Mullins “Open House” had a
soggy start. On Thursday the usual parking area was a shallow lake capable
of swallowing even a 4 wheel drive truck. Brent and his staff were busy
organizing and reorganizing to meet the challenge, and making every effort
to accommodate the early arrivals and work parties.
On Friday the vendors began to
arrive and set up, giving the early customers a chance to pick over their
wares. Some heavy transport began to arrive and finalize the battle area.
By Friday afternoon buyers were busy in the flea market area and at Brent's
warehouse. People were going back and forth between their cars and the
vendors tables. Carlos Manning was dealing uniform gear and accessories,
while Kent Chipman had his cycle at one end of the vendor line and Wallace
Wade tires at the other.
Our members working the line
were Herb Tate, Madison Hughes and Glen Villoz wrangling with Robert Downs
over radio gear. Claude Vaughn checking over Sid Beck's Dodge parts while
Toby Chandler backed and moved about five times to find a position to park
the “NCO Club” so that the ramp would be level. On Saturday Danny Kaiser,
Fred Harvey, Rick Hanson and Matt Wilson came to work the tables.
Tim Weitz, Jeff McDonald and
John Klier arrived in field gear and joined their units for the battle.
Barry Faltesek arrived as a French citizen (FF). Toby and Glen suited up
and were put to work as taxi drivers to move WWII veterans from the HQ tent
to the battlefield and back as our honored guests. When Jeff Hunt arrived to
take command of the allied forces, John became the “Captains Driver”, no
pretty girl this time( tough). General Patton (Charles Varner) and his
escort arrived to oversee the action and ordered the attack.. The troop
briefing took place at 1230 attended by American, British, German, Canadian
and French units, then all actors moved to their staging areas for the 1330
H-hour.
The scenario for this event
was that the German forces had retreated across the Rhine (
Brent's
Bailey Bridge) across the field in front of the audience and took defensive
positions in the tree line to their right. A recon motorcycle was advised of
the German ambush by a FF partisan and returned to bring up the M8 and two
gun jeeps. When this advance was attacked and driven back, the infantry and
armor ( three tanks & a half track) came forward and defeated the German
counterattack. Battle over and no one died. All actors and vehicles formed
up in front of the audience to take applause and answer questions, then it
was time to taxi the WWII veterans back to the HQ tent. Although not all the
expected vendors attended, this was the largest actor turnout and the best
show ever. You should have been there !!