Category: All Posts (Page 10 of 19)

The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II in Europe. Hitler planned the offensive with the primary goal to recapture the important harbor of Antwerp. The surprise attack caught the Allied forces completely off guard. United States forces bore the brunt of the attack and incurred the highest casualties for any operation during the war. The battle also severely depleted Germany’s war-making resources.

The battle was known by different names. The Germans referred to it as Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (“Operation Watch on the Rhine”), while the French named it the Bataille des Ardennes (“Battle of the Ardennes”). The Allies called it the Ardennes Counteroffensive. The phrase “Battle of the Bulge” was coined by contemporary press to describe the way the Allied front line bulged inward on wartime news maps and became the best known name for the battle.

The German offensive was supported by several subordinate operations known as Unternehmen Bodenplatte, Greif, and Währung. As well as stopping Allied transport over the channel to the harbor of Antwerp, these operations were intended to split the British and American Allied line in half, so the Germans could then proceed to encircle and destroy four Allied armies, forcing the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis Powers’ favor. Once that was accomplished, Hitler could fully concentrate on the eastern theatre of war.

The offensive was planned by the German forces with utmost secrecy, minimizing radio traffic and moving troops and equipment under cover of darkness. Despite their efforts to keep it secret, the Third U.S. Army’s intelligence staff predicted a major German offensive, and Ultra indicated that a “substantial and offensive” operation was expected or “in the wind”, although a precise date or point of attack could not be given. Aircraft movement from the Russian Front and transport of forces by rail, both to the Ardennes, was noticed but not acted upon, according to a report later written by Peter Calvocoressi and F. L. Lucas at the code-breaking centre Bletchley Park.

Near-complete surprise was achieved by a combination of Allied overconfidence, preoccupation with Allied offensive plans, and poor aerial reconnaissance. The Germans attacked a weakly defended section of the Allied line, taking advantage of heavily overcast weather conditions, which grounded the Allies’ overwhelmingly superior air forces. Fierce resistance on the northern shoulder of the offensive around Elsenborn Ridge and in the south around Bastogne blocked German access to key roads to the northwest and west that they counted on for success; columns that were supposed to advance along parallel routes found themselves on the same roads. This and terrain that favored the defenders threw the German advance behind schedule and allowed the Allies to reinforce the thinly placed troops. Improved weather conditions permitted air attacks on German forces and supply lines, which sealed the failure of the offensive. In the wake of the defeat, many experienced German units were left severely depleted of men and equipment, as survivors retreated to the defenses of the Siegfried Line.

About 610,000 American forces were involved in the battle, and 89,000 were casualties, including 19,000 killed. It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in World War II.

Art Gottlieb is a local historian on subjects of political and military history.  He was formerly a professional curator of naval history and the Technical Director of Exhibits at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City.  In these roles, Mr. Gottlieb worked regularly with veterans of all services towards the creation of exhibits accurately illustrating the history of 20th century warfare.

From 1989 through 1997, Mr. Gottlieb coordinated with all branches of the armed services and National Guard towards the preservation of historic ships, aircraft and armor from around the world, and has facilitated the recovery of scores of artifacts from warships slated for demolition from reserve fleets.

For the past 10 years Mr. Gottlieb has refocused his professional efforts towards reaching out and addressing the growing needs of aging veterans and their families.  In addition to maintaining a private practice as a Counselor and Certified Senior Advisor in Norwalk, CT, he is a field instructor for Sacred Heart University.  Mr. Gottlieb offers Pro Bono counseling services to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Gottlieb served as an Auxiliary Officer of the United States Coast Guard for 17 years and for 4 years was Commander of Flotilla 7-2, Division 1 (Southern Region), Sector Long Island Sound North.

Arranged by Alex Garnett

Many people are unaware that the first commissioned cavalry in the history of the United States, one of four congressionally commissioned dragoon regiments, was formed in and consisted largely of men from Connecticut.

