Photos

Pictures from the 60th Annual Reunion Held at Tampa, Florida

(click on each photo to enlarge them)

Hope you enjoy the following pictures taken at the Tampa Reunion in August 2005.

Please let me know about possible errors/additions, adding unit numbers, etc. and I will make corrections. Thanks! frazierlg@ctos.com

Walter Lukasavage from Benson, AZ. and Manny Barrios from Whitter, CA both served with I Co 3/506 PIR in WWII. They met at Camp Toccoa, GA in 1942 for all their training and jump school, transferred with the 101st to Europe, and both jumped into Normandy on June 6, 1944 (1:00 a.m.). This was the last they seen of each other until the night before this picture was taken (8/10/05). Both have been members of the Association for sometime and have attended reunions before but never had the occasion to run into each other at the same reunion..

Several of the aviation groups display their banners at the reunion. These two represent the Lancers and the larger banner is for the 159th Aviation groups. This beautiful banner was designed by Randy Kirby.

Reunion attendees enjoying themselves at the Aviation Luncheon.

Lance Ruck (Aviation Governor) welcoming everyone to the 2nd Annual Aviation Luncheon. Over 70 folks attended the luncheon, watched the slide show built by Randy Kirby, and listened to some outstanding presentations by Lookheed on the new Apache helicopter.

L to R: CSM(R) Joseph Bossi, Matthew van Luyt from the Dutch Airborne Friends, and Col(R) Bob Jones.

Carol and Terry Zahn from Omaha, NE. These folks will be hosting the 2007 National Reunion in Omaha.

CSM Rory Malloy and his wife. Rory is a big supporter of our association, and serves on several committees in addition to serving on active duty with the 327th Infantry at Ft. Campbell.

CSM(R) Robert Young (Div HQ VN) and Jim Shamblen (326th Eng VN).

A shot of the MIA POW table place setting at the Memorial Dinner on Friday night.

Same picture, different view.

James and Diane Crawford. James served with the 159th Aviation Bn. in Vietnam and these folks live in Colorado Springs, CO..

Richard Wallace lighting candles at the Memorial Dinner. Everywhere we turned at this reunion, we saw many hard working Gulf Coast Chapter members including Richard. (photo by Eddie Pissott)

Part of the beautiful memorial displayed at the Memorial Dinner.

Another shot of the Memorial displayed at the Memorial Dinner.

A group shot of the 450+ dinner attendees on Friday night.

Jordan Jeffcoat, the Executive Director of the 101st Airborne Division Association at Fort Campbell, KY.

GEN Binford Peay receiving thanks after giving a great speech at the Memorial Dinner.

Jim "Jungle Jim" Joiner and his wife Michelle. Jim serves as our Assn. Chairman of the Board, is the past President, and also was the Reunion Chairman. He recently received a hear transplant in July and is doing great.

Mike Frieze (A Trp 2/17 CAV VN & FC) who now lives in Yulee, Florida. Mike lived in Colorado Springs and was one of the founding members of the Rocky Mountain Eagles Chapter, and has been involved in several other chapters over the years.

Now Past President Johnny Velasquez with his wife Lillian, their daughter, and their two grand daughters.

COL(R) Ted Crozier and his wife Betty.

159th Aviation reunion attendees enjoying the Memorial Dinner.

L to R: Ronell O'Bryant, SSG David Jones( Division Honor Guard) and Jenny Price. These two young ladies are married to active duty soldiers and are very much involved in keeping the National Office at Ft. Campbell running.

Bob Carr (A 101 Avn VN) and Larry Frazier (C 158 Avn VN). Bob is well known for his work on many helicopter restorations and memorials, and lives in Florida.

SGT Charles Burchard (HQ CO WWII) and his family. Charles served with the 101st at Normandy, in Holland, and at Bastogne.

L to R - Peter Kontos (son-in-law), Charles, Ila (wife), Cynthia Kontos (daughter), and Andrew Spaliasos (grandson)

Cynthia explained that the first thing she learned how to write was "keep that eagle screaming" from the Association literature in their home when she was a little girl.

A Fair Trade - A beautiful limited edition print for an Honor Guard shirt.

