Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
Priceless exchange there boys,
Cheers & thanks much for sharing!
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2008 - 02:10am PT
|
hey there ... say, i just was finding some info for one of the grandkids, here, about the trapp family singers... and i found this, about some of their family being in the 10th MOUNTAIN DIVSION, AS VOLUNTEERS
(after the family had moved to america, and become adults, of course)... (the movie was not true to live, as usual)...
here is what i found:
___
Changes In The Lives of The Trapp Family Singers are memories of Maria von Trapp, age 91, who is the third child of Agathe Whitehead von Trapp and Captain von Trapp:
The first change in our choir (The Trapp Family Singers) came about when our two brothers, Werner and Rupert, volunteered for the United States 10th Mountain Division. They trained at Camp Hale and were sent to Italy to fight against the Nazi's. With their departure we lost our tenor and bass.
In order to keep singing, Mother shifted to tenor, Hedwig remained at alto and Father Wasner sang bass alone, but we managed.
Thank God our brothers returned home safely after the war. Rupert did not join us again but pursued his calling to be a doctor. Werner returned to his place in the choir and played the Viola Da Gamba.
__
wow--the things we find out about "famous folks"....
(there is the trapp family lodge, also, in vermont, by the way)
well, i know this was an old topic... but perhaps it will be still be of interest to someone...
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2008 - 03:01am PT
|
hey there.. say, all... i just had to go back and read all the things you guys shared here as to the older men, still left, from this division... and as to the memories, shared, also...
say, thanks again, for sharing....
|
|
Ricardo Cabeza
climber
Meyers,CA
|
|
|
Mar 22, 2008 - 03:32am PT
|
READ THIS!!
I posted a while back but I gotta say, Tony Hyde is my true hero! That dude gave up his schooling at Yale to enlist, then got hit by shrapnel on two seperate occasions.
I have a picture somewhere from one of the first issues of skiing magazine(i think it's skiing) with my grandpa arcing a turn and throwing a 40's style roost behind his skis. This was in Sugarbush's first year, when the owner of the area and my grandpa(the owner of the hotel at the base) still worked together.In the background is the top of the chair, Mt. Ellen, after which my mom was named.
The man was skiing waist deep east coast fresh like it was nobodys business. I'll have to track down the picture if nobody else has it, which I really doubt.
The Tenth; Fathers of our livelyhood! We are all in debt to the vision of these men.
P.S. You wouldn't believe the skis in my grandparents barn, ranging from the early 40's wooden skis, to the wooden skis with screw on edges, to early fixed heel bindings, to the modern short shaped slalom ski. My grandpa keeps up with the times, y'all! He will kick any of your asses on a tennis court or a slalom course! He broke his collarbone while shinning gates when he was 80 years old!(if you know what that means, you will respect the guy!)
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2008 - 04:44am PT
|
hey there ricardo... say, i am very impressssssssssssedddd..... say, i was gonna' sign off here for the night.... but seems i am stuck at this "yodel" site... :)
say, give your this hero a hug and a salute... and wow, oh, my... i am so very thankful for yet another share....
you dont find men of high inner pressng-on material any more these days.... that generation will slip by, without this world ever understanding the "backbone" of such hard working folks...
|
|
Ricardo Cabeza
climber
Meyers,CA
|
|
|
Mar 22, 2008 - 04:57am PT
|
Neebee,
Right on! I only post these details because I am so PROUD of my grandpa, I agree that we need to keep the spirit of the 10'th in WW2 alive, because aside from museums and highway signs, the spirit of these amazing and influential men might be lost.
These guys began the ski industry as we know it.
Anyone else?
|
|
Geno
Trad climber
Reston, VA
|
|
|
Mar 22, 2008 - 10:05am PT
|
To give you an idea of what these guys did, here are a couple scans:
A sketch of their most famous offensive operation.
