2008 Snowbird Reunion

After Action Reports

Steve and Kathy Urfer's after action report;

We enjoyed our first reunion. Steve was so happy to see Bob Berry, Marc Goodell and of course Bob Carr. 37 years is a long time. I had programmed some of the guys that I knew could not be there into my cell phone and called each one so they could talk each of the Comancheros as we sat on the patio. Frank Tigano, Fred Thompson, Jim Wisecup and John Lipski all enjoyed talking with the guys. Very gratifying experience. I pulled up pictures from Vietnam on my laptop for viewing.

We enjoyed meeting and chatting with Courtnay Johnson, Sue and Joe Turner and Major Bob Clewell (interesting man and told us some funny stories in the hallway at midnight. Chuck Slezak joined a group of us that went out to dinner Friday night, to Carrabas restaurant, Nice guy.

My 2nd grade girlfriend Ruth Dunnavant, whom I had not seen in 16 years, drove from Pensacola and fit right in. We discovered that Valerie Cauley and her sister Vickie were also born and raised in Arlington Virginia like Ruth and myself. Bob Berry's wife Ihram is a warm and beautiful lady. We gals all decided next time we get together, Saturday night should be ladies night out.

Melanie Janssen's after action report

Hi there!

What an eventful vacation I had this past month. The Snowbird reunion felt, as always, like coming home. Though I still marvel at the realization that I'm surrounded by a group of people I have not much in common with, but who have nonetheless accepted me without questioning and who've turned me into one of their own. I can never stop being elated by that and I thank my lucky stars every day for the warmth you keep showing me.

I was also glad my tribute to Gary Lee Stamey was so much appreciated. I'm sure he'll be missed for a long time. I know I will.

After this year's reunion, I made it up north. Went to see the 'Airborne and Special Operations Museum' at Fort Bragg...that was beautiful.

On Friday, February 15th, I ended up in Washington D.C. It's a remarkable city and very overwhelming if you tend to get a little emotional. (I'm a GIRL, girls DO that. Sometimes. And it's not blackmail either. Not every time, anyway.)

I think I started crying at the WWII memorial, thinking about the sacrifices so many young guys made for the benefit of my grandparents and so eventually my own. And just as I thought it couldn't any worse; there it was. The Wall.

Over 58,000 names. Endless rows. Too much to take in and yet you can't turn your back on them for even a split second. It hit me just how many of them might have been your friends and how lucky I am that I'm friends with the ones whose names have not been etched in marble.

I hit rock bottom at Arlington. Vast and endless. I never knew it takes a tour bus to get around it. I found the grave of Major-General Maxwell D. Taylor and again, tried to let it sink in. I'm still not quite sure it did.

Fact is, I'll never really understand just what you've all had to face in Vietnam and still face every day. It's impossible and maybe it's better. But I do recognize you more now as the heroes you are. And id this is too emotional for you, tough. ;-)

Anyway, I wanted to say thank you, again, to all of you whom I've already met and the ones I know I'll meet someday. Thank you for allowing me to become one of you.

See you soon I hope!

Love, Melanie Janssen