(By Skip Bremer, Osmond Community School Superintendent) LINCOLN — The Nebraska Army National Guard held a Nebraska Educator Retreat on Wednesday, July 31. This educator event began at the Lin- coln Air Base and included flying on a Chinook UH-47 to Greenlief Training Site in Hastings for marksmanship instruction and shooting with the M17 9 mm pistol, a flight to Seward and the National Guard Museum, and finished with a bus ride back to Lincoln due to the storms.
Osmond Community School’s principal Kurt Polt and superintendent Skip Bremer were among the participants. Also attending was OCS graduate Kari (Brummels) Tunink who teaches in Columbus.
The Nebraska National Guard hosts these events to share with educators the various opportunities students could have through the National Guard.
High points of the event included the Chinook ride, Osmond holding the top performances at the shooting range, meeting Adjutant General, Major General Craig Strong, and touring the National Guard Museum in Seward.
During the museum tour, we were reminded of the important role Nebraskans played in D-Day and the battles that followed.
The iconic Higgins landing craft on D-Day was designed by Columbus native Andrew Jackson Higgins who was in the lumber and boat business in Louisiana, as well as a former Nebraska Guard in the 2nd Infantry.
He shared how his low bottom boat could be transformed with the movable ramp that was adopted and credited for helping in the success of D-Day.
The museum is restoring one of only a few remaining mahogany Higgins boats.
We were also told about the important role Nebraska’s 134th Infantry Regiment played liberating France. July 18th was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Saint Lo, France. The 134th Infantry took a lead role in the liberation of this original D-Day objective a month after the landing.
The regiment earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism on Hill 122. One-third of the regiment were killed or wounded and they received 900 decorations. The museum display is entitled “Cornrows to Hedgerows.”
This was an outstanding trip and helped us learn more about the history of our Nebraska National Guard and what this important part of our national defense is doing for our state and nation.
We want to thank all the National Guard personnel and others who serve to protect our constitution and way of life.
