At 6:00 P.M. we were at an Open Bar in the Ambassador Room (our banquet location) and at 6:30 P.M. our planned dinner serve time; however, there was a bit of a delay due to opening remarks and recognition of those responsible for this very successful reunion. There were two meal choices: Grilled Chicken Oscar or Grilled Amberjack both included salad, desert, and tea/coffee. In welcoming remarks, the host John Wambough recognized those instrumental in making this reunion a success.
Jake Shuler spent countless hours on the master registration list, tracking the events people would participate in, hotel registration, calling and emailing pilots and dozens of other things that resulted in this successful reunion. Jake and Happy Shuler were given loud applause for all their efforts to make this a great reunion.
Ken Mays hosted our 2010 Reunion and was able to give much valuable advice. Sometimes hosts, like me, come up with dumb ideas (like picking up everyone at the airport). Ken Mays said do not do it!
The question was asked: did everyone enjoy the 33rd TFW tour and F-35 experience? That resulted in resounding applause.
Ken Mays set up the 33rd TFW tour from start to finish. I want to thank Ken for doing that; it was a great success. Also, know that Ken Mays and Gay prepared all the name tags. Ken and Gay received loud applause for all they did to make this reunion a success.
Joe Sechler spent effort putting together a
Memorial Journal which he presented at the Air Force Museum yesterday. It was outstandingly well done and very well presented. Joe Sechler also had designed
34th TFS Mugs. They are absolutely beautiful and represent a great amount of time and effort in bringing them to you.
Another very significant thing Joe did was to contact a niece of Jim Metz, Charlotte McDaniel. As a result we have four family members of Jim Metz attending this reunion; they will be introduced later.Joe Sechler and Frances were given a loud round of applause for their efforts in making this a great reunion.
At 7:00 P.M. dinner began to be served and introductions were completed.The flow of the evening went well. Tony Germann told a touching story about the Flying W Ranch Restaurant in Colorado Springs (our 2012 reunion) when a young lady (having heard a tribute to the 34th TFS and F-105 pilots), came over and gave him a hug and thanked him for his service to country. As Tony recalled to all of us, we were not getting any hugs returning from Vietnam except from family members.
Tony Germann also told the story of how he took good looking shirts (while F-105 pilots were flying combat missions) and converted them into neckties. Larry Bogemann was not happy at all when Tony took a shirt that his wife had given him in Hawaii on an R&R and converted it into neckties. Tony met his match when John Murphy plotted to remove all the ties purloined during Tony’s tour and have them converted back to a shirt. The same tailor that Tony used to convert shirts into ties was used to take all the ties and convert them back to a shirt. The tailor thought this was hilarious; so did we! Tony topped his presentation off by asking General Horner to stand up. General Horner was wearing a very good looking Hawaiian shirt that apparently Tony had taken a liking to. Anyway, this generated a good laugh.
During the course of the evening,
Joe Sechler toasted all family members that sacrificed so much with the loss of their loved one. Also, Joe thanked in behalf of all the F-105 pilots, the spouses who held families together in their husbands’ absence. Again, Joe was instrumental in getting four members of the Jim Metz family to this reunion. Each of these members has indicated that they really enjoyed the reunion and talking with F-105 pilots who knew and flew with their dad.
Ken Mays told the story of how the 100 Mission Snoopy Wagon came about. He built it along with another pilot. He talked about Bob Hope’s visit to Korat, along with Ann Margaret – and how he helped Ann get strapped into the Snoopy Wagon. Ann Margaret was not quite sure of Ken’s intent. Anyway, more laughs.
Guest Speaker General Charles (Chuck) Horner—See (biography) (USAF biography).