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my bad chris, thought you were a different chris, the yankee chris. at the event he puts on, we can throw just about everything 'cept the kitchen sink at the jerries. hey, it has been a long long long long long weekend so far...

It was a great show all around. I know I had a blast. In the 7th photo that AJ2 posted, the M3 halftrack, that's me standing in the back next to the 50 cal. That was my steed. My role was to take out the German motorcycle/sidecar that was reconing our position with the 50 cal. and then to move up and give covering fire to the infantry attack on the Pak front. Because of my postion, I spent most of my time to the far left of the battlefield on the hill and didn't really mix it up with the Germans. I had a good view of the battle, though.

The hardest thing I did was to park the M3 back in the museum. I don't know if any of you have had an opportunity to back a nine ton vehicle without power steering into a confined area, sometimes with inches to spare, but it tests the limits of your upper body strength. Boy are my arms tired.

The coolest thing was to see the PzKpfw III moving under its own power. Not too many people are privilleged to see that. The most surprising thing is how quiet the Maybach is.

As soon as I receive photos from the many sources covering the event, I will update the Life of the Soldier and Armor for the Ages web sites.

Hi, all,

Darn it! It is always a great show, and this time I didn't go. I have wanted to see the Panzer III run for years! Well, maybe next year! Hey, are there any other events where the Panzer III might run this year? Anything going down on July 4th? I would fly out to videotape that!

Anyway, looks like the staff, volunteers and reenactors had a great day and made monumental efforts! I will keep you guys posted about the next VMMV open house, which may happen in October. That means my wool panzer uniform will be a little more comfortable.

Richard, Tankvideo.com

HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICTURES

Somethin doesn't look right about the M-5 picture

And check those troops in the jeep. I think They're German infiltrators? (Can anyone guess why I say that?)

Different division patches and mix-match of uniforms?

Neil

That's not the main reason

the M5 has a female riding shotgun

That's what I noticed about the M-5. I guess they were giving a nurse a ride

would you be talking about the universally ignored no more than three riders in a jeep regulation

Jeff Lewis

I hadn't heard anything about a regulation but remember reading that one of the things that drew attention to the raiders during the Battle of the Bulge was that they were riding 4 to a jeep and that there were so many vehicles available in the U.S. Army that G.I.s would use two jeeps or a truck if there were four of them. So any time they saw four soldiers in a jeep it attracted attention.

- bsmart

Somethin doesn't look right about the M-5 picture

And check those troops in the jeep. I think They're German infiltrators? (Can anyone guess why I say that?)

If not the head count, because one guy in back has a carbine and may be an officer, while the guy riding shotgun has a Garand and is more likely a rifleman. An American officer would not be caught dead in the backseat of a jeep, but a German officer would expect to ride there.

I think the guy with the carbine is carrying an M9 Bazooka on his back. So the carbine would be an appropriate weapon

- bsmart

That's what I noticed about the M-5. I guess they were giving a nurse a ride

I was totally bewildered about where the woman was sitting in the half-track...then I hit page up once more.

Hey!!

I was checking out the excellent photos, and realized something....

I am on the reverse side of the Mk III, talking to the TC ( ) about his appearent inappropriate headgear. ( It was pointed out by several of the German reenactors.... )



I was stationed in the low ground, controlling (!?) vehicle & personnel staged for different phases of the battle, as well as vehicle line up for the post battle 'drive by'( no bullhorn this year...) . Most of the above photos were taken during that time.

BTW: The female in the Stuart, is the daughter of one of the Volunteers. She assisted in staffing the 'information tent' for two days without a single complaint. For her service, she was recruited to fill the place of a missing individual.

Regards,
Don