West Coast Reunion, Monterey, Sept 9-11, 2008
The Thirty Sixth Annual West Coast Reunion, a three day event held in Monterey during the second week of September, was enjoyed by sixty-five FMA members, wives, daughters, friends, and widows. A hospitality room courtesy of the Monterey Bay Lodge was a gathering place for old preflight class mates and squadron mates to exchange stories. It seems that elder Naval Aviators are not the drinking bunch they used to be. A case of beer and some big bottles of wine were left unopened. Maybe that’s a good sign.
A Tuesday night dinner at the Monterey Elks Club featured a western barbecue buffet. The dress code was cowboy hats boots, jeans, and string ties. A few women showed up in very classy cowgirl outfits. On Wednesday night the FMA hosted a banquet at the Rancho Canada Country Club in Carmel Valley. Forties and fifties music played during dinner and afterwards for dancing.
During dinner Ed Phillips gave us a rundown on the Midshipmen in Combat project and Roy Mantz provided the latest information on the FMA/USS Midway partnership that offers a two week training class on the Midway Museum in San Diego for Sea Cadets preparing to take the Private Pilot written exam.
Lou Kriser, President of FMA, in a nice gesture recognized six members for various contributions to the organization and presented each with a handsome plaque. They were Bill Busse, Editor of the LOG, Dave Hardin, Webmaster, Roy Mantz, liaison to the Midway, Earl Rogers, reunion host, Herb Sargent, Executive Secretary, and Smokey Tollgaard, West Coast Vice President and last year’s reunion host. Whether these awards have set a precedent remains to be seen. Hosts (or ghosts) of reunions past might wish for their fifteen minutes of fame.
FMA widows are most welcome at reunions. Three of them attended this year. Bobbie Foucht and Joyce Rochester came to all the events while Arlie Lopez, widow of Vic who hosted the 1997 Monterey reunion and who passed away earlier this year, attended the Wednesday night banquet with their daughter Tracy.
San Diego next year.
List of Attendees at the Reunion
West Coast Reunion Miscellaneous Photos