EDITORIAL
You
could feel the prop wash in the room as the airman of the 420th fired
up the engines of their memories and climbed high into clouds of the days gone
by. The most common saying was “ Do You Remember” as the stories poured
across the tables. I was one of the
fortune ones who seen first hand the true feeling of the word
REUNION.
While
standing in front of the Holiday Inn, a shiny motorcycle pulled up with South
Carolina Plates on it, a person dressed in black leather seated off and said,
“ I’m Fred Jensen, I am looking for Berry Klas and 420th Air
Refueling reunion? We introduced ourselves, “Come on, and let’s go have a
drink”. Just as we started down the long hall and as if feat had taken over,
Berry Klas turned the corner at the other end of the hall. I slowed down to
watch, as if a magnet was pulling them together these two old friends that had
not seen each other for 45 years, embraced and the emotions of love of
friendship fill the air with happiness.
Sam
and Margaret Daily make the trip from Kaneohe, Hi to be at the reunion in
Tucson. Sam like so many others stated: “ I don’t think I know anyone
here!” Will it wasn’t long before Sam was kneed deep in story telling with
so many people he all of a sudden remembered.
People
change with age, but times we shared together don’t.
Marilyn
and I shared renewing old friendships with Bob Peck from Cottonwood, Arizona.
Bob and I went through Aircraft Engine School, Wichita Falls, TX and then
headed over seas to Korea via being stationed at Victorville, Ca. The Korean War
ended and we become permanent party at George Air Force Base at the 4th
Tow Target Squadron on B-26’s. Then we transferred to Alexandria and then to
England. We renewed our friendship after 45 years.
“
Good timing” Clyde Mathe, showed
up with a beautiful lady “ Netty” I don’t have enough paper to write how
much fun the group had with these two. If was lift up to the majority, they
would have been married in Mexico and I would have preformed the marriage
services. So we’re all waiting for the Marriage Invitation.
Tommy
and Monterey Lee, Roger (Peanut) and Loretta Knealing, Warren and (lets go eat)
Lorraine Polson Marvin & Margaret Haden told stories, and stories and then
showed a video.
The
Ladies showed up and had a hell’ve good time My good girl Friday Margarita
Iverson, Beryl Thomas, Luella Rodemeyer, thanks for the dance girls. Bloody
Mary- (make it real small Bill) Olga Zacharias. And to top off the ladies, one
of the nicest scenes I can relate to you, is when Buddy Ballard seen Lorraine
McClure for the first in a long time, the tears run with joy. That’s Nice.
I
would like to give a very special THANK YOU to a lady that comes to all of the
420th reunions all the way from England. Looking forward to next
time, Silva Taylor.
Our
good friend Manny Alegria who lives in Tucson was the designated driver to stock
up the booze for the party. Off to the store to get the booze making sure we had
enough for four days, Beer, ice, mix, goodies and what every the crew of the 420th
wants.
Manny
brought over his large ice chest and we filled it up with six cases of beer and
ice. “ LET THE PARY BEGIN ” will so much for that, two days later I went
back to the store for more…
Richard
& Marlene Ames give meaning to the saying, Old pilots never die they just
move to Fargo, ND, real nice seeing you two again. Floyd & Myrtis Perkins is
still in San Antonio, TX and believe me the people from Texas know how to party,
Right on Floyd, Our guardians of the great Northwest showed up, the older he
gets the more handsome he gets. John Hendrix, Seattle, and the Flying
McMullen’s Gerald and Marian who flew their Bonanza in from Spokane,
Washington.
Leading
the band of merry men & women at the table with the most laughs was Robert
& Dina Sunden, Roland & Margaret Fraga, Jack & Mary Kendrick, Norman
& Doris Darrow, and Bart & Beverly O’Keeffe they was not a dry eye at
the table.
Jerry
Ragas…Lets party until we drop Ragas. He told me 46 years ago to always
remember him this way. RAGAS THE COON ASS, FROM BURAS, LOUISIANA and you know I
never did forget his name, Thanks for the alligator head.
Soon
of the most enjoyable conversions at the reunion were with three super people,
Ariel Robinson, Derwood, MD, Tony Trenney, Blairsville, PA and Francis &
Vonda Meier, Worthington, MN, if you were to put your money on the best story
tellers, these people would be right up there in first place. I really enjoyed
my time with them.
Ed Williamson and Casmir Pudelski showed everyone at the 420th reunion what the true meaning of fun is, Pudelski has never changed in personally for 46 years I have known him, He is fun and enjoyable to be with, besides that he told that best story at the reunion. It goes like this…..
We
were on our way back from Alex to the base one night, of course, pretty well
boozed up. One of the guys was in his car in front of us driving at a high rate
of speed, when all of a suddenhis car hits a pig in the road and his car goes
into the ditch. Well, hell, we stop
, jump out of the car to see if he was ok. He was passed out, cold to the world,
not moving at all.
Now
the pig was lying in the road. So we get our good buddy out of the car, carried
him up on to the road, took all his cloths off and laid him over the top of the
pig.
We
jumped back in the car and headed for the main gate. We told the MP’s that
they was a guy lying in the road. and they took off to find him. we went to the
barracks.
The
Commanding Officer got a call in the middle of the night from the MP’s
“
Sir, we have one of your airmen down here in jail”
“
What for, being drunk and disorderly. “ No Sir,
Molesting a Pig”.
So
with that I will close and say we had a hell’ve good time at the
Tucson 2000 Reunion in
Arizona.
Let’s
do it all over again in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Keep
your power up and your wings straight.
Your
President
Bill
Dietzel
PS Send stories and pictures.