thedrifter
12-16-05, 06:54 PM
Raising a salute to heroes of WWII
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Nell Nolan
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.
On a recent Wednesday evening, the Churchill Society of New Orleans banded its brethren for the pleasures of table and talk. Appropriately, the Windsor Court Hotel, which spotlights a statue of the society's namesake in the driveway, was the site for the citations.
The dinner unfolded in the hotel's La Chinoiserie B, the 23rd floor, on the occasion of the 131st anniversary of Winston Churchill's birth on Nov. 30, 1874. Society president Edward F. "Ted" Martin welcomed the 74 attendees with introductory remarks. As an accessory to the facts, he sported a copy of an old campaign pin that said "Send for Churchill." He compared the present, post-Katrina situation in the Crescent City with that in London during the blitz of 1941, adding, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could send for Churchill."
After prandial punctuation (and folks were re-seated), Orlin Corey made a presentation titled "Three Private Aspects of Winston," a portion of the program he is preparing to deliver at the National D-Day Museum in April 2006. Interspersed during the talk were some of Churchill's favorite songs, played at the piano and sung by Saul Schneider. After another break, Gary Garrison spoke on "A Forgotten Churchillian Trait."
In addition to Ted Martin, the official slate includes vice president Betsy (Mrs. Wendel) Stout, secretary/treasurer William D. "Bill" Reeves and board member Gregg Collins. The society's first president, Hill Riddle Jr., is currently in Germany.
Among those sidling up to the groaning board -- where the bounty of a buffet beckoned with such entries as veal shank, duck leg confit, blackened drum, risotto, and crème brulée -- were spouses of the above in Louise Martin, Sally Reeves, Shirley Trusty Corey, Joan Malter Collins, and Jennie Schneider. Lifting shiny cutlery, too, were Sally and Dr. Walter Cockerham, Bill and Sue Finegan, Jim and Gigi Graham, the Peter Beers, Woody Briggs, Susie Hoskins, Dennis and Madeleine Crawford, the Taylor Dardens, Katherine de Montluzin and Harald Gagnet, Bill and Maureen Detweiler, the Lucas Ehrensings, spouses Tina Freeman and Philip Woollam, George and Dannie Hero, R.W. Culver, Roberta Maestri, Woody Briggs, and Dr. Isidore and Marianne Cohn.
The Scott Howards, the Michael Kritzes, the Mel Lagardes, Barbara Louviere, the Kevin Mackeys, Keith Marshall, Ann Mentz, the Jimmy Morses, Peter and Jane Moulder, Rick Normand, and a Parker foursome in Jack and Candy and Gray and Mary Kay added their attentive presence, as did Ellen Richardson, John and Liz Ryan, Bryan Scheele, the Howard Schmalzes, the Rev. Paul Schott, S.J., Lynn Skidmore, Duncan and Camille Strachan, Frank Tessier, Stephen Voelker, Steve Williamson, and Walter F. Wolf III.
Blocks away and a few days down the line, the queuing up was for entrance into the National D-Day Museum and its gala (and gratis) reopening. With cheers from an enthusiastic crowd and the "boom" of World War II artillery, the museum opened after a hurricane-caused closure of 93 days. Museum president and CEO Dr. Gordon H. "Nick" Mueller called the event a great occasion for the museum, the rebuilding of the city and tourism. He continued saying that the museum's planned expansion will take place, and, when completed, will encompass three full blocks in downtown's Warehouse and Arts District.
Joining Dr. Mueller for the ribbon-cutting and remarks were Vice Adm. Thad Allen, who was appointed by President Bush as chief of the federal hurricane recovery effort in the Gulf South; museum board president David Voelker; Maj. Gen. David Mize, who's retired from the Marines, and chairs the Mayor's Military Advisory Council; Councilwoman/board trustee Jackie Clarkson; and Thomas Krentel. He represented The Gloria Shearin Smith and Ivy A. Smith Jr. Charitable Trust, which underwrote the day's free admission and special activities. The above Bill Detweiler, former trustee and past national commander of the American Legion, emceed; retired Archbishop Philip M. Hannan, a WWII veteran of the storied 82nd Airborne Division, gave a stirring invocation; Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Hollins of the Louisiana National Guard led the national anthem; and Martin Morgan and Michael G. Walling spoke in turn. Veterans for the USS St. Louis, the WWII light cruiser that was at Pearl Harbor, presented a model of the ship.
A highlight of the afternoon was the concert by Rocky's Hot Fox Trot Orchestra and its popular tunes of the 1940s, such as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," that brought dancing duos to the improvised floor. Onlooking were museum first-timers Eddie and Micky Stubbs, who arrived when the doors opened and stayed all day.
