I don't remember when I last wrote, except to renew subscriptions and order books but quite a number of things have happened that you might like to hear ab out. My gaming is becoming limited because my opponent graduated from college a year ago and has gone off to Germany to play with real tanks and soldiers. However, to go back a year or so and give you an update.
May '70 - Participated in the May Day Weekend at New Haven as a member of the 3,000 plus Guardsmen ordered to duty. Things went off nicely and the Scranton Commission had nice things to say about us. This was just prior to the fiasco at Kent State.
Aug.'70 - Went to school at Indiantown Gap MR in Pennsylvania and while there spent an entire day soaking up history at Gettysburg, unencumbered by camp followers. Returned to CT to find I had been promoted to MAJ and assigned to the 103d Emergency Cps Hq.
Apr.'71 - Took a trip to Washington, DC and enroute Visited Washington's Crossing State Park in PA and NJ (it straddles the Delaware) and then on to Valley Forge. Drove by Brandywine Battlefield but it was late in the day and the park was closed.
Apr.'71 - Through a local organisation met military analyst George Fielding Eliot and had I conversation with him for about an hour. This was about 2 weeks before his death. After I helped his wife clean out the house a little. For this I got a footlocker full of military magazines and pamphlets and a 5 volume set of Napier's Peninsular War as published in 1864. Later she sold his library and for $20 1 picked up 17 volumes including "Street With- out Joy'19 "Bastogne and Campaigns in the Monsoon" by Marshall, "Notes on the Spanish-American War" (translations of important Spanish documents) and finally a beautiful copy of the "Armies of India" by Lovett and MacMunn.
May '71 - Attended the memorial service for MAJ Eliot. The eulogist was BG S.L.A. Marshall. Afterwards at a luncheon I enjoyed nearly an hour's conversation with the General and found him an interesting individual and very approachable. His formula for writing a good story is to start at the highlight and work both ways!
July.'71 - Off to visit relatives but enroute spent some time at Antietam. Visited Burnside's Bridge and other parts of the field I had always missed. Also stopped briefly at Aberdeen and anyone interested in tanks and artillery must see this to believe it.
Left Out I have discovered a new and excellent opponent Les Davis in Clinton. Met Arnold J. Hendricks and found him the perfect staff type. Also got to the Philadelphia Convention with Charlie Sweet. Visited Lexington, Concord, and later Manassas. Have painted more than 200 figures so far this year - a record for me. Busy buying up Minitanks before the price goes out of sight! Got a batch of Airfix Washington's Army which has opened up endless Possibilities.
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© Copyright 1972 by Donald Featherstone.
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