Liberation of Reading
Among the many exciting events that occur each year during the 3 day show is the Friday morning "Liberation of Reading" convoy and re-enactment. AAFCG proudly joined the column and we road approximately eight miles into downtown Reading. Along the route were hundred of citizens of all ages waving, cheering, honking and enthusiastically welcoming us to Reading. We had three WWII motorcycle MPs moving ahead of the column stopping traffic in each intersection, all the while with the Mid Atlantic Air Museum's B-25 "Briefing Time" flying top cover. The column of over 50 vehicles was comprised of jeeps, troop carriers, light armored vehicles, motorcycles and assorted other WWII military vehicles both allied and axis.
As the column arrive in the heart of the city a battle broke out between US and German troops with small arms and heavy weapons fire. Once again the good guys came out on top. At one point as we were stopped near the city center a woman approached our jeep and pointed to an elderly lady in a wheel chair. She told us that the broadly smiling woman was her mother and that she (the mother) wanted to come and see the re-enactors because it was her 90th birthday and she was a concentration camp survivor. The daughter told us that she never forgot the day she was liberated by the allies so long ago. It is moments like this that takes the whole re-encating experience to another level. All in all It was a beautiful day, lots of fun and a great experience.
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