In addition to being the first commissioned cavalry, Sheldon’s Horse formed the first pony express; constituted part of the first organized spy ring under General Washington; executed the first cavalry charge by US forces on American soil; counted twenty of its members as part of Washington’s official entourage and who were with him at the Siege of Yorktown; was the only force to achieve victories on foot, on horse, and at sea; included one of the first recipients of the Order of Merit – the Purple Heart – for bravery in action against the enemy.

Commissioned December 12, 1776, the regiment operated extensively in the Hudson River Valley, the Mohawk Valley, lower New England and across Long Island Sound until its return to state control in 1783.

Sheldon’s Horse is credited with playing a significant part in winning the American War for Independence and a key role in unwinding the Arnold-Andre affair.

Eric Chandler is a resident of Norwalk, CT and has been involved in American Revolutionary War Living History since 1974. He has been a member of Sheldon’s Horse since 1996 and serves as the regimental adjutant. He has portrayed infantry, light infantry, whale-boat raider and both mounted and dismounted dragoons. He may also have been a spy. Come and find out.

Arranged by Andre Guilbert

It was a scary time in America – commies under your bed and the McCarthy hearings, UFO sightings, the Cold War nuclear threat, and worst of all – the polio epidemic sweeping the country. Parents were terrified their kids would get it and end up in an Iron Lung. When Jonas Salk and his polio vaccine saved the day he was treated by a euphoric country almost like a god. But there is a largely unknown story behind this story that spoils this stirring narrative.   In the intense rivalry between Salk and Sabin, with different vaccines, Salk failed to properly credit his co-workers who did much of the work, a no-no in science.   Very few people ever got polio, despite the extreme media frenzy about it, and by the time the Salk vaccine was introduced the polio “epidemic” was largely over. Screw-ups like the Cutter Labs vaccine disaster actually gave people polio. 90 million Americans were given vaccine shots that contained a monkey virus that causes various cancers. And so on. This talk will explore this complex and messy picture and also address today’s vaccination controversies.

Dave Shafer has spent the last 49 years designing camera lenses, telescopes and microscopes and has had a one-man optical design and consulting company since 1980. The Cassini spacecraft took one of his unusual telescopes to Saturn a few years ago. Later a separate spacecraft took close-up photos of the asteroid Vesta and now a third spacecraft is using his telescope to help land on a comet. All of today’s state of the art computer chips for cell phones, tablets, and computers are made using a unique optical system that Dave invented about 10 years ago. He has over 125 patents for optical designs.   Dave once designed an unusual stereo viewing device for Salvador Dali.

Arranged by Andre Guilbert

The Invasion of Normandy was the invasion by and establishment of Western Allied forces in Normandy, during Operation Overlord in 1944 during World War II; the largest amphibious invasion to ever take place.

D-Day, the day of the initial assaults, was Tuesday 6 June 1944. Allied land forces that saw combat in Normandy on that day came from Canada, the Free French forces, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In the weeks following the invasion, Polish forces also participated, as well as contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and the Netherlands. Most of the above countries also provided air and naval support, as did the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the Royal Norwegian Navy.

The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks and naval bombardments. In the early morning, amphibious landings on five beaches codenamed Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword began and during the evening the remaining elements of the parachute divisions landed. Land forces used on D-Day deployed from bases along the south coast of England, the most important of these being Portsmouth.

Art Gottlieb is a local historian on subjects of political and military history. He was formerly a professional curator of naval history and the Technical Director of Exhibits at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City. In these roles, Mr. Gottlieb worked regularly with veterans of all services towards the creation of exhibits accurately illustrating the history of 20th century warfare.

From 1989 through 1997, Mr. Gottlieb coordinated with all branches of the armed services and National Guard towards the preservation of historic ships, aircraft and armor from around the world, and has facilitated the recovery of scores of artifacts from warships slated for demolition from reserve fleets.

