www.holiday-inn.com/sat-riverwalk

We are on base turning final for Fiesta San Antonio 2008. Things have picked up tremendously here the past week or so. We recently wondered if we would have a minimum turnout - now it appears we might have 350 or so here. That is great! Everyone with hotel reservations who have not done so, please mail your registration forms to Bob Strout as soon as possible. If you are planning to attend and do not yet have hotel reservations, let us know immediately. We are scrambling for additional hotel rooms since our blocked amount was suddenly exceeded and the hotel is completely full. There are additional rooms in the vicinity of the Holiday Inn Riverwalk that may be available, if needed.

Your committee is working diligently to make sure everyone has a wonderful time here in San Antonio. There are so many things to see and do. Information will be available so you might choose different places and activities you may want to visit. The hospitality room will be well stocked and we hope you will take plenty of time to visit with old friends and perhaps meet new ones. Please let us know any special requirements you may have.

http://www.sanantoniovisit.com


NOTES FROM THE SECRETARY - LARRY BURKE

We look forward to a great attendance at our Fiesta San Antonio Reunion. To insure that all interested have an opportunity, the registration deadline has been extended to April 10. Sufficient lead time is required for ordering of items and meeting contract requirements regarding attendance. We will be as flexible as possible.

The following members have already made hotel and/or reunion reservations: Aamodt, Ron Allred, Doug Armstrong, John Armstrong, Robert Allen, Ashley, Ayoub, Bachman, Baliles, Dick Brubaker, Barksdale, Wally Barnes, Belina, Berger, Boortz, Boughton, Bridgewater, Brake, Brattland, Britton, Brumfield, Burke, Byers, Caldwell, Covey Campbell, Elanor Carney, Carroll, Cherry, Dave Clark, Owen Clark, Coody, Couture, Cowell, Damonte, Damoth, Dander, Davenport, Deets, de Vries, Deviney, DeLong, Dement, Donohue, DuChene, Harry Dunn, James Dunn, Ray Dunn, Durham, Elliff, Emrie, Eppinger, Etzel, Fehr, Fetzer, Field, Fisher, Flournoy, Jim Foster, Royal Foster, Gardner, Given, Goven, Green, Granier, Gurley, Haglund, Hall, Hannan, Harkness, Frank Harris, Hawes, Hawk, Jerry Haynes, Henderson, Herrmann, Hills, Houle, Hurley, Jansa, Sally Jochimsen, Bill Johnson, Bob Johnson, LD Jones, Jordan, Kamhoot, Kekuna, Kennedy, Kimsey, Byron King, Bill King, Karl King, Klinkert, Evelyn Koeck, Krauss, Kruppenbach, Mary Kuschel, Lacy, Lamoreaux, Langley, LeFevre, LeDoux, Lees, Lemke, Lisec, Livermore, Livingston, Lockhart, Long, Lybarger, Lyell, Mackie, Marchewka, Marcum, Maye, Mazur, Dale McDonald, McDougal, McTasney, Merz, Michelsen, Momii, Dick Monroe, Jerry Moore, Mulder, Nance, Jeanne Nitz, Oake, Orr, Otto, Panzer, Parks, John Patterson, Peel, Pinaud, Platt, Powell, Preston, Purvine, Putlock, Reinke, Richardson, Robinson, Rohr, Roy, Salem, Scarff, Schildgen, Schmidt, Schuppe, Schwab, Scott, Chuck Smith, Robert Smith, Rip Smith, Ted Smith, Spaur, Spitler, Stamps, Steeg, Strayer, Stroh, Strout, Taylor, Thomas, Trapp, Ullmann, VanAllen, VanDursen, VanMeter, Vespico, Ward, Waters, Wege, Wendt, Wicker, Wilkinson, Tom Williams, Wissert, and Ziccardi.

WELCOME: We welcome the following new members to our Association: Ken Baliles, San Antonio, TX; Jack Belina, Burnsville, MN; Larry Dement, Runge, TX; Sheridan Hawk, Fair Oakes, CA; Jay Merz, Enid, OK (returning prior member); Neil Miller, Platte City, MO; Pat Nance, San Antonio, TX; Randy Nelson, Springboro, OH; Dave Wege, Crystal Lake, IL; and Vincent Ziccardi, San Antonio, TX (returning prior member).

“GONE WEST”: Names of Bob Mayo (Jan 08), Jack Slattery (Mar 08), and Herb Zehnder (Mar 08) will be added to the Memorial Roster at the next update.

MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Guest speaker at our Tuesday General Membership Meeting will be Lt. Col. Kyle Taylor, Commander of the 23^rd Flying Training Squadron at Fort Rucker. Briefing will bring us up to date on the current USAF Helicopter Flying Training Program.

Subject of concern will be where do we go after San Antonio? Assuming majority is interested in meeting again in the fall of 2009, where would you like to go? Be ready to present your desires for the next Board to act upon. The Association has already approved the use of commercial management like Armed Forces Reunions or The Reunion Brat, and it may be time to go that route.

HISTORIAN CORNER

Hi guys, I've been working on revamping the 20th pages to add more info. I added a new page (20helisq) to give some explanation. (check the bottom of the "Unit History" page for current hyperlink). Since the Ponies and Hornets were both 20th but were different in other aspects, I wanted to keep them together yet seperate, if you know what I mean. I added Jim Foster's pictures and some additional post Vietnam pages at the end of “Hornets” page. In the last big paragraph toward the end of the Pony pages, I added hyperlinks to "Consolidation" "21st SOS"(knifetales), and "Death of Pony Express". I moved most of the post Vietnam 20th stuff over to the 'Hornet" section since that was their call sign. I racked my brain for awhile trying to get this stuff sorted yet keep some integrity to the stories. Look for a few Alaska missions in the mid-60's from Marvin DeLong. I'll get them in the "Experiences" section shortly. We can all relate to his experiences.

Don’t forget to bring your photos and stories for the web site to the reunion.

KV

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Sunday May 11^th

Hospitality Room Open @ 1500 Hours - Closes @ 2200 Hours

Monday May 12^th

Hospitality Room Open @ 0800 Hours - Closes @ 2200 Hours

Bus to Rio Cibolo Ranch Loads @ 1700 Hours

Tuesday May 13^th

Hospitality Room Open @ 0800 Hours - Closes @ 2200 Hours

Business/Membership Meeting @ 0900 Hours

Mystery Entertainment in Hospitality Room @ 1930ish Hours

Wednesday May 14^th

Hospitality Room Open @ 0800 Hours - Closes @ 1600 Hours

Golf Outing - 0930 at Randolph AFB

Memory Book Photo Shoot - Time/Location Pending

Cocktail Hour / Cash Bar - 1800 Hours

Posting Of the Colors - 1900 Hours

Banquet Follows

Thursday May 15^th

Hospitality Room Open @ 0800 Hours - Closes @ 1100 Hours

Farewell!

WHERE THE ACTION IS:

Registration, Hospitality, and the Banquet will all take place on the 7^th floor of the hotel - happens to be the same floor that the swimming pool is on.

GOLFING EVENT: Of those already registered, 26 have indicated a desire to play. Plan is to play at Randolph AFB, doing the usual scramble.

ROSTERS: Current Membership Rosters will be available for all members attending the reunion. Those not attending will receive their updated copy some time after the reunion. If you have questions about your dues status, or need to correct and/or change roster information, e-mail Bob Strout or Larry Burke. See roster for email addresses. Mail information and dues payments to:

TREASURER, USAF Helicopter Pilot Assn

PO Box 966

Medical Lake , WA 99022-0966