April 1, 2018 Page 1 SQUADRONS and SHIPMATES, INC. NEWSLETTER Hello everybody, Is everyone ready for spring? I bet Brian Heller in Providence, Rhode Island and Doug and Stephanie Micklon in Boston, Massachusetts are ready. Here in Hebron, Kentucky we had our largest snowfall this season and it was on the first full day of spring. Now we are getting another large snowfall and it is not snowing just across the river in Cincinnati. We know Sue Wedemeyer is especially happy for this spring, as she will be retiring April 15, 2018. At the time of pre-paring this newsletter Sue will have only 5 workdays left and that is because she and Al are leaving on their first Viking River Cruise, on the Rhine in Europe. We are very lucky to have our personal travel agent, Fred Dement, in our organization. He will arrange all our special cruises like this one and all our post-reunion cruises. Our fifth post-reunion cruise this year was also arranged by Fred Dement. He has planned a great 15-day cruise from Long Beach, California to Hawaii after our reunion in Tucson, Arizona. NEW MEMBERSHIPS As you know we have opened our membership to all aircraft carriers, escort aircraft carriers and any type of ship that carry aircraft. Last year we had our name changed to attract all flattops to “Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc.” The board has invited many members from other organizations to join in on our monthly conference calls. Al Wedemeyer was called and asked to join on a conference call of USS Wasp. Their membership is good but it is declining like many other reunion organizations. In order for the naval reunion groups to continue we must join ranks to be successful. We already have members who served on the following ships, other than the two we started with. USS Essex CVA-9 USS Hancock, CVA-19 USS Intrepid CVA-11 USS Shangri La CVA-38 USS Hornet CVA-12 USS Coral Sea CVA-43 USS Randolph CV-15 USS John F. Kennedy CVA-67 USS Wasp CVA-18 USS Theodore Roosevelt CVA-71 VP Desk of Dan Roney; Well this season has been crazy to start. I hope this finds everyone in good health or getting back in good health. Those on the Northeast part of the US have had your share of winter and I feel for you in dealing with the snow. In Illinois you never know from one day to the next if it will be sunny, warm, cold, rainy or overcast and snowy. Those on the West coast who had the fires I hope you all a safe and quick recovery. I talked with our Merchandise Manager (he is in Montana) and he had just dug his place out from three to four feet of snow. Our church, Trinity Lutheran LCMS, is getting ready for Easter so there is a great deal going on there for me since I'm the Property Manager. I hope that a lot of the members come to the Reunion in Tucson this year. This is the reason we move the reunion to different time zones every year so to make easy for all to attend. We even are getting other carrier groups considering moving their group to Squadrons & Shipmates and make it one big group, and maybe connect to other shipmates who you might know. See you all in Tucson, AZ. OTHER REUNION ORGANIZATIONS Members of our board of directors have been in close contact with officers of other aircraft Carrier organizations. Bill Haimes and Al Wedemeyer have spent many hours on the telephone with Mike Trowse, who is the Vice Chairperson of USS Wasp Association. All of their board of directors are in favor of merging with Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. They will leave the final decision up to the membership for approval at their next meeting. We have also been in contact with USS Bennington, USS Oriskany and USS Randolph. If you are a member of these associations you are welcome to join Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. The only way to survive is to build a large and strong organization with members of many flattop carriers groups including all the squadrons that served on any U.S. flattop. If you are an officer of any reunion association, you know how hard it is to obtain officers who want to do the work and take the organization into the future. We have all been struggling for many years and Mr. Attrition always seems to be right behind us taking our comrades. We are very blessed to have served on at least one of the United States most powerful warships afloat on this planet. We all felt the power of what we were doing either on war deployments or just training exercises. If you are thinking about joining, do it now because we issue membership numbers and the lowest membership number has the advantage if there is ever a tie for the last seat on a tour bus.
Transcript
April 1, 2018
Page 1
SQUADRONS and
SHIPMATES, INC. NEWSLETTER
Hello everybody,
Is everyone ready for spring? I bet Brian Heller in Providence, Rhode Island and Doug and Stephanie Micklon in Boston, Massachusetts are ready. Here in Hebron,
Kentucky we had our largest snowfall this season and it was on the first full day of spring. Now we are getting another large snowfall and it is not snowing just across the river in Cincinnati. We know Sue Wedemeyer is especially happy for this spring, as she will be retiring April 15, 2018. At the time of pre-paring this newsletter Sue will have only 5 workdays left and that is because she and Al are leaving
on their first Viking River Cruise, on the Rhine in Europe. We are very lucky to have our personal travel agent, Fred Dement, in our organization. He will arrange all our special cruises like this one and all our post-reunion cruises. Our fifth post-reunion cruise this year was also arranged by Fred Dement. He has planned a great 15-day cruise from Long Beach, California to Hawaii after our reunion in Tucson, Arizona.
