ASTP/11^th Armored Division Reunion

On Thursday, August 14, 1997, 55 men of World War II’s 11^th Armored Division who had been members of the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) met for the first ASTP/11^th Armored Division Reunion, during the 11^th Armored Division Association’s 55^th Annual Reunion in Hampton, VA. These men represented six ASTP units at six different schools – the College of Puget Sound, Washington State College, the University of Oregon, the University of Santa Clara, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Pennsylvania.

At the meeting, Patrick Kearney and William Barlow (both from the 55^th Armored Infantry Battalion of the 11^th Armored Division) spoke about the ASTP plaque dedication ceremony and reunion that was held at the University of Puget Sound in August of 1996. Edward Berg (also from the 55^th AIB) spoke about plans for an ASTP commemoration at Washington State University that was scheduled for November of 1997.

Patrick Kearney also informed the ASTP men in attendance how they could go about organizing a plaque dedication ceremony and reunion for their own ASTP contingents. He also spoke about Ray Fox’s ASTP musical Take It Easy, which opened in the New York City Theatre District in the Spring of 1996 and which is now enjoying tours both in the U.S. and Canada.

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