The Alvin C. York Chapter 82nd Airborne Division Association will host the annual Christmas dinner and installation of officers on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 6:30 p.m. at Provino's Restaurant in East Ridge.
Chaplain (COL) Norris Webster and his wife Lois will be special guests. Andrew Smith from Honoring the Sacrifice will be present to receive a check from the chapter. A collection will be taken that evening to add to the amount the chapter has agreed to give.
Chaplain Webster is an ordained and experienced Baptist pastor and military chaplain. Chaplain Webster pastored Baptist churches in Indiana for 12 years before entering the U.S. Army as a chaplain where he earned the rank of Colonel with 26 years of active duty service.
While serving as an airborne chaplain he was a brigade chaplain in both the 82 and 101 Airborne Divisions as well as the 173 Separate Airborne Brigade. He went to Viet Nam with the Golden Brigade of the 82nd where he helped build the Airborne Chapel.
Chaplain Webster holds an earned Master of Divinity degree with a major in theology from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, In. He has taught New Testament Literature at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, In. and has had administrative experience in higher education. Following retirement from the army in 1988, Chaplain Webster continued as pastor of churches in New York State, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.