On March 4, to commemorate Cursed Soldiers Remembrance Day, sports and defense maneuvers were held at the training facilities of the 23rd Artillery Regiment. As part of the event, students from uniformed classes developed their skills in drill, the construction, assembly and disassembly of small arms, grenade throwing, and adopting shooting positions. At the same time, students from 12 uniformed classes from Lower Silesia and Lubusz competed in an airgun shooting tournament organized by the Association of Former Soldiers of the 62nd Special Company “Commando”.
For the fifth time, the “For the Cursed 1963” Uniformed Cross was also organized on the grounds of the Bolesławiec garrison. Alongside the sports and defense maneuvers, it was held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda. More than seven hundred competitors took part in the run: soldiers representing units of the “Black Division,” American soldiers stationed in Bolesławiec, and students from uniformed classes and shooting associations, who paid tribute to the steadfast soldiers over the symbolic distance of 1,963 meters.
“Our joint participation in the patriotic and sports-defense events ‘For the Cursed 1963’ expresses Our respect for the cursed soldiers for Their steadfast attitude and sacrifice,” said Inspector of the Branches of the Armed Forces of the General Command of the Branches of the Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Sławomir Owczarek during the summary of the uniformed cross and shooting tournament. After the final results were read out, together with the Vice-President of the Association of Former Soldiers of the 62nd Special Company “Commando,” Senior Warrant Officer Bogdan Fiałkowski, he presented individual and team winners with cups and material prizes.
The best results in the soldiers’ category were achieved by Cpl. Mateusz Demczyszak and Pvt. Patrycja Drozd of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, while among the American soldiers they were achieved by Capt. Megan Arroyo and Pvt. Samuel Mwamba. The best results among the students belonged to Partycja Taratuta and Mateusz Syposz of the European Uniformed Services High School in Wrocław. In the shooting tournament for uniformed classes, the students of the Economic and Technical School Complex in Rakowice Wielkie won, ahead of the team from the General Secondary School Complex named after the Veterans of the Lubań Region in Lubań and the Janusz Korczak 2nd General Secondary School in Bolesławiec.