Oak Ridge, Tenn. – (May 25, 2010) –Sixty-seven years after the 101st Airborne Division jumped into France in the black of night to lead the way for the Allied invasion of France, the “Five Oh First Group,” a Knoxville-based World War II (WWII) Airborne Reenactment group, prepares for the invasion of Europe all over again. On Saturday, June 19, nearly 200 World War II reenactors and more than a dozen period vehicles will take the field at AK Bissell Park as part of the 8th Annual Secret City Festival to recreate the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Participants from across the South, representing elite US Airborne paratroopers and standard Infantry/ armored troops, will join their British allies in an effort to defeat the men and equipment of the German war machine. The WWII D-Day reenactments (sponsored by Energy Solutions) are the largest WWII public battles in the Southeast and create for spectators a rare opportunity to step back to 1944 and see what combat actions immediately following the D-Day invasion were really like on both sides of the European conflict.
The goal of these activities is to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of America's WWII veterans and to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the end of WWII. Throughout the day spectators will have an opportunity to interact with the reenactors and get a glimpse of what life "behind the lines" was really like was for both combatants and non-combatants. Living historians representing riflemen, medics and chaplains will demonstrate camp life and conduct a series of displays and demonstrations covering field craft and the weapons, gear and equipment used on both sides of the conflict. Demonstration highlights will include a period religious service, “Faith in the Field,” a discussion about combat emergency medical care and an Airborne “Build A Paratrooper” presentation that shows what all an American WWII paratrooper would carry into battle. With the recent popularity of HBO's “The Pacific” miniseries, one major addition to this year's displays will be an extensive USMC Marine Corp presence to highlight American veterans who served in the Pacific Theater of Operations. For the first time in festival history, the reenactment will highlight both theaters of combat.
Another exciting addition to this year's combat scenario will be the inclusion of an authentic armor versus armor conflict into the battle presentations. Spectators will have a rare opportunity to see not only American, but German armor on the same field and watch them battle for supremacy. Along with the tanks there will be a dozen other period military vehicles including American halftracks, jeeps and transport vehicles, a German kubelwagon and several German motorcycle and sidecar combinations. Come out and see the machines that defined the world's greatest conflict in action.
The core of the WWII history activities for the Secret City Festival will occur on Saturday, June 19 from 10 am to 4 pm. The main battle will start at 12:45 pm and will last approximately 30 minutes with a second battle at 3:15 pm. After the first battle, the public is encouraged to interact with the reenactors and tour the period encampments to get a more “up close” and personalized experience. Please join the reenactors in honoring America's WWII veterans. These events are free to the public.
The 8th Annual Secret City Festival is presented by the City of Oak Ridge, the Oak Ridge Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Arts Council of Oak Ridge. This year’s festival sponsors are B&W Y-12 and the City of Oak Ridge, and the media sponsors are The Oak Ridger, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, WBIR-TV, Comcast, and BBB Communications. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit www.SecretCityFestival.com or call the information line at (865) 425-3610.
Immediate Release: May 25, 2010