Page History: San Diego, CA, Reunion - 2014
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Page Revision: 2015/04/04 05:13
Day 1 - Arrivals
Morning Breakfast
The early birds gather for a morning breakfast as they get ready to for the arrival of the other members.
That Evening
Later in the evening, the group begins to gather for the evening's entertainment.
Our Entertainment
Our evening's entertainment serenades us while we chat the night away.
The PX Prepares
Getting ready to set up the PX for business.
A Little Shy
Is it me, or is Amelia a little shy?
Play On
Our entertain plays on while the group chats into the evening.
Hard at Work
Paul and Scott are hard at work. At what, I still don't know...
Association Business
Jeannie, Laura and Rick busy discussing Association business. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Open for Business
The crowd swarms the PX once it's opened for business. Lots of nice 401st things to buy.
So Much Stuff
Don, Kiera and Milena busy helping the crowd select a nice 401st item.
Remember Our Heroes
Andy present again for our reunion. His both was swamped the whole evening by interested parties.
We Remember
The Crawford's discuss Andy's adoptions of our fallen veterans while his mother, "Lilly", proudly listens on.
Sue and Andy
I don't know what Sue is saying to Andy, but I'm guessing it was funny.
Day 2 - San Diego Air and Space Museum ¶
The Day Begins
The Group gathers at the bus on their way to the San Diego Air and Space Museum at Balboa Park.
Say "Cheese!"
One quick group-shot before entering the Air and Space Museum.
"Cheese!"
No camera's were harmed in the making of this picture.
Inside the Museum
The Group enters the Air and Space museum.
Zeg "Kaas!"
Andy takes a moment to smile before the camera.
Aircraft Everywhere
A museum full of aircraft of all kinds.
Dutch Musings
Marlon Swinnen, Andy's son, takes a moment to muse over the museums many artifacts.
Come Back!
Andy loads Marlon and Kelvin into the flight simulator and hopes both his sons will come back alive.
Watch you Six!
Andy looks on while his two boys look like they're going to crash the simulator.
Piece of Cake!
Madeline and Amelia, "the Ledray Twins", take their own turn at the flight simulator.
Earthbound!
Uh... girls? When performing an Immelman, you're supposed to come out of the roll with the right-side up.
The "Ledray Sisters"
After our tour of the museum was finished, our evening's entertainment was provided by the world famous (among the 401st) Ledray Sisters.
Saluting the Bugle Boy
The Sisters give us a rousing performance of many WWII era songs, including the Bugle Boy.
Crowd Pleasers
A solid and enjoyable performance by the Sisters.
Playing On
They sang well into the evening.
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030503.JPG|Norris Bruce|That evening, the family of Edward G Dana (Waist Gunner, 614th) got to meet Norris Bruce, son of William Bruce (Navigator, 614th|
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030501.JPG|What's This?|Paul Bellamy takes a moment to verify some of the items that Norris brought with him to the reunion.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030504.JPG|Bruce's Artifacts|Norris shared many of the artifacts kept by his father after the war. William Bruce and Ed Dana flew together on the Hard Seventeen.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030506.JPG|Your Rights|Among other things, an instruction book on what to do if you're captured by the enemy.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030507.JPG|Some Artwork|Among the items Norris shared with the Dana family was a drawing made by their father shortly after his plane crashed back in 1945.}
Day 3 - the Midway
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030509.JPG|Boarding the Bus|The group boards the bus to go spend the morning aboard the U.S.S. Midway.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030603.JPG|The Midway|U.S.S. Midway Museum floating in San Diego Harbor.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030514.JPG|Midway Entrance|Wandering on board the Midway.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030519.JPG|Inside the Midway|The lower decks of the Midway with many aircraft on display.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030530.JPG|The Flight Deck|On the top level of the Miday, aircraft everywhere.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030540.JPG|History and Historian|Don Byers, our historian, his wife Nida and her son wander among the varied aircraft of the Midway.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030550.JPG|San Diego|Looking back towards the city of San Diego.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030563.JPG|A Little Ceremony|There was a ceremony being conducted on the Midway while we visited.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030573.JPG|In the Cockpit|Is it me, or is Kelvin a little too tall for that chair?}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030583.JPG|The Crawfords|A quick snapshot of Allen and Amalia Crawford.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030585.JPG|Capt. Craig Owen|That little ceremony? This guy was among the participants. To his left are his daughter, Afton, and his wife, Cynthia. }
