BOBA has made special arrangements with “Knee Deep Into History” to make these opportunities available to our members. “Knee Deep into History” (KDIH) is an educational travel company that provides online learning experiences during the winter. The principal of KDIH is active in BOBA.
We hope our distribution issues are behind us and we’re now at work on the next issue of the Bugle. This next issue will contain a report on the January 2024 commemoration and Gettysburg conference; plans for what’s going to be a truly outstanding reunion in St. Charles, Missouri; news on the departures of some valued members and on the activities of some who are very much with us; chapter news; and an exciting new feature profiling our division members. And much more.
The deadline is March 10, but if I know you’re sending something, you can have a few more days. For those sending me material, please:
Reach me at boba.editor@gmail.com
In belated memory of the Wereth 11, a group of 11 black servicemen who were massacred by advancing German soldiers on December 17, 1944.
January 27, 2024. Extend your trip for the Commemoration. Come to Gettysburg for a power-packed speaker’s lineup. Single-day conference. Speakers include:
Stuart Dempsey, licensed battlefield guide and owner-operator of historic tours company., speaks on the106th Division.
Leon Reed, BOBA editor and author, gives a GI-level presentation on the 80th Division’s role in breaking the siege of Bastogne;
Jim Triesler, BOBA historian and Education Director of the Virginia War Memorial, speaks on the Victims of Malmedy;
Dan Vermilya, supervisory park ranger at Eisenhower Historic site, speaks on the WWII dead of Gettysburg National Cemetery.
Tom Vossler, licensed guide, former chief of military history, and Eisenhower Society trust, speaks on Ike and leadership
Count on our friends in Ettelbruck to come through. About a month ago, we posted a query requesting information on a stained glass window in the church in Ettelbruck. (See below.) It referred to “Ettelbruck 1944,” so it seemed probable that it was connected with the Ardenns campaign. But how?
Susan Tyson of Ettelbruck’s Patton Museum was the first to come through with information.She wrote telling us the artist was named Probst.
But our member Joseph Dondelinger, a native of Luxembourg who enthralled the audience at our 2023 reunion with his presentation on Luxembourg Then and Now, truly came through with information. His letter is reproduced below.
“The triple window on the right side of the Ettelbruck church is part of the church restoration and significant architectural remodeling done between 1946 and 1948. The church was heavily damaged in the Bulge. The window(s) depict(s) the suffering of the town/parish patron saint, St. Sebastian, and the phases of his martyrdom, linking it to the martyrdom of the town. The bottom shows some of the major and most familiar buildings in Ettelbruck. The Latin inscription reads A FAME MORTE (IN?) BELLO LIBERA NOS DOMINE ETTELBRUCK 1944.
“Regarding the Latin, the translation could be “From a fate of death in war, free our town” (or “free us Lord”). I need to verify the latter.
“The window was designed by brothers Emil and Josef Probst and produced in the shop of the Linster Brothers in Mondorf. (Mondorf is in the extreme south-east of Luxembourg and the location of the place code named “Ashcan” where the top Nazis were incarcerated before their transfer to Nuremberg.)
“Please give all credit to my younger brother Albert who still resides in Luxembourg for tipping me off about the resource to find the answer.”
BOBA thanks both Joseph and Albert Dondelinger for coming through with information.
Stained glass window in Ettelbruck
Legend at the bottom of the window.
Today, October 17th, PVT James Hampton Coates would have been 101 years old. Instead, James sadly was one of 86 servicemen who was killed in the Malmédy Massacre in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. He served in the 13 FAOB HQ from 1942-44. During that time he landed on Utah Beach D-Day+1 and was injured in July by a mine or dud, but stayed with the battalion under field medical care. In October 1944, he joined 285 FAOB BTRY B, and two months later he was killed in the massacre.
James left behind a wife and two children: a 2-year-old daughter and 7-month-old son. He was buried in Henri Chapelle Cemetery, Belgium and later reinterred in his hometown of Kilmarnock, Virginia. His daugther, Mary Ann Coates Smith, is currently the President of BOBA’s Virginia Crater Chapter.
Read a detailed account of the massacre from a solider of the 30 INFD when he arrived with his unit at Malmédy.
BOBA made an appearance at Army Expo 23 at the Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, PA. The exhibitors were a who’s who of Army research, fellowship, and advocacy groups, including the US Military Academy, various divisional associations, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Center for Military History, Pennsylvania Military Museum, and many others.
Despite horrible weather, the event was extremely well attended. It provided an excellent chance to promote th upcoming commemoration and Gettysburg conference.
People attending the annual commemoration in the Nation’s Capitol will have the opportunity to extend their trip a little for more Bulge programming. BOBA is co-sponsoring what we hope is the First Annual Battle of the Bulge conference at the site of the US Army’s other greatest battle, Gettysburg, PA.
Gettysburg is only about 100 miles north of the Commemoration HQ hotel and we can work on transportation for people whose S-4 (logistics staff) didn’t arrange transportation. The conference will be held at the World War II American Experience museum on the outskirts of town on January 27.
Two key BOBA officials, historian Jim Triesler and editor Leon Reed, will be presenting at the conference, along with another BOBA member, Tom Vossler.
We hope to get best selling author Jeff Shaara to give a keynote address (and sign some books).
Other speakers and their topics:
Andrew Biggio, author of The Rifle and the brand-new The Rifle 2, will speak about GI experiences in the battle and upon their return many years later.
Stuart Dempsey, licensed Gettysburg guide and owner/operator of Battleground History Tours LLC, will talk about the underdog 106th division
Leon Reed, Bugle editor and by then the author or editor-publisher of three WWII memoirs, will speak about the role of the 80th division in stabilizing the southern flank of the Bulge and the liberation of Bastogne.(He gave an early version of this talk at the 2023 commemoration but it is far advanced since that time.)
Jim Triesler, who works as Education Director for the Virginia War Memorial when he’s not doing his more vital work for BOBA, will speak about 10 victims of the Malmedy Massacre.
Tom Vossler, licensed guide and retired chief of military history at Carlisle, will speak about Ike, SHAEF, coalition warfare, and the incredible leadership skills Ike summoned to keep the entire alliance (mostly) moving in the same direction.
We think this is a powerful lineup and BOBA is proud to be a co-sponsor.
On October 14-15, BOBA will once again take to backroads. This time we will wind up in Carlisle, PA, where we will exhibit at the Army Expo 23. This is a big show, complete with the Golden Knights, equipment displays, etc.
If you’re there, stop by and see our table.
Speaking of stained glass windows, we came across this beauty when we visited 80th division sites in 2011. The legend “Ettelbruck 1944” suggests this is some sort of commemorative about the battle, but I couldn’t find anything to document that. Does anyone know where and why and by whom this stand glass window was installed? If you know, write boba.editor@gmail.com and you’ll be identified as this month’s “Bulge Expert” in the next edition of the Bugle.. Thanks.
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. Click here to 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.
Come see us at Ike’s place.
Dear BOBA Membership,
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:
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!”
Thanks,
Steve