This is a description from Tales of the 10th by Jeffrey Leich, 2003, New England Ski Museum:
"The escarpment of Riva Ridge facing the 10th was steep enough that the German mountain troops holding it believed it was unclimable. Working in silence at night, units of the 86th [Regiment] located four routes up the cliff face and fixed climbing ropes on the most difficult pitches. On the night of February 18-19, 1945 with orders to use only grenades and bayonets on the attack, about 900 men of the 86th [1-86th] ascended the four routes onto the summits of Riva ridge and successfully drove off the surprised German defenders. Deprived of this high ground for their observation posts, German artillery could not see the subsequent advance onto Monte Bellvidere. The remaining units of the 10th advanced onto Monte Belvidere under the cover of darkness and had the terrain under control by February 24. Casualties were heavy, but the objectives were taken days earlier than had been planned."
Here is a shot taken in 1995 of the one of the subordinate ridges of Riva called Serrasiccia. What you miss is that in Feb 1945 this was covered in deep snow and ice.
This is a photo taken again in 1995 during the filming of Fire on the Mountain. This film recorded the Renactment of the 50th Anniversary of 10th Mountain Division's Assault on Riva Ridge. The photo is a picture of a modern day 10th Mountain (Light Infantry) soldier and Flint Whitlock, the son of an original 10th Mountain member. Flint is dressed in his father's uniform. About 10 members from the original 10th conceived the 50th Anniversay Renactment and several climbed Riva Ridge. One of them,Nelson Bennet, was 80 years old at the time. This picture is on one of the cliff bands on Riva (Mount Serrasicia). In the background is the South slope of Monte Belvedere.
I was fortunate to be part of the 50th Anniversary Renactment in Feb 1995 and got to know several of the World War II Veterans. In this picture, I am standing next to "PFC" Bob Parker. We just finished a recon of a line up the ridge and set up ropes for filming. Bob was a key leader at Vail: Publicity Director and Senior Director of Operations from 1962-1984.
There was a great group of New England 10th Veterans that were also with us in Italy for the Renactment. This photo was taken in 1997 in New Hampshire. From Left to right are Tiny McQuade, Dick Wilson, myself, Neil Dearborne and Newc Eldridge. All these former 10th Vets were involved in skiiing their entire lives. And,the bonds of friendship between them were deep. Neil Dearborne died soon after this picture. He was in Kindergarten with Newc Eldridge. Neil was a medic in the 10th and when Newc Eldridge was badly wounded on Belvedere, Neil carred Newc for miles underfire to an aid station saving his friend's life. Dick Wilson was also badly wounded the same day on Mount Belvedere. He couldn't use one of his arms very well. Dick was the first editor of Skiing Magazine and when he was Communications director for The Disabled American Veterans Association he was also a founder of the Disabled Skiing movement. Dick Wilson passed away last year. These guys were extraordinary and I am proud to have known them.
|
|
Chip
Trad climber
Wilmington, DE
|
|
|
Mar 22, 2008 - 11:21am PT
|
Thanks for posting Geno, the pictures and personal stories are great. Makes me pretty humbled.
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2008 - 02:32pm PT
|
hey there geno... say, thanks for the sharing of all this... and, say, as to the quote here:
"Neil was a medic in the 10th and when Newc Eldridge was badly wounded on Belivedere, Neil carred Newc for miles underfire to an aid station saving his friend's life. Dick Wilson was also badly wounded the same day on Mount Belivedere."
a true example of tenacity, the 'hidden hero in a man's heart, under pressure'...
and to this quote:
"He couldn't use one his arms very well. Dick was the first editor of Skiing Magazine and when he was Communications director for The Disabled American Veterans Association he was also a founder of the Disabled Skiing movement. Dick Wilson passed away last year. These guys were extraordinary and I am proud to have known them."
