Benjamin Melvin Berry was born to parents Hester and James Wallace Berry Sr. on September 21, 1923. He is celebrating this milestone with a party at Philadelphia’s Mission BBQ.
He was one of four children. He can proudly trace his ancestry back to great-great grandparents Paul and Ameilia Edmonson, whose children Emily and Mary were friends of Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass and were active abolitionists in the Washington DC. area in the 1840’s. Their story is told in the book Fugitives of the Pearl.
Ben was drafted into the segregated US army in WWII in 1943. He served in Germany, Luxembourg, France, England, and Belgium and was in The Battle of the Bulge, the largest battle fought by Americans in WWII. His title was Technical Corporal, with duties of providing equipment and supplies to his company, even water for drinking, washing, and cooking. Blacks were not allowed to fire weapons, but he and his buddies sometimes sneaked and practiced by shooting rats at the dump. Ben prayed if God let him survive this war, he would serve him the rest of his life, and he has kept that promise. He’s been a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Crestmont for nearly 90 years. Ben was honorably discharged in 1945 after serving 27 months.
Ben went to Bok Vocational School on the GI Bill to learn paperhanging. Although blacks were not allowed in the paperhangers’ union at that time, he became a successful entrepreneur, managing his own business for more than 60 years. He provided apprenticeship opportunities to young people, some of whom opened their own businesses, and did charity paperhanging from time-to-time, for example papering walls at the Ronald McDonald House.
Ben has four children, 9 grandchildren, a host of great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and lots of other family that he loves.
Two of the many honors he’s received in his life include recognition for 50 years of service as a deacon at his church and election as president of the Philadelphia Paperhangers Guild.
Ben has many interests, including genealogy, antiques, and veteran’s organizations. He is on the Board of Aces, a veteran’s museum in Germantown, and is often interviewed about his experiences in the army.
Three things Ben would want you to remember are (1) Serve God and others (2) Save a lot; give some; spend a little (3) Put family first.
One thing I would like you to remember is that everyone has a story that others can benefit from hearing. It’s important to tell your story.
WWII and Battle of the Bulge Veteran Dr. Ralph I Dinin is celebrating his 100th Birthday on September 12, 2023.
Ralph was born September 12,1923 and was raised in Brooklyn/Bronx, New York. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School and continued his studies at Brooklyn College until 1943 when he entered the Army. Ralph served from February 1943 – January 1946 with the 701st and 740th Tank Battalions 82nd Airborne during WWII and the Battle of the Bulge. He received The Good Conduct Medal, three campaign stars for the European, African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal, The French Legion of Honor, the Sharpshooter (for marksmanship) Badge with Machine Gun clasp and was recognized for Meritorious Service by the State of New Jersey. His nickname was “Bulldog” and he was discharged in 1946 with the rank of Technical Sergeant.
We all thank Ralph for his service and wish him a very happy birthday as we celebrate this momentous milestone!
The Bulge stained glass window, a gift from VBOB/BOBA, still hags in Bliss Hall at the Army War College. However, as of a few weeks ago, Bliss Hall has been emptied and locked. It is scheduled to be torn down. The stained glass windows are slated to move to a new building, which will house the Army Heritage and Education Center Foundation. However, this may be a few years off and the stained-glass windows will be locked away in Bliss Hall for some time.
In person, the window is even more magnificent than it appears in a photo.
UPDATE: BOBA members – The virtual Annual Membership Meeting and Election will be held at 2pm Eastern Time on Saturday, November 4th. For those without a current e-mail address on file, a letter a letter was sent 30 days in advance of the election. To join, make sure you download Microsoft Teams if you don’t have it on your computer or phone. The meeting is available to join this link 15 minutes prior to start time – CLICK HERE TO JOIN MEETING.
Candidate Bios have been posted online on a password-protected page. Clickhereto view the bios. CLICK HERE FOR THE AGENDA. All BOBA members with an email on record have been sent the meeting link to join.
BOBA will hold elections for elected officers and other members of the Board of Directors at the annual general membership meeting. In accordance with the Article 7.B.3 of the BOBA Bylaws, “nominations may be made from the floor with an accompanying signed letter of nomination from at least three (3) BOBA members supporting that candidacy and including a written statement with a brief bio, from the candidate agreeing to the nomination.” All members in good standing and willing to commit time and energy to the advancement of BOBA are encouraged to run for office.