Ellie
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Nell Nolan
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.
On a recent Wednesday evening, the Churchill Society of New Orleans banded its brethren for the pleasures of table and talk. Appropriately, the Windsor Court Hotel, which spotlights a statue of the society's namesake in the driveway, was the site for the citations.
The dinner unfolded in the hotel's La Chinoiserie B, the 23rd floor, on the occasion of the 131st anniversary of Winston Churchill's birth on Nov. 30, 1874. Society president Edward F. "Ted" Martin welcomed the 74 attendees with introductory remarks. As an accessory to the facts, he sported a copy of an old campaign pin that said "Send for Churchill." He compared the present, post-Katrina situation in the Crescent City with that in London during the blitz of 1941, adding, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could send for Churchill."
After prandial punctuation (and folks were re-seated), Orlin Corey made a presentation titled "Three Private Aspects of Winston," a portion of the program he is preparing to deliver at the National D-Day Museum in April 2006. Interspersed during the talk were some of Churchill's favorite songs, played at the piano and sung by Saul Schneider. After another break, Gary Garrison spoke on "A Forgotten Churchillian Trait."
In addition to Ted Martin, the official slate includes vice president Betsy (Mrs. Wendel) Stout, secretary/treasurer William D. "Bill" Reeves and board member Gregg Collins. The society's first president, Hill Riddle Jr., is currently in Germany.
Among those sidling up to the groaning board -- where the bounty of a buffet beckoned with such entries as veal shank, duck leg confit, blackened drum, risotto, and crème brulée -- were spouses of the above in Louise Martin, Sally Reeves, Shirley Trusty Corey, Joan Malter Collins, and Jennie Schneider. Lifting shiny cutlery, too, were Sally and Dr. Walter Cockerham, Bill and Sue Finegan, Jim and Gigi Graham, the Peter Beers, Woody Briggs, Susie Hoskins, Dennis and Madeleine Crawford, the Taylor Dardens, Katherine de Montluzin and Harald Gagnet, Bill and Maureen Detweiler, the Lucas Ehrensings, spouses Tina Freeman and Philip Woollam, George and Dannie Hero, R.W. Culver, Roberta Maestri, Woody Briggs, and Dr. Isidore and Marianne Cohn.
The Scott Howards, the Michael Kritzes, the Mel Lagardes, Barbara Louviere, the Kevin Mackeys, Keith Marshall, Ann Mentz, the Jimmy Morses, Peter and Jane Moulder, Rick Normand, and a Parker foursome in Jack and Candy and Gray and Mary Kay added their attentive presence, as did Ellen Richardson, John and Liz Ryan, Bryan Scheele, the Howard Schmalzes, the Rev. Paul Schott, S.J., Lynn Skidmore, Duncan and Camille Strachan, Frank Tessier, Stephen Voelker, Steve Williamson, and Walter F. Wolf III.
Blocks away and a few days down the line, the queuing up was for entrance into the National D-Day Museum and its gala (and gratis) reopening. With cheers from an enthusiastic crowd and the "boom" of World War II artillery, the museum opened after a hurricane-caused closure of 93 days. Museum president and CEO Dr. Gordon H. "Nick" Mueller called the event a great occasion for the museum, the rebuilding of the city and tourism. He continued saying that the museum's planned expansion will take place, and, when completed, will encompass three full blocks in downtown's Warehouse and Arts District.
Joining Dr. Mueller for the ribbon-cutting and remarks were Vice Adm. Thad Allen, who was appointed by President Bush as chief of the federal hurricane recovery effort in the Gulf South; museum board president David Voelker; Maj. Gen. David Mize, who's retired from the Marines, and chairs the Mayor's Military Advisory Council; Councilwoman/board trustee Jackie Clarkson; and Thomas Krentel. He represented The Gloria Shearin Smith and Ivy A. Smith Jr. Charitable Trust, which underwrote the day's free admission and special activities. The above Bill Detweiler, former trustee and past national commander of the American Legion, emceed; retired Archbishop Philip M. Hannan, a WWII veteran of the storied 82nd Airborne Division, gave a stirring invocation; Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Hollins of the Louisiana National Guard led the national anthem; and Martin Morgan and Michael G. Walling spoke in turn. Veterans for the USS St. Louis, the WWII light cruiser that was at Pearl Harbor, presented a model of the ship.
A highlight of the afternoon was the concert by Rocky's Hot Fox Trot Orchestra and its popular tunes of the 1940s, such as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," that brought dancing duos to the improvised floor. Onlooking were museum first-timers Eddie and Micky Stubbs, who arrived when the doors opened and stayed all day.
Ellie