine gun…

  • HAMPSHIRE HERITAGE FEST, ROMNEY WV  SEPTEMBER 10 – 12, 2010

    HAMPSHIRE HERITAGE FEST, ROMNEY WV SEPTEMBER 10 – 12, 2010

    In my haste to get this out, I neglected to note that this was submitted by Nick Korolev (Very sorry Nick!) ed. The Hampshire County Heritage Fest takes place every 2nd weekend in September. The Civil War living history and reenactment part of this fun festival has only been going on for a few years,…

  • The Longest Weekend, D-Day pt. III

    The Longest Weekend, D-Day pt. III

    Here is Bill’s Continued Report on Longest Week-end- Conneaut Ohio: Following on the heels of that epic bridge battle the three West Virginians retired to the comfort of the 2nd Gebirgs camp for a rest and refit. While cleaning rifles and reloading bandoleers, we were approached by the local news media for snap-shots and interviews.…

  • The Longest Weekend, D-Day Ohio Pt. II

    The Longest Weekend, D-Day Ohio Pt. II

    Here is the second installment of Bill’s D-Day Journal: Following a hearty breakfast at the hotel, Linda and I arrived at the German/French camps around 0900. I was living history with Gilbert, John, Ray, Jim, Ron and Roger at the German camp while my wife and Debbie Wenig were living history at the French camp.…

  • News from the Front – Tank Farm Event – 2010

    News from the Front – Tank Farm Event – 2010

    The following is a report from our intrepid correspondent, Mike Momot: The Tank Farm” Nokesville, Virginia, 21-22 August 2010.  This event is located on the grounds of the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles.  This event was attended by members of the 193rd and many other reenactment units.  WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, the Cold War, and…