While at the "History of the Solider" event at Fort Verde State Historic Park, Man met a knowledgeable and very cordial representative of the World War II era. The reenactor had tent and lots of gear that an US Army infantry soldier would use and carry during World War II .
As many soldiers, Man's father would not discuss the war much, so Man took this opportunity to really question and learn about what his father's experiences might have been like.
Showing how to load the M-1, the gun Man's father carried:
Showing us how to clean the weapon. This reenactor knew his M-1, he was efficient in his motions, and to me it seemed he was fast too.
Here is Man holding the M-1, asking more questions. (By the way, he would make a great interviewer, he was asking great questions.)
And, a solider has to eat, rations:
There usually seems to be one part of a day or event or learning experience that stands out, in this case it was learning about the pack that Man's father had to carry, what went into it. Then, Man asked if he could put the pack on (which was supposed to be packed pretty much the way his father's would have been during WWII).
Man was impressed, so much so, that he is still talking about what it would have been like to carry that pack (it was not light). The experience was good, the information good, the insight more than good. Yes, there is a new appreciation here in Reflection's Land, by both Man and I, for what our soldiers and specifically Man's father experienced during World War II.
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6 comments:
What a great experience for Man to be able to stand in his father's footprints for just a moment, to hold the M-1 and to wear the pack. I love to see moments such as this, when we can get a hands-on glimpse of the past, and I thank you Carol and Man for sharing your experience with us.
Cheers,
Jennifer
Carol..I'll have to make sure Mike reads this tonight. Our son has expressed curiosity about his Vietnam experiences and Mike has never really talked about them much because of a few bad memories (he was a combat engineer). We are all afraid to ask him too much but I have often thought about recording what he says when he does talk about it. Mike is the only one in both our families for 3 generations that actually saw combat, the rest were guards, dental assistants and cargo pilots, etc. Apparently Man's dad was in combat too...those are the guys who don't talk.
I'm so glad Man had this opportunity. Bless the reenactors for bringing us all a little closer to our parents, grandparents and those before. And those packs are still heavy. I lifted one a friend wore in Iraq a few years ago. He lost almost an inch of height after 18 months of carrying it.
It is so wonderful when our spouses can share in the family history experience on these trips. We also love to watch reenactors and talk to them - quite a knowledgeable bunch!
Carol, Sounds like a wonderful time for both of you. I haven't run across the WWII reenactors, but my family is laced with Mountain Men reenactors --- Reenactors tend to be very knowledgeable historians of their era, too, I might add.
What a fabulous experience for Man! I am so glad for that opportunity to gain insights into his father's experience. I am thrilled just reading this post!
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