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Event: Date: Location: |
Purple Heart Event 21 May 2022 Weeden Ranch Dripping Springs Texas |
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The Lone Star MVPA was requested to provide a display for the annual 1919 Chapter of Purple Hearts. The Commander of the Chapter, CW2 Carl Rees, a Purple Heart recipient, Vietnam, OH 6 Pilot and Friend of Madison’s was the requester. At 08:00 21 May 2022 Madison Hughes and Charlie Saldana arrived at the Weeden Ranch and began to set-up 5 six foot tables of Display. This included Firearms and other Military related item. The weather was good cool breeze and we were under large oak tree shade. The Bar-B-Que was provided by Madison Hughes son-in-law Jeff Hewitt. Jeff is the organizer of the famous non-profit I.O.U. BBQ. He served Beef, Chicken and Sausage with beans and potato salad. Desert was Peach cobbler. Jeff was told to expect 90 people for lunch but Jeff’s count was around 60 people. This is a poor turn out compared to past years. LSMVPA has been doing this event for over 10 years. The highest number I remember is 160 people. Purple Heart members are mostly older Veterans. WW2 purple Hearts are getting fewer we saw may 6 or so at the display table. More Vietnam Veterans and small number of Desert Storm era. Getting younger purple hearts to join is getting harder. People looking at our Display were very nice and loved looking at the stuff. Charlie and I heard lots of Great War stories. We herd many say while looking at the M1 “yea I got a couple of M1 Thumbs out this rifle”. Two of the Vietnam veterans were point men in their search and destroy missions carried the M79 they were handling my M79 grenade launcher. They both told of carrying WP (white Phosphor) grenades in the thumper. About one hour after the meal we starting packing up the display. We had to take several brakes and take lots of water breaks. We left the Weeden Ranch around 1600 to return to the Hughes Ranch.
We were thanked by everyone when they left our Display Tables. Many returned for another look.
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