NEW MEMBERSHIPS
As you know we have opened our membership to all aircraft carriers, escort aircraft carriers and any type of ship that carry aircraft. Last year we had our name changed to attract all flattops to “Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc.” The board has invited many members from other organizations to join in on our monthly conference calls. Al Wedemeyer was called and asked to join on a conference call of USS Wasp. Their membership is good but it is declining like many other reunion organizations. In order for the naval reunion groups to continue we must join ranks to be successful. We already have members who served on the following ships, other than the two we started with. USS Essex CVA-9 USS Hancock, CVA-19 USS Intrepid CVA-11 USS Shangri La CVA-38 USS Hornet CVA-12 USS Coral Sea CVA-43 USS Randolph CV-15 USS John F. Kennedy CVA-67 USS Wasp CVA-18 USS Theodore Roosevelt CVA-71
VP Desk of Dan Roney; Well this season has been crazy to start. I hope this finds everyone in good health or getting back in good health. Those on the Northeast part of the US have had your share of winter and I feel for you in dealing with the snow. In Illinois you never know from one day to the next if it will be sunny, warm, cold, rainy or overcast and snowy. Those on the West coast who had the fires I hope you all a safe and quick recovery. I talked with our Merchandise Manager (he is in Montana) and he had just dug his place out from three to four feet of snow. Our church, Trinity Lutheran LCMS, is getting ready for Easter so there is a great deal going on there for me since I'm the Property Manager. I hope that a lot of the members come to the Reunion in Tucson this year. This is the reason we move the reunion to different time zones every year so to make easy for all to attend. We even are getting other carrier groups considering moving their group to Squadrons & Shipmates and make it one big group, and maybe connect to other shipmates who you might know. See you all in Tucson, AZ. OTHER REUNION ORGANIZATIONS Members of our board of directors have been in close contact with officers of other aircraft Carrier organizations. Bill Haimes and Al Wedemeyer have spent many hours on the telephone with Mike Trowse, who is the Vice Chairperson of USS Wasp Association. All of their board of directors are in favor of merging with Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. They will leave the final decision up to the membership for approval at their next meeting. We have also been in contact with USS Bennington, USS Oriskany and USS Randolph. If you are a member of these associations you are welcome to join Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. The only way to survive is to build a large and strong organization with members of many flattop carriers groups including all the squadrons that served on any U.S. flattop. If you are an officer of any reunion association, you know how hard it is to obtain officers who want to do the work and take the organization into the future. We have all been struggling for many years and Mr. Attrition always seems to be right behind us taking our comrades. We are very blessed to have served on at least one of the United States most powerful warships afloat on this planet. We all felt the power of what we were doing either on war deployments or just training exercises. If you are thinking about joining, do it now because we issue membership numbers and the lowest membership number has the advantage if there is ever a tie for the last seat on a tour bus.
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2018 ELECTIONS Our Nominating Committee Chairperson, Rex Miner, has reminded us it is time for our 2018 elections. First on the agenda are the nominations and Rex has put a form together for us which is below: From: The Elections Committee To: Members of Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. March 16, 2018
Greetings from the Election Committee, attached is the current ballot for the offices this year; officers to be elected are President, Secretary, and Vice Treasurer. There are two board members to be elected also. Here is the nomination ballot: President: ________________ ____________________ ________________ Secretary: ________________ ____________________ ________________ Vice Treasurer: ___________ ____________________ ________________
The current President, Bill Haines, is eligible to be re-elected, The Secretary is also eligible to be re-elected. The Vice-Treasurer is Al Wedemeyer, and he is not eligible for re-election.
There are two board member positions up for election also. Therefore, please self-nominate, or nominate a friend or acquaintance for these positions. Board Member #1 ___________________ __________________________ Board Member #2 ___________________ __________________________
It is respectfully requested that you examine this ballot and consider very strongly nominating someone to fill these positions and then return the ballot to:
Rex Miner, [email protected] , or mail to Rex Miner, 363 south 450 west, American Fork, Utah, 84003. Thank you very much. The Election Committee Rex Miner Dan Roney If you are receiving this nominating ballot by e-mail please copy and paste this form on a blank “Word” document and type in your choices and e-mail it to Rex. If you are receiving this ballot by mail please indicate your choices and mail by U.S. Mail to Rex’s address above. It would be nice if the new members who have joined Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. from USS Wasp, USS Essex and USS Randolph submit their names for nominations. Those members are all officers of their respective reunion groups and we need their input into this organization. Wreck of Aircraft Carrier USS Lexington Located in Coral Sea After 76 Years By The Editors - March 5, 2018 This article was sent in by Joseph Cubalchini, a USS FDR shipmate 1965-1967
Wreckage from the USS Lexington was discovered by the expedition crew of Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel on March 4. The Lexington was found 3,000 meters (about two miles) below the surface, resting on the floor of the Coral Sea more than 500 miles off the eastern coast of Australia. “To pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honor,” said Paul Allen. “As Americans, all of us owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who served and who continue to serve our country for their courage, persistence and sacrifice.” As one of the first U.S. aircraft carriers ever built, the Lexington became known as “Lady Lex” and went down