I HAVE ALWAYS wondered, since i first learned about disabled skiiing, who gave it the big kick-off send-off to open so many doors for others to enjoy the great outdoors this way...
thanks for the share... these men really left more behind than folks take to think on....
|
|
TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
|
|
|
Mar 23, 2008 - 04:42pm PT
|
bumpity bump
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 24, 2008 - 02:54am PT
|
hey there... yeah... a bump would be nice.. perhaps this time of evening, someone on the west coast may still be up...
i never realized all the folks that were still around that knew these folks...
that last picture, some of these guys, and the start of the disabled skiier program was really something choice to learn...
|
|
Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2008 - 12:47pm PT
|
From the link that Gary Carpenter posted.
Seneca, Champe, and other local rocks were scouted and practice routes established. At this time, Seneca was overrun by copperhead snakes, but the clean up was so effective, none were seen the next summer.
So WVA/Seneca climbers, did the coppeheads ever return? My mom is from the northern panhandle, Wheeling area (Twilight is what the family farm is called), and on my first visit there when I was ten, I saw my first copperhead, as well as a water moccasin (so my cousins told me) in the creek on the farm.
EDIT
Those 10th guys were/are awesome.
|
|
CathC
Social climber
Wyoming
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2008 - 09:43pm PT
|
Hi Neebee, my father was in the 10th Mtn Division,87th Mountain Infantry. He was a soldier in Italy, and was wounded at the base of Mt.Belvedere in Feb. 1945, and received a Purple Heart award. I was able to go back to the very spot where he was wounded in Italy in 2000. The 10th Mtn Division had a reunion in Italy and toured most of the major battlefield in 2000. It was an amazing trip... the local people in the villages that were liberated still love the 10th Mtn soldiers and had huge yummy banquets and music in their honor. Many tears were shed also for those that were killed and the trauma of WW 2 in Italy. My father's experience made a huge impact on his life.(and mine) He fell in love with Italy for one thing !!!, and has always loved the mountains. He wrote his memories of the war in a small book. It is a fascinating history. The last reunion of the WW 2 Vets was in Denver last summer.
It's good that you are so interested as these vets are all very elderly now. My father is still healthy, witty and doing well at 83.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2008 - 09:48pm PT
|
Yes sir ....
All glories to the 10th MOUNTAIN DIVISION - SKI TROOPERS.
The were tough and hard core.
I feel like nothing compared to them, but then I'm worhtless anyways.
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 25, 2008 - 01:09am PT
|
hey there cath c--- thank you for sharing this.... when ones heart and soul was on the line, so to speak, at such crucial times for such a near-hard to fathom victory job, and so far from home---italy and all he went through is a treasure for him, now...
so many other everday footsoldiers remember times that will never be resolved for them--and some very sadly...
what a gift to go back and retrace something that he really had no assurance to get through---and see that it had passed on into making folks still have joy, to this day.... i loved hearing about the reunion and all the things you shared about him... and 83, is a right special time for dwelling on thankfulness....
these older folks that saw and understood hard things have much to share that we can learn from... from hard unpleasant lessons, to sweet and special ones....
ps--say, there werner...awwwwwwwwww, werner... your heart is most specially knit with them folks in many other ways..... as a rescuer, is a rescuer, is a rescuer---you cant take THAT out of a man, whether he was a soldier or not.... and a volunteer---well, that is a gift in the heart of a man.... you 'ol volunteer you....diamonds shine in many ways...
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 30, 2008 - 07:59pm PT
|
hey there steveW... say, thanks.. i just saw your post.. i will go and see it... thanks a lot...god bless...
|
|
nutjob
Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
|
|
BUMP
|
|
nutjob
Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
|
|
I just watched Fire on the Mountain, available streaming from Netflix.
In addition to how truly bad-ass these dudes were, the documentary is really well made. It covers a range of topics and shows the somewhat surprising links between the roots of this group and their subsequent contributions to our society (including the sport company Nike and jogging as a sport in America.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116310/
|
|
HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
|
|
David Brower and Raffi Bedayn both earned Bronze Stars in Italy.
Don't forget Paul Petzold.
Brower (among his many accomplishments in and out of climbing) wrote The Manual Of Ski Mountaineering in 1942.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!