Pass in Review
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PASS IN REVIEW “Shedding Light On Idaho’s Military History” nd 2 Quarter June 2002 PRESIDENT’S since we incorporated and the Museum some new ideas on how to keep the continues to draw many favorable Society and Museum growing in the MESSAGE comments. right direction. It was with deep regret that the Board Donations continue to come in and Thanks to all the volunteers who have accepted the resignation of Robert there are many items waiting to be made our organization and Museum, Benbough as its Executive Director. catalogued and put on exhibit. what they are today. -Bob Benbough We are very sorry to loose him but Unfortunately, we have a shortage of under his guidance, the Museum has volunteers to process them and develop IDAHO HISTORY made a great deal of progress. exhibits from the material. DAY WINNERS As a result of his resignation, we will The Distinctive Unit Insignia display I begin accepting applications for a mentioned in the March issue of Pass Idaho History Day 2002 was April new Executive Director. We wanted In Review has been completed and is 12th. The theme this year – to give you, our membership, the first up for public viewing. We continue “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in opportunity to apply for the position. our upgrading of the military aircraft History”. This year there were many model and U.S. military firearms more entries than ‘usual’, 30 in the If you are interested in the position, exhibits and on a happy note, we held a Military History Category alone. The please send a resume or letter of fund raising breakfast recently and judges had quite a challenge on their interest to me, in care of the IMHS, at made a couple hundred dollars. hands. After careful consideration and 4040 W. Guard St., Boise, ID 83705 deliberation we are pleased to by 1 July 2002. We have been invited to the Twin Falls announce their decision. th bi-annual air show on the 29 of June. …And The Winners Are.... Bob will be available to help the new We are looking for folks interested in 1st Place - director learn the job for the first two helping run a booth. This will be an $100 Scholarship. weeks of July so time is of the essence. excellent way to let others know about Ian Marshall of our organization and Museum as well Canyon Elementary/ In addition to the new Executive as help replenish our coppers with Cataldo. His project Director position, we are also looking some gift shop sales. Give us a call if was titled, Pearl for volunteers for a number of projects. you can help! Harbor: An I know you have seen this request American made repeatedly in the newsletters but We will also be sponsoring another Revolution, Reaction and Reform. our need is very real. We have projects th th breakfast on July 13 and 14 . Please Ian's project was a documentary; we large and small that we need your help give us a call at the Museum, 422-4841 are working on obtaining a copy for with. Any time that you have and tell us which day you are able to viewing at the Museum. available; we have a project you can help cover. help us with. - Dawana Edwards 2nd Place - $50 I have truly enjoyed my tenure as Scholarship. David Executive Director but feel that it is Phenis of Lowell EXECUTIVE time for someone else to take over the Scott MS. His DIRECTOR responsibility and hopefully provide project was titled, This will be my last article written to you as your Executive Director. Effective in July, I will be resigning Inside This Issue from the position I’ve held since VOLUNTEER OF THE QUARTER NEW MEMBERS August of 1996. I do believe that the MOST WANTED th Idaho Military Historical Society has MUSEUM HOSTS WWII 10 MOUNTAIN DIVISION VETERAN come a long way in the last eight years ENDOWMENT UPDATE IDAHO FILE INTO HISTORY – Ed W. Freeman The Official Newsletter of the Idaho Military Historical Society and Museum PASS IN REVIEW June 2002 -2- The Atomic Bomb: A Revolution in VOLUNTEER OF MUSEUM HOSTS Warfare or the End of the World. THE QUARTER WWII 10TH MTN. David’s project was also a DIVISION VETERAN documentary and a copy is now rd available for viewing at the Museum. On April 23 , 2002, the Idaho Military History 3rd Place - $25 Museum hosted Scholarship. Wally Sterling, Chelsey Parkin of a veteran of the Burley JH. Her 10th Mountain project was titled, Division. German POW Please meet Kay Benbough Camp/Camp (on right) Over 50 people, Rupert. Chelsey’s project is on display Kay began volunteering in the Museum approximately at the Museum. {Camp Rupert will be in 1996 and joined the IMHS in 1998. 