November 2017- Author and Producer Peter Lyon tells the story of American St. Nick

I was so pleased to be able to have Peter Lyon  here for the WW II Veterans Discussion Group in the month before Christmas. Peter Lion is the author of American St. Nick: A True Story and is a 7-time Emmy winning Producer/Director. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1983 with a BA in Journalism and double minors in English and Communications.
 Below is an excerpt from the newsletter explaining how a group of WW II veterans brought Christmas to a village in Luxenbourg.

Below left: The cover of American St. Nick        Below right: Peter Lyon.

                                                                                 

    American St. Nick: A True Story,  recounts how, during the chaos of World War II, a handful of American soldiers helped bring the Christmas spirit back to the children of war-weary Wiltz, Luxembourg.

Soldiers of the U.S. 28th Infantry Division realize that although the town has been liberated after nearly five years of Nazi occupation, the ravages of war have left  the townspeople with nothing to celebrate the season. For the children, it will be especially bleak without the hope of  candies, treats or gifts on the normally town-wide celebration of St. Nicolas Day.  Days later, the Battle of the Bulge erupts, and Wiltz is over-run. Much of the town is damaged or destroyed. The joy of that one St. Nicolas Day was gone...but not forgotten.

Following the war Wiltz rebuilt and those who survived vowed never to forget the kindness and generosity of those few American soldiers that one St. Nicolas Day. From then on, to honor those soldiers, the Wiltz St. Nicolas Day celebration would include a new tradition: someone would dress not as St. Nicolas, but rather as the American St. Nicolas and recreate his 1944 Jeep ride through town and party after. The tradition has continued more than seven decades. 
Peter's website contains many photos as well as a film of the event and is located at: 
https://www.americanstnick.com/

Photo below: Driving through Wiltz, Luxembourg, December 5th, 1944. 

Photo above: The party for the children inside the Wiltz Castle, Luxembourg—December 5th 1944. 

Below is the newsletter for the November, 2017 WW II Veterans Discussion Group-

An Attempt At Catching Up- October 2017- Tammy Gosselin- Middlesex County Blue Star Mothers

As I've been remiss on posting, and so I'm making an attempt to catch up from last October (2017). Below are some photos sent to me by Barbara Racette- from the October 2017 program.

Below- Tammy Gosselin, Vice President of Membership of the Middlesex County Blue Star Mothers who gave a presentation on what the organization does. Tammy spoke on the wealth of activities performed by this group. The concept for the Blue Star Mothers organization was originated by Captain George H. Maines in Flint Michigan. On January 22, 1942, a coupon was printed in the local newspaper asking mothers of servicemen to fill out and return the coupon. Based on the response, 300 mothers met in the Flint Michigan, Durant Hotel the following February. Captain Maines acted as the Chair at the first meeting. After receiving 1,000 responses from the ad, it was decided to form a permanent organization.  On February 6, 1943 the organization was reported on Congressional record. In June of 1960 the organization was chartered by Congress.  The Blue Star Mothers support each other when their children are deployed and provide support for active duty service personnel as well as assist veterans' organizations.

   (left) The board that Tammy brought showing the many activities of the Blue Star Mothers. 

  Below: The flier for the program. 

             

Above: The October newsletter.