Short Rounds

The monthly newsletter of the Scott Hosier Veterans Roundtable

Season 9, Number 6 February 2013 wartime experiences will be represented. The roundtable remains today as Scott first planned it the sharing of veterans stories with a public that will remember and honor them.

Support Mission in Korea

7PM, Monday, February 11, 2013 Rochester Assembly Church 4240 18th Ave NW, Rochester, MN
Speakers:

American Red Cross

For the past several seasons, the Scott Hosier Veterans Roundtable has been fortunate to have had volunteers from the Southeastern Minnesota chapter of the American Red Cross available at each event to provide free blood pressure checks, hand out first aid kits and hand sanitizer, and be available for medical emergencies. On Saturday, February 23, they will treat the roundtable audience to complimentary refreshments and treats from 9AM to the start of our 10AM program. The officers and supporters of the roundtable would like to extend our sincere thanks to the volunteers of the American Red Cross for all that they do for us. The American Red Cross provides shelter, food, and care for disaster victims, teaches lifesaving skills such as first aid and CPR, helps connect military members and their families, and provides nearly half of the nations emergency blood supply. If you would like to learn how you can be a part of the American Red Cross in Minnesota, drop by the main office at 310 14th Street SE in Rochester or call Executive Director Melanie Tschida at (507) 2872200.

Ken Thamert and author/historian Tom Ostrom

Welcome!
The Scott Hosier Veterans Roundtable is pleased to present two programs in February. At 7PM on Monday, February 11, join us for Support Mission in Korea, the experiences of Korean War veteran Ken Thamert, who will be interviewed by historian/author Tom Ostrom. At 10AM on Saturday, February 23, come to Norwegians in WWII, the wartime stories of Norm Midthun and Richard Bjorgum. Come early at 9AM to hear vintage music and to enjoy complimentary treats and refreshments provided by the Southeastern Minnesota chapter of the American Red Cross. Both programs are at the Rochester Assembly Church, 4240 18th Ave NW, Rochester, MN. A $3 donation is requested, but students are admitted for free.

Scott Hosier Veterans Roundtable

The Rochester WWII Roundtable was founded in 2004 by Social Studies teacher and historian Scott Hosier with the help of his father Tom Hosier. In December 2005 the roundtable was renamed Scott Hosier WWII Roundtable to posthumously recognize Scotts visionary efforts. In January 2013, the roundtable name was changed again to Scott Hosier Veterans Roundtable to reflect the expanded scope of the roundtable, which now serves as the voice for all veterans. While priority will be placed on presenting the stories of our older veterans, all veterans who served in our armed forces or others who have

Norwegians in WWII
10AM, Saturday, February 23, 2013 Rochester Assembly Church 4240 18th Ave NW, Rochester, MN
Speakers:

Norm Midthun and Robert Bjorgum

Civil Air Patrol

The Scott Hosier Veterans Roundtable would like to thank the Southeast Minnesota Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol for performing the duties of Color Guard by presenting and retiring the colors at many roundtable events. The Civil Air Patrol Cadets are an example to us all in showing respect and reverence for our national colors. The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program has it's foundation in the military tradition that comes from being the Auxiliary of the United States Air Force. CAP cadets learn aerospace, leadership, moral and ethical skills, and many other useful life skills in a structured environment. Cadets have the opportunity to learn leadership through hands-on leadership opportunities such as being a Flight Sergeant, support staff positions, or one of many other positions. By actually leading fellow cadets toward a common goal, CAP cadets learn teamwork, planning, time management, and leadership skills. To learn more about the Civil Air Patrol, attend one of their meetings. The SE MN Composite Squadron meets Thursday nights from 6:30 to 9 p.m (except each 5th Thursday of the month) at the Rochester International Airport Executive Terminal (at Spectrum Pilot Services next to the Signature Flight Support Terminal), 7300 Brataas Dr SW, or call (507) 202-3555 for more information.