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030586.JPG|A Quick Photo|Capt. Craig Owen takes a moment to take a picture with Janice Dana Ehrlich.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030607.JPG|The Kiss|That famous photo celebrating the end of WWII was made into a statue and now stands next to the Midway in San Diego Harbor.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030610.JPG|Bob Hope|Rick stands behind the array of statues meant to honor Bobe Hope for his service towards those who served.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030615.JPG|Candle Lighting|Josie begins our candle light ceremony meant to honor those who have left us. Marlon and Kelvin Swinnen stand ready to help.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030621.JPG|Micki Remembers|Micki, at her first 401st Reunion, takes a moment to remember Marvin Benz, KIA on March 20, 1944.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030628.JPG|Janice Remembers|This reunion was bittersweet for the Dana family. Janice takes a moment to remember her father, Edward G Dana. This was their first reunion without him and this day was his 91st birthday.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030632.JPG|Norris Remembers|Norris Bruce takes a moment to remember his father, William Bruce.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030647.JPG|Gifts to the Vets|Marlon and Kelvin Swinnen take a moment to give some gifts to our vets.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030652.JPG|Many Thanks|Thanking our vets for the the sacrifices they made so very long ago.}
Day 4 - War Time Accounts and Awards ¶
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030659.JPG|War Time Stories|In the morning, our vets took some time to tell us stories from the war.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030669.JPG|Round Table|Tales of the war circulated from vet to vet.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030671.JPG|Enjoying Stories|The Association loved hearing what the vets had to say.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030682.JPG||}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030689.JPG||}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030712.JPG||}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030729.JPG|Randy Kemp|Randy tells us a little more about the Champaign Lady.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030730.JPG||}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|ED01.jpg|A Simulated Mission|Later that afternoon, Ed Dana II took us through a simulated combat mission to Merseburg.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|ED02.jpg|Virtual 401st|The simulated mission demonstrated what the veterans had to endure while flying their missions.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030737.JPG|Group Photos|As the evening approached, our veterans gathered for their group photo.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030808.JPG|Our Veterans|The men of the 401st that attended the San Diego reunion.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030740.JPG|Sam & Norma|Sam and Norma Scimeca have their photo taken. }
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030748.JPG|Lynn McCallon|Lynn stands for his individual photo.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030751.JPG|Frank Perez|Frank tells a few tales.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030773.JPG|A Navy Band|As our evening starts, a navy band places us a few period and patriotic tunes.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030774.JPG||}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030790.JPG|A Standing Ovation|The Association loved their performance.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030793.JPG|Honor Guard|The evening proceeded with an Honor Guard.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030796.JPG|The Colors|Presenting the colors for our vets.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030804.JPG|Kiera and Scott|Kiera Kaufman and Scott McElvain keep the evening moving along.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030805.JPG|Andy and Angela|Taking a moment to pose for the camera.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030811.JPG|A word from the Pres.|Rick reads an announcement.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030818.JPG|Randy's Presentation|Randy gives us a status report on the Champaign Lady.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030843.JPG|Allen Crawford|Allen takes some time to tell us how it was.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030857.JPG|Unknowing Andy|Seconds before Andy learns of the surprise that was going to be given to him.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030861.JPG|The 401st Appreciates you|Rick awards Andy with a President's Commendation for looking after our fallen airmen.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030860.JPG|Dank u!|Andy thanks Rick for the recognition he is receiving.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030863.JPG|A Moment to Reflect|Yes, Andy, you earned it. Thank you for appreciating their sacrifices.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030883.JPG|Proud Achievement|Andy proudly displays his award.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030884.JPG|A Proud Family|I don't think Andy is the only person that was proud that he received this award. And I don't just mean his family, pictured here. The truth is, we're all proud to know you, Mr. Swinnen.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030868.JPG|Allen's Turn|After Andy, Allen Crawford received a Bowman Award.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030870.JPG|Amalia's Pride|Amalia Kane-Crawford watches her husband with pride.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030872.JPG|Thank You, Allen|Allen takes a moment to thank the group for the award. No, thank you, Allen.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030876.JPG|The Raffle|The evening ends with a raffle for various prizes. Among them, a toolbox with a 401st B-17 painted on it.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030878.JPG|And the Winner Is|One lucky winner.}
{s:UploadedImage|San-Diego-CA-Reunion-2014|P1030880.JPG|One Final Prize|And another prize is awarded to top off the evening.}