Please note that in accordance with Article 7.A.3.e of the Bylaws, only members who have served two terms on the Board are eligible for the positions of President and Executive Vice President. Letters of nomination should be submitted to the BOBA office as soon as possible to support preparation of meeting materials.
Two members of our Delaware Valley chapter, Jake Ruser and Benjamin Berry, will appear at the Eisenhower Farm in Gettysburg on September 17 to discuss their experiences during the Battle of the Bulge. They will be speaking at the Eisenhower Farm WWII weekend, a major living history and educational event that will take place from Friday, September 15 through Sunday the 17th.
Ruser and Berry will talk at noon on Sunday. Ruser was featured in the Spring 2023 issue of the Bugle; he recently returned to Hurtgen Forest to relive memories of being a stretcher bearer during that battle.
BOBA will also have an information table at this event. Other attractions will include presentations and book signings, vehicles, living history, and hands-on events. Admission is open to everyone and there is no charge. Drop by if you’re in the neighborhood.
Join us at the Eisenhower Farm in Gettysburg. BOBA will be exhibiting there Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17. Come by and say hello. This is a big World War II event and gives BOBA good exposure to a crowd of World War II enthusiasts.
The theme of the Eisenhower Farm event is “1943,” which is outside our main area of interest, obviously. Besides information and exhibits about BOBA and the Battle of the Bulge, we’ll have exhibits on two activities that were underway in 1943 that were vital in creating the mobile, lethal strike force that blunted Hitler’s legions: the Arsenal of Democracy, which produced the weaponry, and the 1943 Tennessee Maneuvers, which allowed the army to incorporate the lessons of mobile warfare.
My name is Steven Landry and I’ve been nominated for the position of President of your Association by the Nominating Committee in accordance with our bylaws. At present, I am the only nominated candidate but that does not exclude additional nominations from the membership prior to the election of officers in the Fall of 2023.
As an organization, we are entering a period of transition occasioned by two related factors. First, the age and health of our surviving WW2 veteran members, and second, the drawdown of the nest egg created by the sale of Lifetime memberships during the early years of the organization. This situation was anticipated by the Strategic Planning Committee (which I chaired) but for a variety of reasons the committee’s recommendations were never functionally implemented. We are now approaching a point of crisis, and I believe the membership should know where I, as your prospective President, stand. As my good friend Gary Higgins is fond of saying, it’s YOUR organization.
First, a little bit about me. My father, Joe Landry served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was assigned to the 776th Automatic Weapons Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. If you don’t know me, you probably know him. I’ve been married to Diane (Bedard) Landry, the daughter of a Navy WW2 veteran, for 47 years and we have one adult daughter, Allison.
I’ve been a member of BOBA since about 2015 and have been on the Board since 2020. I am a retired Army officer with ~21 years of service. I hold a Doctorate in Chemical Engineering and an MBA, and have graduated from the Army Command and General Staff Course and the Program Manager’s Course at the Defense Systems Management College. Since retiring from the Army in 1997, I’ve worked in private industry supporting programs for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security. I plan to fully retire in November, 2023. I’ve published two alternative history novels and one science-fiction anthology, with three more in various stages of development.
Now to the future of the organization. On November 7, 2020 the general membership approved the following Mission Statement: “To perpetuate the memory of the sacrifices made by those who participated during the Battle of the Bulge, to preserve historical data and sites relating to the battle, to promote friendship among Battle of the Bulge veterans, their relatives and others interested in the battle, to foster and maintain international relations and good will with all Allied countries who were a part of the battle, and to support Chapters of The Battle of the Bulge Association.”
Further, in January, 2021, the Board approved the following Vision Statement: “The Battle of the Bulge Association® will evolve from a Veteran Member-centric organization primarily focused on promoting fellowship among and honoring the Veteran Members to an enduring, financially-sound organization focused on honoring the history of the Battle of the Bulge and the memory of those who fought in the Battle, while promoting fellowship among the descendants of the Veteran Members and others interested in the Battle.”