with 35 aircraft on board. “Lexington was on our priority list because she was one of the capital ships that was lost during WWII,” said Robert Kraft, director of subsea operations for Allen. “Based on geography, time of year and other factors, I work with Paul Allen to determine what missions to pursue. We’ve been planning to locate the Lexington for about six months and it came together nicely.” ..................................... The USS Lexington was originally commissioned as a battlecruiser but was launched as an aircraft carrier in 1925. She took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 4-8, 1942) along with the USS Yorktown against three Japanese carriers. This was the first carrier versus carrier battle in history and was the first time Japanese forces suffered a permanent setback in its advances on New Guinea and Australia. However, the U.S. lost the Lexington and 216 of its distinguished crew. The Lexington had been hit by multiple torpedoes and bombs on May 8 but it was a secondary explosion causing uncontrolled fires that finally warranted the call to abandon ship. The USS Phelps delivered the final torpedoes that sank the crippled Lady Lex, the first American aircraft carrier casualty in history. making it the first American aircraft carrier casualty in history. With other U.S. ships standing by, 2,770 crewmen and officers were rescued, including the captain and his dog Wags, the ships ever-present mascot. During the Battle of the Coral Sea the Japanese navy sank USS Lexington (CV-2), USS Sims (DD-409), and USS Neosho (AO-23), and damaged the USS Yorktown. The Japanese lost one light carrier (Shōhō) and suffered significant damage to a fleet carrier (Shōkaku). “As the son of a survivor of the USS Lexington, I offer my congratulations to Paul Allen and the expedition crew of Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel for locating the “Lady Lex,” sunk nearly 76 years ago at the Battle of Coral Sea,” said Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., head of the U.S. Pacific Command. “We honor the valor and sacrifice of the “Lady Lex’s” Sailors — all those Americans who fought in World War II — by continuing to secure the freedoms they won for all of us.” The Battle of the Coral Sea was notable not only for stopping a Japanese advance but because it was the first naval engagement in history where opposing ships never came within sight of each other. This battle ushered in a new form of naval warfare via carrier-based airplanes. One month later, the U.S. Navy surprised Japanese forces at the Battle of Midway, and turned the tide of the war in the Pacific for good. Based on some initial success with his M/Y Octopus, Allen acquired and retrofitted the 250-foot R/V Petrel with state-of-the-art subsea equipment capable of diving to 6,000 meters (or three and a half miles). Since its deployment in early 2017, the ship was active in several
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missions in the Philippine Sea before its transition to the Coral Sea off the Australian Coast. Allen-led expeditions have also resulted in the discovery of the USS Indianapolis (August 2017), USS Ward (November 2017), USS Astoria (February 2015), Japanese battleship Musashi (March 2015) and the Italian WWII destroyer Artigliere (March 2017). His team was also responsible for presentation to the British Navy in honor of its heroic service. Allen’s expedition team was permanently transferred to the newly acquired and retrofitted R/V Petrel in 2016 with a specific mission around research, exploration and survey of historic warships and other important artifacts. Correction: March 6, 2018 An earlier version of this article said the USS Lexington was the first aircraft carrier casualty in history. NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT Your Squadrons and Shipmates is moving forward, slowly. The Board has successfully produced and blessed the new logo which is now up on our website. New tee shirt and hoodie designs have been approved. We will only produce them in Navy Blue for this year to gauge popularity and avoid too much inventory accumulation. Order sheets will be posted soon on the website under Ship’s Store. The Bylaws changes promised at last year’s annual meeting have been drafted and approved for submission to the membership. Two other areas have also been addressed to clarify wording and will be sent out for membership approval with the promised changes on succession of officers and directors. The Board is now considering some modifications to the Article on committees. A reunion budget has been set for the very first time. In the past, the Reunion Chairman was able to spend all funds in the reunion account for the year. Our Bylaws require all expenditures to be approved by the Board. The budget makes Al legal again. Recruitment is a bright spot this winter. Raleigh Plesko, our membership chair, assisted by Al Wedemeyer has been in contact with four of the older carrier reunion groups. We hope to have at least one of these groups with us in Tucson. We already have a member or two from each of the ships. We hope to have many more. Father time is not kind to old ships and shipmates. If we can gain members and help preserve the older organizations, we will have done something good. As President, I feel it is my job to be a bit of a cheerleader to promote the organization and keep everything moving. I am proud to report that our Board of Directors has been keeping a lid on me, as is their job. They are a great group of tightwads and skinflints. You can rest assured that their stewardship of your funds and your interests is top-notch.
I hope to see you all in Tucson. Bill
FROM THE FOUNDER’S DESK We lost a world-renowned theoretical physicist this past month. You know I could only be talking about Stephen Hawking. It is just beyond normal comprehension how this man’s mind worked. When he stated his beliefs of the universe, I could not believe how his mind could perceive such thoughts. Here is an article taken from “Who Knew!" “The boundary condition of the universe … is that it has no boundary,” Hawking said. “All the evidence seems to indicate, that the universe has not existed forever, but that it had a beginning, about 15 billion years ago,” he added. “There must have been a beginning. Otherwise, the universe would be in a state of complete disorder by now, and everything would be at the same temperature, “Hawking further explained. “In an infinite and everlasting universe, every line of sight would end on the surface of a star. This would mean that the night sky would have been as bright as the surface of the Sun. The only way of avoiding this problem would be if, for some reason, the stars did not shine before a certain time.” “The density would have been infinite,” he says. “It would have been what is called, a singularity. At a singularity, all the laws of physics would have broken down. This means that the state of the universe, after the Big Bang, will not depend on anything that may have happened before, because the deterministic laws that govern the universe will break down in the Big Bang.” “Events before the Big Bang are simply not defined, because there’s no way one could measure what happened at them. Since events before the Big Bang have no observational consequences, one may as well cut them out of the theory, and say that time began at the Big Bang,” Hawking says on the no-boundary proposal lecture.
Hawking’s perception has previously been proven correct. This isn’t his first lecture about this theory. So there never was a Big Bang that created something from nothing. But, like the strange behavior of quantum physics, perhaps time has a lot more left to tell, news.com.au wrote.
Below you will find the tours that will be offered for the 2018 Reunion in Tucson. There was much to consider because Tucson has a lot to offer. If there is enough interest we will also be offering some very nice overnight trips to the Grand Canyon, Sedona and The Verde Valley to name a few. If this is something you are interested in visiting in your lifetime, now would be the time to do it either before the reunion or after the reunion. So if you are interested in seeing more of Arizona, please e-mail the office and we will put some additional tours together if we have enough people.
