Original Blue Ghosts ~ 1967-68
-Original Message-----
From: Dave Redel
To: Original Blue Ghosts
Sent: Sun, Oct 31, 2010 8:19 am
Subject: KC Blue Crew RE-U update
ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION!
To all:
Please read attachment for upcoming reunion in Kansas City next year.
We need you all to re-confirm as best you can your plans to attend with the details requested in the attachment. We will be negotiating accommodations with hotel sales staff in November.
Deadline is November 15th please.
I prefer responses via e-mail.
Any question or concerns let me know, any bitching, give them to Ross.
Let me know if I missed anybody.
Happy Halloween!
Dave Bear Redel
Hi fellow Blueghosters 1967-1968 October 28, 2010
I have been dragging my feet and having too much fun vacationing but now it’s time to get serious about the KC BLUECREW RE-“U” gathering next September. NO FRILLS BUT LOTS OF SPILLS
Our first survey was sent out in June of this year, to about 27 email addresses and…. 19 “original” Blueghosters responded back that “any dates in September are good” but they preferred Thursday, Sept. 8th to check-in and Sunday, the 11th as a check-out date (three nights).
We will be negotiating with the hotel sales staff next month (November) for room rates and number of nights occupied, so we need to get another head count quickly, but not later than Nov. 15th….so get out your calendars and commit (NO MONEY YET !).
Just to clarify, we don’t want you to view this get together as just a beer bust for the guys…(although I’m sure there might be times). We do want everyone to feel free to bring family members, because we are all family, but we do want to keep this intimate, informal and inexpensive.
In addition, if you know of a Blueghoster crew-chief, door-gunner, officer, “Blue” etc. that you would like to see again, and who was in country with us in C/7/17th Air Cav and/or F/8 Air Cav, the Blueghost units, between 9/1967 – 9/1968, exclusively, please feel free to invite them to join us… but PLEASE ASK THEM NOT TO INVITE THEIR BUDDIES ! Be sure to let me know so I can include them in my room count. The intent of this reunion is to have a gathering of close-knit Blueghost “original” flight crew and service members who served together during the first year when Blueghost was created. I hope everyone understands that we do not want to accommodate every Blueghoster or military associate we have known throughout the years (there are other organizations for that) and have them at this gathering. We want everyone who attends this gathering to be the “original guys” who wish to visit with the other “original guys”….(and have fun !).
Not all of the following information is confirmed, but what we have so far may help you with your decisions:
Place: We plan to use the Embassy Suite at KCI airport Kansas City, Mo. ………... Confirmed
Dates: September 8th thru September 10th, 2011 (out on the 11th) …………….…….. Confirmed
Rate: We expect the room rates to be not more than $104 plus tax per night. (We will try to
negotiate a lower rate)
Perks: Rate will include your choice of a full “cooked to order” or buffet breakfast each morning
and free (did you see the word FREE ??) cocktail hour in the evening……… Confirmed
Now for the head count: I must get another response from everyone but with a little more detail.
1. How many folks will be in your party ?
2. Will you be sharing a room with other Blueghoster(s)? (check the names of those who [so far]
are coming. I won’t need to arrange for as many rooms if you will be buddying up and sharing)
3. Will you be staying all three nights? If you intend to extend your stay either before or
after these dates, please let me know. (Again, so I know how many rooms and nights to block)
I need to get your responses no later than Nov. 15th (next month !) so we can negotiate with the hotel
sales staff. Sorry I meant to give you more time than this but it ” is what it is”.
The following is a list of those contacted via email with their responses and some additional names for which we have no contact information.
Name
Response
Asay, Phil
Yes
Bass, Mike
Yes
Brady, Bill
Yes
Briggs, George
Buckley, Dan
Davis, Carter
Jones, George
Glaze, Race
Guttery, Rick
Yes
Monte, Phil
Yes
Morris, Dale
Yes
Handley George “Muff”
Napier, Butch
Nicely, Fred
Yes
Noel, Blair
Opheim, Glen
Yes
Owen, William
Yes
Pearcy, Tom
Yes
Pewitt, Bob
Yes
Pueschel, Tom
Rand, Bill
Rauber, Paul
Redel, Dave
Yes
Reif, Jeff
Rippy, Terry
Yes
Ross, Greg
Yes
Sabaka, Al
Conflict with annual fishing trip
Shanahan, Jack
Yes
Shepardson, John
Yes
Smith, Bob
Yes
Sprinkle, Ron
Yes
Williamson, Don
If you know of the contact information for someone in this list, please forward it to me.
Burden
Courchaine, Jerry sp
Chambers
Earwood
Fritz
Grooms
Holcomb
Rhinehart
Snow, Gil
Thanks, Dave (bigbear) Redel
--------------------------------------
January 22, 2011
OK, guys . . . .here’s where we are:
As stated in the October, 2010, email . . .this special reunion is for the ex-officers, warrant officers, crew members and “Blues” that served with C/7/17 Cav and F/8 Cav, the “originals”, serving from September, 1967 thru September, 1968. . . . . this reunion is for our special guys.