I am fully committed to the Mission and the Vision, notwithstanding the implementation problems we’ve experienced over the last thirty months. Unfortunately, our financial situation has further deteriorated during that span. As of June 30, 2023, our reserves are down to about $63K when unspent Reunion expenses are figured into the calculation. If not for two substantial donations in 2021 and our recent decision to eliminate two of the four 2023 editions of The Bulge Bugle, we would already be on the precipice of bankruptcy. Clearly, we must evolve if we are to survive.
At present, there are numerous honest opinions regarding the future of our organization. The primary tension, in my view, boils down to the balance between “honoring the history of the Battle of the Bulge” and “promoting fellowship” among the membership. There are those that advocate a transformation into a historical society, much like the International Churchill Society. Others advocate for more or less the status quo, with quarterly printed Bulge Bugles, annual Reunions, Commemorations, and five-year Anniversary trips, relying on largely imaginary cost savings, unrealistic membership projections, and unreliable donations. Neither pure option is viable, in my opinion. We need an alternative that blends the two approaches in a financially responsible manner.
The 2022 budget forecasted a loss of ~$30,000 and that loss was realized. The 2023 budget forecasts a similar loss and we were on track to realize that loss until President John Mohor cancelled the Summer edition of the Bugle and the Board subsequently concurred with the cancellation of a second 2023 edition (either Fall or Winter). Still, there will be a substantial loss this year. These shortfalls are not the result of poor budgeting, but rather the execution of the previous strategic plan to near perfection. They planned for the money to run out when the last veterans passed. They expected the organization, then known as VBOB, to fold.
That is not the fate I or your other Board candidates endorse. Rather, we want to follow the strategic Vision quoted above, to evolve to an enduring, financially-sound organization focused on honoring the history of the Battle of the Bulge and the memory of those who fought in the Battle, while promoting fellowship.
First, I want to address the financial challenges. Change is often painful. Recently, we took steps to put the organization on a more sound financial footing by raising the dues. Due to some administrative issues occasioned by the departure of one Office Administrator and the health of her replacement, at the time of this writing, we are unable to assess the impact of the dues increase on membership. We will have a complete picture in the next few weeks, however.
The current Board is implementing additional steps to reduce administrative costs, but the cost of producing, printing, and mailing The Bulge Bugle has become prohibitive, even with the dues increase. To survive, we must move publication of the Bugle into the 21st Century. At the next general membership meeting I will propose changes to the bylaws as follows:
Tier 1 Members (Battle of the Bulge Veterans) will continue to receive printed and mailed copies of The Bulge Bugles at no additional cost.
Tier 2 Members (all other members) will receive The Bulge Bugle as an electronic file only. All Tier 2 members are required to provide the organization with an email address in order to continue receiving the Bugle. The Bugle will also be available on the BOBA website.
All employees, officers, other Board members, appointed officers, and committee members will be required to sign Confidentiality Agreements to protect the Personally Identifiable Information of the members, to include a prohibition on sharing email addresses or using the email addresses for any other purpose than BOBA business.
Members may purchase hardcopies of the Bugle from the online store for a price to be set annually by the Budget Committee.
In my view, the second major change required is to shift much of the administrative work of maintaining the organization away from paid staff to volunteers. We can no longer afford to pay individuals to maintain our membership rolls, handle incoming and outgoing mail, operate a member hotline, or schedule events. The incoming Board has agreed to step up but more help will be required. In particular, the Board has proposed forming a Membership Committee to that will perform two functions: 1) recruiting and retaining members, and 2) maintaining the membership rolls. We will need several volunteers for the committee.
Next, I want to talk about maintaining the legacy of the Bulge Veterans. As the son of a Bulge Veteran and as a career Army officer, I believe we can and should do much more on this front. Our Historian, Jim Triesler, has proposed monthly web events focused on the Battle, and our Bugle Editor, Leon Reed, has proposed much greater outreach and contact with other historical groups. I endorse both these approaches, but I am also mindful that The Battle of the Bulge Historical Foundation folded. Volunteers are the lifeblood of such organizations, and at present, BOBA does not have a tradition of volunteerism. It will take time to build that tradition, and eliminating the “social club” aspect of BOBA will largely disengage those who are volunteering now.
