by Scott Launt, CNY Alumni Advisor and John Beach, Historian | Feb 24, 2026 | Division News, Spotlight Articles
On January 23, Eastern Division Patrollers Sue-Ellen Helmacy, John Beach, and Scott Launt were proud to be a part of the celebration ceremony honoring our founder, Charles “Minnie’ Dole. The museum at Fort Drum, New York will forever be known as the Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole Heritage Museum Complex. Accompanying us was Central New York Alumna Susie Turner.
The ceremony featured remarks from Commanding Major General Scott Naumann and Minnie’s grandson, Trux Dole. The General gave a brief history of Minnie’s quest to have the War Department implement mountain troops and his eventual success in doing so. He also spoke about the successes the former members of the 10th had in the ski and sports industries after the war. This included engagement in at least 62 ski areas in some fashion, and the founding of Nike, Head skis, and organizations such as the Sierra Club and the National Park Service.
Continuing the indoor ceremony, Trux Dole, Chairman Ex Officio of the 10th Mountain Foundation, spoke from the heart. He spoke fondly of his grandfather and of his own memories growing up in New England. He recalled that his grandfather was an outdoor enthusiast and an “okay skier”.
The celebration then adjourned outside (to a balmy 12 degrees F) with a dedication plaque unveiled by Trux and General Naumann.
That evening Sue-Ellen, John, Command Sergeant Major (retired) Dave Martell (Watertown/Dry Hill PD) and his wife Nancy, First Sergeant Dan Fields (Watertown/Dry Hill Patroller and president of the 10th Mountain Alpine Club), along with roughly 200 other guests attended the “WINTER OLYMPIC GALA.” The event celebrated the Division’s mountain warfare legacy, its connection with the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina Italy, the same region the 10th fought in during WW, and its official dedication of the Minnie Dole Heritage Museum Complex.
This celebration was over the top! Wonderful hors d’oeuvres, food, and the full 10th Mountain Jazz Ensemble played into the late hours of the evening, all adding to make this an event to remember.
by John Beach, Historian | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Spotlight Articles
MOUNTAINFEST
On June 26, 2025, the Eastern Division participated for the fifth consecutive year in Mountainfest at Fort Drum. Each year, the 10th Mountain Division opens to the public for an all-day open house on Division Hill and, on average, 10,000 people attend.
Highlights of the day included live demonstrations by the soldiers firing 155mm Howitzers, deploying the cannons by Blackhawk helicopters, mock firefights in both cold and warm weather gear, a live rock band, many vendors, and a multitude of food trucks.
Every year, the Eastern Division has staffed a booth with leaders from different programs to help explain the shared history of the 10th and NSP – and how this relationship continues to grow. We provided abbreviated CPR demos, knot tying demos, and handed out NSP promotional items.
This year, the booth crew included Kathy Fitzpatrick, Division Safety Advisor; Frey Aarnio, former SVT Region Director; Sue-Ellen Helmacy, Division Awards Advisor; and Scott Launt, CNY Region Alumni Advisor.
10th MOUNTAIN ALPINE CLUB
On June 25th, the evening before Mountainfest, the Eastern Division was honored to be invited to the 2nd annual 10th Mountain Alpine Club reunion. The 10th Mountain Alpine Club promotes a broad mix of alpine activities for its members – both soldiers and civilians. The Alpine Club was created by 1st Sergeant Dan Fields, Watertown Ski Patrol at Dry Hill, and LtCol (Ret) Marc Cleveland, president and vice president respectively.
The reunion was held at the Cleveland’s beautiful century-old farm in LaFargeville, NY. The Eastern Division was well represented by Rick Hamlin (National Historian), Kathy Fitzpatrick, Frey Aarnio, Scott Launt, Sue-Ellen Helmacy, and me, all current members of
the 10th Mountain Alpine Club.
Along with us were members of the 10th Mountain Association, a long-established veterans’ organization, as well as current soldiers from the 10th including Dan Fields. There was plenty of food and drink, but best of all great conversation.
I would strongly recommend that Eastern Division members do a search for the 10th Mountain Alpine Club. You should find their website and explanation of the two levels of membership and how to join. I would be glad to answer any questions.
by Rick Hamlin, NSP Historian | Feb 18, 2025 | National News, Spotlight Articles
At 0400 on February 18, 2025, soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade will begin their ascent of Riva Ridge in Italy, retracing the exact footsteps of the 10th Mountain Division’s legendary 1945 assault—on the same date, at the same location, 80 years later. In the dead of night on February 18, 1945, five columns of highly trained mountain troops climbed what had been reported as the “unclimbable” face of Riva Ridge. Surprising the German troops that held the summit, the US mountain troops captured the summit.
This action allowed the next attack by the 10th Mountain Division of the adjacent Mount Belvedere 24 hours later to also succeed in driving the long-held positions of the Germans off these key summit defensive positions. Moving faster than the Army logistic experts had predicted possible, the 10th Mountain Division not only pushed the Germans off the important defensive positions on Riva Ridge and Mount Belvedere but kept the German forces moving north, through the Po Valley.
Moving swiftly in front of thirty other allied divisions, the 10th drove the Germans north and ultimately across the Po River, ending the German control of Italy’s agricultural region and signaling the beginning of the end of German military dominance in World War II.
Why does the National Ski Patrol commemorate this act of extreme heroism by the 10th Mountain Division eighty years ago? The NSP founder, Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole recognized in the early 1940s that the US had no military troops trained in mountain warfare. His persistence finally convinced the War Department that soldiers trained to fight in cold and mountainous terrain were needed.
The result of his persistence was the creation of the 10th Mountain Division. Made up of world-class skiers, alpinists, and outdoorsmen. The 10th Mountain Division was very selective when it came to accepting recruits. The National Ski Patrol became the filter for this process and was and is the only civilian organization to ever recruit for the US military. Every applicant to the 10th required an approval letter from the National Ski Patrol.
The story of the 10th Mountain Division does not end with success in Europe and the end of World War II. Upon their return to the US, members of the mountain troops were responsible for, or key participants in, the creation of over 60 ski resorts in the United States. Along with the growth of ski resorts, the number of skiers also grew rapidly after the war.
Founded in 1938, the National Ski Patrol also grew to meet the needs of growing ranks of recreational skiers. Re-activated, the 10th Mountain Division calls Fort Drum, New York home, and continues to deploy throughout the world, proudly flying their “Climb to Glory” guidon. The National Ski Patrol has grown to approximately 30,000 members and remains committed to providing “Service and Safety” for the skiing public. The modern link between our two organizations grows stronger every year.