We have to inform you that if you want to go on the Bone Yard tour, (tour # 5) they are treating all visitors just like they did when we visited the White House in 2014. We will have to submit birthdays and social security numbers. We already have your birthdates but we do not have your social security numbers on file. The forms from 2014 were all shredded. For those of you would like to arrive early, we have a very excellent tour to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It will be offered twice but the second day (Tour #8) there is a tour going to Tombstone at the same time. If you would like to go on both tours please be sure you see the Museum on Monday October 29th (Tour #1)
Foreach toura luxuryair-conditionedmotorcoachwillbeprovidedalongwith a Senior Gray Line Guide. Each tour includes all admission costs,arrangements, and reservations to all events. Meals are included where indicated. There are a minimumnumberofguestsrequiredforeachtour,sosignupearlyandsignupformultipletours!Astandardgratuityforthedriverisincludedineachtour.Guestscanprovideadditionaltipsforexcellentserviceifdesired.
Called by the New York Times “.... The most distinctive zoo in the United States,” the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is Southern Arizona’s most popular visitor attraction. Nestled in the Tucson Mountain Park, the Desert Museum exhibits the living, outdoor world of nature found in the Sonoran Desert region. More than 200 different living animals and 400 kinds of plants are on display in naturalistic settings. You will observe reptiles and invertebrates of the Sonoran Desert along with Mountain Lions, Mexican Wolves and Black Bears in the mountain habitat. Enjoy close-up views, in the walk-in aviaries, of the birds and hummingbirds of the Sonoran Desert. This region has more species of hummingbirds than any-where in the United States. The cave and earth history room explores 4.6 billion year’s of our planet’s history.
There is also a riparian habitat with underwater viewing and aquatic exhibits in naturalistic habitats displaying rare and endangered aquatic and amphibious animals. This is a must see venue.
Discover the origins of Tucson as the Spanish Conquistadors established it in the middle 1500s. Tour the Barrio Historico, the finest collection of in the Southwest adobe homes! See El Tiradito Shrine, El Presidio Neighborhood and quaint La Casa Cordova, the oldest adobe home in Tucson. The re-creation of the northeast corner of the Presidio San Augustin de Tucson – this fort marked the northwestern edge of the Spanish frontier in Arizona. Swing thorough Snob Hollow, and see the University of Arizona Campus. You will finish in Tucson’s Historical District, a block of historical buildings, extends into the Plaza of the Pioneers, a sculptured courtyard honoring the pioneer citizens of Tucson. Pathways from the courtyard lead you to five historic homes once occupied by Tucson’s founding fathers. You will also visit Old Town Artisans. Adjacent to the Tucson Museum of Art, Old Town is a where you will find beautifully hand crafted works of art. Celebrating its 221st Birthday, the beautiful “White Dove of the Desert”, Mission San Xavier Del Bac has been claimed as being one of the finest examples of mission architecture in the world. Located on the Tohono O’Odham reservation this lovely church is still being used for daily mass by Native Americans. At the end of the tour we will visit the Museum of the Horse Soldier. The exhibits cover the local and national history and heritage of our United States Military’s mounted services, as well as, recognize the horses’ contributions to U.S. Military. Exhibits not only highlight the role of cavalry officers and enlisted men, also the everyday men and horses who found the strength and courage to accomplish the extraordinary.
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The exhibits offer visitors an opportunity to experience the cavalry through the eyes of the men who lived it and invite visitors to explore more than 200 years of history of the United States mounted military service. The museum’s engaging exhibitions feature rare and fascinating objects, large mural and panoramic photos, and an in depth look at the tools, equipment, and accessories used daily and sporadically by U.S. soldiers, both horses and men.
The International Wildlife Museum promotes wildlife appreciation and conservation in a multitude of ways, including dioramas depicting wild animals in their natural settings, videos, interactive computers and award winning natural history movies. The Museum stresses hands-on, ‘touch and feel’ learning for all visitors, young and old alike. The Museum strives to increase public awareness of the importance of habitat, interrelationships among living things, and conservation of wildlife.
The Museum is modeled after an ancient mud adobe French Foreign Legion fort at the oasis of ohm Chalouba in the country of Chad, Africa. The interior exhibit space of 38,300 square feet is housed in three hexagonal galleries, the hexagon being a traditional Moorish architectural concept.
In the introductory comparative exhibits visitors are encouraged to touch, feel, and study. You will learn about mammal features such as horns, and antlers, different kinds of fur, how skull and tooth structure indicates what animals eat. Study the interaction between predators and prey, and test your knowledge on one of our interactive computers. Moving one the Comparative species collections provides an opportunity to view more than 200 kinds of wildlife from six continents.
In 1940, with war clouds on the horizon, Tucson was announced as a location for an Army air base. Its mission during World War II was to train bombardment aircrews in the B-18 “Bolo”, B-24 “Liberators”, and B-29 “Superfortress” bomber. With the end of the war, operations at Davis-Monthan Field came to a virtual standstill: all that remained was a storage area for the B-29 and C-47 “Gooney Birds.” This area is now called the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG).
Davis-Monthan’s modern history began in May 1946 when the newly created Strategic Air Command (SAC) arrived in the form of the 40th and 444th Bombardment Groups. The skies of the “Old Pueblo” were once again filled with the sound of B-29s.