Which brings me to the third element of the Vision statement, promoting fellowship. We should continue to hold Reunions and Commemorations, and sponsor five-year anniversary tours, but those events must all be budget neutral. But I take an expansive view of fellowship. I believe BOBA is in a unique position to partner with many other WW2 veteran organizations, potentially becoming an umbrella organization that coordinates a synergistic relationship. For example, we co-hosted the last two Reunions with the 87th Infantry Division association, and are now discussing rotating the administration of the Reunion between the two associations. We need to build on that great work started by Allen Cleghorn and carried on by Andy Waskie. And we must do more to support the Chapters, in particular having Board members attend Chapter gatherings.
If we get volunteers and if we don’t lose significant membership as a result of the Bugle and dues changes, I believe we can right the BOBA ship and set sail into the future. However, if we don’t, then I am also committed not to let the organization just disappear. We cannot wake up one morning, discover we are out of money, and just collapse. That would not be fair to the members or the Chapters, which may want to continue as independent entities, and would potentially put people in jeopardy with the IRS. If that sad day comes, we need to close out our bank accounts and accounting services, properly sever ties with any employees, notify the Chapters and help them navigate the tax issues, and publish a farewell issue of the Bugle. All that costs money. I estimate as much as $10-15,000. I plan to refine that number in the coming months, but whatever the number, if our funds fall to that level, I will initiate an orderly shutdown. Hope is not a plan.
I am optimistic that such a sad day will never come. If we can get our financial house in order and implement our strategic vision, we can prosper. As the posters at the WW2 Museum proclaim, “We Can Do It!”
Originally written by my friend, Stuart Dempsey, Hall of Fame caliber Gettysburg licensed guide and D Day/Bulge tour guide (https://www.battlegroundhistorytours.com).
HAPPY 248th BIRTHDAY TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY
On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized an American ‘Continental Army’ to be raised with troops from the thirteen colonies – soon to be states. The next day, Congress by unanimous vote appointed George Washington as the new army’s commander.
The image shown, by renowned military artist Don Troiani, portrays an enlisted man of that army, specifically the First Pennsylvania Battalion, as he would have appeared in 1776. Contrary to popular perception (which often has Continentals in blue uniform coats), brown was at least as common, and probably more so, particularly in the conflict’s early years.
The First Pennsylvania Battalion was raised for one year’s service, from late 1775 to late 1776. The unit served exclusively with the Northern Army on the Canadian front, from Quebec to Fort Ticonderoga. When the battalion mustered out, many of its members reenlisted in the new Second Pennsylvania Regiment, a unit that would go on to fight at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and – in reorganized form – at the final victory at Yorktown in 1781.
On this day, we honor the men and women who have served in the US Army’s ranks for the last 248 years.
This promises to be an outstanding Reunion. Some of the main features:
A chance to stay at the often-filled Higgins Hotel at a superb conference rate.
Open access to the phenomenal World War II Museum next door
An opening night cocktail party (thanks to generous donations by the South Carolina chapter, South Carolina Military History Club, and the World War II Museum) provides an outstanding mingling opportunity
A series of engaging historical presentations, including, announced here for the first time, “Occupation, Liberation, and the Bulge: Luxembourg in WWII,” presented by Luxembourg native, Dr. Joseph Dondelinger.
Another late-developing opportunity, we are being offered a pre-opening, behind-the-scenes of the last Museum pavilion. This is a special privilege offered to few groups
And if that wasn’t enough, open access to the manifold historic, scenic, gastronomic, and cultural treasures of “The Big Easy.”
See
the Winter Bugle,
the Spring issue that’s about to arrive in your mailbox,
this web page,
or the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081426996536 for easy registration instructions.
BOBA Historian Jim Triesler, Crater Chapter President Mary Ann Coates Smith, and Bulge Bugle editor Leon Reed represented BOBA at the World War II community event in Midlothian, VA on June 8. Jim Triesler organized the program and made several presentations, which focused on individual experiences during the war. Leon Reed and his wife, Lois Lembo, staffed an exhibit table for BOBA and made a presentation on the role of the 80th division in closing the southern end of the Bulge and breaking the siege of Bastogne. Mary Ann Coates Smith staffed a table of WWII artifacts, including material about her father, James Coates, who was killed in the Malmedy Massacre.
