Oliver Tilden Camp 26 held its annual ceremony, marking the 189th birthday of Pres. and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the Grant Nat. Memorial in Manhattan on April 17th.

The event drew representatives from many Civil War organizations, including the
Sons’ NY PDC Todd A. Shillington, NY DC Jeff Albanese, the New York CWRT’s Patrick Falci (A.P. Hill in the movie Gettysburg), Soldiers & Sailors Monument Assoc. Pres. and Camp 26 Br. Geo. Chall, NY MOLLUS DC Gerald F. Fisher; NY DUVCW JVP Mary F. Cordato, Ph.D; Greenpoint Monitor Museum Pres. & Aux.
Sr. Janice Lauletta-Weinmann; SCV Archibald Gracie Camp 985’s Dr. Michael F. Kogan; Grant Monument Assoc. Pres. and Camp 26 Br. Frank Scaturro; NY Aux. DP Gloria Fisher; Aux. Sr. Hope Parker, representing the Nat. Pres., and UDC Pres. Elaine Mitchell.

Keynote speaker was Br. Larry and Mrs. Connie Clowers as Gen. and Mrs. Grant.
George Forsythe (bagpipes), Robert Fries (bugler), Eugene Bender (violin), Louise Bender (vocal) and CSVC Arthur P. Kirmss (vocal, guitar & flute) provided music for the event. Additionally, 1Lt. John Portanova, Co. I, 83rd NYV (9th NYSM), SVR, led the Color Guard.

The Robert Wilder Lord “Patriot of the Year” award
was given to Camp Sec. Roy E. Wildenberger.

By order of CinC Schall, Meritorious Service Awards
were presented to Br. Clowers, CSVC Kirmss, PCC
George J. Weinmann, and Camp Treas. James F.
Bond. Photo at left by Henry F. Ballone.

PENNSYLVANIA CELEBRATION

In 1871, a telegraphic dispatch announced that a train carrying Pres. Grant would arrive at Kittanning. Local men who had fought under Grant at Vicksburg, assembled
there to greet him.

Almost 140 years later, on May 21st, John T. Crawford Camp 43 & Sarah A. Crawford Aux. 43 celebrated Gen. Grant’s birthday with the Armstrong County Historical & Genealogical Museum in Kittanning. The Orders held a
living history event on the lawn outside the museum; the brothers and sisters set up tents up, flags, displays of members’ personal and ancestral items, weapons and
camp necessities, and a recruiting display. Tea with Gen. Grant and members of the community was a highlight.

The event marked an official opening of the museum after renovations. Earlier, both Camp and Aux. had spent two days helping the museum ready its military room for
viewing while speaking to patrons about the local history of the 78th PA Inf.

Bottom L to R : Srs. olivia nupp, Karen nupp, PI Michelle Sokol, Chap.
Samantha eckler, PaP & trustee Peg Krecota & Sec/treas. Mindy eckler.
Back L to R : Sr. Mariel nupp, JvC tim nupp, Camp Sec. James
Johnson, CC Robert “Slim” Bowser, Camp Council & PI Joe Rupp, SvC
Sam McKissick & Br. Brian Barraclough