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Updated : 10 JUNE 2010
Look for the RED highlights for JUNE 2010 information.
(Scroll down to see photos just added of the RCA
2010 RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER,
and new report from Tom Mowell)
The PINK highlights were added in MAY 2010)
2010 REUNIONS
07 MAY 2010: Leon Lacy has provided information on the upcoming
MARSHALL "JIM" IRBY'S 6TH ANNUAL RANGE RAT REUNION
ATTENTION
ALL FORMER RANGE RATS!
(this includes all companies that worked down range).
WHERE: Marshall "Jim" Irby's home in Hawthorne Florida (S E of Gainesville, Florida).
1224 SE 163rd Street, Hawthorne FL 32640
It is scheduled for 17 & 18 Sept. 2010 (Friday and Saturday) .
DATES:
17 Sept., serving at 5 PM
- Fried Fish and Shrimp, Cole Slaw, Hushpuppies, Iced Tea
- Cost: $10.00 per person.
18 Sept., serving at 2 PM
– BBQ Chicken & Ribs, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Dinner Rolls, Iced Tea
- Cost: $10.00 per person
===>DO NOT PAY FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE IN ADVANCE.
PAYMENT WILL BE RECEIVED AT JIM’S UPON ARRIVAL.<===
BYOB for soft drinks, beer, booze.
Please bring your own chairs.
Open all day Friday and Saturday until...
so come early and bring your pictures & stories
Accommodations: Arrangements have been made at two hotels in Gainsville FL for this get-together, a special discount rate will be given to Range Rats!
Contact Lacy or Jim for further info. on the hotels (see below).
===>Space for Motor Homes available at "Jim" Irby's place!<===
The deadline to RSVP for the number in your party attending the reunion, as well as reservations for the motel accommodations is September 10, 2010. This is the final date in order to get special rates and confirm your attendance for the Fish Fry and BBQ.
For further details on hotel accommodations and other info desired,
all interested parties should get in contact with
Leon Lacy, (321) 427-3409
You can also reach Lacy at this email address by clicking: HERE
OR
Contacting Jim Irby at (352) 481-4094
03 APRIL 2010
THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE
SINKING OF THE USNS VANDENBERG REUNION !!
Thursday 27 May 2010, in Key West Florida
(Information provided by "Mac" Monroe)
The 1st anniversary of the sinking of the Vandy will occur in less than two months, on Thursday the 27th of May 2010. John Gentry has suggested that a gathering in Key West to celebrate the event is in order. I completely agree with John, and am passing his suggestion on to those of you who have not heard it directly from him.
All of those who had trouble getting to the actual sinking, when the date kept changing and moving can take heart from the fact that the anniversary date is never going to change! It will always be on 27 May, every year, so that should make your long range planning easier.
On Thursday 27 May 2010, there will be a gathering of ship troops in Kelly's Caribbean Bar, Grill, & Brewery, 301 Whitehead Street (corner of Whitehead and Caroline) in Key West. Check out: Kelly's Caribbean Bar website. Kelly's is in the historic building that was the original headquarters of Pan American Airlines, which was connected to the ARIS program as you all know. Kelly's will treat us well, with happy hour prices all day and some specials as well.
You will need an ID badge, so please let John Gentry know you are coming so he can arrange for an ID badge to be available. Click here to send email to John Gentry The plan is basically to greet old friends, and sit around and BS and tell sea stories, and reminisce about the Vandy. Most of us will probably get there at least a day early, and probably hang around through Friday as well, but the "official" gathering will happen on Thursday. Be advised that 27 May is the Thursday of the Memorial Day Weekend, so hotel rooms are becoming tight in Key West. I recommend that you make your reservations early.
I really like the idea of a gathering, and at this point I plan to be there. Further, I would suggest that we just plan on gathering on the 27th of May every year, as long as there are some of us left. Let it become an annual reunion, and as Pat Utecht has suggested, possibly a "Last Man Standing" party for those who spent time at sea on the Vandy. If you can't make it this year, how about next year, or the year after??
