A group of 10 veterans spanning from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom were honored at the Air Defense Artillery Association’s gala Thursday at the Centennial Club. Photo by Melissa House.
Veterans honored at annual gala
Melissa House, Monitor Staff
The Air Defense Artillery Association hosted a gala Thursday at the Centennial Club. The eighth annual event celebrated the Army’s heroes and history as well as raised money to support the Fort Bliss Museum.
Retired Col. Peter Poessiger, director of the Fort Bliss Museum and Study Center, updated the audience on some of the ongoing and completed displays, including the Bridge at Remagen, a 120 mm Stratosphere anti-artillery gun and the Chosin Reservoir display.
Poessiger said “the biggie” – restoration of the rusting V2 missile on display outside the museum – would be completed soon and returned to Fort Bliss from Kansas Nov. 28.
He showed pictures of the displays and highlighted the museum’s new, sandbag-lined walkways that allow visitors to enjoy the exhibits without the old rope barriers.
“This snapshot serves to demonstrate what we have achieved, with largely your money,” Poessiger said. “It shows the museum division, the Air Defense Artillery Association and the community – you – in a progressive stance. It shows what our fully-converted and certified museum can exhibit. It shows the enrichment of our gallery and it shows that we continue to preserve, interpret and teach our heritage, history lineage and legacy. Thank you.”
Brig. Gen. Robert Woods, commander, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, served as the master of ceremonies as the ADA Association recognized 10 Soldiers who served the nation from World War II through operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Tonight, it’s not just a fundraiser for our museum; I view it as a celebration of our way of life,” Woods said. “We need to celebrate who we are and we need to have a celebration where we recognize those we honor and respect.”