Dole Institute dedication at KU to feature World War II military re-enactments

LAWRENCE -- James Repshire and his grandfather love to trade stories about being soldiers in World War II.

The only difference is that as a World War II re-enactor, Repshire doesn't face the dangers his grandfather did during the actual war. He is, however, fighting to keep those memories alive.

"My grandfather gets a kick out of me telling him how I shaved out of a steel pot helmet just like he did," said Repshire, an Edgerton junior majoring in military science at the University of Kansas.

As part of the dedication ceremonies for the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at KU this July, Repshire will be among the more than 50 World War II re-enactors providing a living history lesson for what is being billed as the "Greatest Generation's Greatest Celebration."

The dedication, which will take place July 19 through 22, will include an encampment that will transform part of KU's West Campus into the European theater of World War II.

Re-enactors portraying Dole's 10th Mountain Division will join re-enactors of the 137th Regiment of the 35th Infantry, a National Guard unit from Kansas that also served in Europe. All will set up camp in a grassy area just south of the Dole Institute. The encampment will remind people of the hardships endured and sacrifices made by the soldiers who fought so valiantly during the war.

"You read the stories and see the movies, but to actually see it up close really helps you gain an appreciation for the conditions they worked under," said Bill Howell, assistant dedication coordinator.

The encampment will feature uniformed soldiers with their packs, weapons, tents and other World War II artifacts. It also will include several military vehicles from that era provided by the Kansas City Military Vehicle Preservation Association, including a Sherman tank, a tank destroyer, an ambulance, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and jeeps.

But this isn't just a display. The public is invited to approach the soldiers and ask them directly about life during the war and their daily routine.

"It's like walking into a museum without any glass cases," said David Little, a Denver resident who is organizing the encampment events. "Almost anything about life in the military during World War II will be included -- from the maintenance of the soldier's weapon to what was inside his pack, to what a letter from home would look like to details about medical care and the handheld radios, which were pretty technologically advanced for that day."

Little said some of the re-enactors are history professors and students, but most of them are amateur history buffs with a deep appreciation for that era. About half of them are veterans themselves.

The re-enactors in the 10th Mountain Division have performed before Dole at other celebrations commemorating World War II events, but Dole has never had the opportunity to talk to them and share his experiences. He'll finally be able to do that at the dedication of his institute.

"We had a chance to meet with him at the Eisenhower centennial birthday in the early 1990s," Little said. "But we didn't get a chance to show him the whole camp, so this time he'll be able to sit down on a bunk and tell us what he remembers of his service."

Repshire said he was looking forward to talking with the many veterans who plan to attend the dedication ceremonies. Just like his grandfather who offers advice, the veterans offer the best insights for making the re-enactment as authentic as possible, he said.

"People can see that the World War II soldiers were just your average guys who had to step up," Repshire said. "They did it without complaining and they made a lot of sacrifices."

For more information about the re-enactments or the military vehicles, contact Little at (303) 706-8000, ext. 6070; Lou Moore at the Kansas City Vehicle Preservation Association at (913) 631-5353; or Howell at (785) 749-3971.

The three-day dedication program will include a military air parade and fashion show; a re-created USO-style performance; an evening of dancing to the Glenn Miller Orchestra; and an outdoor concert by the 312th Army Band as well as the formal dedication. Among the dignitaries attending the events are former Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, author of "The Greatest Generation." The events will start at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 19, with the kickoff of the Memory Tent, which will begin with "Heroes of Lawrence, Part 1."