There is an effort underway to produce a one hour TV documentary on the Vandy, intended for PBS-TV. The documntary is expected to be completed in time for the second anniversary of the sinking, on 27 May 2011. As a part of that effort, there may be a cameraman at Kelly's for the gathering on the 27th of May. If the camera does show up, it's your chance for 15 seconds of fame!
If you attended this reunion, why not send me an email of any happenings at this event that would be of interest to others who did not attend and of those you recognized that attended.
thanx
Send Email to Joe
2010 PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS
REUNION
Cruise to Bermuda r/t New York, May 9 - May 16, 2010
on the MS Veendam
On 21 Sept 09 John Gladden passed this info on to me about the 2010 Pan Am employees reunion. John said that for many years the Pan Am Range Rats, which were a division of the airline, ARE eligible to take the cruise if they want to sign up and that he is sure those who like to travel and can afford it, would appreciate knowing about it. There are some Pan Am folks who would like to attend, but never find out about the reunions.
Additional DETAILS on this cruise can be found by clicking
here.
27 APRIL 2010
RCA'S OLD -TIMER'S 2010 REUNION IS NOW HISTORY!
Thanks to Barney "Mac" McDowell, who in March 2010 provided the information on the
21th RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER of 17 April 2010:
(It was a great success! from what I hear)
"Mac's" timely email provided more news and scans about this RCA "reunion": The RCA Oldtimer's Get-Together for 2010 at the Shrine AZAN Auditorium in Melbourne, Fla. (same place as last year) Flyers were mailed out in March.
See
Page 1.
Page 2. I suggest printing out in landscape mode as the print will be easier to read, the original print was on light blue paper so it was hard to get a good scan.
17 APRIL 2010 HANK TAYLOR HAD THIS TO REPORT ABOUT THE 2010 RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER:
"Hi Joe, I'm so sorry that you couldn't make it to the RCA Oldtimers Reunion. I and others would like to have seen you.
I just got back from the reunion a few hours ago. They had a pretty nice dinner catered by Dustins BBQ. I ate with Don Halter and his wife Ann. Saw quite a few of the old Range Rats, not too many from our old days at Grand Turk; but the ones that I can think of, that I haven't forgotten already, aside from Don Halter was Fred Perkins and Billy Volner, who is still working on the range. Also Dick Mouseau but I don't remember if he was at Turk or San Salvador.
All for now, Hank."
07 JUNE 2010 PHOTOS ADDED OF THE 2010 RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER:
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PICTURES THAT HANK TAYLOR, TOOK AT THE 2010 RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER. |
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#01. Three RR's ? standing by the photo display.
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#04. RR's Don Halter (left) and Billy Volner (right)
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#16. RR's Barney "Mac" McDowell (left), Fred Perkins (middle), unknown (right)
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#06. Looking at the photo display, with the RCA dog standing guard.
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#15. The crowd at the RCA Old Timers Get-Together.
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#20. Another view of the crowd at the RCA Old Timers Get-Together.
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Anyone who wants to see larger views of these photos,
send me an email.
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18 APRIL 2010 FRED PERKINS SENT IN HIS REPORT OF THIS 2010 RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER:
Sheila and I attended the 21st RCA Old-timer's Reunion in Melbourne yesterday.
Believe they had record attendance, although I didn't get an exact figure.
I didn't take my camera, so no pictures this year.
First time attendees I had an opportunity to talk to included Fred Bird, Don Halter, Ted and Tanya Pace, Hank Taylor and Bill Volner. I hadn't seen Bill since 1957 on St. Lucia, Don and Hank since the late '50s on Grand Turk.
Other folks seen or talked to: Merrill Anderson, Dave Bierle, Dave Burch, Ron Blackburn, Gordon and Olga Clarke, Vic Craft, Chauncey and Carol Dunn, Jim Edwards, Maurice Jones, Benny Juhl, Leon Lacy, Fran Mason, Mac McDowell, Frank and Rhonda O'Leary, Paul Gafford, Les Purdue, Hoot Ringo, John Rose, Dave Simonson, Larry Smith, Norm Tucker, Les Waddill, Bruce Watson and Dennis Wood.
