Smith-McMillan Chapter of the DAR Holds Christmas Luncheon
The Smith-McMillan Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution held its annual Christmas luncheon at 11 a.m. at the Frisch Auf! Valley Country Club. In celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II, the Chapter recognized two local WWII Veterans, Otto Fuchs of Round Top, and Charles “Charlie” Ripper of La Grange.
After the Opening Ritual, Chapter Regent Sue Lane McCulley turned the program over to chapter member, Kathy Schatte who introduced Bruce Buckhorn, the son-in-law of honoree, Otto Fuchs, Jr. Because of these veterans’ ages, neither Mr. Otto nor Mr. Ripper could attend the luncheon. Buckhorn shared that Otto L. Fuchs, Jr. was Corporal, Company I, 222 Infantry Regiment, 42 Infantry Division, 7th Army. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, was fluent in German and acted as an interpreter. On April 29, 1945 he participated in the liberation of Dachau Concentration Camp. Buckhorn related other interesting details of Otto Fuchs’ military service after which Regent, McCulley thanked Buckhorn and presented him with a gift of a DAR Service to America lapel pin to honor and be given to Otto Fuchs, Jr. for his service to our Country. The program then tran
sitioned to honoring Charles “Charlie” Ripper by first viewing a brief video created by LCRA about Mr. Ripper. Then, John D. Marburger, husband of member, Kay Marburger, gave an insightful historical account of his good friend, Seaman 1st Class, U.S. Navy, Charles Ripper. On July 24, 1944 Ripper and 2300 Americans fought in the Battle of Tinian and were unscathed. He was first assigned to the USS Colorado battleship in Pearl Harbor and later assigned to the USS Missouri where he witnessed the signing of the “Instrument of Surrender” on September 2, 1945 when the Japanese Emperor surrendered on board this warship which brought an official end to WWII. Following Marburger’s presentation, Regent McCulley thanked and presented him with a gift of a DAR Service to America lapel pin to honor and be given to Charles Ripper.
The final segment of the program was a presentation by member, Sally Reynolds regarding her father, Lieutenant George Cooksey, a co-pilot whose plane came under attack and he and his crew were forced to evacuate and parachute over France. Reynolds shared anecdotal information from his memoirs regarding his survival in the days and weeks following the event and the courageous French farmer and his family that harbored him for some time from the Nazi occupied France countryside and how she, Sally, got to meet the family years later.
Following the program, Regent McCulley gave the Blessing and adjourned the chapter to enjoy a buffet lunch. The annual Christmas Raffle netted $725 to go to our chapter’s scholarship fund.