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The 2005 Reunion was once again held at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia with the current-day 1st
Battalion, 50th Infantry as hosts. The Reunion 2005 committee (John Topper, Bob Gold,
Randy Smith, Otis Ponds and Linda Payne) did a fantastic job in arranging another great
reunion.
Above is a photo of the Monument Donated by our Association and dedicated to our
fallen brothers. It has been given a place of honor in front of the 1/50th Battalion
Headquarters. Words cannot describe the emotions that flowed from us all as we witnessed a
dedication ceremony...highlighted by the arrival of a 1/50th Training Company! Those men
marched in calling cadence and brought tears... and remembrances of Basic Training
to the men of the Association fortunate enough to be witness to the moving event. For most
of us...it was the highlight of this reunion. |
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Reunion 2003 was held from Thursday April 24 to
Sunday April 27, 2003 at the Courtyard Marriott in Columbus,
Georgia and at Fort Benning. Over a
hundred guests attended the reunion at the Home of the Infantry which was hosted by the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry, a
top-line training battalion in the Infantry Training Brigade at Fort Benning.
Formal activities include a Fort Benning Command
Briefing, tour of the Infantry Museum
and Gift Shop, trips to Callaway Gardens and the Andersonville Civil War Prison and P.O.W. Museum, as
well as luncheons, BBQs, dinners and the General
Meeting.
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Our Friendly Hosts
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Many activities were shared with the Benning battalion, who
invited us to observe training, attend a graduation and even fire M16s to set a high
standard for the new trainees. We also were VIP guests at range firing of the lethal M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles
which replaced our M113A1s and awed us with the accuracy of the M242 25mm Bushmaster chain
gun fired on the move cross-country at 30 mph.
For details, photographs and feedback on the 2003 reunion, as well as Minutes of the
General Meeting, click on the reunion logo or Bob Gold's picture, or PRESS HERE.
More photographs will be added during the coming months as people send them in to the Website Committee for posting. |
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The Guest of Honor.
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Duty,
honor, achievement brought fame to one poor pig
Lost in Uniontown, Ohio, the day the battalion had a gig,
Who knew then that he was picked from all the pigs in town,
This friendly little porker, the one chosen to wolf down?
Bob and Harry stoked the fire, the charcoal piled
high
And when the fire was ready, the time came for him to die.
Rumbling stomachs beat a cadence, the chatter turned upbeat,
Over forty awe struck faces watched waiting soon to eat.
Duty, honor, achievement - the pomp a well-bred
piglet prizes,
The long waving line forming up, with plates and forks and knives,
For pig his time of glory came, though he was not around to see,
We miss him and we wish him well, for he well-served you and me!
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Who said 2002 would be dull without
a reunion? On July 5th and 6th, 2002, a gala two-day bash for 1/50 Vietnam Veterans and
their significant others was held at Bob Gold's property in Uniontown, Ohio. While not an
official reunion, the Association came to the party!!! Although it's always difficult to
single out highlights, they'd have to include Friday evening's cookout, Saturday's pig
roast, sharing with old friends and making new ones. Bob put on his chef's hat and
demonstrated his culinary talents, while others demonstrated their varying tolerances for
the amber fluid and war stories. A good time was had by all: however, some pigs, not
totally rapt with the proceedings, put up a delicious struggle!
The winning number in the Association's Ohio Lottery Drawing was 120,
drawn at the get-together at 1930 hours on 5 July 2002. Gladys Walulek of New Jersey, won
a check for $1,500. Holders of numbers on either side each won $150; they were John Thelen
from Michigan (119) and Cheney Bertholf from Florida (121). Congratulations to all
winners, and thanks to all participants.
Many thanks to Bob Gold, Jim Edwards and Randy Smith for putting this non-reunion
together. Photographs, names of attendees, "war stories" and gossip will be
published as they come to light. |
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Fifty-seven people attended the successful 2001 Reunion held at Harrah's in Las Vegas from
Sunday 11 March to Friday 16. The official program opened with a formal supper on Sunday
night, complete with a color guard to post the flag; a highlight of the event was the
tribute to Association Founder, Ken Riley. The Association elected a new slate of officers
for two year terms, headed by John Topper as President. Randolph Smith was elected Vice
President, Gary Quint as Secretary, Ken Riley as Treasurer, Toby Jordan as Chaplain and
Jim Sheppard as Historian.
Monday night's dinner at the VFW was more informal, and gave us a terrific opportunity to
circulate, renew old ties and make new ones.
On Tuesday, Ken Riley arranged a visit to Nellis Air Force Base and to the home of the
Thunderbirds.
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| The second reunion was held in Kansas City. At the reunion,
the Association elected a slate of officers headed by Dick Guthrie as President. The photo
at the right shows the officers, starting at the top left with Toby Jordan and working
around clockwise to Jim Sheppard, Ken Riley, Dick Guthrie and Norm Poage. Dick was the
keynote speaker at the formal dinner speaking on his return to Binh Dinh Province, and his
powerful PowerPoint presentation from the 1999 Reunion is available in a Real Audio
format, courtesy of David Baker.
The PowerPoint presentation is now available for downloading. Please note that it is a
large file (over 6 MB).
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The first reunion was held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Washington, D.C.
At the formal meeting, the Association organized and the first officers for
the Association were voted in. A highlight was a trip to the Vietnam Memorial, known as
"The Wall" and the Korean War Memorial. This was the first trip for most of the
attendees, and just about everything in the area was visited, including an evening in Old
Town. A visit to America's most hallowed ground, the National Military Cemetery at
Arlington ("Where Valor Proudly Sleeps"), completed our first reunion.
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