RETIRED AIRBORNE RIGGERS REUNION

Ø     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 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, CW3 Buford Knight, LTC Brian Irving, 1SG Arthur Goodrid, CW4 Dexter Hall, SFC Raymond Hanson,  COL Chuck Whittle, MAJ Paul Ferguson, SFC Andrew Sheffield, and LTC Carl (Pat) Flanagan.  Now there are some 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 an over-70 plaque if they send me a short BIO.

Ø      Received a check from CPT Vasquez, CW4 Page, LTC Graham, CW3 Churchill, and LTC Sturgeon for T-shirts and reunion money.  Thank all of you.

Ø      Received a letter from LTC Butte telling me that he would be unable to attend the reunion because he is moving and he is $11,000.00 in debt for his new place. Oh well, I was hoping for a little check from Charlie, but I guess not.

Ø      Received a check from SGT George and Susana Coldren with 100 stamps and a picture of George in action while in jump school in 1955.  Will be a pleasure to have both of them at the Branson Reunion. Thank you, George.

Ø      Received a check and stamps from CW3 Donald and Janice Puckett.  Donald ordered his T-shirt and says he is looking forward to Branson.

Ø      As you can see I received a most generous check from CW3 Grant Willes and he says that he is looking forward to seeing all his friends in Branson.

Ø      Received a check and stamps from SGT Becky Naden.  She was a former member of the 24^th QM in Germany back around 1980, and was also assigned to Rigger School for several months.  She will be attending with her husband or sister, and we are glad to have some young blood…See you in Branson, Becky.

Ø      Received word that CW2 Eugenia K. Emmons died this past April 14^th after returning from duty in Iraq.  She attended Rigger School in 1993 and was assigned to 82d Abn Div, 24^th QM Det, 173^rd Abn Bde, and most recently the 1^st TSC.  Her awards included the Combat Action Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, the Rigger Badge, and the Parachutist Badge of China.  She had been deployed to Honduras, Egypt, Japan, Thailand, Puerto Rico, and Afghanistan. 

Ø      Received a letter from MSG William Stevens out in Texas and he said that him and his wife only attended Airborne Reunions, and being we would have no type of displays in Branson that was Airborne, he was not coming.  Well, being that over 175,000 veterans pass through Branson on Veteran’s week, I wonder what MSG Stevens and his wife are missing??

Ø      Received a large package with pictures and clippings from both SFC Frank Bristol and SFC Straat Evans.  I have copied all of them and they will be hanging.  Thank you, Frank and Straat.

Ø      Received roster information on a SGT James Lambert who served in the 601st and the depot at Dachau, Germany from 1956 to 1959.  He does know Churchill, Hughes, Peterka, and Jake Link.  Will be looking forward to seeing Jim and Bonnie in Branson.

Ø      Spoke with my old buddy, SFC Jumping Joe Kratcoski, and he has recovered from knee replacement and says that he will be sending some reunion money on down and will be in Branson in 2008.  Joe is a great guy.

Ø      It is firm (as firm as something can be) that LTC Brian Irving and wife are coming to Branson.  Spoke with COL Bill Causey and he says that he and his lovely bride will be there to see Irving and Peterka.  Also spoke with COL Rome Stephen and he says that he will try and come to see Peterka.  Why would any one desire to see Peterka after he tried to “bust” Willie back in 1951??

Ø      Received a check and 100 stamps from MAJ Bobby Roughton.  Really glad to have him on board.  He is an old friend of MSG Serrano.  See you next year, Bobby.

Ø      Received a very nice check from BG Paul and Connie Smith.  Gen Smith made the comment that I should look at having a reunion in Hawaii at the Hali-Koa Hotel.  He says that he and his wife will be there for their 32^nd wedding anniversary.  Congraulations, PAUL and CONNIE.

Ø      Received 100 stamps from MAJ Jess Brock with a note saying he still wasn’t sure if he could make Branson.  He says that he has to be in Phoenix on the 4^th July and Florida on the 15^th for ROTC functions.  Wonder what he will do with all those other free days?

Ø      Received a check from CW4 Charlie Jones for his T-Shirt and extra $50.00 for the “kitty”.  Thank you, Charlie.

Ø      Received a check from LTG Seitz informing me that he had been swimming as he has done for the past 29 years and started getting a burning in his chest. They took him to the hospital and placed a “stent” in his chest, and he is doing great, so he says.  He will be 90 years old next year at the reunion.  If all goes well LTG Seitz and CW4 Morris will be the two oldest rigger veterans on board.

Ø      Spoke WITH MY OLE BUDDY, CW4 Willie Motley, this a.m. and passed on a phone number of George Coldren who was with Motley when they were privates in the 601st at Campbell, I believe.

Ø      Received a check and some very nice pictures from CPL Gary L. Palmer, who is an 82d Abn PS& M Company veteran who later worked for Air America.  He will have some good war stories.  He also plays golf.

Ø      Received a check and stamps from TOKYO JOE (SGT Joe and Kazuko Hartnett).  Joe is telling me that his wife just turned 80 and they had a party for her at the American Legion.  She cannot go up and down steps too well, but still gets around.  He says that they will not be making the reunion, but would like to contribute, and says to tell all the 549^th guys, “HELLO”.

Ø      Received word from LTC Brian Irving that he would not be able to attend because of serious family problems, but he said to tell all the old riggers who were at the RIGGER SCHOOL 34 years ago, “HELLO”.

Ø      Received a call from CW3 Thomas Hardegree saying that he, his wife, his daughter, and son-in-law will be in Branson to tell jump stories and see old friends.  CW3 Hardegree is now living in a nursing home with wife, but they are still able to travel.  I know that several people are looking forward to see Tom and his wife next year.

Ø      Received a check and stamps from SGT David J. Green and Colleen up at Fort Campbell, KY.  SGT Green was at the Fort Lee, VA, reunion, and gave me a nice HALO T- shirt.  I am going to pay him back next year in Branson.

Ø      Spoke with LTC Rougeau last night (8 June 2007) and he says that his buddy LTC Gudmundson is up visiting with him for several days on his way to the west coast.  Always nice to have friends stop by.

Ø      SFC John and Terri Gagan are moving into their NEW home next week here in Southern Pines, NC. SFC Gagan supervised, and more-or-less designed his home himself, with help and guidance from Terri.

Ø      My wife, Brenda (The Major), will finish up her 6^th teaching year next week

Ø      (14 June), and now she says ONE MORE YEAR.  She eats that teaching up.

Ø      Received a check from MAJ Lee Dunlap to put him and his wife fully paid.  Hope to see them in Branson in July 2008.  They are great people.

Ø      Received two very good pictures from SGT Becky Naden. They are being run with the newsletter this quarter.  I know that CW4 Jones will be glad to see her in Branson.

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.  Traffic has been corrected to a certain extent in Branson.  At our age, we should be overjoyed to be able to visit old friends, see friendly places, and get there and back safely.  We will have a bunch of NEW pictures to look at and some new articles to read.  Don’t miss this reunion.  I am working hard to get a LARGE gathering.  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 PINOCHLE’ and just be good COMPANY.   TILL BRENDA and I SEE YOU AGAIN.

 …..…………………..Clear Skies, Roy and Brenda Warren………………………..