| Show Melba Pierce Tells Of Europe Tour Fort Fot Campbell Kentucky Army Air AirField AirField AirField Field had seen many departures but September 4 was some what different from the usual take-off take as the Clarksville Clarksville Clarksville Clarks- Clarks ville Tennessee high school marching band departed for a sixteen day tour of Belgium Holland Luxemburg and Germany THE HUGE jet of the Sabena Belgium Airline had needed special permission permission permission per per- mission to land at the air strip and it was one of the few time a foreign aircraft has received permission Melba Pierce of Masser was one of the sixteen persons traveling with the group which the students dubbed as their included tag tagalongs This group two representatives of Premier Movie Productions of New York Chuck Eames and Jack Wills who filmed the entire trip Also aboard was Clyde D D. D Floyd president of the Airborne Association Association tion of Jacksonville Florida and Bill hub Hule e Howser and Rick nick Haley of Nashville Nashville Nashville Nash Nash- ville Tennessee were the camera shooters shoot shoot- ers for television IN BASTOGNE Belgium the band marched through the small town for a ceremony the World War II Battle of Bastogne Marching through the town and up the hill approximately approximately approximately two miles to the STAR war memorial and to the near nar by site of the museum grounds where they were were In inI I f special ceremonies at a corner stone- stone laying to start the construction This Thi s swill will be called The Battle of the Bulge Budge Museum A Among ong the onlookers at the dedication were US U.S. veterans some of them participants in the fight against the German counterattack of December 1944 US U.S. Ambassador Robert Hupe and officers of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and Airborne were among among among a- a mong those laying wreaths The stationed at Fort Campbell liberated the Bastogne area IN Germany the band performed formed by special request at the US U.S. Army Headquarters The most impressive ceremonies were those of the American military It Itis Itis Itis is a great blessing to see and to know that our loved laved ones who rest in these are cared for so beautifully A trip up Ul the Rhine was beautiful This took them to Holland where they stayed in Dutch homes and participated in their Liberation Days celebration which lasted five days THIS PROGRAM all began with the establishment of an organization called STAR Star a profit non-profit organization came In to being to help re-establish re America in the eyes of the world as asa a dedicated compassionate people who strive to help hep others less fortunate than themselves to to demonstrate to foreign nations that America is Js dedicated to the cause of oC peace and to help bridge the generation gap which the youth of oC our day flay flay-by by making them involved In the proud heritage which made America great STAR executives decided to begin their activities with the sponsorship of oC ofa oCa a band to participate In the dedication rites at Bastogne This school band was chosen to represent sent the United States for Cor various reasons They had received many awards for their performances and most of oC the students arc dependents of the Airborne Division THE Airborne Division first achieved fame at Bastone and it seemed especially appropriate that some of oC their sons and daughters return to the place where their fathers made history STAR plans the sending of a high school band to Belgium as a continuing project Next years year's band will be chosen in nation wide competition REX PIERCE met his Ws wife wiCe in Ken Ien tucky lucky where they toured the Kentucky horse farms and saw many of oC the famous famous fam fam- ous race horses They visited relatives in Tennessee Louisiana and Texas arriving arriving ar riving home October 3 3 |