The jet age came to Davis-Monthan in 1953 when SAC units converted to the new B-47 “Stratojet”. This was Sac’s first jet bomber. During the sixties, seventies and eighties the base underwent many changes. Today, its major missions include units of the 355th TTW providing the only close air support training for A-10 pilots in the active air force: the 602nd Tactical Air Control Wing, which maintains a “ready” Tactical Air Control System capable of providing direction to air elements and support to ground forces worldwide and the 868th Tactical Missile Training Group, which is responsible for training Air Force members to operate, maintain and defend the Ground Launched Cruise Missile weapon system.
Immediately after World War II, the Army’s San Antonio Air Technical Service Command established a storage facility for B-29 and C-47 aircraft at Davis-Monthan AFB. Today this facility is the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) that has grown to include more than 5,200 aircraft from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. This fleet provides a unique savings account from which military units throughout the world may withdraw parts and aircraft. The government earns an additional income by selling aircraft to our allies. The chief reasons for selecting Davis-Monthan as the site of this storage center were Tucson’s meager rainfall, low humidity, and alkaline soil. These conditions make it possible to store aircraft indefinitely with a minimum of deterioration and corrosion.
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In addition, the soil (called caliche) is hard, making it possible to park aircraft in the desert without constructing concrete or steel parking ramps. Before an aircraft is parked, it goes through a preservation process. First AMARG workers remove guns, ejection seat charges, classified equipment, and pilferable items. Workers then drain the aircraft’s fuel system, and pump it full of lightweight oil, which they again drain; leaving an oil film that protects the fuel system. After protecting the fuel system, workers cover engine intakes, exhausts and any gaps or crack in the upper portion of the airframe with paper and tape. They then spray the covered areas in the upper portions of the airframe. They then spray the covered areas and other easily damaged surfaces (such as fiberglass radomes, fabric control surfaces, and canopies) with a vinyl plastic compound called “Spraylat”. To prevent condensation within the aircraft, the underside remains unsealed to allow free circulation of air. The black Spraylat, applied with a spray gun, keeps out dust and water and prevents occasional dust storms from sandblasting windows and canopies. The White Spraylat applied over the black, acts as a temperature control. In the summer, temperature inside unprotected aircraft can reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit causing damage to rubber, plastic, fabric, and delicate electronic components. With a Spraylat covering, the internal temperature of the aircraft is within 10-15 degrees of the outside temperature. AMARG uses large plastic bags on some of its aircraft. AMARG was designated to accomplish the much greater task of eliminating approximately 365 B-52 aircraft during a three and a half year period to comply with the conditions of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (SART). This is accomplished by using a 13,000 pound guillotine blade and Linkbelt crane with slip clutch that allows the guillotine blade to free fall, thereby severing the flight control surfaces and the fuselage at predetermined points. The Russians visited to confirm the elimination process. In Fiscal Year 1955, AMARG received 496 aircraft and processed 646 aircraft into storage. AMARG returned 207 aircraft and 25,124 parts to the government for a total output of $ 780.5 million. Considering that AMARG’s budget was $46 million, that is a return of $17.00 for each dollar spent in the facility operation.
Lunch at The Flight Grill at Pima Air and Space Museum
Yes lunch is also included with this tour. Explore aviation history at the Pima Air and Space Museum. Home of the largest privately owned collection of historical aircraft in the country. From a full-scale model of the Wright Brothers’ 1903 Wright Flyer, to a mock-up of the world’s fastest aircraft, the X-15, this Museum is sure to interest everyone.
More than 300 military and civilian aircraft are here on display, along with the engines, flight simulators, uniforms and other aviation memorabilia. You can view the Douglas DC-6 used by both Presidents Kennedy and Johnson during their terms of office. Some of the aircraft at the Pima Air and Space Museum are on loan from the Smithsonian, the Navy and the Air Force Museum, all of them significant from both engineering and historical perspectives.
Wednesday,October31,2018 Minimum35GaslightDinnerTheater Maximum54DeparttheRadissonat5:00PM;Returnat9:00PMCostperperson:$66.00Tour#6The Gaslight Theatre invites you to join them for the finest family theatre and dinner entertainment in Arizona. Thrill to authentic foot-stomping musical comedy, melodrama, complete with honky tonk piano playing, sing alongs and much, much more! Cheer the hero and boo the villain while enjoying your favorite soft drink or beer, pizza, ice cream and mountains of free finger lickin’ popcorn.
Come to Tombstone, where Hollywood ends and the true West begins. This fabled land of silver beckons you to explore its historic riches. Take a leisurely afternoon trip back in time as you visit Tombstone, a living museum that allows a window to our turbulent and wild west past. Truly a Historical American Landmark, Tombstone was founded in 1879 and is America’s best example of 1880 Western heritage. The American West is well preserved in Tombstone’s original 1880 buildings and artifacts featured in Tombstone museums.
Lunch at Longhorn Restaurant in Tombstone (included) Silver brought many people to this Apache infested land. Life was hard but it grew to become a prosperous oasis. During the early 1880’s, Tombstone was the fastest growing city between St. Louis and San Francisco. You will relive the dramatic events that made Tombstone famous. Your guide will take you to well-known attractions like the O.K. Corral, Tombstone Epitaph,
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and the Crystal Palace Saloon. Notables like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson and Johnny Ringo once gathered. You will visit Boothill Graveyard, laid out as a burial plot in 1878; it was once the burial place for the town’s first pioneers, and so much of the good and so much of the bad of early Tombstone lies buried there. Then recant the day with a souvenir copy of the legendary newspaper the Tombstone Epitaph.
