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Well Shipmates your Ladies and Guest’s, from all indications those I have talked to expressed pleasure in the Reunion in Las Vegas, NV October 10-13,
2005. It was a great success! We can all thank our Host/Hostess Steve and Janis Ellis for doing such a splendid job of putting it all together with some help from me and my wife Diana Masters.
Bravo Zulu to you all. Now we must return to everyday life and the duties we accepted from this Reunion.
A short report on our Business Meeting this year follows:
The In Remembrance program
honored the memory of our shipmates we have lost since our last reunion in Peoria, IL 2004. We will always miss you!
Joseph J. Bacak (1949-52) 26 DEC 2004
Robert P. Burroughs (1959-63) 26 MAR 2005
George Csmarich (1956) 7 JUN 2005
Dean Free (1950-53) 25 AUG 2005
Jeff Peck (1968-70) 7 JAN 2005
Daniel Willard (1956-59) 21 JAN 2005
Mike O’Neal (1963-66)-3 Oct 2005
BYLAWS Revision date September 20, 2004
changes as authorized by Unanimous Consent were revised by the Board and accepted New Revision date October 11, 2005. See the posting on our website www.patronsix.com for review of authorized changes.
FINANCIAL Report 1 OCT 2004 to 30 SEP 2005 was presented by our Treasurer Bob Dell. Total Assets 2004$2,708.10 with a gain over the year of $1,924.12 to $4,632.22. We are not wealthy but growing.
ATTENDANCE Las Vegas, NV Annual Reunion #2 was 49 Members and 35 Spouses and/or Guest for a Total Attendance of 84.
ELECTION of Replacement Officers were held for Secretary, Vice President and
President. I am sad to report again the Membership failed to step forward and assume a share of the responsibility for the operation and management of their Association. With no other alternative I had
conducted pre election interviews and persuaded two of our Members to accept appointments, Steve Ellis – Vice President and Don Bailey – Secretary. However, again this year we failed to receive any nominations
or volunteers for the Board position as President.
Therefore; as I am unable to continue as your President, I took the only action that was remaining to me. I, with the approval and acceptance of the
Appointees and Members, appointed an Election Committee to locate, nominate and elect a new President for the Association. This committee consists of Steve Ellis, Don Bailey, Bob Dell, Harry Mann, Russ Talley
and Jerry Groh.
After accepting your nomination and election as the founding Association President we have come along ways together. The Association was incorporated, was approved for non-profit status,
Initial Bylaws were written and approved and have now been updated to October 11, 2005. We have planned and conducted two successful annual reunions and increased Association Membership from the initial
founding group of (by my count) 31 in 2003 to 130 in 2004 and stands at 110 currently paid in 2005. Partly due to confusion in when annual membership fees are due some of our 2004 members have not renewed
YET! For clarification, our Bylaws Annual Membership renewal is due January 1ST each year.
I am truly sorry that I cannot continue as your President but my physical health coupled with my firm belief
that for the Association to continue to grow NEW PEOPLE and NEW IDEAS must be brought forward to serve.
Finally, on the subject of the Presidency of your Association, you have bestowed upon me a great honor
and a great trust in electing me as your President for the past two years. You can be assured I am not fading into the past. I will continue to be active in the Association and have volunteered for
Coordinator of Area #4 members (CO, AZ, NM and NV) and Coordinator of ERA Group #7 1968-1970, as well as, a member of the Reunion Committee for the 2006 reunion. We are still trying to find an EDITOR for
“SUBCONSCIOUS” our Association newsletter and until I am relieved I will lend my assistance wherever I can. Thank you all for your trust and friendship!
REUNION 2006 Steve and Janis Ellis have again
volunteered to host our 2006 Reunion which will be in Nashville, TN between September 15 and October 9, 2006. As soon as some arrangements are investigated and the final date is established Steve will
disseminate the information through our websites and our Coordinator communication system. Make your plans to attend NOW! Count Diana and me in!
THE RAFFLE again was a success and fun was had by
all. My wife Diana assisted by Janis Ellis, Teresa Krapes and Marge Ellena conducted the Raffle which raised $610.00 gross with a net to the Association of $384.00. WELL DONE LADIES!
COFFEE ON THE
WING BEAM is a very enjoyable book I would like to share with you. Russ Talley our Director of AREA and ERA Coordinators donated this book to the ladies Raffle and I was lucky enough to win it in the
drawing. I would like to make you aware of it and make it available to you.
An abbreviated partial dedication is: This book is dedicated to the tens of thousands of officers and men who flew in or
maintained P2V Neptunes since the first prototype lifted off in early 1945. Although there were many people involved in Neptune operations, very few personal accounts were written to describe the raw
excitement, luck, redeemable stupidity, brilliance and shenanigans that made up the lives of patrol crews. The author Captain Brian McGuiness USNR (Ret.) chose to relate some of the highlights of his own years
as a Neptune aviator to represent the thousands of stories that could be told.
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