B-2/501st
REUNION 2009

Kalamazoo MI

Lee's Inn
2615 Fairfield Road
Kalamazoo, MI 49002
Tel: 269-382-6100 or 800-SEE LEES
Fax: 269-382-2136

July 16-18, 2009

Hosted by Leo "Doc" Flory and his wife, Ann

THOSE IN ATTENDANCE:

67-68

Mr & Mrs Brad Jimerson
Mr Henry Tate

68

Mr & Mrs John Heil
Mr Michael Horigan and girlfriend

68-69

Mr Robert Baldwin
Mr & Mrs Frederick Browne
Mr & Mrs Robert Butts
Mr & Mrs Jim Delgiorno
Mr & Mrs James Duke & granddaughter
Mr & Mrs Leo (Doc) Flory
Mr & Mrs Darrel Heinsohn
Mr & Mrs Dwayne Huseman
Mr Bill "Tiny" Kaufmann
Mr & Mrs Dave Krautscheid
Mr Irvin "Moose" McCoun & Children
Mr & Mrs Pat O'Leary
Mr Dave Reinheimer
Mr & Mrs Grady "Luther" Starks
Mr & Mrs Dave Testerman
Mr & Mrs Larry Trask
Mr Mel Waite & Susan Willard
Mr & Mrs Dan Wakefield
Mr James Wertz

69

Mr & Mrs Mike (Doc) Edwards
Mr & Mrs Dan Hefel, niece and friend, Rudy
Mr & Mrs Larry Muller
Mr & Mrs George Schorr
Mr & Mrs Ed Wick

69-70

Mr & Mrs Daniel Baker & son
Mr & Mrs Robert Clark
Mr & Mrs Bob Colombo
Mr & Mrs Chuck German
Mr & Mrs Doug Grier
Mr & Mrs Phil Hazen
Mr & Mrs Leo "Butch" Hiller and son
Mr Larry Jackson
Mr & Mrs John (Doc) Marks
Mr & Mrs Larry Parkhurst and friend
Mr & Mrs Mike Silverthorn
Mr Dave Sullivan
Mr Chris Webber
Mr & Mrs Lawrence Wedig
Mr Al Werth
Mr Bob Worrall

70

Mr Lyle Kohmetscher & friend Ron Buescher

70-71

Mr Steve Forsstrom
Mr & Mrs Terry Heig
Mr Robert Layton
Mr Norm Miller & two children
Mr & Mrs George Oplinger
Mr & Mrs Michael Stafford
Mr Paul Wilgus & two children

KALAMAZOO!

AFTER ACTION REPORT:

THURS: Check in. Name tags and info packets distributed. Hospitality Room Open. Visit and Get Acquainted/Reacquainted

FRI: Golf Outing in AM, bus to Air Zoo around 10 AM with others enjoying sight seeing and shopping in downtown Kalamazoo. Business meeting was held at 4 PM. Captain Larry Jackson was awarded a set of Airborne golf balls for winning the golf tournament. Specially designed reunion mugs were given to each attendee and 101st Airborne DVDs were given out to each B-2/501st man. John Heil designed special Bravo patches for this reunion and distributed those to all. Delicious dinner was enjoyed at Bravo restaurant at 6 PM, complete with champagne toasts, courtesy of Al Werth.

SAT: "Taste of Michigan" Bus trip to South Haven MI at 9 AM to see the sights and shop on Lake Michigan. Lunch and decorated cake was provided courtesy of the South Haven American Legion. Returned to hotel around 3:30 PM. Bus ride to Leo's Decatur VFW post # 6248 at 5 PM. Flags lined the street in our honor. Color guard ceremony was held at 6 PM sharp with Group Photos of the men and women taken separately in front of the cobra and memorial display. Cocktail hour and couple photos were next on the agenda and then a special and moving POW/MIA presentation was held with dinner and raffle to follow. A large variety of raffle items were donated by various companies and organizations and private individuals. Even the centerpieces provided by the VFW Ladies Auxillary were given out. So just about everyone received something, with the proceeds going to seed the next reunion. Special awards were given out to the 7 first-time reunion attendees and all the B-2/501st men received a special recognition certificate for their service to our country. Cat and Brad were honored and received a card signed by all with gift cards inside. Doc Flory and his wife, Ann were honored with a personalized clock, "Reflections" print and a plaque was given to them for their hard work planning this reunion. Bus returned to hotel about 12 midnight.

SUN: Full breakfast was shared together at the hotel and goodbyes were exchanged until we meet again in 2011 in Branson MO. A good time was had by all. If you missed it, you missed a special time together. Plan to attend the NEXT reunion in 2011, which will be hosted by Mike (Doc) Edwards and his wife, Jane. Date will be decided upon later.

First time reunion attendees:

Robert Baldwin 68-69
Robert Butts 68-69
Mike (Doc) Edwards 69
Steve Forsstrom 70-71
George Oplinger 70-71
Mike Stafford 70-71
Charles Webber 69-70

L-R:
1st Row Kneeling:
Huseman Jimerson Baker Hiller Forsstrom McCoun Grier Flory Silverthorn Muller Horigan O’Leary Testerman Waite Heil
2nd Row:
Miller Schorr Marks Clark Jackson Krautschied Reddelmann (guest) Parkhurst Hazen Wedig Reinheimer German Browne Wakefield Butts Sullivan Delgiorno Hefel Starks Kaufmann Wick Webber
3rd Row:
Layton Tate Duke Colombo Werth Worrall Baldwin Stafford Edwards Heinsohn Wilgus Oplinger Trask Kohmetscher

Missing from photo: Terry Heig, James Wertz

Phil Hazen's wife, Debbie, is a newspaper editor in Clatskanie, OR and she wrote an article about our reunion in her "Clatskanie Chief". To see the article, click here.

If you attended the reunion, you'll want to check out our B-2/501st FACEBOOK page to check out the many photos and videos that are ONLY being shared there. We cordially invite you to upload your own photos and videos, as well.

Reunion Photos

Reunions have been held almost yearly since 1990. Reunion sites have been: Wash DC-1990, Colorado Springs CO-1992, St Louis MO AND Victoria TX-1993, Ft Campbell KY-1994, Victoria TX-1995, Red Wing MN-1997, Ft Campbell KY-1998, Ft Campbell KY-2000, St Louis MO-2001, Ft Campbell KY-2001, Kansas City MO-2003, Bayside TX-2004, Tulsa OK-2005, Bayside TX-2006, Portland OR-2007, Kalamazoo MI-2009