Fall 2001
Dear Members of the 419th,
Noel and Estelle Jacobs hosted the 51st reunion in Guthrie,
Oklahoma at the Territorial Inn from July 26 through July 29,2001.
Monta Lynn Brown and Rae Dawn Poling were so gracious in assisting
their parents.
Attending the reunion were:
Jim and Patti Boston, Ken Manning and daughter, Elmer and
Monta Lynn Brown, Letitia Manning and friend, Gary Moss and children&
grandchildren, Bill and Rae Dawn Poling, Harold and Lola Carmichael
and children & grandchildren, Wanda Cluck AI and Bonnie Porter, Herman
and Leila Dalke, Charles and Juanita Ray, Wallace and Bertha Frank,
Francis and Helen Roush, Joanna Gebhardt, Gerald St. Amand and son
Luke, Frank and Virginia Gruden, Harold Laity, Jack and Juanita Waldrep
Many of us took the opportunity to visit the hi.storic sights of
the first capital of Oklahoma. Guthrie is a quaint city filled with
antiques and wonderful shopping. This was an opportunity to chat with
our friends in the hospitality room as well as seeing a little history
of this vast state. Friday night we were treated to a wonderful meal
in the hotel and we would like to thank the Jacobs, Browns and
Polings for this and all the delightful gifts provided us at this
reunion.
The business meeting was held on Saturday morning July 28,2001.
MINUTES OF BUSINESS MEETING JULY 28, 2001
The meeting held at the Territorial Inn, Guthrie, Oklahoma opened
with Rae Dawn Poling presiding. The pledge of allegiance was
said in unison and the group was led in prayer.
Juanita Waldrep gave the treasurer's report.
Balance at Wilkes Barre reunion 2000 $1918.67
Check to Bonnie Porter -25.00
$1,893
Donation by mail 310.00
$2203.67
Total interest deposits 38.47
Total MuzzleBlast Acct. $2,242.14
Fall MB Expense -154.86
Winter MB Expense -141.23
Summer MB Expense -133.44
Total Balance July 2001 $1,812.61
Cards were sent from the group to Paul Carpenter who was ill,
Eleanor Orange who had a fall and to Janet Cohen. Rae
Dawn announced the price of dinner at "Granny Had One" is $14.00
each. She also explained that the owners had an antique store and
people would come in and say "Granny had one of those" and decided
to name the restaurant "Granny Had One" She told of the photographer,
who was young, being impressed by this group of soldiers (our own
419th) and stated that he wanted to do the photos for only the price
of the film. After a phone call by Joanna Gebhardt to her mother,
the group was invited to the 2002 reunion to be held in the Amish
country of Pennsylvania and hosted by Jane Ober and Joanna
Gebhardt. Time to meet for dinner was announced and the meeting
of the 419th was adjourned. Donations made to the MB fund at
the reunion totaled $257.00
Peter Falko wrote before the reunion (and this was shared
there) and stated that he and Mildred "are plugging along".
He stated they were "getting a little older, a little slower a little
forgetful" (aren't we all?) They are enjoying their daughter Cheryl
and husband John and son Stephen and wife Joyce. He sent
copies of "Just a Simple Soldier" which were given out
at the reunion. Thanks a lot, Peter!
In June we received a letter from Daniel Nissle and he wants
a list of living A Battery members and also 419th decals; I shared
this at the reunion but no one knew of decals and I'll get the A Battery
member list to you soon Daniel!
We received two letters from William R. (Bob) Kneebone, 2491
N Camino DeOeste, Tucson AZ 85745 whose son in Richmond found him
on the internet as a member of A Battery 419th FA. He was reconnaissance
Sgt. and away except to pick up rations. He then went into a new outfit.
He sent an MB donation.
Larry Gronefeld called and sounded as if he felt some better.
His friend, Lois Hall, will send us an e-mail if he goes into
the hospital and this is wonderful to know we can keep in touch.
