The Miss. Chapter of Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge will be awarding scholarships to six local high school students at the Fall meeting, Thursday, October 16, 2015, at Lake Tiak O’Khata, Louisville, Miss. This is a vital part of the scholarship process, a time when we can get to know each recipient and also share what you have learned about the “Battle of the Bulge”, Ardennes, Belgium. The students will be our guests for lunch at 11:30 AM and the meeting should be over by no later than 2:30 PM.

We hope all will understand the importance of this sharing time because we want to know more about your VBOB relative and the part he played in winning this battle and ensuring the safety of the entire world as we know it. This battle has been called by Winston Churchill the” greatest land battle of World War 11.” Tom Brokaw wrote a book entitled The Greatest Generation” which has proved to be true. By learning about these brave men, you will be a special kind of emissary to people you know to keep other generations aware of the “whole story” of those heroes. Several years ago, a false story was spread about the Nazis and their Concentration camps during the years of the war, and their total cruelty and destruction of the allied countries of Europe—England, Holland, France, numerous smaller towns and countries. Groups of people in this country were told that all of this was false .i.e. “It never happened’, they were told, from the media and Nazi sympathizers in this country and else where. The truth was that it DID happen….there are pictures, detailed accounts, personal stories that prove the inhuman and terrible deeds that were done. But as years go by and new generations come along, it is vital that these new generations know the story of the ones who saved civilization from annihilation and from imprisonment of our society under Adolph Hitler, a man insane for power who almost conquered the world.

Now you will understand the importance of our finest students….YOU… being informed about the true history of those times and why it must never, ever happen again. We each have an opportunity to keep the truth alive and we have a responsibility to do so. You six winners are among the highest and brightest of your generation and your ancestor has been an important, even critical part of our lives today. We live in the greatest country in the world, as well as the safest. We challenge you to do your best to keep it that way!

Sincerely in God’s love,

James W. Hunt, 1st Infantry Division, 18th Infantry Regiment, Company K

Members of the scholarship committee