Betsy Rose (left) and Mary Ann Coates Smith (right)
We apologize for the delivery problems with the Fall 2022 Bulge Bugle issue. Our printer delivered the inventory of magazines to the post office right on schedule on December 5, and the magazines seem at that point to have departed this sphere for a different dimension. We have worked diligently with the post office to try to figure out what happened and locate the copies. However, the post office has been only minimally cooperative and seems helpless to deal with a lost delivery.
Theoretically, this should have been impossible. Our mailing service attached bar codes to all the magazines, which meant the postal service should have been able to locate them with a few keystrokes. We will continue to pursue this, but we are not optimistic.
Meanwhile, all members with an e-mail on file have received an electronic copy via the December e-blast that was sent. We are also providing a link here for easy access. We know this is not the same but it does at least give members a copy to page through. All BOBA members continue to have access to our most recent issues (via link provided in member e-blasts) as well as everyone has access to further back issues going back to 1982 on our website.
A second printing is cost prohibitive, however several board members have made generous contributions to underwrite a small quantity to deliver to as many veteran members as possible. Also, to avoid future problems, we are changing our process to deliver to a different postal location. Again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and thank you for your continued support and understanding.
In a move that will have special meaning to BOBA members, the American Battlefield Trust announced that it is in negotiations to buy one of the most prominent remaining eyesores intruding on hallowed ground at Gettysburg. The link below describes the Trust’s fundraising campaign.
The property targeted by the Trust holds the Battlefield Theater and the popular restaurant, General Pickett’s Buffet. Those who enjoy Pickett’s will be pleased to know that the restaurant isn’t going away; it’s moving to larger quarters south of town. If the Trust acquires the property, it plans to clear and restore the property (which was near the left flank of Pickett’s Charge and the scene of some sharp skirmishing on July 3, 1863), provide some trails and interpretive signs, and turn it over to the park.
There are several reasons that this news should excite Battle of the Bulge veterans. First, the ground being purchased has several ties with General Eisenhower and World War II. During World War I, the land was part of Camp Colt, a tank training facility commanded by Dwight Eisenhower; during WWII, it served as a German POW camp.
In addition, because they are the largest, bloodiest, and most important battles ever fought by the U.S. army, there is a natural kinship between veterans of these engagements. The massive Bulge battlefield has largely been protected by its rural status, but in Gettysburg, a town with limited land available for development and booming tourist and retiree economies, every parcel of land is at risk of development.
JANUARY 24-26, 2024 | ARLINGTON, VA and WASHINGTON, DC
The Embassy of Belgium will host a reception for our veterans, family and friends on the afternoon of Thursday, January 25, 2024 to commemorate the end of the battle. Also included are 3 wreath-laying ceremonies at the Battle of the Bulge Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and WWII Memorial! We will also have a historical program with speakers and hospitality room on the evening of January 24th. Click the itinerary link below for details and register by the January 3rd deadline.
On Saturday June 25th, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) and the Army Heritage Center Foundation will host American Legion Post 405 for a dedication ceremony of a monument to commemorate the service of WWII’s 8th Armored Division.
The dedication ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Grove area on the Army Heritage Trail. The public is invited and we hope to see you there!
The 8th Armored Division landed in Europe on January 5, 1945. Initial operations of the unit were to stop German advances during the Battle of the Bulge. The division subsequently participated in the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns.
𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫, 95 years old, was a combat medic assigned to the 12th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division. He landed on D-Day and participated in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. He is a member of American Legion Post 405 and Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, Delaware Valley Chapter at the Chapel of the 4 Chaplains.
𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲, 99 years old, served in the Quartermaster Corps assigned to the 3rd Army. He landed in Normandy on D+22 and provided logistical support to the forward troops for the rest of the war. He is a member of American Legion Post 405 and Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, Delaware Valley Chapter at the Chapel of the 4 Chaplains.
Click here the press release for more information.
