Compared with the trip to Council Bluffs, Iowa, last summer, the Sesquicentennial bus trip to San Diego was just as memorable. The Battalion has recently covered more than two thirds of the Mormon Battalion Trail! Forty-two members and friends had a historic and joy-packed trip, including the opportunity to visit three temples (St. George, Mesa, and San Diego), and to meet with people who live along the Trail, from the San Pedro River in Arizona to San Diego, California. The 7-day tour covered such historic places along the Trail as the site of the Battle of the Bulls on the San Pedro River; the visit with the Pima Indians at Casa Grande; and Old Town San Diego. There were three outstanding events planned into the trip: a celebration with Kane Company in Kanab on the second day, where we had a tasty Dutch Oven dinner at Capt. Denny Judd's Chuck Wagon Restaurant with an informative slide show and program by company commander, Ltc. Howard Roberts, Jr. On the 4th day, we visited the Gila River home of the Pima Indians, where they favored us with a breakfast, including melons like those the Battalion would have enjoyed, three days before Christmas 150 years ago. A very spiritual idling of friendship between us of the modern Battalion and today' s Elders of the Pima Nation resulted. We held a Battalion flag ceremony, exchanged gifts and goodbyes, including one from history: "Make it a rule to injure no one in any way,' followed by a Pima Blessing. Our third major activity was the San Diego Battalion Days. These included a fireside on Friday night with the Mormon History Society; then, on Saturday a march from Jack Murphy Stadium to Old Town State Park--6 miles--with a few of the Battalion (Sheree Wirth and 4 men of the Battalion) leading some 2,000 local residents to the staging area, where the assembled Battalion led the march into the Park and up to the speakers' stand where the pledge of allegiance officially opened the program. Representatives of the State and City spoke to the assemblage, then Sheila Amdor, represented Council Bluffs in expressing thanks for our participation there and wishing us continued successes in San Diego. Elder Loren Dunn, area president, addressed the reverent crowd, followed by Elder Richard Scott who first played a taped message from Pres. Monson who was scheduled to be the main speaker. Pres. Monson expressed pride in the accomplishments of the Battalion and challenged us all to be just as faithful. Elder Scott spoke of the many sacrifices by the Battalion and asked us to do service projects this year in honor of those sacrifices, and to set goals to achieve such projects, dedicated to the spirit of our pioneer heritage. Other items of interest on the trip were visits to the Pima Museum on the Gila River; a drive through Tucson Mtn. State Park; the new monument at Tucson Plaza; a guided tour by Capt. Robert Merrill at the Colorado crossing in Yuma; and the faith-promoting testimony meeting on the bus as we headed home. It was awe-inspiring to see some of the country the Battalion conquered and gave us greater appreciation for their achievements.
---Lt. Terry Wirth, Sesquicentennial Trek Master