Remembering the 10th Mountain Division on Memorial Day atop Tennessee Pass

On Monday, the 10^th Mountain Division Foundation held its annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Tennessee Pass Monument for the 63^rd consecutive year.

For the second year in a row, the ceremony was limited in size and public access was restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were honored to gather as a small group at Tennessee Pass, Colorado, to remember the fallen,” foundation officials said in a brief statement. “Master of ceremonies was 10th Mountain Division Foundation President Nancy Kramer.

“Organizers were Dave Little, Flint Whitlock, Jack Breeding and the 10th Mountain Living History Display Group. Vail participants included Ryan Thompson, founder of 10th Mountain Whiskey, and Jeff Wiles of Vail Resorts, who wore a WWII 10th Mountain Division winter white uniform.”

The famed 10^th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army trained at Camp Hale and Ski Cooper and its mountain-climbing and ski troops fought the Nazis in Italy during World War II and the Japanese on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Vail founder Pete Seibert was a wounded veteran of the 10^th who fought in Italy, and many other 10^th Mountain veterans were instrumental in founding Colorado and the nation’s ski industry after returning home from the war.

In a previous statement, Kramer said, “We urge you, your family and friends to watch the video when we post it on our Facebook page, YouTube and our website, 10thmountainfoundation.org. We will be sending out notices regarding the posting of the ceremony video. We anticipate a return to our traditional ceremony in coming years.”

Jeff Wiles and Dr. John Raabe, 10th Mountain Division Foundation Bugler