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On October 6,7,8 2008 Members of the 2nd Airborne Battle Group of the 187 Airborne Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division Signal Platoon from 1956 to 1958 had it's first reunion. It was fifty years since we had gotten together. The Reunion was held at Clarksville, TN. at Fort Campbell Kentucky. There were 15 of the 51 members of our platoon present for this reunion, so far we have located 21 members of the platoon that are living and nine members who are deceased, Our plan is to continue to search for more members and to have our second reunion in October 2009 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Those who attended the first reunion were as Follows:
Wally Duffin, Jimmy Wolke, Dick Paulson, Al Lessman, Gene Beck, Gil Bass, Jesse Underwood, Ottis Cato, Fernando Villafranca, Claudio Aragon, Bill Kronen, Duane Tinnes, Jerry Johnson, Tony Flis and John Darby.
Those members who have been located but were unable to attend the first reunion were as follows:
Edward York, Antonio Guilbeault, Adrian Greenwald, Paul Brennan JR, Robert Spiess, and Ralph Gift.
Those members who are deceased are as follows:
Roland Baatz, George Barber, Jerry Case, Edward Devine, Bernard Gossner, Thomas Heath, George Maurer, Melvin Oberholtzer, Leroy Titman, Don Arbuckle.
Photos:
To see "Reunion Photos" From 2008 Reunion click on link below
http://picasaweb.google.com/RakkasanSigPlat/Minutes From The 50th 187 Signal Platoon Reunion:187th Airborne 50th Reunion Website: www.187airborne.blogspot.com
Farewell Meeting
Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
October 9, 2008
Present:Wally Duffin, Jimmy Wolke, Tony Flis, Dick and Marion Paulson, Al and Beth Lessman, Gene and Grace Beck, Gil Bass and Joan Root, Jesse and Joan Underwood, Ottis and Marie Cato, Fernando Villafranca, Bill and Patti Kronen, Duane Tinnes, Jerry Johnson, John Darby, Claudio Aragon.
Meeting Called to Order at 9:30 by Duane Tinnes.Certificates - Duane presented the following certificates:
· Jump Contest – This was a challenge sent by Bill Kronen over the Internet to all Bill Kronen won the Jump Contest Certificate.
· Company Roster – This certificate was presented to Al and Beth Lessman for their extensive research on the MOS records.
· You Name Them, We Find Them Certificate – This certificate was presented to Jesse and Joan Underwood for finding information about the most Platoon members.
· Search Them Out Achievement – This certificate was presented to Dick Paulson for initiating this Reunion “Project” and finding the Platoon members.
Expenses of Reunion· Duane announced that the costs of the shirts, hats, cups, and hotel meeting room came to $54 for each individual Platoon member. Please pay Duane or Claudio.
Process of Beginnings of Reunion· Dick Paulson stated that 51 men were likely in the Platoon. 21 have been found alive, 9 are deceased, 15 came to this Reunion. Edward York was unable to attend and Ralph Gift declined the invitation.
· Bill Kronen called Dick Paulson. Then Bill found Al Lessman. Then they found Duane when they realized that the “Genie was out of the Bottle.” From that point, these members decided to look for as many as they could find of the Platoon.
Remembering Deceased Members· Bill Kronen publically remembered 9 known deceased members of the Platoon:
o Bernard J. Gossner
o Roland Baatz
o George R. Barber
o Edward J. (Andy) Devine
o George Maurer
o Thomas A. Heath
o Melvin Titman
o Melvin Oberholtzer
o Jerry Case
o Don Arbuckle (Jimmy Wolke added him as he said he knew he was deceased)
· Bill added the names members who they presume are deceased because of military records:
o James H. Franklin
o Thomas Dunkin
o John R. Robinson
· Present Platoon Members told brief stories of remembrance for lost Platoon Members
· Moment of Silence for lost Platoon Members
Remembering “Good Times” in the Army· A discussion followed with present Platoon Members reminiscing about the good and bad times they shared together .
· Anyone should feel free to post any later remembered stories on the Website Blog.
Finding More Brothers Who Served with the Platoon· Dick Paulson shared places where he looked for Platoon Member’s names such as the websites that are in the materials passed out to each member, websites about Veterans’ Walls, prison lists, etc. He urged all to continue looking for anyone in the Platoon list not accounted for.
Future Reunions· It was decided to make this a yearly Reunion. Next year it will be held in Myrtle Beach and the group will tour Ft. Bragg. Ottis and Marie Cato volunteered to coordinate next year’s Reunion. The dates will be October 6 – 8, 2009.
Flowers to the Women· Duane presented all the women with a bouquet of flowers, and they were greatly appreciated.
Meeting adjourned 10:45 am.Respectfully submitted,
Joan Root
Here we are, preparing for the second annual reunion for the 187 Airborne Infantry Regiment Signal Platoon from 1956 - 1958.
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