For the past 10 years Mr. Gottlieb has refocused his professional efforts towards reaching out and addressing the growing needs of aging veterans and their families. In addition to maintaining a private practice as a Counselor and Certified Senior Advisor in Norwalk, CT, he is a field instructor for Sacred Heart University. Mr. Gottlieb offers Pro Bono counseling services to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Gottlieb served as an Auxiliary Officer of the United States Coast Guard for 17 years and for 4 years was Commander of Flotilla 7-2, Division 1 (Southern Region), Sector Long Island Sound North.

Arranged by Alex Garnett

Mark currently serves as the Chief Investment Strategist for Janney Montgomery Scott LLC. In this capacity he is responsible for establishing the firm’s broad outlook relating to conditions in the capital markets and the economy and to develop investment strategies best suited to satisfy the goals and objectives of individual and institutional clients. He also establishes the firm’s asset allocation models used for portfolio construction and financial planning. Additionally, he directs Parker/Hunter Asset Management, the firm’s discretionary investment management division.

Under his leadership, Janney Capital Management has delivered competitive investment results across multiple strategies. The total assets under management has grown to more than $3 billion, with approximately $2 billion in traditional equity and fixed income assets, and over $1 billion in various strategic and tactical asset allocation strategies utilizing exchange-traded products and mutual funds.

He is a member of the Janney Wealth Management Department’s Mutual Fund and Alternative Investment Committees. In Janney Capital Management, Mark chairs the Investment Committee which sets asset class and sector policy and directly participates in managing the equity, fixed income and asset allocation strategies under its advisory.

Mark has spent more than twenty-five years in the investment industry interfacing with both current and prospective clients. He utilizes that experience to speak on topics related to investment planning and asset management at seminars and conferences.

His comments and written articles have been circulated in numerous publications ranging from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Philadelphia Inquirer to the New York Times, Barron’s, USA Today, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Money magazine and Worth. He has appeared in various media outlets including CNBC, Bloomberg Television, CNN, Fox Business News and PBS’s Nightly Business Report. He is a Trustee for Janney Montgomery Scott’s Pension & Profit Sharing Plan.

Arranged by Alex Garnett

Two Silverbacks ignoring each other in Rwanda

Having seen most everything Africa has to offer by way of wildlife during numerous safaris, De Villiers undertook this trip see why other seasoned safarists are so smitten with these endangered primates.

After visiting with chimpanzees several times in Tanzania before, he was hardly prepared for what turned out to be a life-changing experience. De Villiers will share his experiences and will show a selection of pictures as well as a short video of his encounters.

Safari consultant Les de Villiers grew up in a farming district in the Great Karoo region of South Africa where he learned to appreciate nature. Horse riding, hunting and playing rugby were rites of passage. His hunting days came to an abrupt end in the seventies when he found his trigger finger trembling with a huge kudu bull in the sight. He fired a shot in the air, sold his rifles and bought a good camera. He has been shooting many meters of film before the advent of digital photography and now enjoys the luxury of picking through gigabytes of material gathered during safari trips.

After a diplomatic career that involved negotiations with decision makers and heads of state in Africa, Europe and the United States he moved to New York in the late seventies to become vice-chairman of a management consulting firm and subsequently established his own company. He runs a publishing firm, specializing in Africa books, and a boutique safari operation.

He has a doctorate in economic history and has written more than a dozen books on economics, politics, conservation and travel.

A self-declared safari addict and enthusiastic conservationist, De Villiers travels to wildlife sanctuaries in Africa several times year for his fix while checking out properties. For several years he has been arranging customized safaris for clients in the United States together with a team of carefully selected associates in Africa.

Arranged by Alex Garnett

Stephen Roach is a Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute of Global Affairs and a senior lecturer at Yale School of Management.

He was formerly chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia and the firm’s chief economist for the bulk of his 30-year career at Morgan Stanley, heading up a highly regarded team of economists around the world.

His current teaching and research program focuses on the impacts of Asia on the broader global economy. At Yale, he has introduced new courses for undergraduates and graduate students on the “The Next China” and “The Lessons of Japan.” His writing and research also addresses globalization, trade policy, the post-crisis policy architecture, and the capital markets implications of global imbalances.