28 of who were a subject in a future edition of Pass In She took over the duties of Librarian Civil Air Patrol Review.} when the library moved to the Cadets, heard his remarkable story. Museum’s annex in Bldg 302, and In addition to their Scholarships, the At the start of World War II, neither 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winners were handled the ENORMOUS task of setting up and re-organizing the library the US, Great Britain, nor the Soviet given a one year Honorary Union, had any troops with specialized Membership in the Society. when the Museum moved to Bldg 924. mountain training. Germany and Italy The judges also chose two Kay also helps out wherever she can however, both had divisions of what HONORABLE both at the Museum and at fundraising they termed Alpine troops. MENTIONS: events. She can be found doing The US decided it must Spenser Rikhoff & everything from answering the phone produce at least one Eric Clausen of at the Museum, to serving at one of our division of mountain Lowell Scott MS. fundraising breakfasts, to helping run a soldiers trained to fight Their project was gift shop booth at a public event. in sub zero weather, in titled, The Gatling As you may have guessed by her last rugged mountain Gun. Their project was a name, she is married to our own Bob terrain, and at documentary; we are working on Benbough. When she isn’t at the extremely high altitudes. The National obtaining a copy for viewing at the Museum, Kay is running her Massage Ski Patrol volunteered to recruit men Museum. Therapy business in Mountain Home, who were capable of this type of Dan Royle of Lowell gardening, or painting a watercolor. training. They figured that it would be Scott MS. His Kay can be found at the Museum on easier to take a trained skier and make project is titled, Mondays. Stop by and say hello; she'll him into a soldier than it would be to Navajo Code be glad to show you how you can take a soldier and turn him into a skier. Talkers. Dan’s become a librarian's assistant. Õ The Nat'l Ski Patrol contacted the project is on display colleges throughout the northern states at the Museum. NEW MEMBERS looking for experienced skiers, down Special Welcome to: {If you have seen or are contemplating hill racers, winter sports instructors, Õ Karlyn Brown seeing the movie Windtalkers, stop by mountain climbers, and the like, who ÕThomas E. Gilbertz and see this exhibit! He has photos of were outdoor oriented and could Õ Ian Marshall some of the actual Code Talkers.} handle the rigorous training. By the Õ David Phenis winter of 1944, the division was nearly Spenser, Eric and Dan were presented Õ Chelsey Parkin full strength and composed almost with Certificates of Achievement in MOST WANTED entirely of volunteers. addition to the recognition they received at the Idaho History Day Viet Nam Artifacts. We would like to They met their first test when the 87th Event. build an exhibit commemorating the Regimental Combat Team (RCT) was CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL; Viet Nam Conflict but our artifacts are sent to clear the Japanese out of the GREAT WORK!!! limited. If you are looking for a home Aleutian Islands and in February, 1945, And thank you to the IMHS judges as for your Viet Nam memorabilia, we they took on several divisions of Field well. Õ can help. Õ Marshal Albert Kesselring’s crack The Official Newsletter of the Idaho Military Historical Society and Museum -3- June 2002 PASS IN REVIEW german troops in the mountains of sentence using the actual Navajo Code IDAHO FILE Italy. At the battle of Mt. Belvedere, you can try to decipher. INTO HISTORY several assaults made by General Mark Clark's 5th Army had failed. The 10th It was a very educational and Mtn. Division attacked at night, scaling interesting evening. Thank you to the sheer walls of Riva Ridge using everyone who made it possible. Õ climbing rope and steel pitons. The AN ENDOWMENT Germans, never expecting an assault UPDATE from the rear, and at night, were Since our last update, we have received completely surprised. additional donations to our endowment The 10th Mtn. Division participated in from: 3 major campaigns and in 9 major Ms Dawana Edwards battles. They successfully completed Mr. Garth Holmes every mission that was assigned to Ms Caroline Kreiger them and they earned more decorations This brings our Endowment balance up than any other division in the to $24,598.68. We have also received Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. updated letters of support from General They also paid a heavy price; 1,000 Kane, Adjutant General of the Idaho Ed W.