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MILITARY EXHIBIT WWII VETERANS

MILITARY EXHIBIT WWII VETERANSNew Military Exhibit

One of the goals of the museum board of directors is to add new exhibits yearly and to improve on existing displays. The military area has been enhanced by the addition of interviews with three Seymour area World War II veterans. The audio-visual programs feature the recollections of Roland “Bud” McBain, Don Feurig and Colonel George Doersch. The program will be running in the upstairs exhibition area after the Memorial Day ceremony. Listening to the experiences of these three men makes one realize the sacrifice they made to serve their country in WWII.

McBain, a 1942 Seymour High School graduate, relates his experiences as a news correspondent in Europe. Of particular interest are the photographs he took while reporting the news via Radio Luxembourg. McBain visited concentration camps Dachau and Buchenwald shortly after they were liberated and toured Hitler’s underground bunker.

Don Feurig, a 1939 Seymour High School graduate, had the unique opportunity to join the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) the forerunner of today’s Central Intelligence Agency. He relates how Bill Donovan created the organization under the auspices of President Roosevelt. Feurig describes being shipped to Washington D. C. and taking over the Congressional Country Club as the first headquarters for the group. He continues to narrate about his work on the west coast and how a Japanese prisoner held in the U. S. made broadcasts that were sent back to Japan.

Colonel George A. Doersch, a 1939 graduate of Seymour High School, is credited with the destruction of 10½ German aircraft in World War II. Colonel Doersch flew about 150 missions in Europe in P-47s and P-51s. In his narrative, Doersch relates how he survived a crash landing in Germany, and how he managed to return to his base in England after his electrical system malfunctioned over France. Among the honors he earned are the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, and an Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters. Colonel Doersch received the Croix de Guerre from the president of France, Charles De Gaulle, in 1945.
Col. Doersch retired from the Air Force in 1967 and went to work for Hughes Aircraft in California. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

All veterans are encouraged to bring a picture of themselves in uniform to the museum. The museum staff will scan the picture and return it. Your military picture will then be added to the museum’s video display that will be available to view during November. Currently there are about 170 pictures in the collection.

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