Logistics of War
When Napoleon Bonaparte said An army marches on its stomach, he wasnt referring to the prone traveling posture of his soldiers. The Little General understood the importance of military logistics the planning and carrying out of the supply, movement and maintenance of military forces. Napoleon knew that any military strategy, tactics, training and intelligence are worthless if an army is not fed, clothed, and kept in supply with f o o d , w a t e r, ammunition and t h e o t h e r essentials to life and expendables of battle. Supply requirements for a soldier in a military unit vary w i d e l y depending on the type of unit (armor, infantry, artillery, medical, etc.), whether a PFC Ken Thamert, US Army unit was in 17th Infantry Regiment,Korea 1955 combat or behind the lines, terrain and climate. In any case, the supply requirements of a soldier in the field have rising tremendously over the centuries. The supply needs of armies in the ancient world were mostly food for the soldiers and horses (a horse eats 25-30 lbs of feed per day). Adequate food and feed could usually be found by foraging the countryside, purchasing what was needed from local farmers, or (in enemy territory) looting the local granaries and poaching livestock. However, as Napoleon was to discover in his campaign in Russia, a supply strategy based on living off of the land is risky if a retreating enemy adopts a scorched-earth policy and leaves behind little for an invading army to make use of. As the technology of warfare progressed, many of the specialized supplies required by an army were not commonly available in the countryside and towns. An organized system of supply was needed, based on delivering essential supplies and equipment from military supply depots by an unbroken chain of wagons, ships, or, later, railroads. In the 20th century,
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Soldiers of the "Red Ball Express" load trucks with supplies bound for Gen. Patton's troops, 1944.

supply by air became an important (if expensive) adjunct to land and seaborne supply. The increase in the supply requirements of an army in the field over the years is a direct result of the increased daily requirements of the individual soldier, multiplied manifold. On average, a Union soldier in the American Civil War required 13 pounds of resupply per day, including food, ammunition, and a share of feed required by each horse in the unit. A typical American soldier in WWII required an average of 65 lbs. of supplies per day, including 7 lbs. of food, lb. of clothing and equipment, 8 lbs. of construction materials, and 4 lbs of ammunition (the rest is fuel and lubricants for vehicles). In the 21st century, maintaining a soldier in a combat zone requires at least 150 lbs of supplies each day, and even more if fighting is heavy. Soldiers who, in ancient times, required only a few handfuls of food each day, now need daily resupply of everything from iodine tablets to replacement batteries for night-vision goggles. The result is an ever-increasing dependence on a reliable, efficient, capable, and well-defended logistical system if an army in the field expects to be victorious in battle. Dave Allen

and equipment, including an M4 carbine with 30 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, desert camouflage uniform and boots, dog tags, ID card, undershirt, socks, tactical gloves, body armor, helmet, belt, notebook and pen, watch, elbow and knee pads, sun/sand goggles, folding knife/multi-tool, an additional 180 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, bayonet, fragmentation grenade, two quarts of water in canteens and three quarts of water in a "camel back" hydration bladder, casualty and witness cards, flex cuffs (for prisoners), night vision goggles, compass, flashlight, chemical light, First Aid dressing, canteen cup, earplugs, 500ml intravenous fluid bag, a second two-quart hydration bladder, two MRE rations, poncho, spare batteries, spare socks, long-sleeve undershirt, rifle cleaning kit, personal hygiene kit, rubber gloves, and a sling rope with two snaps links. All of the equipment, supplies, and clothing that a soldier needs to perform his duties must be constantly maintained, replaced, and resupplied if the soldier on the ground is to remain at maximum effectiveness. Dave Allen

99th Infantry Battalion (Separate)

In 1942, over 1,000 soldiers from the Dakotas, Wisconsin and Minnesota began training in arctic warfare at Camp Ripley, Minnesota. One bond connected the men: each was either a Norwegian native or a first-generation Norwegian. They would become one of the US Army's most highly trained fighting forces, the 99th Infantry Battalion Separate, trained to