Sheila helped "Mac" with the door prizes, and by the time we wrapped up chatting it was nearly 5 PM. A good time was had by all!
20 APRIL 2010
The below panoramic photo was take at the 21st RCA Old-timer's Reunion and sent in by Leon Lacy
Click on above image for an enlarged view
and then click it again for a much larger view.
07 MAY 2010: CATHY GORETSKY ATTENDED THE GET-TOGETHER TOO AND WROTE THIS:
"The RCA Old Timers get together today (17 April) was great and a bigger crowd than last year. It was wonderful to wander around and talk to so many friends. What a great afternoon. Thank you Arbe McDowell and Vic Craft and both of your wives for all your hard work so that we could all enjoy a great afternoon."
(Editors note: This was originally in the Range Rat Sign-in Book and I've moved it over here).
07 JUNE 2010: TOM MOWELL IS THE LATEST TO REPORT ON THIS RCA GET-TOGETHER, HE WROTE:
Joe, I went to the RCA Ole Timers reunion in April 2010 and the first person I ran into was Hoot Ringo who I hadn't seen since Dec. 1958. We had a great time talking and catching up for most of the afternoon. Hoot and his wife live in Rockledge, FL right on the Indian River and I am planning on going over and
seeing him soon. He had a run of some bad health but seemed to have come through it in good shape. Hoot is the same Hoot we knew on the range and is as sharp as a tack.
Also at that same gathering I ran into Don Akerberg who I knew on Antigua and believe it or not I recognized him. He must have found the fountain of youth or something because he looks great. He and I talked a good deal and then talked again on a long phone call he made to me. He lives in Port St. Lucie in the
winter and in mid May heads to Illinois where he has grandchildren.
Thanks Hank, Fred, Cathy, Tom and Leon for your input and the photos, which gives us who could not attend some news about what went on and a view of who attended.
Now who will be the next person that wants to share their observations on this 2010 RCA Old-Timer's Get-Together? Send me an email!
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2009 REUNIONS
Jim Irby's 5th Annual Range Rat Reunion at Hawthorne FL. was
held on 23 & 24 Oct 2009.
11 NOV. 2009: FRED PERKINS (RCA RANGE RAT) SENT IN THIS REPORT:
I did go to Jim Irby's get-together in October. Attendance was down a lot from past reunions. Most of the Pan Am folks who attend these reunions are people that came on the range after we left, so you and I know very few of them. These functions run for two days, Friday and Saturday, but my wife Sheila and I only attended the Saturday part of it.
Pan Am people I did know who we saw were Bruce and Ann Watson, George Smith, Russ Reed, Jerry Lindsey, Bobby Prince.
The RCA folks were Kurt and Deirdre Jarvis, Les Waddell, Ken and Eula Jourdan, Ann Wietgriefe, Mike and Carol Grant, Leon Lacy. There were a couple other RCA people there, but I can't remember their names. I guess what I need to do is examine the sign in book the next time we go, so I can give a reasonable list of names to you.
Great set of pictures on your site from this function, thanks to Leon Lacy.
07 FEB. 2010 :
The below panoramic photo was take at the Irby 2009 reunion and sent in by Leon Lacy
Click on above image for an enlarged view
and then click it again for a much larger view.
29 OCT. 2009:
Leon Lacy has a web photo album page of the 2009 Irby Reunion, Look and see if you can find yourself or see who attended:
Click here to see the photo album (101 photos) takes a while to download .
If you also attended this reunion, why not send me an email of any range rat news you learned that would be of interest to other who did not attend and of those you recognized.
thanx
Send Email to Joe
RCA'S OLD -TIMER'S 2009 REUNION IS NOW HISTORY!
Thanks to Jack Tolman, who in early March 2009 provided the information on the
20th RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER of 4 April 2009:
(It was a great success!)
Jack's timely email provided more news and scans about this RCA "reunion": The RCA Oldtimer's Get-Together for 2009 at the Shrine AZAN Auditorium in Melbourne, Fla. (same place as last year) Flyers were mailed out in early March.
You can see scans of the 2009 flyer:
Page 1.
Page 2. I suggest printing out in landscape mode as the print will be easier to read, the original print was on light blue paper so it was hard to get a good scan.