Thursday,November1,2018 Minimum35SeePictureinTour#1Arizona-SonoraDesertMuseumMaximum54DeparttheRadissonat9:00AM;Returnat1:00PMCostperperson:$57.00Tour#8Desert Museum exhibits the living, outdoor world of nature found in the Sonoran Desert region. More than 200 different living animals and 400 kinds of plants are on display in naturalistic settings. You will observe reptiles and invertebrates of the Sonoran Desert along with Mountain Lions, Mexican Wolves and black bears in the Mountain Habitat. Enjoy close-up views, in the walk-in aviaries, of the birds and hummingbirds of the Sonoran Desert. This region has more species of hummingbirds than anywhere does in the United States. The cave and earth history room explores 4.6 billion year’s of our planet’s history. There is also a riparian habitat with underwater viewing and aquatic exhibits in naturalistic habitats displaying rare and endangered aquatic and amphibious animals. This is a must see venue.
Thursday,November1,2018Minimum35Rancher’sDinnerSteakOutRestaurantMaximum54InSonoita,ArizonawithdessertDeparttheRadissonat5:00PM;Returnat10:00PMCostperperson:$91.00Tour#9Situated among the Sky Islands in Southern Arizona is Sonoita one of the communities in Southern Arizona that was founded when the Santa Fe Railroad built an 88-mile long line that ran the full length of Sonoita Creek from Benson to Nogales, 1882. Sonoita’s area, 4,970 foot elevation and high rolling grasslands, surrounded by spectacular mountains and canyons, provide some Arizona’s most beautiful weather and landscapes. Mount Wrightson, one of the tallest peaks in Arizona dominates the horizon. Filmmakers have chosen the charming old west atmosphere and beauty of the Sonoita area for several films including “Oklahoma”, “Red River”, and more recently “Tin Cup”, The Young Guns”, “The Fantastiks”, “Broken Lace” “Tom Horn” and television series such as “The Young Riders” and “Gunsmoke.”
Celebrating its 221st Birthday, the beautiful “White Dove of the Desert”, Mission San Xavier del Bac has been claimed as being one of the finest examples of mission architecture in the world. Mission San Xavier del Bac is situated on an elevation in the Santa Cruz Valley nine miles south of the city of Tucson. From the earliest times, the Native American settlement in which the Mission is located was called Bac “place where the water appears” because the Santa Cruz River, which ran underground for some distance, reappeared on the surface nearby. The celebrated Jesuit missionary and explorer, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, First visited “Bac” in 1692. Eight years later in 1700, Father Kino laid the foundations of the first church, some two miles north of the present Mission. Father Kino named the Mission in honor of his chosen patron, St. Francis Xavier, the illustrious Jesuit “Apostle of the Indies”, Mission San Xavier del Bac has been acclaimed by authorities as the finest example of mission architecture in the United States. It is a graceful blending of Moorish, Byzantine and late Mexican Renaissance. So well do the diverse elements fuse that is almost impossible to point out where one style begins and the other ends.
Called by the New York Times “.... The most distinctive zoo in the United States,” the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is Southern Arizona’s most popular visitor attraction. Nestled in the Tucson Mountain Park, the
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Tumacacori National Monument was a frontier mission that now depicts early Indian and Spanish history and commemorates the introduction of European culture into So. Arizona. Built by the Franciscan priests around 1800, it was abandoned before completion. Later gutted by the Apaches and fortune hunters, the mission was restored by the National Park Service in 1929.
Lunch at the De Anza Restaurante and Cantina in Tubac (included)
Today’s trip will also visit Tubac, Arizona. Nestled in the Santa Cruz River Valley, this village, dating back to 1753, has many unique shops offering fine arts and crafts items, and unusual gifts; many of which are produced locally in Tubac. Historians acclaim this village to be the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in The United States. Friday,November2,2018 Minimum35 KittPeakStargazingUndertheStarsMaximum52theRadissonat4:00PM;Returnat10:00PMCostperperson:$85.00(BoxDinnerIncluded)Tour#11Tucson and the surrounding area are known as the “Astronomy Capital the World”. Begin your astronomy tour of Tucson at one of the most famous observatory complexes in the world. With its wide-open spaces and clear skies, Southern Arizona is known as one of the best places to stargaze and because nighttime is best for viewing, you will have a chance to arrive at sunset. The Sonoran Desert is known for the most fabulous sunsets in the West!
You will travel to the top of a scenic 7,000-foot mountain to see some amazing heavenly views at Kitt Peak National Observatory--the world’s largest astronomical observatory. On this celestial journey, your group will see stars, as well as wild constellations and glowing planets, through the lens of two giant telescopes. Star charts, binoculars and other helpful materials are available to help you identify all you see. Additional Note: temperatures atop of the mountain are twenty degrees cooler than Tucson; dress in layers for the evening, during cold winter months of December through March.
In 1939, an unprecedented set was built for the epic motion picture, “Arizona”, starring William Holden and Jean Arthur. Dubbed “Old Tucson Studios,” it became a favorite location for Western movies and TV shows
Enjoy a day in the life of a frontier town. See spectacular stunts, trick riding and gunfights. Get a part in a saloon musical or our Western film shoot. Hear age-old southwestern lore. Old Tucson Studios, an active film set, includes some of Hollywood’s biggest Westerns, feature film and television shoots throughout the year and a full array of daily live entertainment and attractions including high-flying stunt shows, blazing gunfights and rip-roaring saloon musicals, plus historical studio tours, unique shopping, rides for the whole family and the famous Reno locomotive on display.
