This is the second newsletter for the RETIRED AIRBORNE RIGGER REUNION to be held at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 2010. Well, I announced in the last letter that the first Rigger Veteran to get his $100.00 in to me was LTG Richard E. Seitz, 90 years old. That is still true. He was the first one to mail it in, but CPL Brumfield paid me $100.00 for the 2010 reunion in Branson, so I have to mention that because he sent me a BIG "GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER." LTG Seitz still gets an ATTA-BOY for being the first to mail it in. It is still $100.00 per person, and that will get you all the standard "goodies" as before at previous reunions. Exact dates are to be announced AT A LATER DATE.

Get your money on the books so I can start earning some interest on a CD I am buying. I would truly appreciate guys like Lamonica, Campbell, Debbie Lee, Barnette, Hempstead, Haines, Driskill, Eggers, Winn, Feasenmyer, Castleberry, Biltz, Branstetter, Woolfolk, and all you other laid back veterans to get me a check in the mail now. This is not going to break you, and it is for a good cause - to help make ends meet. Also, it would be so nice if each of you send 100 stamps to boost up the stamp kittie. This will be a very expensive place because of the bus costs.

Will be having the Saturday night supper in the Fort Bragg Officer’s Club, and if you were with us before in 1995 and 2000, the food was very good. We will be touring various units on post, going to the drop zone as before, and all the moving about will be by civilian bus. I truly hope that I can count on some of my BIG contributors that have stepped forward in the past to come forward with a healthy donation. I also need stamps, so how about dropping your check in the mail with 100 stamps.

Keep in mind that the only news I have to report is what you bring to me, or if I call you whatever you tell me, and I don’t generally print anything in the newsletter unless you OK it. I would appreciate it when someone dies if the next of kin would send me a copy of the death notice, and I will try to print all the death OBITS with the newsletter.

Major Ulsh shot and killed a big pig up in Kentucky, but the article was lost. I am sorry Major. It was careless of me. OK, we also may need some more new pictures for the wall to hang up along with what we have. Hardly any of you are checking the WEB SITE for any information that we may place on the WEB SITE. I get word that you are checking the RED HAT CHAPTER web site. What are you doing that for unless you want to read about the Iraqi war? Check the WEB SITE where you will find your name and your information.

