The Gettysburg Times from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania • Page 17

GETTYSBURG TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 30,1998 Past to be remembered at reenactment At home or abroad, they were there BY JOHN MESSEDER Times Correspondent There aren't many left of the men and women who fought World War II. Some estimates say 30,000 of them die each year. That bothers those who are still here, and some who were never there. "Our enemy today is not in another country. It ignorance and apathy," said Tom Craig, one of the organizers of the third annual 1 Like Ike" reenactment weekend at Codorus State Park.

The event, to be held May 1, 2 and 3 in the Marina area, is intended to give the public a look at what it was like during that era. Craig and Robert Heistand, both of Hanover, portray men on opposite sides of the conflict. Craig plays the part of a U.S. Army corporal, and Heistand assumes the role of an Austrian platoon sergeant fighting on the German side. The two men, and many like them, share a growing concern that the history of that era is disappearing with those who participated in it.

They invest considerable time, money and effort in preparing for their reenactment roles. They study books from and about the period, and search for authentic clothing and equipment to portray as accurately as possible the situations they illustrate. The "I Like Ike" weekend begins Friday evening with a Boy Scout encampment. Boys representing a dozen Conewago District Scoui troops will hold a swap meet, trading items they have made to commemorate World War H. First-person History Saturday morning will be highlighted by a visitation from veterans of the war, who will talk with the scouts about then- experiences.

The "living history" will continue later in the evening. The vets also will be available to anyone from the public who would like to hear the first-person accounts from such as: ROGER LEISTER, bomber pilot Roger Leister, Hanover High School Class of 1940, was 18 when he hitchhiked to Baltimore to sign up. "I knocked on the door and a big burly guy told me they were testing women. He said to come back next week," Leister remembers. But hitchhiking home, and back the following week, was not something Leister looked forward to.

He convinced the examiner to put him in a room take the written tests If I didn't pass, I wouldn't have to go back for the physical." He passed. By the time he completed training and got his own aircrew, he had just turned 20. Uncle Sam gave him a B-24 Liberator bomber and off he went to Europe. His navigator was 23, his bombardier 22, bis co-pilot 20, and five enlisted crew members only 18-19 years old. 1st Lt.

Leister was assigned to the 467th Bomb Group, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, in Europe, and eventually flew 35 bombing missions against German targets. He has many- tales to tell of his experiences, but downplays any glory. "The average person today feels very proud that he had a part," Leister said, adding, "I wouldn't want to go through it again, though." He does, however, think it's important to pass on his experiences to a generation of young people who have never known of an effort of such scope. Unlike the Viet Nam conflict, and more recently, the Gulf War, World War II required the active support of nearly the entire population. Some were workers in factories converted from manufacturing cars anrfTfarm tractors to making tanks and turning out bombers at a rate of one every four hours.

Others were just families who lived with rationing such things gasoline and nylon stockings so that the troops could have what they needed to defeat-Hitler. was really amazed at the effort back home. Without that, we would have been just twiddling our thumbs," Leister says. RUTH MCCARTHY, Army nurse Ruth McCarthy, New Oxford High School Class of '37, always wanted to be a nurse. By the time she was certified, she was told by her head instructor that she might as well "sign up;" she'd probably be drafted, anyway.

(See TfCK on Page 2) Photo from the World War II collection cf Roger Leister. Used with permission. Roger Leister's first crew (front, l-r): Tech. Sgt. Darlyaton "Dolly" Pontius, engineer, Staff Sgt.

Nei! Matzek, waist gunner; Staff Sgt. Phillip Snyder, nose gunner; Staff Sgt. Ernest waist gunner; Tech. Sgt. George Lifschitz, top gunner; and Staff Sgt.

Jess Duff, tail gunner. (Standing, 1st Lt. John Byer, bombardier; 1st Lt. Vance Cridling, navigator; 1st Lt. Frank Bales, co-pilot; and 1st Lt.

Roger Leister, first pilot. Behind: The "Broad and their B-24 Liberator bomber, named for a favorite intersection in the engineer's hometown of Chicago. John Times Robert Heistand and Tom Craig, in the uniforms of the soldiers they will portray, stand by a road sign similar to those found in Europe during World War II. John Times Conewago District scouts prepare for the 1 Like ike" campout at Codorus State Park. Pictured are (Ir) Brandon Craig, Tenderfoot; Jim Bellinger, event registration chairman and member of the "I Like Ike" committee; Bill Klein, activities director: and Steve Baker, "I Like Ike" event chairman.

Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival set to begin 14 Deldne Players present 'Charley's Aunt' The Semi-Annual Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, scheduled for May 14-17, will present its biggest lineup of stars ever. Held twice each year since 1979 at Granite Hill Family- Campground just west of Gettysburg- The festival is one of the premier outdoor bluegrass music concerts in the world. Over the past 19 years, fans have traveled from nearly every state and over a dozen foreign countries to enjoy the live performances and mingle with the top bluegrass artists in the informal, intimate setting offered at the campground. This year's festival will be headlined by 1998 triple Grammy Winners. Alison Krauss Union Station, along with nearly two dozen top acts over the four days.

Returning for her seventh appearance, Alison Krauss has entranced thousands of Gettysburg fans with her angelic voice and tart fiddle. Even though she has won numerous country music awards, her style of bluegrass seems light years away from the prevailing trends in Nashville. Her latest album, "So Long So Wrong," earned her and the band at least four Country Music Association and three Grammy awards for 1997 and 1998. Alison Krauss Union Station will perform on Saturday, May 16, at 8:15 p.m. Female singer Tina Adair will make her first appearance at Gettysburg on Thursday and McSHERRYSTOWN This Friday and Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m..

the Delone Players will present one of the best loved farces into he history of comedy. Charley's Aunt is the story of the misadventures of three Oxford University students who are trying to win the. hands of three beautiful young ladies. This play- has delighted audiences since the 1930s, and has lost none of its charm today. As the curtain opens, Jack Chesney, violently in love with Kitty Verdun, and Charles, equallv enamoured of Miss Spettigue, invite the young ladies to their rooms for luncheon in order to meet Charley's wealthy aunt from Brazil the nuts come But alas, the millionaire aunt sends word that she will have to delay her visit for a few days.

What is to be done? The dear young ladies must not be compromised no never! but (See DELONE on Page 2) Alison Krauss Friday, May 14 and 1-5. The 18- year-old is the catalyst for the fresh and exciting Haleyville, Alabama family "The Adairs." They released their first major label album in 1997, entitled "Just You Wait See," which ranges from traditional bluegrass to contemporary country. Tina's voice is both warm and powerful, and she and her highly talented band are bound to make a major impact. Another popular group that will be back for their second appearance are the family gospel band, "The Isaacs," known the world over for their beautiful (See FESTIVAL on Page 2) Bill umes During rehearsal of Charley's Aunt, Delone Players cast members Mike Herring (left) as Jack, Tom Liddle as Lord Fancourt Babberiey, Kevin Laughman as Charley and Katie Coffman as Brassett, work out the timing for one of the scenes. Freudian Slip members, from left, Chris Pedreira, Jim Larkin, Lee Kozak and 3ina D'Orazio, will be performing in Gettysburg May 8 and 9.

MSM musicians 'slip 3 into Gettysburg EMMITSBURG Originally, it started as a casual, coffeehouse duet, playing and singing songs for friends and classmates. Then it grew into a trio, and finally it expanded into a quartet with a catchy name. "Freudian Slip," a soft rock- folk band comprised of Mount St. Mary's College student musicians, comes to Gettysburg for weekend performances May 8-9. The band, which includes juniors Chris Pedreira, Gina D'Orazio, Lee Kozak and Jim Larkin, makes its debut Friday, May 8, at 8 p.m., at Ross's Reads, 65 West Middle Street.

On Saturday, May 9, "Freudian Slip" will entertain customers at Kracker Jack's Cafe Spirits, 619 Baltimore Street, beginning at 9 p.m. As a preview, the Mountaineers be heard Thursdav, May 7, at 8:30 a.m. on WGET-AM (1320), guests of morning host Fred Snyder on the Breakfast Nook. "This started out as a laid-back fun, and then, almost spontaneously, it grew wings and took off," said Pedreira, a theater and music major from Gaithersburg. "It is an opportunity to grow as musicians, but really, it's having fun with friends.

We hope that comes through in our music." Pedreira plays acoustic guitar and sings with a Joni Mitchell vitality and range. She co-wrote (See SLIP on Page 2).