With your help, a contract will soon be signed for our “group” to hold our Re-U at the KCI Embassy Suites Hotel from 8-10 September 2011 (leave out on the 11th). The KCI Embassy Suites is located just 4 miles from KCI airport (with FREE shuttles) and 2 miles from a very new and unique shopping area (with FREE shuttles) with 70 stores and 28 restaurants ( www.zomarosa.com ). Downtown Kansas City is about 15 miles away.
What I need is your commitment to attend so we can get together after 43 years (for some). In November, Dave Redel (Bear) received a “yes”, I’ll be there” from 25 guys (with a total of 36 folks), but I’m sure we can get most of you on the distribution list to attend. Since Bear has been whining about, with his aches and pains, I thought I would give him a break ….so I will be your contact.
We have agreed with the Hotel to occupy 25 rooms, minimum, at the two-room suite rate (with really comfy beds) of $104.00 ($120.09 with taxes and all) per night. As stated before, they will provide us with a FREE cooked-to-order breakfast each morning and a 2 hour FREE “social hour” each PM. Great deal ! I hesitate to sign the hotel contract until at least the original “I’ll be there” guys re-confirm that they will attend.
Please let ME know if you are coming and how many will be in your party (with each person’s name). I’ll let you know when the contract has been signed for you to make your own reservations. To make those reservations, the contact numbers are listed below and, once the contract has been signed, you can go to the hotel’s website and click on our Re-U icon (a BLUEGHOST) to make your reservations. You will be able to arrive and depart 2 days early /leave late for the same Re-U room rate.
We’re also thinking about getting together on Friday, late afternoon, September 9th, for a very informal Kansas City BBQ with all the trimmings; but more on that later.
We are still trying to get a hold of: Burden, Chambers, Earwood, Fritz, Grooms, Holcomb, Bob Miller, Jack Reed and Rhinehart. If you know how to reach them, please do so and have them contact me….
Contact Info: KC International Airport Embassy Suites Hotel
7640 NW Tiffany Springs Parkway
Kansas City, Missouri 64153
816-891-7788 or embassysuites.com ( Remember to mention: “ KC Blue Crew Re-U “)
Dates: September 8-10th…(out on the 11th)
Rate: $104.00 ($120.09 w/ taxes)
Please let me know asap (not later than 10 February) so the Re-U arrangements can be made.
Questions….? Please email or call me at: 479-855-4666
See you in September………
Tom Pearcy
Blueghost 18
-----------------------------------------------
January 28, 2011
WOW….What a response….you guys must REALLY be thirsty !
All of the original “I’ll be there” guys have re-confirmed and are joined by a few others that are now committed to attending our upcoming KC Blue Crew Re-U in Kansas City this September.
So far we have a total of 46 signed up: Bass, Beauford, Brady, Buckley, Cretella, Fiske, Guttery, Handley, Jones (George), Monte, Morris, Nicely, Noel, Opheim, Owen, Pearcy, Peterson (Maj Pete), Pewitt, Redel, Rippy, Robbins, Ross, Sabaka, Shanahan, Shepardson, Bob Smith, Snow and Sprinkle….What a cast of characters ! (I found Jack Earwood but he will be unable to attend).
What do YOU need to do now ??? SEND MONEY !! Be sure I know the names of all that will be attending and a phone number, if I need to reach you.
Some of you have already sent in some “seed” money and I appreciate that. For those of you who haven’t sent in any money or have sent in just the “seed” money, I’ll need$60.00 per attendee.
(In some of my responses, I was asked if we were going to have a chance to get together and so I went ahead and scheduled an INFORMAL K.C. BBQ with ribs, brisket, beans, corn bread and all the fixin’s for $35.00 each.)
So the total cost of our little Re-U is $60.00 per person…. which is not bad for FREE breakfasts, FREE 2 hour “Happy Hours” each evening, and a KC BBQ …and oh yeah….GREAT FRIENDS ! Blair Noel has great slides to present of “our time” in the AO.
Please make those checks out to:
Tom Pearcy KCI 46 Kirkcaldy Drive, Bella Vista, AR 72715
The deposit has been paid, the contract signed, but give the hotel until next week (2/4 or so) to make your room reservations
Date: 8-10 September 2011 (out on the 11th).
Place: KC International Airport Embassy Suites Hotel
7640 NW Tiffany Springs Parkway
Kansas City, MO 64153
816-891-7788
www.embassysuites.com and click on the Blueghost icon …the end of next week.
(Remember to use KC BLUE CREW Re-U to get the group rate of $104 +)
Questions: email @ tpsp@cox.net or call 479-855-4666
Thanks for the super quick response and great support ! See you in September in KC !
T
Note: This information was originally posted in January 2011 on the first page of the web site with a link to the details. On January 31, 2011 the posting was removed per the request of the reunion organizer who related that this web site "was not were we wanted it".
Update---January 2012. This reunion was held as scheduled and according to reports, approximately 36 original Blue Ghosts along with guests were in attendance and I am told that it was indeed a magical event. Dan Buckley made a DVD of the reunion and will sent it to anyone who is interested. Other members made photographs and have offered to share, however, in keeping with the requests of the reunion organizers, no photos nor reports will be published on this website. This behavior certainly begs the question, why does this group desire to keep their reunions and events secretive?
If it's not too late we would like to attend, will look for flights, or will fly as far as Nicely's and ride down or over with them.
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