06 Apr. 2009 FRED PERKINS SENT IN HIS REPORT OF THIS 2009 RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER:
Attendance seemed up from last year. Most of the people were up-rangers, as usual, but there were still a hardcore group of downrangers. My wife, Sheila, helped Mac with the doorprizes by drawing the winning numbers out of a container.
We enjoyed the usual re-telling of rangerat stories from long ago. I missed seeing John Thomas, who always attended these events and worked as a volunteer in the cold drinks area. John passed on since the last event. Several people asked about the url for your site, so I wrote it on the back of some old business cards and passed it out.
Here are the rangerats that we recognized: John Abo, Tom Alman, Dave Bierle,
Doris Campbell, Gordon Clarke, Jim Edwards, Ray and Tina Fenimore, Curt and Deidre Jarvis. Maurice Jones, Benny Juhl, Bill Kenney, Leon Lacy, Alison Leth-Steensen,
Mac Mcdowall, Fran Mason, Max Miller, Les Purdue, Hoot Ringo, Larry Smith,
Norm Tucker, Les and Carol Waddill.
25 May 2009 BILL BAILEY HAD THIS TO REPORT ABOUT THE 2009 RCA OLD-TIMER'S GET-TOGETHER:
"I brought Dick Langley an old friend of mine to the old timers reunion, and I wonder how many people recognised him sitting at the end of the bar. He was the PAN AM clipper mentioned on your range history piece, as the 1$ a year man. Dick is retired now but still cuts some of his friends hair at his home in Indialantic.
The highlight of the party for me was seeing Alison Leth-Steensen, the widow of Fred Leth-Steensen, they were on GBI 1971-1972. Alison was with her friend Joyce, the wife of the late Don Gray, (many RRs have spelled his name GREY, but GRAY is the correct spelling), Don was a range rat who passed away at AUTEC sometime in 1977. He was also the IM at Antigua when I was there in 1963/64. Alison said she spent the day after the reunion with Joyce and saw Don's son Todd, now 48."
Thanks Fred and Bill, for this info. which gives us who could not attend some news about what went on and who attended.
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2008 REUNIONS
Jim Irby's 4rd Annual Range Rat Reunion at Hawthorne FL. was
held on 3 & 4 Oct 2008.
12 Dec. 2008 At last someone was kind enough to send me some info. about this reunion: Fred Perkins wrote: "My wife Sheila and I did go to the Jim Irby reunion on 3/4 October. It was not so well attended this year as in years that I have gone earlier, at least as regards to RCA folks. Saw Gordon and Olga Clarke, Nancy Rowe, Curt and Deidre Jarvis, Les Waddill, Mike and Carol Grant, Jay and Julie Marshall, Leon Lacy, Ken and Eula....got a mental block, can't think of Ken's last name, Dick Cover's wife Dorissia and her sister Doris (Tom Campbell's widow). There were a lot of Pan AM folks that I didn't know."
15 Jan. 2009 Jerry Lindsey of Franklin IN wrote me recently: "I was at the reunion at Jim Irby's along with my wife Venus. This year there were several former Pan Am Weathermen in attendance, Larry & Kaye Alemi, Stanley & Sandra Hobbs, Gerry & Barbara Mulligan, Bill & Margaret Throgmorton, Normand Archambault, Jim Edwards, Ron Theiss, Dick Lynch and his wife. Roger Shelley, former Pan Am ATC, and his wife Dylis were there. Dottie (Tamirof) Crowe and Nick's son were there. Jim Irby is to be commended for hosting the reunion. We always enjoy visiting with all the people there. Fred Perkins who couldn't recall the last name of Ken and Eula, it is Jourdan."
Leon Lacy has a web photo album page of the 2008 Irby Reunion, Look and see if you can find yourself or see who attended:
Click here to see the photo album (75 photos).
KWAJ REUNION, 01 - 04 AUG 2008
01 JUNE 2008, Roger Priest of Merritt Island FL has sent in information announcing a Kwaj Reunion and a link for Range Rats who may have worked on Kwajalein or Roi Namur, or visited there on a tracking ship.
