Our monthly meetings are held in a private room in a restaurant in the Tucson area, where we have interesting speakers and/or video presentations. This past year we had various military leaders speak on Veterans Affairs; speaker from the Memorial Library at the Pima Air and Space Museum; a guest from Great Britain with photos of the American Cemetery in Cambridge; VBOB speakers on their experiences in the Battle of the Bulge; a Navy veteran and also professional baseball pitcher; and a woman speaking on the Survivors of Hiroshima; among many other presentations. Each year, we participate in Honor Flights and the Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance organized by the local chapter of the Military Order of World Wars. We also participate in the City of Tucson Veterans Day Parade on November 11th, accompanied by four WWII Jeeps. Our Chapter 53 won awards for best WWII display in 2014 and 2015.

On November 6 , 2015, we had a very impressive ceremony by Mr. Gerrit M. Steenblik, the Honorary Consul of France in Arizona, who presented the French Legion of Honor Medal to seven VBOB members who had served in France during WWIl.

Our chapter has a beautiful monument in the el Presidio Park in downtown Tucson, where we have patriotic celebrations and wreath laying ceremonies. We also continue to participate in the community to include school presentations, media interviews and activities with local veterans groups and fraternal organizations.
Excerpted from the Chapter #53 2015 Annual Report, by George W. McGee, Chapter President