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Re: Re: Re: reunion

Submitted by Jim Sheppard - Assn. Historian <kiss-ac@juno.com> on 24/Jun/2008 in reply to Re: Re: reunion posted by Jan Owen on 23/Jun/2008
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I reviewed my response to the original post here. My apologies for not being more attentive to ALL your questions!

You mention our tendency to dwell on the battle of An Bao on May 5, 1968. This is likely true…as it, along with the Battle of Tam Quan, were two of our major fights years ago. You will see other incidents remembered as well if you monitor our message board throughout the year. Feel free to post something when any event comes to your mind. I cannot guarantee it, but more than likely someone will remember and post a response. I am always monitoring the board as well, and can generally post up some information based on the thousands of pages of documentation I have collected for the Association.

Although our Association was initially made up mostly of men from the first year our Battalion was in Vietnam, the overall makeup has changed dramatically over the years. We now have representation from all three years at our reunions, and, although there is no guarantee you will meet someone you remember, I can promise you will meet men who walked the same familiar areas of operation.

Our membership, regardless of the dates served, has found this familiarity to be a very bonding and unifying element in our gatherings. In fact, our current Vice President was with the unit at the very end, in 1970.

There will always be the debate as to whether we should move our reunion throughout the country, as we once did, or continue to have them at Fort Benning as has been done since 2003. To date, the experience at Benning has been so positive that the membership vote for the site of the next reunion, which is held at each reunion, has been nearly unanimously in favor of remaining.

The way we have been treated by the current day 1/50th is incredible. We are truly treated as royalty from the ranks at Fort Benning, including the Base Commander, Brigade Commander and the Battalion Commanders & staff of the 1/50th. Even the hotels where we have stayed have gone out of their way to provide us with very adequate space to socialize at the end of each day's activities....including the exclusive use of additional space for display of our hard copy archives (my baby!)

Our hope is that more will come and experience this very healing event. I know I can hardly wait for the next reunion...and it will be my 4th at Benning!

We hope you and others will come and represent your specific time frame with the battalion. I can promise you will NOT be disappointed!

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