From: Tim Scherrer (soldierboy440@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Feb 23 2003 - 20:15:59 PST
Make plans now to attend this event! The WWII
Military Vehicle Convoy scheduled for May 10th in
Columbia, MO is only a few months away. The level of
participation is expected to be very strong. Based on
early responses, an estimated 45 vehicles, to include
25+ jeeps, a dozen dodges and maybe 8 other types of
vehicles are expected to attend.
Have you reserved your space for this event? There is
no registration fee for this event, but to reserve
your place in the convoy, or to ensure that you have a
seat for the ride, all vehicle owners and reenactors
must register. The registration form can be
downloaded from the Railsplitter website at
http://www.geocities.com/soldierboy440/railsplitters.
Make sure you sign all sections of the form and mail
your registration to the address provided on the form.
Your registration will be confirmed by e-mail if an
address is provided.
All vehicles participating in the convoy must be
insured and licensed in their states. We are also
asking that vehicles have Family Radio Service radios,
fire extinguishers, and extra water for the occupants.
Media across the state is beginning to show interest
in this event. The Railsplitters appeared on a local
TV show last month, and an article ran in the local
paper of a town that the convoy will be visiting on
its route. We expect a lot more coverage in the next
few weeks leading up to the convoy.
Tom Bos of Iowa will be leading the MP element on the
convoy, which will assist us with lining up, parking,
exiting parking, etc. They will greatly help the
smooth flow of the convoy when we get into our
stopping areas. Many thanks to them for agreeing to
assist.
In terms of updates, these are the new details:
Friday Afternoon:
Honor our veterans by planning to participate in VET
RIDE ’03. For those of you who can make it, the
Railsplitters are coordinating with the Columbia Harry
S. Truman Veteran’s Administration hospital for VET
RIDE ’03. Participating military vehicle owners will
give VA patients rides. The HST VA hospital treats
substance abuse and also has a hospice section, which
are the most likely riders. A route around the
University of Missouri campus and the downtown area is
planned. If you can arrive, and be offloaded with
your vehicle by 1400 hrs on Friday, and you would like
to participate, let me know. VET RIDE ‘03 will be a
very satisfying event for all involved. Drop me
(Tim) a line at soldierboy440@yahoo.com and let me
know if you can participate!
Friday Night:
-The VFW Post 280 in Columbia, our host, will be
having steak night. You can get a steak or prime rib
for dinner in the $8-12 range, depending upon what you
like.
-The VFW post has a Friday night band series with $5
admission. No news yet on the band.
Saturday Morning at the Columbia VFW Hall:
-The Columbia VFW is planning a SOS breakfast for a
fee, under $5, with any profits and donations going to
a high school scholarship fund.
-Preliminary arrangements are being made with a
bagpiper to serenade you before leaving. This is not
firm but I think likely.
- Line up will begin around 0700 am. We need all
vehicles participating to be present and lined up by
0745 am. When arriving at the convoy site, check in
at the pavilion for your position in the convoy, and
then position your vehicle. The road exiting the VFW
will be in-bound only until the departure of the
convoy in order to accommodate the vehicles.
-A group engine start is planned after the safety
briefing. It won’t be quite like the Indy 500
“Gentleman, Start Your Engines,” but it will certainly
be exciting to hear 45+ throaty engines start
together.
Saturday Morning on the road:
-The Hallsville stop will be without much fanfare,
minus locals attending and maybe a police escort into
town. It will be brief.
-The Clark, MO stop will have their restrooms
available for our use in their city park. I am
working on getting a local Omar Bradley historian to
walk us through the life of Bradley along our stops,
describing what happened with his life at each
locality.
Saturday Noon:
-Moberly, MO, our lunch stop just ran a newspaper
article on the convoy, and we are getting inquiries
about the event.
-We are working the specific route with the City of
Moberly, but it will include drive-bys at a shoe
factory that made double buckle boots in WWII, the
train station, downtown, Bradley’s High School home,
Bradley’s High School, and the Bradley Statue.
-Lunch is planned at the American Legion in Moberly,
MO, to include a Roast beef, mashed potatoes, beans,
dessert and drinks for $7.
Saturday Afternoon:
-Coordination with the City of Fayette is completed.
We will likely get a police escort into town, and then
on to the square. The south side of the town square
will be dedicated to MV parking. The City has
arranged for a band and a USO style refreshment tent.
This picturesque town features an old fashioned saloon
with dancing girls. I am not sure if the girls will
be there during the day, but you never know. All will
be sure to love the charm of this historic town.
-Coordination is ongoing with the City of Rocheport on
parking for the “Stand By Me” tunnel stop. Rocheport
is a very quaint town that probably looks much as it
did in the 1940s.
-The Les Bourgeois Winery has been very good to work
with for the stop at the Bluff top A-Frame Wine
garden.
-We considered changing the route from Rocheport back
to Columbia, but after investigating the roads found
our other options too hilly, and the originally
planned route is too interesting of a road to miss, so
the route is not changing. Roby Farm Road looks like
something straight out of Normandy.
-The route through Columbia will include drive-bys of
Memorial Stadium and the Hearnes Center, where the MU
Tigers play, as well as the downtown area known for
its traditional and eclectic stores.
Saturday Night:
-The VFW will have various dinner options available,
as well as a band with a $5 entrance fee. The VFW is
planning to book either the Capital Kicks, a 40s style
dance band from Jefferson City, or the Aaron Russell
Band from Kirksville, a country rock band with a great
reputation for making a dance fun. Either way it will
be a good time for all. Bring your dress uniforms if
you have them, although field uniforms will be welcome
too. For spouses that may attend the dance, civilian
40s style clothing is also welcome.
Camping Space and Lodging:
Camping space is limited. The VFW has not acquired
extra land that would have provided additional camping
space for the event, and they are not sure they can
get access to it before the event. There is still
land in the upper parking lot area that can be used
for camping, but it can’t accommodate a huge number of
campers. They are working the issue, and we hope to
have enough land to accommodate everyone. The outside
restrooms as well as the pavilion will be open so
people can still sleep under cover if there isn’t
ground to pitch a tent. Also, has a reminder, the
Railsplitters have coordinated special room rates with
the Ramada Inn for those who do not wish to camp.
Lodging information can be found on the Railsplitters
website at
http://www.geocities.com/soldierboy440/railsplitters.
The Omar Bradley Symposium:
We just received an invitation for the Second Annual
General Omar Bradley Symposium in Moberly, Missouri.
The event is scheduled for noon on Monday 12 May 03.
We are planning a display for anyone who would like to
attend. We release this makes for a long weekend, and
the vast majority of people can not attend the event,
but this is a good opportunity to show your equipment
and displays. The keynote speaker of the event will
be the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony J.
Principi, with an introduction by Senator Kit Bond.
More information is forthcoming as we receive details
on the event.
Let me know of any problems or concerns. We want to
make this one of the best events you have attended!
Tim
=====
Tim A. Scherrer
CO, 84th Infantry Division "Railsplitters," Reenacted
WWIIHRS and MVPA
Columbia, MO
www.geocities.com/soldierboy440/railsplitters
"You'll be fighting WWII for the rest of your life." Ron Scherrer, 1971
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