To My Fellow VBOBS:
On December 16, 1999, the city of Orlando, Florida dedicated a memorial to the veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. This memorial was the result of a lot of hard work by many VBOBs in the area, especially a retired swim coach and high school teacher, the late Harry Miesel. Harry was a VBOB and the prime mover in getting this memorial complete. We thank Harry and his wife, Jeanette, for their efforts.
The memorial is a statue of a G.I. in combat gear. Around the base of the stature are the logos for all the divisions and other units that were at The Bulge. On the ground around the statue are bricks with names of some of the people who were there in December 1944 to January 1945.
Every year in December, the city of Orlando has a memorial service in honor of all veterans and many attend. At this exceptional ceremony speeches are given, high school bands play, and refreshments are served. I have annually attended these memorial services and unfortunately each year the crowd gets smaller as so many are not with us any longer.
This letter is to inform you that the next time you or your family come to visit “Mickey Mouse”, “Shamu”, and/or “Harry Potter,” please take some time and visit this memorial. The memorial is at the Northeast comer of Lake Eola, an Orlando downtown park. Lake Eola is considered Orlando’s “Central Park”.
This will also give you an opportunity to “get off the beaten path” and possibly meet some of Orlando’s residents not directly connected to our tourism industry. I m sure you will find them very courteous and generous.
Sincerely,
Arnold Cascarano
75th Inf Division
291st Inf Regiment
3rd Battalion