The Gateway Chapter was pleased to have a visit of a number of delegates from the Moscow School of Political Studies at the May meeting. The Russian visitors met with about 25 members to thank them for their service in World War II and hear their recollections of meeting Russian soldiers during the war. To honor V-E Day (May 8), the Russian delegates presented the Chapter with an evergreen tree, which was planted near the Battle of the Bulge Monument and WWII GI Statue in Jefferson Barracks Park a few days later.

The Russian delegates were llya V. Savchenko, Timur Botvin, Roman Ryabintsev, Georgy Kaytukov, Magomed Magomedomarov and Natalya Paleeva.The veterans, in return, gave the delegates a copy of our book, “Victory Through Valor: A Collection of World War II Memoirs,” and a photo of the Battle of the Bulge Monument and World War II GI Statue. The visit by the Russian group was through the auspices of the University of Missouri–St. Louis’ Center for International Studies and coordinated by Professor Jerol Enoch.

Photos by August Jennewein/UMSL

Veterans in above photo: Ray Saul (4th Infantry Division), Dick Cotter (26th Infantry Division)
Bernie Schwender (78th Infantry Division), Richard Coyle (28th Infantry Division)
Billy Stiegemeier (87th Infantry Division), Barny Baker (328th Fighter Control Squadron)
President Kent Stephens (26th Infantry Division), Don Green (106th Infantry Division)
Clyde Erb (26th Infantry Division), Eugene Ganz (1st Infantry Division)
Glen Jarvis (467th AAA AW), Marvin Korte (84th Infantry Division)
Ralph Forys (26th Infantry Division), Stanley Gibson (99th Infantry Division)
Harold Mueller (110th AAA 90MM MBL), Rusty Pendleton (11th Armored Division)