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You are here: Home / Archives for Ernest Roberts

[JAN. 9 DINNER MEETING] Ernest Roberts Shares First-Hand Experiences from World War II

January 4, 2017 By James Mitchell Varnum

Browning Heavy Machine Gun
Browning Heavy Machine Gun

The Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive of World War II, was launched just over 73 years ago. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called it, “undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory.”

Our January speaker, Mr. Ernest Roberts, was a staff sergeant during World War II. A machine gunner, he fought and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. He will share his wartime combat experience with us at the January meeting.

Interestingly, the Varnum Armory Museum has a Browning .30 Cal machine gun in its collection, the same type of gun Mr. Roberts used in combat.

Please join us for this very special evening on Monday, January 9. Reservations must be received by 5 pm Friday, January 6. Call Scott Seaback at 401-413-6277 or email him at scott@ritemps.com.

TIME: 5:30 p.m. (social hour); 6:30 p.m. (dinner followed by program)
FEE: $20/person
LOCATION: Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, 6 Main St, East Greenwich, RI, 02818.

Filed Under: Speaking Program Tagged With: battle of the bulge, browning machine gun, Ernest Roberts, speaker program, World War II

[MAY 8 VARNUM MEMBER MEETING] Speaker Greg Banner on “El Salvador: US participation in a Central American Civil War

May 4, 2023 By James Mitchell Varnum

In 1991, Greg Banner (a US Army Major at the time) was assigned as an advisor in El Salvador. The US had established an advisory team approximately 10 years prior to help that country fight a communist insurgency. Major Banner spent 15 months as the team leader for one of the several district teams living with and helping Salvadoran units fight their war. This presentation will provide some background to the war and then an overview of one soldier’s experiences there, up to and including the peace treaty which was signed at the end of his tour.

About the Varnum Continentals

The Varnum Continentals are committed to the preservation of the historic heritage of our community, our state, and our nation. Please take a virtual tour of our museums to learn more about our mission to encourage patriotism. You can participate with us through active membership and/or philanthropic support in our non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Museum tours are welcomed and our facilities may be rented for suitable events.

Our Mission

The Varnum Continentals are committed to encourage patriotism through the Varnum Armory Museum, the Continental Militia, and the James Mitchell Varnum House and thus to preserve, support, and communicate the military history of our community, our state, and our nation.

Recent Posts

  • [MAY 8 VARNUM MEMBER MEETING] Speaker Greg Banner on “El Salvador: US participation in a Central American Civil War
  • [APR. 10 DINNER MEETING] Speaker Blake Ruehrwein on Monuments Officers of the 21st Century
  • [MAR. 20 DINNER MEETING] Maria Vazquez on Conservation of the USS Constellation Anchor

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