Final Reunion Thoughts - Remembering Charlie Company

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Final Reunion Thoughts - Remembering Charlie Company

Postby Jim Sheppard » Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:16 pm

I spent this morning putting a response together for Bob Driscoll...former Platoon Leader of Charlie Company, 3rd Platoon (Right before Harry Wilson). Bob had sent me a photo of Sgt Martin, 4C (Mortars) that brought back some memories. I thought the "back and forth" conversation might ring true for many of you...as you think of all the acquaintences...old and new...we will remember in the coming week at the reunion.

Following is the photo...the original comment by Bob Driscoll, and my response.

Image

Jim,

This photo was sent me by Jim Martin-former Plt Sgt CoC mortars. Thought you might get a kick out of it.
Can you believe we were that young once. Have a great reunion.

Regards,

Bob Driscoll

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bob!

SGT Martin I remember!...and is the strapping young LT on the left none other than the former third Platoon Leader??

The reunions are always great. It would have been much better if you could have been there. We may not have many more of these...and I cannot guarantee that Jim Tilley the younger will be back after this one. Too many of the third platoon guys don't come. I will always miss Toby Hamon. We were practically inseparable at those few reunions. He did not miss a single gathering between his first in KC and his last before the fatal Heart Attack in 2005.

I can understand some maybe still trying to put the war behind them (Never totally possible…and the worst PTSD cases have found the reunions better than years of therapy!) and maybe finances (I would mortgage the house to make it to one of these....no wait...I already did! ~grin~ Then there are guys with Physical "Issues"...Norm Poage has not had many healthy days since he was at the Kansas City Reunion in 99. We thought he would be gone for good a few weeks back…but he has cheated death one more time! I would love to beat the grim reaper to Norm for another visit…but suspect that might not happen. He saved me from falling into a punji pit once. Ken Riley has been conspicuously absent from communication and Association business for years now...but he tells me he is getting more dependent on Oxygen...and travel is not easy (Although I could check the computer at Harrah's and I bet he has no trouble traveling to Atlantic City several times a year! :lol:

Cecil Montgomery was also confined to the oxygen apparatus several years back. I wonder if maybe some of these guys have died…and we just don’t know it. A sad possibility. Speaking of that….Glen Dulsky swore he would get to one of these when I stopped to see him while working the Limo in Pennsylvania several years back. We heard from his wife and daughter when he passed….never made it.

This year we will likely break all attendance records at the gathering. We have already had to make arrangements beyond two busses...and we have never needed more than two before. We will have 22 Family and friends at the Wreath Laying Ceremony, and that's just the number from people who have let us know they are coming. We notified over 200 of those people about the event...and odds are some will just "show up". Given the short notice we gave these folks, next time might see this number double!

I am particularly thinking of Colquette and the other guys from Charlie, Third Platoon...Roskilly
comes to mind as well...and Wroblewski. We saw Ewing at Kansas City...along with Escott...and never since. There are guys that Jim Martin would know....the guy from Staten Island who moved to South Carolina….Joe Rinaldi! How about those guys in Florida...I have not seen Fred Maida since we spent New Year's Eve in Saigon in 1967-8.

There's always some reason...a vacation...a time share someplace...one of the grand-kids is having a tooth pulled...a cruise someplace....sheesh.
Maybe they have all been looking at the pictures of past reunions at Benning...and there is something fearful about the possibility of seeing their wife holding a fully loaded weapon on the rifle range! :D

There’s other guys I am betting I may never see again….Jim Kelliher and Wally Chow are a couple.Al Smith up on the Delaware River is a guy I would love to see…but I don’t think he has made a reunion since Washington? Not even sure he was there…as I had not found the Association yet for that one. Speaking of Washington, Herb Randall was there…and has not been back. Maybe he was at Las Vegas…since he lives there…but I missed that one myself! (GUILTY!) :mrgreen:

There are some I have only touched base with a few times over the years…Tom Dubiel is one.

On the positive side…it will be great to see Frisbie! Although he defected to “D” Company! Maybe that’s why he is showing up. “D” Company seems to put most of the others to shame as far as attendance goes. We’re also getting more and more guys from the later years…and we all get along extremely well. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing Tom Schroeder! He will be there for the first time. Jay Copley, of course, was the exciting find before the last reunion…and now the 50th Infantry Battalion Honorary Sergeant Major. :D

Many are bringing their wives, children, and a few Grandchildren! Knightly and his wife are always there.
Drill Sergeant Kerr will be there (I still have a hard time calling him anything but “Sarge”…he still towers over everyone! Mike Canavan is always there as well as Harry Wilson.

I know Neil Miller was hard pressed to make this one…but he likely won’t miss another one. It’s always good to see Neil. Can’t say where Dan Missoff is in the mix…but he’s not coming this year.

There’s others whose names only show up on the e-mail list…mine and the Association’s: Pete Robinson, Tande, Voncina, SGT Cheney (another one I would HAVE to call “Sarge”), Chaplain Dulany (I wonder how many never even check the website for reunion info?), Fellows, Fiedler.
I would love to see Matt Morrison again…he doesn’t live far from Benning as I recall.
We lost Seth Sindell’s e-mail address…and I will likely find several in this e-mail that will “bounce”.

Today I will begin organizing the Association Archives at my storage facility and here at home. I will clean and load the van between today and Saturday….and head south from New Jersey on Sunday Morning. Ruth will join me on Thursday for the Banquet (and an “unofficial” honeymoon. It will be the first time we will be alone since the wedding last Friday…Hawaii is planned with the kids the last week in August)

I have everything worked out logistically except for what to do with a map I made that was designed to fit on a 4’ x 8’ display sheet. Turns out that’s just a few inches too long for my van….unless I take the seats out…which I cannot do this trip. I may have to trim the map today and get it on a slightly smaller piece of plywood.

I’m not going to try to post photos while the reunion is ongoing this time. Last time I did…and likely should have spent less time on that and more time resting…as I was sick as a dog that trip! I am also going to break up the 1000 mile trip into two days this time. I swore after the last marathon driving adventure I would never try the trip “non-stop” again…so I’ll spend a night in North Carolina on the way down.

You do know you could just “pop in”. I’ve always been prone to “spur of the moment” deals like that.

Sincerely,

Jim Sheppard
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Re: Final Reunion Thoughts - Remembering Charlie Company

Postby Jim Sheppard » Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:53 pm

As I suspected, some e-mails are no longer working. So Far:

Pete Robinson, Al Smith, Rick Tande, Steve Escot and Cecil Montgomery are "out of touch". I have Steve Escot's phone number and address in North Jersey. An Ambush may be planned! :lol: (Steve nominated me for Historian in Kansas City....I have not regretted taking on the duties and shall continue as long as I am able & wanted)
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Re: Final Reunion Thoughts - Remembering Charlie Company

Postby harley hawkins » Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:38 pm

We owe Steve Escot's big time for nominating Jim as Historian.Jim and the Alumni Association and the officers of the Association I can only say thanks for the time and hard work you put in.
You know the easy way is to forget. Not taking a part. Not having time to remember those that gave their tomorrows so we could have our todays.
The folks who loss loved ones are aching to hear what happen. For years they have wanted to know were,when,how and with who.
It is hard to remember. It is hard to tell their story. Jim and the officers of the association put forth a great effort to make sure they are not forgotten.
This reunion is building up to be one of the best of all time. I got a phone call from Sgt Bell . I just can't wait to meet him again.

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