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Name
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Beck, Allan
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Rank, Company, Regiment
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CaptainB 126 Engr. BN "Was promoted to the rank of 1st Lt. Then to Capt. On discharge.
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Birth date/Death Date
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1/31/1922-
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Awards
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Awarded the Bronze Star Medal 07/04/45."
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Vermont Location
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Barre/Stowe
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Competitive Skiing
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Founder of Spaulding High School (Barre, VT) Ski Team, 1937-38
Norwich University ski team; "skied for Norwich University for 4 years, the last three as co-captain. Won the National Collegiate Champioship at Sun Valley, ID, in 1941 and was elected to the Norwich Athletic Hall of Fame in 1957."
"Competed in the Masters Alpine Racing program for almost 20 years. Won 35 gold medals in National and International Champioship races. In 1993 was awarded the "USSA Outstanding Masters Award". Was namws to the Alpine National Masters Ski Team several times. Served as President of NE Masters Skiing for 15 years. Chairman of Eastern Alpine Masters Committee and member of the National Alpine Masters Committee for many years."
1984 - sweeps FIS International Veterans Trophy Races , a series of four.
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Importance of Vermont
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First skiing experience
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"My earliest memory of skiing is that of a child growing up in Barre, VT. We always played in the snow through the winter months using sleds, jumpers, toboggans and skis. Skis won out around age 12 and began skiing competitively while in high school."
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College
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Norwich University
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What was your experience in the 10th like?
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"As a young officer reporting for duty with an infantry division, I looked on this as a great adventure. Along with other routine duties, I was appointed to the job of "Ski 3" (plans and training specifically for ski activities) for the battalion. This consisted of setting up and organizing a ski school for the battalion. I also served as platoon leader in my company (engr, bn of the 10th Mt. Division at Camp Hale, CO) and in combat our biggest role was the repair of roads and bridges in support of the infantry. I also served as the liaison officer for the 86th Reg. Working out of their HQ as we campaigned during combat. During my experience with the
10th, needless to say, I gained a tremendous amount of maturity."
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Why did you join the 10th?
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"Four friends jointly purchased an old LaSalle automobile which made it convenient for us to make our weekend trips. Sometimes we'd drive into Denver on a Saturday afternoon where we'd hang out at places such as the Bamboo Room at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Sunday mornings we would rehabilitate our hangovers by driving up to Berthard's Pass or on to Winter Park for a day of skiing. We also took some trips to Aspen for the "aspen Cruds" at the Hotel Jerome and skiing on "little Nell" using the jig back toboggan lift. If we felt real energetic, we'd put skins on our skis and climb up the Roche Run for a more thrilling run down. On one occasion, I recall that we drove up to St Mary's Glacier for a day of recreation where we met some young lady skiers who added interest to our skiing pursuits. / Shortly before transferring to Camp Swift, TX, our LaSalle met it's demise. We were returning back to Camp Hale, late at night, after one of our ski trips, with me at the wheel, when I thought I saw two motorcycles coming at me. While attempting to navigate between two lights, and much to my chagrin, it turned out to be another car. That was my story and I've always stuck by it." "Joining the 10th Mt. Div. Was not my choice. I had spent four years at Norwich University in ROTC. Due to the advent of the war, our ROTC program was shortened to move the cadets more quickly into service. Because of this we did not qualify for a direct commission as officers but instead were sent to Officers Candidate School at the branch of service of our choice. Being an engineering major, I opted for the Corps of Engineers and became a "90 Day wonder" with the rank of 2nd Lt. The Army for once used the information on my induction records showing my background in skiing and my orders were cut to report to the 126 Mt. Engineering Battalion at Camp Hale, CO."
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Ski Patrol
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Ski School
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"Taught as an amateur instructor with Sepp Ruschp School 1940-43."
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Ski Industry
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"As I mentioned above, the decision to join the 10th was made for me. Post-War I had two opportunities for employment. First I was offered a position at West Point to coach their ski team along with other ski activities and serve on the staff as an instructor in other fields. I declined this (I'd had enough military by this time) in favor of a job connected with the bridge division of the John A. Roebling Sons Co. I was hired to head up their ski life business which they had stumbled into during the war while working with Constam and the Meads on Pico's first cable T-bar lift. While with Roebling, I participated in sales, design, and erection of lifts at Mt. Mansfield, Lake Placid, North Creek, Dutch Hill, and Hogback. I left Roebling shortly after to set up my own company with a partner for construction of ski lifts. We build lifts at Speculator, NY, and Sunapee, NH. We then went on to bridge construction and stayed in that field for the remainders of our careers. The partnership named Beck and Bellucci ended in 1998."
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Vermont Ski Area Connection
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"Member of the Mt. Mansfield Ski Club since 1939. Co-founded with Dick Comey the Stowe Masters Race Camp now known as Comey's Comets Race Camp. Co-ran the annual camp for about 20 years."
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Role of Skiing in your Life
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Photograph information
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Information submitted by
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Allan Beck
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