300th Quarterly
3 0 0 t h C o m b a t E n g i n e e r s F a l l 2 0 1 7
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Left to right: Billy Byers, Chuck Bice and Roy Welchel. The two empty chairs represent Don Richter and “Cowboy” Morris who
passed following the 2016 Tyler reunion.
Reunion, Tyler, 2017
Tyler, Texas was the setting again this year
for the annual reunion of the 300th. It was in
one way sad as we recognized our good
veteran friends who passed in this past year
- Kenneth “Cowboy” Morris and Don
Richter. Each had been stalwarts of the
reunions for decades.
We also missed Thomas Lakey who had a
hip replacement a couple of weeks before
the reunion and Homer Garrett who was
unable to attend for health reasons.
Even with these losses, the reunion was
well attended with 25 family members and
three veterans. The veterans, Billy Byers,
Chuck Bice and Roy Welchel are in
excellent health. It is good to see that
family members of our 300th veterans who
passed over the years still attend the
reunion. Lots of stories were shared and
friendships renewed. Brad and Jan
organized the reunion not knowing if this
might be the last with so many losses over
the past couple of years. Several expressed
the opinion that it is “see you next year.”
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Three veterans and 20 family members pose for the annual photograph at the Tyler Reunion in October 2017.
Don Richter, left, and
Kenneth “Cowboy”
Morris, right, at the
2016 Reunion.
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Clockwise; Billy Byers had a reunion with his cousin who he had not seen since their childhood; Roy and Pat Welchel and their
friend, Jerry Furr; Joy Walker, left, and Gayle Mullin (daughters of “Cowboy”) with Cowboy’s wife Gerri; Gerri Morris and
Chuck Bice enjoy a story.
300th Quarterly is a newsletter
for and about the 300th Combat
Engineers in WWII and their
families and friends.
Editors: Brad Peters and Jan Ross
Contact:
Peters/Ross
39 Old State Road
Erving, MA 01344 413-422-2577
E-mail address:
Web Site Address:
www.300thcombatengineersinwwii.com
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Clockwise: Billy Byers display; Henry and Charlene Uhr
relax at the reunion; Chuck Bice on a visit to the WWII
Museum in New Orleans met Gary Sinise of Apollo 13
fame; and Gerri Morris fondly remembers “Cowboy.”