The reunion was held in Colorado Springs, CO on August 1 - 4, 2008. Click on this link to see who attended and look at photos taken at the reunion: Kwaj Reunion 2008. You might find more old ETR Range Rat friends who worked on the Kwaj Range.
(Thanks Roger, and I am including your notice of this reunion because I have become increasingly aware that many ETR Range/Ship Rats have also worked on the Kwaj Range).
19 FEB 2008: Fred Perkins emailed me with info about the:
2008 RCA Oldtimer's Reunion
it was held on Saturday 05 April at the AZAN Shrine Temple in Melbourne FL
16 APRIL 2008, JIM EDWARDS: wrote There was indeed a very large crowd. It is actually a problem to get around and talk to all of the old acquaintences. For a lot of them you just get a chance to wave or shake hands and then move on. In addition to those mentioned by Fred Perkins (below), I noted Eliot Phillips, John Walker, Gary Janousek, and Bill Degraw. Mac and Fran Stinson were there for the first time, I believe. Most notable was Fred Kenney. He had not attended previous gatherings as he was engaged in setting an all-time record for time on Ascension. That record isn't likely to ever be broken - at least not in this century.
13 APRIL 2008, FRED PERKINS: wrote that he and his wife Sheila attended the reunion. He goes on to say: "Organizer Arbe (Mac) Mcdowall told me they had (I believe the figure was) 260 folks signed up.
As you may know, attendees are mainly uprange folks, many of whom us downrangers probably never met. I did take notice of at least 24 down range folks as well as other notables known to a lot of us. The list is below.
I heard there that Art Wren had passed away. Art held a number of engineering and management positions at MTP, and although he was not a "downranger" himself, was well known to a lot of downrangers. His son Robert worked with me at AUTEC many years after I had left ETR.
Another sad note, got an e-mail recently from Gordon Clarke that he saw the notice of Dave Donaldson's passing in the paper. Dave passed away on April 4. I relieved Dave as IM at Pretoria in 1968. I believe he held IM positions at a number of other stations over the years.
Here are some of the folks I met / saw at the meeting. Tom Alman, Andy Anderson (not Gordon), Myrl Anderson, Dave Beirle, Al Bishop, Chris Bullis, Tom Campbell's widow Doris, Gordon Clarke, Chauncey and Carol Dunn, Jim Edwards (PAA), Mike Grant, Curt and Deidre Jarvis, Benny Juhl, Bill Kenny, Fred Kenny, Mac McDowall, Dominic Mancini, Max and Essie Miller, Dave Simonson, Larry Smith, Bob Stupp, John Thomas, Les Waddill and Dennis Woods."
Thanks Fred and Ed for these fine reports.
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2007 REUNIONS
Jim Irby's 3rd Annual Range Rat Reunion at Hawthorne FL. was
held on 19 & 20 Oct 2007.
The below panoramic photo was take at the reunion and sent in by Leon Lacy
Click on above image for an enlarged view
and then click it again for a much larger view.
Leon Lacy has a web photo album page of the 2007 Irby Reunion, Look and see if you can find yourself or see who attended:
Click here to see the photo album (345 photos), takes a while to download.
15 FEB. 2007: Jack Tolman emailed me a copy of the informational flyer announcing the
18th ANNUAL RCA OLDTIMER'S and
SPACEPORT PHOTOGRAPHERS GET-TOGETHER (REUNION)
It was held on Saturday 10 March 2007 at the Shrine Azan Temple in Melbourne FL.
17 Mar. 2007: FRED PERKINS & HIS WIFE SHEILA attended the RCA Get-Together and Fred sent a list of some of the folks he recognized there: Tom Alman, Ron Blackburn, Tom Brozoskie, Gordon and Olga Clarke, Chauncey and Carol Dunn, Everett James, Jim Judson, Benny Juhl, Bill Kenney, Dominic Mancini, Fran Mason, Max and Essie Miller, Ethel Porter, Les Purdue, Hoot Ringo, John Rose, Larry Smith, John Thomas, Jack VanCleve, Les Waddill, Willie Williamson, and Dennis Wood.