Sunday, November 4, 2018 Minimum 35 Sabino Canyon Maximum 52 Depart the Radisson at 9:00 AM; Return at 1:00 PM Cost per person: $53.00 Tour # 15
Treat yourself to a breathtaking outdoor tram ride through Sabino Canyon. Today, you will enjoy a narrated 3.8-mile tram tour following Sabino Creek into Sabino Canyon located in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. This canyon offers views of sparkling mountain streams (seasonal) and majestic mountains. This is a sight not to be missed by nature lovers, or anyone who enjoy the great outdoors.
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SQUADRONS & SHIPMATES, INC REUNION 2018
OCTOBER 29TH TO NOVEMBER 4TH
ThisisthePreliminaryReunionRegistrationFormforthe2018ReunioninTucson,Arizona.Thiswillbeour9thannual reunion.Wewillneed this formsowecanestablishhowmanymembersandguestswillbeattending thereunioninordertoplanfortransportation.ThiswillserveasyourcommitmentthatyouplantojoinusinTucson,Arizona.Pleaselistthehometownthatyouwantonyournamebadgeforthereunion.Wewillalsoneed the hometown for any guests attending the reunion. All rooms at this hotel are suites and the regular price is over $200.00 per night.
Weareaskingforyourcommitmentnowintheformoftheregistrationfeesforyouandasmanyguestsasyoumayhaveattending.Wearegoingtocontinuetotrytokeeptheregistrationfeesaslowaspossible,only$15.00perperson. These fees are for all the refreshments and snacks in the hospitality room for 5 days, name badges,photographer’s fees, banquet center pieces, ticket printing, certificates, hotel set up fees, lapel pins and manymorereunionexpenses.Ifweareforcedtoraisetheregistrationfeesforthisreunion,wewillnotchargethemembersanymorewho sign up now. Their registration fees will remain at $15.00 per person nomatter what the registration feeswouldbe inOctober2018.Registration fees are refundable.However if you cancel inside of 15days of the2018reunion, the funds will remain on the books as a credit for your next reunion. The By-Laws reference yourregistrationfeesandreunionexpenses.Youmayuseanycreditsyouhaveonthebooksfortheseregistrationfees.We have the lowest registration fees of anymilitary reunion organization.We also need to know if you will need room(s) at the Radisson Hotel in Tucson. The hotel address is 6555 East Speedway Boulevard. Group Name is Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc.
Our Web site link is: https://www.radisson.com/SSReunion The telephone number is: 520 721 7100 The Room Rate is $85.00 with a FREE, full, hot breakfast for 2 persons Central Reservations is 800 333 3333 Please submit the entire form and retain a copy. Your refreshment choice______________________ ______________________________________________________________
NAME SPOUSE’S NAME (IF ATTENDING THE REUNION) ☐ ESSEX ☐ YORKTOWN ☐ INTREPID ☐ HORNET ☐ TICONDEROGA ☐ RANDOLPH ☐ LEXINGTON ☐ WASP ☐ HANCOCK ☐ BENNINGTON ☐ BOXER ☐ BON HOMME RICHARD ☐ LEYTE ☐ KEARSARGE ☐ ORISKANY ☐ PRINCETON ☐ SHANGRI LA ☐ MIDWAY ☐ FDR ☐ CORAL SEA ☐ VALLEY FORGE ☐ FORRESTAL ☐ SARATOGA ☐ RANGER ☐ KITTY HAWK ☐ AMERICA ☐ JOHN F. KENNEDY ☐ THEODORE ROOSEVELT
☐ OTHER SHIP USS__________l__________To___________l________________l_______0_____________
UNIT________________ YRS ON BOARD OR IN SQUADRON YOUR HOMETOWN STATE MEMBERSHIP NUMBER _____________________________________________________________________|____________________________________|____________________
_________Number of persons x $15.00 = _____________ Please mail check to: Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. _________Number of hotel rooms needed _____________ P. O. Box 314 Your Check number Hebron, Kentucky 41048-0314 Please make checks payable to: Squadrons & Shipmates, Inc. 859-689-7001 Please do not combine any other items with this check Rate & Rank at Discharge__________ as we have a separate bank account for the 2018 Reunion
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October 29, 2018 to November 4, 2018
NAME BADGE INFORMATION As you want your nametag to read. Please only two persons per Reunion Sign-up Sheet, your spouse or a guest.
NAME_________|__________________|______________SPOUSE’S____________|_______________________|______________ FIRST LAST MEMBERSHIP NUMBER FIRST LAST MEMBERSHIP NUMBER
DIVISION, DEPT. OR SQUADRON________________________YEARS OF SERVICE _____________TO_______________
DATE TIME TOUR OR EXCURSION Tour # COST X PERSONS = AMOUNT S October 29 to Registration Fees for all Reunion Attendees over 17 15.00 X ______ = ______ November 4
Registration fees are necessary to pay all the following items during the reunion: refreshments for 5 days in hospitality suite: including mixed drinks, beer, wine, soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea, snacks, photographer’s fees $3.00 per person, reunion lapel pins, name badges, ticket printing, center pieces for banquet tables, certificates, hotel set-up fees, corkage fee for wine at banquet and many more reunion expenses. Please be sure you indicate the number of persons attending even if you already paid your registration fees with your Preliminary Registration Form. If you already paid or are using your unused registration fees from last year or any previous year deduct that amount at the bottom of this Sheet. Squadrons and Shipmates Inc. will be offering FREE pizza or Subway sandwiches during the Welcoming Party. Please list any special toppings you would like on your pizza on page 2. If you desire a sandwich, please list what type, size and all your ingredients and condiments. We will be able to do this as long as our reunions are profitable from the prior years.
