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2-Day Educational Encampment Set for Nov. 6-7 in Woodbridge

WOODBRIDGE – In his prize-winning Vietnam War story “The Things They Carried”, author Tim O’Brien conveyed the reality of war by describing in minute detail the everyday items soldiers took into battle. The success of a general’s plan depended, ultimately, on the equipment and preparation of each individual soldier.

Veterans Appreciation Day offers an inside look at modern ground warfare from the ordinary soldier’s perspective. On Nov. 6-7 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. nearly 100 professional military enactors will gather at Woodbridge National Guard Armory, 625 Main Street, Woodbridge, to display and discuss uniforms, vehicles, weapons and equipment used by American soldiers in World War II and conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, Grenada and Desert Storm.

The program is sponsored by Mayor Frank G. Pelzman and the New Jersey NationalGuard and hosted by the 6 th Cavalry Group/A Troop and Living History Association. It is admission-free and open to the public.

“It is important we not lose sight of the significance of Veterans Day,” says Mayor Pelzman. “This encampment is an excellent way to honor our veterans and educate the public about the day-to-day life of a 20 th-century American soldier in the field.”

Joe DiGiovanni of Carteret is the event organizer and commanding officer of the 6 th Cavalry Group which puts on similar military enactments throughout the region. “This kind of Living History program presents a very personal, eye-witness type of viewpoint,” he says. “It shows the specific elements of combat that you can’t get from movies or books.”

Schools are invited to attend, particularly history classes. Call 732-742-3064 for more information.