Fred also took some pictures which can be viewed by clicking HERE
25 Mar. 2007: JACK TOLMAN forwarded an email from Howard L. Northrop who said: " I was at the 'RCA get together' (L.L. didn't mention seeing me in his e-mail to you). I don't know if you know them, but I saw Andy Anderson, Frank Mason, Ray Scarpa, Bill Redman, and several others that I can't think of their names right now. (Old Age?)".
17 Mar. 2007: JACK TOLMAN forwarded an email from Larry L. Smith who attended this RCA function and had this to say about the gathering: "Yep, I was there and enjoyed seeing many of the ol' gang from RCA and PAA. Vic Craft said he had 225 signed up and the no-shows pretty well matched the walk-ons so I would reckon 250 in attendance. I asked why they had jumped the count by a month from the normal April date and Vic said it was due to a scheduling mixup, so it will probably be in April in '08. The air conditioned Melbourne Shrine Auditorium is a great set up for this gathering and takes weather (which was scrumptious) out of the equation. Arbe McDowell and John Thomas are members there so they arranged our affair with Mac playing affable host and John laboring in the kitchen. The bar was open and that makes it nice for those of us who like to enjoy an adult beverage while we chew the fat. Downrange from my epoch was fairly well represented. Saw Ray Edester, Bud Emard, Scott Fetterman, Dave Burch, Jerry Wolfe, Dennis Wood, Les Perdue, Ron Blackburn, Maurice Jones, Elliot Phillips, Jim Edwards and so on. G. Denton Clark, who was Project Manager when I hired on in '66 was there and looked like a million dollars. Other PMs Karl Wenz, Tom Alman. Managers Jack Simpson, Gene Fetner, several engineers - Jack Galpin, Max Miller, Frank Cockerham, etc. Enjoyed chatting with Glenn Brown and we agreed it wasn't the same without ol' Maj Carter. John Mayo, still laboring away at the ROCC was probably the youngest there with his dad (Timing) who was one of the oldest.
It was a nice gathering and Vic Craft, Gene Fetner, Pam Day, Ann Sheimer, Arbe & Mrs., John Thomas and team did a marvelous job as usual. Vic indicated he is planning to press on for next year. Let's make sure we are all well and well represented!"
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2006 REUNIONS
Jim Irby's 2nd Annual Range Rat Reunion at Hawthorne FL. was on 27 & 28 Oct 2006.
See photo's taken by Leon Lacy of this reunion: Click here to see the photo album (263 photos), takes a while to download.
10 NOV 2006: Fred Perkins sent an email saying he and his wife did not attend Jim Irby's Reunion but Leon Lacy sent a link to view pictures taken the the event which can viewed here.
Fred said he Recognized only a few ex RCA folks: Les and Carol Waddill, Curt and Deidre Jarvis, Doris Campbell, (her first husband Tom died many years ago, don't know her current name) and Leon Lacy, who took most of the pictures.
On APRIL 8, 2006 the 17th ANNUAL RCA OLDTIMERS & SPACEPORT PHOTOGRAPHERS GET TOGETHER, was held at the Azan Shrine auditorium in Melbourne Florida. And again no one reported what went on. So thats the story from here!
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2005 REUNIONS
On April 9th, 2005 the 16th ANNUAL RCA OLDTIMERS GET-TOGETHER
was held at the Shrine Azan Temple in Melbourne FL.
Glenn Brown who attended writes: "One of the interesting things at the reunion is that someone had a copy of the first contract proposal that got RCA the bid, I think in 1952 (?). It was for 13 million, and included 2,300 employees. As for the old oldtimers, maybe someone else can inform you on them better than I can.... Jack Van Cleve is the only one I can think of right now.... you might remember Dick Tangen and Lee Northrop."
Elliot Phillips who attended writes: I attended the reunion with Carl Winkenhofer. Talked
to Ray Edester, Marvin "Hoot" Ringo, Frank Thompson, Dennis Woods, Larry Smith, John & Mary Thomas and a few others I can't remember.