--- THINGS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW---

• Received word that CW4 William D Chrisman, age 82, has died in a nursing home in Clarksville, TN, after sustaining a fall. CW4 Chrisman was a Rigger veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
• Have managed to relocate CW2 Thomas Eden, still in sunny Florida and remarried to a lovely lady by the name of Antoinette. CW2 Eden told me several years ago he was tired of attending reunions. As far as I can remember he only ever attended one reunion at Fort Lee in 1993. Hope to have Tom and Antoinette back with us.
• Have also found CW2 Grant L. Willes who has transferred from Iraq to Brazil still working in the American Embassy. Glad to have him back with us. He once again has made a large contribution for the upcoming reunion in 2010, and he sent me a letter which I am attaching to this newsletter for your reading pleasure. This letter touches my heart.
• Received a check and stamps from SGT Richard Taylor down in Georgia. SGT Taylor made the comment that he enjoyed reading the article on 1SG Lester McLaney. It will be great to see SGT Taylor here at Bragg in 2010. Let’s hope he brings "Blackie" with him.
• Received a check from LTC Sturgeon and his wife, Inez. LTC Sturgeon informed me that CSM O’Neal was his 1SG in Vietnam after 1SG Jones departed. I called LTC Sturgeon and he was getting ready to go to the casinos in Vicksburg for some gambling, and he said that he would give the reunion half of anything he wins.
• Received a check from my old Boss-man MAJ James Garvey who informed me that he has lost one kidney to surgery, but has made a complete recovery and ready for the next manifest call here at Bragg in 2010. MAJ Garvey is 71 years old.
• Received the following from MSG Lou Tawney. Lou says that he is going to John Hopkins Hospital to have bone scans of both knees. He will have surgery on the left knee as soon as possible. The surgeon is going to do a revision on both knees but not at the same time. They will open the whole knee to do the revision surgeries. His left knee is going on 19 years and it is collapsing a lot on him. His surgeon says he is losing bone mass in the knee cap, so they will do the left knee first.
• I guess I failed to mention that CW4 Bob Page came up to Fayetteville and we got together with SFC Gagan, SSG Carhuff, SMG Shaffer, and myself for a quick lunch over in Southern Pines.
• I am sorry to tell you that SFC Thomas B. (OD) O’Donnell Sr. died in the Fayetteville Veterans Hospital at age 78. SFC O’Donnell had been in ill health for the past several years. He had Alzheimer and throat cancer. SFC O’Donnell retired prior to 1976 from Special Forces. He went to Rigger School sometime in the early 60’s and served in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
• My good friend, CW4 Wallace, and wife visited their son, Terry Jr., at his mountain cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia. They made their visit the first weekend in March. As we all know, Wallace doesn’t come out of Florida unless it is a Retired Rigger Reunion, but he and his lovely wife, Angela, made an exception and made the trip. Wallace says the area is beautiful with many scenic and historical sites. They visited Jasper, GA, home of Marble Mountain. Wallace also spoke very highly of Blue Ridge, GA. It is about 3000 ft above sea level and the area is home to the Black Bear. It can be hunted with a license and bow and arrow. The down town area hasn’t changed much since its establishment in the 1800’s. It has many shops highlighting Black Bears. Wallace did make mention that they woke up on Sunday, March 1^st with 7 inches of snow on the ground and the temperature was 15 degrees F. Wallace immediately loaded the car and headed back to Florida.
• Received an E-mail from MAJ Bob Roughton telling me that after six weeks of COPD, bronchitis, & emphysema, he developed congestive heart failure with fluid in his lungs, and he also had a sleep apnea that interfered with his breathing. He went to the hospital on February 16^th and had a heart attack while he was there. They wanted to do exploratory surgery even though he is not a good candidate for open heart surgery or insertion of stents. So, he refused and came home on the 20^th. MAJ Roughton says he is feeling much better, has lost 21 lbs, looking forward to attending the Rigger Reunion in 2010, and getting his over-70 plaque and living life to the fullest.
• Received a check and stamps from LTC Joe and Nancy Gill who made mention that they had just returned from the Dominican Republic on vacation and enjoyed it. They are looking forward to Fort Bragg to see all the changes and new construction. LTC Gill mentioned that they are doing new construction all over Fort Lee, VA.
• I have just been told that my dear old friend, MSG Harry A. Hanna (72 years old), died at his home last night. He had been told just several weeks ago that he had a very aggressive brain tumor. MSG Hanna had attended Rigger School in 1956 and had been assigned to the 549^th and the 82d Airborne PS&M Company. After retiring from the Army, MSG Hanna worked at the ACE Board in the CDC Branch and was an active test jumper as a civilian employee. MSG Hanna was preceded in death by his wife in 2006. MSG Hanna loved to conduct test jumps from 5,000 feet and 10,000 feet using a static line parachute and setting in the harness looking out over the drop zone and woods, searching for good fishing places.
• Received word that Mrs. Maureen C. DeVesconi (75) died in her home on 19^th March. CW4 Joe D. DeVesconi and Maureen had been married for 55 years. Maureen was always a pleasure to talk to at the Rigger Reunions and will be sorely missed.
• Received word this morning that COL John E. Dawley (age61) died in Loyola University Hospital on March 6^th due to complications and a weakened state due to a marrow transplant and a huge dose of chemotherapy. COL Dawley served 26 years in the US Army. He had commanded the 530^th Supply and Support Battalion here at Fort Bragg, NC. He was a Master Parachutist and a Parachute Rigger.
• I have not had any contact with the following Rigger Veterans: CW4 Potter, CW3 Puckett, CW4 Miller, SFC Mortensen, CW4 Motley, CW2 Llacuna, SFC Maggard, CW4 Manning, CW4 Mathis, SFC McKinney, CW4 Langstraat, MSG Houston, SFC Johnson, LTC Haines, CW4 Harrison, COL Hospodar, CW4 Garrett, 1SG Goodrid, LTC Gudmundson, LTC Emery, SFC Eggers, SFC Eldridge, CW2 Eden, COL Foley, CW4 Ford, MAJ Driskill, SSG Duncan, CW4 Deal, MSG Deloach, COL Cross, CW4 Croteau, LTC Daniel, COL Cuthbertson, COL Daly, LTC Butte, SGT Byington, SGT Campbell, COL Chant, MSG Boger, CW4 Bray, CPL Brumfield, CW3 Lamonica, CW4 Blacka, 1SG Armistead, and SGM Alderman. I have spoken to CW4 Morris (age 90) and MSG Aasal (age 83), BG Smith (age 85) LTG Seitz (age91), COL Weisinger (age 82), CW4 Ward (84), and all seem to be doing well. Completely lost are CW4 Walker, SGM Sowder, CW3 Sizemore, 1SG Stainaker, MSG Stevens, 1SG Rachels, SFC Readshaw, and MSG Register. I feel that all of the above are afraid they will have to send me some money. Why are people so cheap??

CLEAR SKIES: ROY & BRENDA WARREN