Back in Time: Aspen

On April 5, 1956, The Aspen Times announced a reunion of former members of the 10th Mountain Division to take place in Aspen.

As the article noted, “between 200 and 400 former members of the 10^th Mountain Division are expected in Aspen this weekend for the second annual reunion of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of that famed unit. Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be packed with skiing, trips, meetings, dinners and dances. Many of the men attending the convention have not seen other former buddies during the past 10 years and much talk will be the order of day and night. Members of the 10^th Mountain Division now living in Aspen include Fritz Benedict, Friedl Pfeifer, William (Shady) Lane, Richard Wright, Curt Chase, Steve Knowlton, William Mason and Harold Sampson. The 10^th was activated at Camp Hale during the summer of 1943 and learned mountain warfare and snow movement techniques there until July, 1944. They landed in Italy in January 1945 and saw action throughout northern Italy. They returned to the United States in August for a month before they were due to move on to the Pacific, but V-J Day cancelled their trip.”

“Back in Time” is contributed by Aspen Historical Society and features excerpted articles and images from past Snowmass Sun/Aspen Times issues. We can’t rewrite history, but we can learn from it! Visit archiveaspen.org to view the vast Aspen Times photographic collection in the AHS Archives.

Aspen Historical Society actively preserves and passionately presents local history in an inspired and provocative manner that will continue to anchor the local community and its evolving character. For more, visit aspenhistory.org.