Fred Perkins sent me this message in early May:
I went to the RCA oldtimers picnic a few weeks ago. Heard there that
Joe Clarke had passed away. Joe was my site chief when I was a transmitter tech on SLU in 1958-1960. He eventually wound up in Ops Planning at the Cape, and retired from there many years ago.
Heard also there that Len Mashburn had passed away. Len spent some time downrange, I'm not sure where, and several years in the D/R office at PAFB.
Met Dominic Mancini at the RCA picnic. First time I had seen him since
Antigua 1971 or thereabouts. It seems like every year I meet someone who I haven't seen since range days, which ended for me in 1972.
Had a long chat with Arbie (Mac) Mcdowall at the picnic. He is one of the organizers. Worked with Mac at SLU. He worked out of Patrick for many years in the Crypto Administration area. Best remembered by many D/R folks as the guy who played piano at the club. At 73 Mac is still going strong and playing gigs a couple of times a week.
Other folks we ran across there included Les Waddill, Bill Kolter,
Gordon Clarke, Larry Smith, Wayne Witham and Howie Phillips. Sheila and I try to attend every year, and each time seem to see at least a few folks we haven't seen since Range days.
Jim Irby notified me in July 2005 that he was having a Pioneer Range Rat Reunion in his home, in Hawthorne Florida, but unfortunately I was not able to publish this information as I was having major trouble with the web server and could do no updating for over two months.
Robert Sellars sent me this report Jan 02, 2006 on the Jim Irby mini-reunion: Irby lives in Hawthorne, which is S E of Gainesville, Florida.
Mac McDowell and wife were up from the rock; it must be 20 years that they have been together down there. And speaking of the rock, Dave Avsec, ABOM during my time there, was also present. But for me, the biggest thrill was seeing a bunch of Seychellois Tracking Station alumni! Jim Pollard, now working at JDMTA, was there, but without wife. Richard Archer, who relieved me as Commissary Supvr. was there with his wife. Also, Bernie Bernard and wife, Bert Shirley, who was Admin. Rep. and his wife, Marguerite were there. Chauncy Dunn and his wife Carol were there; these are good friends of ours, we spent New Years at their home, and Frank O'leary showed up there. He said he had been to Irby's, but on a different day then Ann and I. Russ Reed was there, as was Bob Staats' widow. Wow, I could go on, but I just had a real inspiration. Leon Lacy has a web photo album page, where he put quite a few pictures of Irby's mini-reunion. That would be something to show the troops.
Click here to see the photo album #1 (70 photos).
Click here to see the photo album #2 (327 photos), takes a while to download. This album #2 includes pages from the National Geographic magazine of Oct. 1959 about the Range titled: "Cape Canaveral's 6,000 Mile Shooting Gallery", unfortunately the pages are not in order, mainly because these 327 photos were in an AOL Album which was discontinued and photos were moved to this PhotoWorks album and in the transfer they did not transfer in the same order (yikes!).
Also included in this Album #2 is a 2005 article that appeared in the Gainsville Sun newspaper about this reunion titled: "Range Rats Helped Make Space History". (It also appears that other range photos are included in this group that are not of the reunion).
(added 24 MAY 06) Ivan R. Kistler had this to say in the range rat sign in book entry of 26 Mar 06: Had a great time last year at Jim Irby's 2005 Range Rat Reunion. It
was great to see some guys I had not seen in many years. What a
treat to BS and talk about the great times we had down range.
Due to this website I contacted Bill Hughes who is back on Antigua
as a DGO. He later called me from Antigua and filled me in on
his return to what is left of the range.
I am still in contact with Jim Irby, John Bujnosek, Lou Holtkamp, Gerald Lindsey, Andy Harper, Arthur (Robbie) Robinson and as I mentioned Bill Hughes.
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ADDED 13 FEB 2008,
1986 and 1988 REUNIONS
Dave Stark and his wife organized two Range Rat Reunions in 1986 and 1988 which he said were very successful. They got over 200 people at each one. Rangerats came from as far as Saudi Arabia and islands on the Western Test Range (Kwajelin).
09 FEB 2008, Received word from Dave Stark's granddaugher that on 07 FEB 2008 he had passed away and that Dave's wife had died SEPT 2007.
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