Well, this will be the first letter of the new effort to get the BRANSON REUNION for 2008 started. LTC Rougeau is interviewing hotels and he already is trying to tell me that it would be wise to lock up some type of contract. As you may know I just cannot do that this far out BECAUSE you have not indicated to me if you will or will not attend. OK, SO read this slowly. There are many things that are influential in life and the decisions that we make on a daily basis are one of the most critical. Fortunately or unfortunately, it is NUMBERS as applied to reunions. Numbers affect almost every choice that we make regarding REUNIONS. 1. SITE- determined by the number of people that contact the reunion planner and indicate their choice as to where they would like to go. 2 HOTEL- Determined by availability,and usually based on number of attendees. Some facilities will only negotiate for a minimum number of attendees, which must be given far in advance of actual use. 3. AMENITIES- Items furnished by the host facility become more plentiful and at a better rate corresponding to the number of guaranteed guest or rooms rented. 4. BANQUETS- either provided by the host facility or catered are negotiated from the standpoint of how many will be present at the banquet. Of course, the more sitting down to eat, the more leeway is given to the planner in terms of menu items and price. 5. ENTERTAINMENT and/or TOURS and BUSES-Chartered in advance from numbers provided by attendees as to their preferences. Again, as the numbers increases, the cost declines. SUMMATION: GUYS- With all of the above in mind, and as we read ,negotiations are underway to accommodate the RETIRED RIGGERS REUNION 2008 in Branson, Mo. It is imperative that this be done because at this date, hotel/motel reunion space is already booked for this time in 2007. The earlier that we can present somewhat "firm numbers" the better choice we have. To facilitate this, lets consider helping me and my staff by indicating whether or not you will be on board for REUNION 2008. We can do this NOW by sending a partial payment and an obligatory statement of intent to be there. Remember the "numbers game" and in order to get the most for your money,we need to declare at the earliest opportunity our support for this endeavor. At this stage of planning, numbers are paramount--money comes in a close second. Stamps are needed. I hope to get replies from everyone on the reunion list, at least announcing your intent, and if not attending send a donation, so we can count those NUMBERS. I will truly expect an answer, and I also will expect your money to be in the bank. Not to worry, if something goes wrong and we are still like 90 days out I will return your money unless you tell me other wise.

We need some new pictures and I would ask you to stop cutting up and taking the pictures that I have enlarged and laminated for your viewing pleasure. Any pictures you send me for enlargement and displaying I will return to you as always. Please look at your picture books and forward me some of your old snapshots for enlargement and displaying.

We will need some extra money for hosting meals in Branson as we did before, so reach into your pockets and send me your check. Also once again plan on bringing along your favorite drink to turn over to the hospitability room to be shared by all.

I will try and make several liaison trips to BRANSON over the next 20 months and see how many show tickets I can hustle up. What I need you to do is get your money and stamps on in and stay committed. When I say stay committed, I mean get your money in to me and stay committed to attending. I don’t care what happens. The BRANSON REUNION will be in JULY 2008 on the 16^th,17^th,18^th19th departing the 20^th..