A note from Gerald St. Amand in August stated that Laura
"has good days and other days". A donation to MB was included.
In August Herman Dalke sent a donation to MuzzleBlast.
A letter from Ken Manning stated that we had a good time in
Guthrie with our wonderful hosts and included a donation to MB.
When Harold and Lola Carmichael went home from the reunion,
they had colds but they stated in their note they were better. Lola
thanked us for the peach marmalade and stated they had a wonderful
time.
John Bonman sent a donation to MB. Charles Ray sent
a note with a donation and we do hope Juanita is recovering from her
surgery in October.
Wally Frank said that he and Bertha made it back to
Minnesota thinking they would have cooler weather but as it turned
out "we had a duplicate week of our Oklahoma heat wave".
Donald G. Brown sent his new address: 4070 Creekview Drive,
Madison OR 44057 and telephone 440-428-9430. He sent a donation in
his card.
Francis J. Vigneau now has a permanent address; 1915 S.E.
40th Terr. #104, Cape Coral FL 33904-8069. He stated he was sorry
to miss the reunion but was indisposed with a bleeding ulcer; he said
he is well now. He saw Frank and Virginia Gruden who live nearby.
A donation to MB was included.
Frank and Virginia Gruden returned to their home on Sept.
10th from the reunion. They spent time sightseeing. They will be "on
the road again" for Thanksgiving family reunion in NC. An E-mail from
Monta Lynn Brown stating that Dad Noel Jacobs was going
to get his high school diploma on Nov. 9th in a special ceremony for
"BOYS" who joined the service during World War II and left school
to do so. Congratulations, Noel!
Noel called tonight to tell of Phillip Constance's death.
He found out that Phil's discharge papers were lost and therefore
no flag could be furnished. If anyone knows how to replace discharge
papers which were lost, please advise us. Our sympathy goes to Dorothy
and family.
Bonnie Porter sent an E-mail stating that both Al and
her father, Harold Laity, are not well. We hope things will
be brighter for their family soon.
An E-mail from Patti Boston stated that Jim had some
heart problems with three blockages and his heart kept stopping. He
was sent to a Tulsa hospital where they took care of the blockages
one day and the next day installed a defibulator. Best wishes for
a speedy recovery.
Wanda Cluck and Rose Lemberg send E-mails often; Wanda
stated she enjoyed the reunion and we are still hopeful that Larry
and Rose will be able to attend a reunion again.
Joanna Gebhardt also sends some very interesting things on
E-mail; she and her mother are working on a place for the reunion.
The Waldrep family are fine and we had so many birthdays in
September; my sister was 90 on Sept. 1st, our daughter celebrated
on the 4th and her daughter on the 12th and our oldest son on the
19th. Our granddaughter, Kaye, who graduated on a basketball
scholarship from Berry College in May was named assistant Berry women's
basketball coach in August. We are proud of her and will still follow
the games.
But the episodes that happened in New York and Washington on Sept
11th were disheartening. We are sick of the fact that basically war
has come to our shores and with the anthrax threat, who knows what
is next.
There are US flags flying allover the South and we are sure it is
the same in your area. It is good to sing with gusto "God Bless
America" once more as Kate Smith did during World War II. Many
patriotic poems have been written, many articles printed, but we were
most impressed by a full page ad in our local paper, paid for by a
wholesale frozen food company, Zartic. It depicts the Statue of Liberty
backed by our American flag with a quote by Theodore Roethke:
"In a Dark Time, The Eye Begins To See"
with the statement under that "We Americans stand together
unblinded by terrorism with a greater vision of liberty and justice
than ever before".
Have Happy Holidays.
Your Editors,
Jack and Juanita Waldrep
201 Greenview Road, S.W.
Rome, Georgia 30165-4307
Tel. 1-706-291-1393
1-706-291-1830
E mail:jackwaldrep@aol.com