Equipped for Battle

In the thirty-five centuries or so of recorded military history, the technology of warfare has advanced from sticks and stones to stealth aircraft, nuclear submarines, remotelypiloted drones, global positioning satellites, and laser-guided munitions. Even the gear and garb of the individual soldier on the ground has become much more complex and substantial and places increasing demands on the logistics of military supply. In ancient Sparta, a warrior might be seen on the battlefield wearing, or carrying, a spear, sword, short tunic, cloak, sandals, bronze armor (helmet, shield, greaves, breastplate and backplate), sacks of water and/or wine, rations, bandages, and some simple tools to repair armor and weapons. A well-equipped Union private in the American Civil War might march into battle carrying or wearing a 1861 Springfield rifled musket, bayonet and scabbard, four-button sack coat, wool socks, trousers, underdrawers, slouch hat, shirt, cartridge box, 40 paper cartridges, cap box, haversack (food bag), canteen, knife, fork, spoon, plate, cup, tobacco plugs, Bible, CDV of a loved one, writing paper and pens, candles, gum blanket, wool blanket, and a shelter tent half. In Afghanistan in 2013, a typical US Army rifleman goes into combat wearing, or carrying, nearly 70 lbs of clothing

www.99battalion.org

M8 and crew from HQ company, 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate), near Nurnberg, Germany, 1945.

invade northern Norway and to join the resistance and harass and hinder the German forces who occupied Norway. What the US and British High Command saw in the 99th was a way to take the fight back to the Germans far north of the eventual landing point on D-Day.
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The men endured months of training in the cold of Minnesota, followed by training in the mountains of Colorado to develop warrior skills at 10,000 feet, including lessons in altitude sickness and mountaineering. They trained to go to war fighting upon 7-foot, 18-pound wooden skis. In addition to their training on skis and snowshoes, the men of the 99th received Norwegian language training, tested new equipment. However, what the U.S. Army planned for the 99th never came to be. There were fears that the fighting would do more harm then good to the Norwegian population, and there was no workable plan to evacuate the battalion if necessary. Though a Norwegian invasion plan was scrapped, the 99th Battalion's sharp skills made them an invaluable unit in the battles that rolled across France, Belgium and into Germany. For more than 100 days, this "bastard battalion" might not have used their skiing and snowshoe training, but they fought Germans and, in the end, made it to Norway. The 99th Battalion Separate landed at Normandy seven days after the initial invasion and spent 101 days in combat, fighting in France and Belgium and into Germany. The unit earned five battle stars, indicating their significant role in World War 2. Two days after the end of the war in Europe the 99th traveled by ship to Oslo, Norway. The unit was received by Norway's King Haakon VII, and the Norwegian people enveloped the soldiers with affection as heroes. Other than the 442nd Battalion, which was made up of JapaneseAmericans and served in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the war, the 99th was the only unit comprised of men from a single nationality. Jarett C. Bies, The Argus Leader

Invasion of Norway 1940

German seaborne invasion German airborne invasion Failed British counter-invasion

April 9

FINLAND
Narvik May 28 - June 8

SWEDEN
May 2-3 Trondheim April 9

NORWAY
April 30 - May 1 Bergen

Oslo

April 9

Stavager Sola

April 9

Next month....

B-29 Superfortress
7PM, Monday, March 11, 2013 Rochester Assembly Church 4240 18th Ave NW, Rochester, MN
Speakers: Oliver Mulford, Clarence Dangler, Don Patterson, and historian Joe Connell

Museum Update
The Minnesota Veterans and Emergency Services Museum will honor the men, women, and institutions that protect our way of life, and preserve and interpret their histories. Visitors will learn to understand and appreciate those who served our national defense and homeland security. The Minnesota Veterans and Emergency Services Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so donations are tax-deductible. For more information contact Jane Bisel at (507) 280-6888 or visit www.mvesm.org.