These symbols indicate lunch or dinner are included with the tours
October 29 1300-1730 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 1 57.00 X ______ = _________ October 30 0830-1230 Downtown Historic Tour/Old Town Artisans/
Mis. San Xavier Del Bac/Museum of Horse Soldier 2 49.00 X ______ = _________
October 30 1300-1800 International Wildlife Museum 3 54.00 X ______ = _________ October 30 1800-2000 Welcoming Party 4 Free X ______ = __FREE__
SUB TOTAL FROM PAGE 1 $______________ TOTAL FROM PAGE 2 $______________
Any questions please call 859 689 7001 SUB-TOTAL OF ALL PAGES______________ Less 5% of SUB-TOTAL for Early Sign-up by January 8, 2018______________
Please make checks payable to “Squadrons & Shipmates Inc.” LESS CREDITS ON THE BOOKS ______________ Please mail this Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. Less 1% to 8% for attending consecutive reunions __%______________ Reunion Sign-up Sheet P.O. Box 314 LESS NUMBER____ OF SPONSORED MEMBERS _______________
and check to: Hebron, Kentucky 41048-0314 LESS PREPAID REGISTRATION FEES______________
Consecutive Reunion Discounts (Both spouse or guest must have attended all applied reunions) GRAND TOTAL $________ You must have attended the 2017 Reunion to be eligible for these discounts. 2017 Please take 1% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If you attended both the 2016 & 2017 reunions, you are entitled to deduct 2% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If you attended the 2015, 2016 & 2017 reunions, you are entitled to deduct 3% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If you attended the 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 reunions you are entitled to deduct 4% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If you attended the 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 reunions you are entitled to deduct 5% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If you attended the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 reunions you are entitled to deduct 6% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If you attended the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 reunions you are entitled to deduct 7% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If you attended all eight reunions from 2010 to 2017 you are entitled to deduct 8% of the SUB-TOTAL line of ALL PAGES If guest or spouse, has not attended the same number of reunions, then please submit a separate Reunion Sign-up Sheet for spouse or guest. Thank You.
REUNION 2018
April 1, 2018
Reunion for 2018 October 29, 2018 to November 4, 2018
Name__________________________Membership Number_______________ Page 2 of 2 DATE TIME TOUR OR EXCURSION Tour # COST X PERSONS = AMOUNT
October 31 0900-1500 Davis-Monthan Air Force Base/Pima Air & 5 70.00 X ______ = ________ Space Museum / Bone Yard Tour
October 31 1700-2100 Gaslight Dinner Theater (Halloween Attire) 6 66.00 X _______ = __________ November 1 0800-1600 Tombstone,TheTowntooToughtoDie 7 85.00 X ______ = _________ November 1 0900-1300 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 8 57.00 X ______ = _________ November 1 1700-2200 Rancher’s Dinner Steak Out Restaurant in
Sonoita, Arizona with dessert 9 91.00 X ______ = _________
November 3 0830-1030 BusinessMeeting 12 Free X ______ = _________ November 3 1045-1530 OldTucsonMovieStudios 13 68.00 X ______ = _________ November 3 1530-1830 Photographs - Please have your picture taken for
our web site
November 3 D
1900-2200 Banquet. Chicken____Pasta___Beef____Fish____ Indicate the number of each entrée you desire
14 39.00 X ______ = _________
November 4 0900-1300 Sabino Canyon 15 53.00 X ______ = ________
SUB TOTAL PAGE 2 $______________
D If you have any type of a special diet, please circle the “D” above after you print out your copy and indicate your requirements on in the space below with your name if there is more than one name on this form. At the banquet let your server know about your allergy. Be sure you indicate if you are allergic to any items, such as nuts, eggs, chocolate, shellfish, etc.
Welcoming Party
Please join us for our annual Welcoming Party. This year we will again offer FREE pizza and Subway sandwiches. Please indicate what kind of toppings you would like on your pizza or condiments on your sandwich. Please order 1 pizza OR 2 sandwiches per couple
Sandwich # 1__________________________________Size �6 Inch �12 Inch Sandwich # 2__________________________________Size �6 Inch �12 Inch
Type of bread # 1_________________________# 2____________________________ Ingredients and condiments # 1____________________________________________ Ingredients and condiments # 2____________________________________________
Sandwich choices BLT, Black Forest Ham, Buffalo Chicken, Chicken & Bacon Ranch Melt ���, Chipotle Chicken & Cheese, Cold Cut Combo, Meatball Marinara, Oven Roasted Chicken, Roast Beef ���, Spicy Italian, Steak & Cheese, Subway Club, Subway Melt ���, Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki, The Big Philly Cheesesteak, Tuna, Turkey Breast, Turkey Breast & Black Forest Ham with Spinach, Turkey Melt ��� & Veggie Delite. Page 11
April 1, 2018
Squadrons and Shipmates, Inc. P. O. Box 314 Hebron, Kentucky 41048-0314
mail address to the office. The address currently on file bounces back so you are not iving aWeb Site: www.squadronsandshipmates.org or just Google “Squadrons and Shipmates”
to mail newsletters and other correspondence via U. S. Mail. If you do please let us
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