One of the unique aspects of life in Michigan’s Great Southwest is the annual commemoration of military history known as “Lest We Forget.” The group of veterans from several wars meticulously plans and executes a combination of education and re-creation to provide a better understanding of the military actions that served to protect our freedoms and our American Way of Life during much of the 20th Century.
You may personally recall witnessing re-creatations of World War II, Korean War or Vietnam battles, staged on the St. Joseph lakefront, Tiscornia Park or the Benton Harbor Airport over the past couple of decdes. These unique opportunities to re-live history were the work of Lest We Forget.
For 2023, Lest We Forget turns its attention to a different aspect of War: The Cold War. That’s the name given to the political and military situation that developed after World War II and lasted until the break up of the Soviet Union in the late 1980’s. Lest We Forget will study The Cold War in a series of educational presentations and discussions, culminated with another weekend including military re-creations in June.
Details are supplied in a release from the Lest We Forget organization, and its President Larry Wozniak.
THE COLD WAR
Lest We Forget has chosen The Cold War as the theme for 2023. On June 17 – 18 activities will return to the St. Joseph river site at 275 Upton Drive.
In anticipation of the June weekend the public is invited to attend five sessions on Cold War topics at Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor campus, Fettig Hall Room D-105. There is no registration fee.
On Tuesday evenings, March 28, April 11 & 25 and May 9 & 23 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm, knowledgeable presenters will discuss the state of political hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries and the US-led Western powers from 1945 to 1990.
Activities continue Saturday and Sunday, June 17 – 18, 2023 at the St. Joseph River with military vehicles and weapons displays, and battle re-creations by the 2nd Marine Reenactors from Chicago.
They will be joined by Charlie Hobson with his flamethrower. Hobson is the author of “The Illustrated Manual of US WWII Flamethrowers”. He is currently the only accepted source for training, testing and certifying WWII Flamethrowers. Hobson has trained over 900 operators for over 4000 firings.
Also returning this year are three World War II landing craft that have been restored and are available for the public to ride. One is an LTV “Water Buffalo” that is a dual track amphibious vehicle.
The 2nd is a 2-1/2 ton amphibious wheeled truck called a DUKW or “Duck”, and the 3rd is a Higgins boat, most often associated with the D-Day landings at Normandy in World War II. Lest We Forget invites you to take a free ride in these treasures of the past in the St. Joseph River.
Also giving rides will be a Robinson helicopter. The fee for a helicopter ride is $50 per person. A 32’ Climbing Wall and a Zipline will be on site giving attendees the opportunity to symbolically climb the Berlin Wall and to Zipline from Communist East Berlin to freedom in West Berlin.
Entertainment from the era will also be ‘center stage.’
Saturday evening, June 17, ‘The Spaniels Forever’, a R&B and doo-wop group consisting of band members Patrick Pitre, Phil Ratliff, Daniel Porter and Billy Shelton, 89, who is the only original member of the band, will perform a free concert at 7:00 pm.
The concert will include a setlist of classic ‘50s and ‘60s cover tunes. Concert-goers will hear songs by The Temptations, Four Seasons, Beatles and Bee Gees. ‘The Spaniels Forever’ will perform their 1953 hit, “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight.”
Full information on the plans for the Lest We Forget weekend are available at www.LestWeForgetUSA.org
Any questions should be directed to Larry Wozniak at 269-429-2098 or 49wozniak@gmail.com