• I mailed reunion hats out to the following non-attendees: CW4 Richard, COL Foley, LTC Daniel, SGT Nichols, SGT Harlow, SFC Kratcoski, and MSG Zelascek. SFC Bristol.This is a lot of work and costs. Wish these guys would let me know why they did not show up. Still have several more hats to get in the mail.
• I also mailed out small picture books to LTC Williford,CW4 McDonald, Maj Ulsh,LTC Graham, LTC Schiffer, CPL Taylor, CW4 Page, MSG Boger, SFC McLaney,CW3 Churchill, CPT Pate, SFC Gagan, CPT Vasquez, LTC Joiner, 1SG Taggart, LTC Gill, B/GEN Williford, Mr Strong. All these books came from Sgt Beach.
• Received a check and stamps from CPT Vasquez for some additional T-Shirts that he purchased.
• Received word that CSM Ronald R. Offt, 68 years old had died of cancer.
• Wife and I ran into LTC Carl and Trish Flanagan at the golf course Sunday having breakfast. Carl was most apologetic for missing all the reunions, but as always he had many questions about several people he knew. He also asked about MSG Raul Serrano. LTC Flanagan is 74 years old.
• Received a very nice letter from LTC Charles "Bud" Butte telling me that he had every intention of attending the RETIRED RIGGER REUNION at Cape Kennedy, but the BUG got him and he spent three (3) weeks in bed and a couple of trips to the local VA emergency room. He said he was especially sorry he did not get a chance to see Churchill, Hughes, and Warren. He also said he was very sorry he missed seeing BG Paul Smith. He said he and BG Smith received their commission to 2 LT’s back during WWII….OK, Bud, SEE YOU IN BRANSON, MO,
• Received an additional check with stamps from LTC Joe Gill. He made mention that his wife Nancy had surgery on her back and is waiting to have foot surgery. They are also trying to sell their home and move to a another house in the same area.
• Spoke with CW2 Joe Llcuna out in Calif. He says that he and the wife are doing well and for me to tell all you guys hello, especially Shaffer.
• Received a check from LTC Williford with a very nice thank you note. Looks like Charlie is getting ready for Branson, Mo.
• Would truly like to try and get the following RIGGER VETERANS to the next reunion. They are CW4 Manley Thomas, SFC Hudson Trices, MSG Arthur Unphrey, CW4 Kenneth and CW2 Nancy Studer, CW3 Timothy Skinner, SFC Elmer Shelton, 1SG John Stainaker, CSM Robert Oneal, MAJ Richard Haines, SFC James Pouliot, SFC William Payne, MSG Alphonzo Millsapp, CW2 Curtis Minge, CW4 Willie Motley, MAJ Dave Norris, 1SG Troy Oates, CPT Terry Mason, MSG Sam Mayfield, SFC L.C. Miller, CSM Willie Lewis, CW2 Joe Llacuna, COL Ted Maddry, SFC Horst Maggard, CW4 Jack Harrison, CW2 Buford Knight, LTC Brian Irving, 1SG Arthur Goodrid, CW4 Dexter Hall, SFC Raymond Hanson, CW4 Francis Fournier, MAJ Jim Garvey, COL Chuck Whittle, MAJ Paul Ferguson, and LTC Carl (Pat) Flanagan. Now there are 35 names you can work with. Call me and I will provide their phone number. Some of these guys are really old. They all can qualifiy for a over 70 plaque if they send me a short BIO.
• Received a check from SGM Thomas and he said that he would like to try and make Branson, Mo. In 2008 but he is getting up in years. Hang in there S/Major.
• Received a check from CW3 Churchill and he made mention that Sgt Beach should have put more individual reunion pictures in his little picture book. Oh well you can’t make some people happy….right??
• Mrs Thada Emery wife of LTC Jim Emery , retired up in Petersburg, Va. Had back surgery and is feeling much better. She is expected to make a full recovery.
• Received a check and 100 stamps from CW4 Coy and Delia McDonald. Thank you for the stamps. The stamp fund is getting in bad shape, but maybe we can make the next mailing.
• Received a check and stamps from MSG Raul J. Serrano, a fine gentleman, who has had a year of health problems. Serrano stated in his letter that he was going to send a card to the reunion and failed to do that and that he was going to call his old friend Chap Williams at the reunion and failed to do that, so when all else fails he dropped a line to his friend CW4 Warren, begging forgiviness. MSG Serrano is with out a doubt a true gentleman in every way and if he could of learned how to bowl in his long life time he would have been outstanding. I called him just to discuss world events.
• Received some very good pictures from CW3 Churchill and had them copied the same day. Most of them were from Germany in the 60’s.
• Received check and stamps from LTC and Mrs Dick Graham. LTC Graham is doing an outstanding job of keeping our WEB PAGE.
• Received a check from Maj and Mrs Charles "Neal" Ulsh who had just returned from a short vacation up in Kentucky. Neal also had a hernia repaired in his stomach and they put a screen in to help whole it.
• Received stamps from SFC Straat Evans with a short note saying he may not attend the reunion in 2008 at Branson, but he would like to get the newsletter.
• Spoke with CW4 Terry Wallace and he informed me that he purchased a new JAG 2006 model with upgrade and that his house was flooded and he has to have the carpet replaced. I tell you poor ole Terry and Angela just can’t catch a a break. Life is hell in sunny Florida.
• Spoke with SSG Dean Branson better half, and she informed me that he had a pace-maker installed and was not doing all that well. He is in a rest home.
• COL and Mrs. Rome Stephens have moved to a rest home in Columbus, GA. Both are in their 80’s.
• COL and MRS Peterka just returned from Fort Campbell, KY, where they visited with their grandson who just returned from Iraq.
• CW3 Timothy Skinner, a young gentleman who worked for me as enlisted member, was hit by a car while riding his bicycle in Portland, OR. He is in critical condition.
• BG Williford has been in Wilmington, NC, for a number of weeks, and his money is in the bank for the Branson, MO, reunion…good man.
• SSG and Mrs. Bob Carhuff sold their home in Charlotte, NC, and was moving to New Mexico, but had a change of heart and purchased a home in Pine Hurst, NC, with the help of SFC John Gagan.
• Spoke with CW4 Ray Ward and he said that he had found a bunch of old snap-shots of some old riggers and he was sending them to me, and I will get them enlarged for the wall.
• I wish all you guys would send me your E mail address and we could make some of this a little easier.
• Spoke with COL Tom Cross several times. He and his wife are doing well for his advanced age. He says he would like to see all the RIGGER REUNIONS combine into ONE. So would I.
• SGT Delmar Weitman “President of the Red Hat Chapter” has been returned home after his stay in the hospital. I am told that he is recovering as good as can be expected.

You can keep in mind that the powers to be are working very diligently to organize and set up a first class, financially cost-effective reunion for 2008 in BRANSON, MO. I don’t need to get these phone calls telling me we were just up there in 2004, but keep in mind that the faces of the individuals and the shows and the things to see will change, and yes even the traffic has been corrected to a certain amount. At our age, we should be overjoyed to be able to visit old friends, see friendly places, and get there and back safely. Please try and do as I ask you: (1) send me your CHECK for $100.00 per person, more if you can, (2) send me a bunch of STAMPS, and (3) look in the old picture books and send me a few new snapshots from 50 years ago. Help me work on getting some new faces that can tell JUMP STORIES and play GOLF or PINCHOLE, and just be good COMPANY.

TILL BRENDA and I SEE YOU AGAIN.