Stephen Roach has long been one of Wall Street’s most influential economists. His work has appeared in academic journals, books, congressional testimony and has been disseminated widely in the international media. Roach’s opinions on the global economy have been known to shape the policy debate from Beijing to Washington.

His most recent book, Unbalanced: The Codependency of America and China (Yale University Press, 2014) lays bare the pitfalls and the opportunities of the current China-U.S. economic relationship.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 1982, Mr. Roach served on the research staff of the Federal Reserve Board and was also a research fellow at the Brookings Institution. He holds a PhD in economics from New York University.

Arranged by Tom Lom

Heisman Trophy winners Glenn Davis and Felix Blanchard—renowned during their playing days at West Point as “Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside”—were the best-known college football players in the country between 1944 and 1946, and Army was the nation’s top-ranked team under legendary coach Red Blaik.

Cavanaugh takes readers through the Black Knights’ three consecutive National Championship seasons, including the 1946 “Game of the Century” between Army and Notre Dame, the only college game to date to have included four Heisman Trophy winners.

Cavanaugh also examines the impact the war had on Army’s success—because its players were already considered to be in the military and thus deferred from active duty while students at West Point, Army featured many outstanding high school and prep school players in those years. A unique look at the changes that took place in sports and almost every aspect of American life in the wake of World War II, this book a must-read for fans of college football and military buffs in addition to Army fans.

Arranged by Alex Garnett

The CT Challenge mission is to empower cancer survivors to live healthier, happier and longer lives. In 2012, programs funded by the CT Challenge impacted the lives of over 54,000 cancer survivors.

Bob Mazzone,  Chief Operating Officer, leads operations for the CT Challenge and the CT Challenge charity Bike Ride that finances the bulk of all programming.

Prior to joining the CT Challenge in 2006, Bob spent 20 years in sports, event and promotional marketing at organizations including Golf Digest, the Major League Baseball Players Association and ISL Marketing. A graduate of Harvard College with a concentration in Biology, he is a resident of Darien, CT, where he lives with his wife, Kim, and their two daughters.

Founded over 60 years ago, the Blue Notes are a philanthropic group of women who volunteer their time and talent for a good cause. Singing music from Big Band to Broadway, the group performs in four-part harmony for senior centers, assisted living venues and for a variety of audiences throughout Southern Fairfield County. Their director, Dr. Craig Scott Symons, is also the director of the First Congregational Church of Greenwich choir.

Stuart circles the globe to help museums undergo rebirth and save cultural treasures in war-torn lands. Stuart was also a Chief Consultant to the UNESCO/Hermitage project and assisted the museum in its leap into the 21^st century.

‘Norwalk’ includes a wonderful collection of vintage photographs of the area. In this presentation, she’ll talk about the history of the area with special attention given to the parts of Norwalk near or in Darien like Old MacDonald’s Farm, the trolley on Tokeneke Road leading to Rowayton, Roton Point Park, White Bridge, and more.

Located on the shores of Long Island Sound, Norwalk’s close proximity to New York City prompted the building of many summer residences and guest cottages along its coast. In the summer, steamships and trolleys arrived with passengers looking to enjoy the local amusement park, Roton Point. Norwalk’s earliest industries included farming as well as mills powered by its rivers. The area has been famous for its pottery, oystering, and hat manufacturing. Over time, this community has endured disasters; it was burned during the American Revolution, and the flood of 1955 wiped out much of the Wall Street area as well as several bridges on the Norwalk River. Norwalk shares vintage images from the mid-1800s through the 1960s, highlighting memorable sites such as Old MacDonald’s Farm and the Melton Automobile Museum. The revitalization of Norwalk’s downtown areas proves it is possible to respect the past and those that came before through the renewal of historical architecture.

Author Bio: Lisa Wilson Grant is a lifelong Norwalk resident and has been collecting images for many years. In addition to her own images, she has also included many from local historical societies and private collections. She also co-authored Postcard History Series: Roton Point with the Roton Point History Committee.

Arranged by Scott Hutchason