L to R: Rick Siler "Ghostrider 28" (A Co 158th Avn Bn), Harold Smith "Ghostrider 64" (A Co 158th Avn Bn) , and Larry Frazier (C Co 158th Avn Bn.)

Harold "Itty Bitty" was wounded during Lam Son 719 in Laos while piloting a helicopter and was evacuated.

Susan McLean and Larry Frazier.

Susan served as a donut dollie in Vietnam during the 70-71 time frame. Her roommate Jennie Kirsch was murdered in Vietnam while they were stationed in Chu Lai. Susan recently attended a ceremony in Washington DC that honored Jennie.

The donut dollies were civilians that worked for the American Red Cross, visited the troops, and generally found ways to improve the moral of the troops and made their day.

Charles Toomey was present at the reunion one day to autograph his book "XVIII Airborne Corps in Desert Storm".

Walter Lukasavage (I Co 3/506 PIR WWII) and Larry Frazier.

A beautiful eagle ice sculpture adorned the entrance to the Saturday night Awards Dinner.

The entertainment included a retired colonel (Jack Schifler) dressed in a hula skirt.

The active duty honor guard from the 101st Airborne Division always attend the reunions and do us proud.

A group shot of the members of the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter that attended and worked to make this reunion a great one. (photo supplied by Eddie Pissott)

Lois and Tom Sewell from the host Chapter. These folks were also everywhere you went doing everything they could to provide a great reunion. Thanks folks!

Tom served with many 101st groups including A Co 2/327 Inf 68-69, C Co 101st Avn Bn. 71-72, and the 1st Brigade and Fort Campbell 74-77.

L to R: Peter and Linda Cipolla (C Co 1/327 Inf VN) and Diane and Roy Aguero (C Co 1/327 Inf and L Co 75th Rangers VN). The Cipolla live in Dunebin, FL, and the Aguero's claim to be from Goatrope, TX.

Outgoing President Johnny Velasquez receiving a gift for his two years service to the Assn. as the president. Congratulations on a job well done Johnny!

Richard Wallace, Johnny Velasquez, and Jordan Jeffcoat .

Eddie Pissott was the lucky winner of the $10,000 first prize in the Annual Sweepstakes drawing. Second place was for $5,000, and there were also five $1.000 winners.

Eddie is a Florida Gulf Coast Chapter Member, manages their chapter website, and was another one that was everywhere during the reunion.

Active Duty 327th Infantry soldiers. L to R - SPC Bowling, SPC Pashina, SPC West, SGT Caudill, SGT Weaver, and SSG Spicer. All these soldiers are deploying this next month, and pretty gung ho!

New Assn. President Larry Redmond (on the right) with our hula dancer, COL(R) Jack Schifler.

Tom Sewell standing on a chair calling off door prize drawing ticket numbers. Tom is short, and admitted he was beginning to like the view from up there. Many very nice door prizes were drawn for each night in the hospitality room.

Bill Madden (2/320 FA 66-67) from El Paso, TX and Augie Agro (HHC 502 ABG 60-63) from Sun City Center, FL.

Mike Daily (Div HQ VN) from Philadelphia and Jim Brennan (B Co 101 Avn VN) from Newport News, VA.

. David (1/501 Inf) and Myra Moore from Liberty, NC

Dave Hansen and Mike Frieze

The hospitality room was well attended during the entire reunion.

Johnny and Lillian Velasquez.

Ben Infuso (A Co 1/506 Inf) was a great bartender.

Jon Skerrett (Honor Guard) and Andrea Herrera, one of several outstanding bartenders in the hospitality room. When asked if the girls had fun, she responded "we had a blast!"

Our new Association President Larry Redmond (327 Inf).

L to R: Lynette Woitko, Bill Haupt, and Nadine Wierzbowski Field. Nadine's father Ed and her grandfather Joe Tirpak both served with the 101st.

Tiger Force reunion attendees telling stories and enjoying themselves.

Gulf Coast Chapter members enjoying some rest at the reunion on Saturday night

Mike Wilson (A Co 2/327 Inf) and Tony Mabb (B Co 2/502 Recon)

Comancheros Paul Cauley (left) Door Gunner, Richard Bittle Door Gunner/Crew Chief and Marc Goodell UH-1 Pilot; all three served with A/101 AHB at Camp Eagle in 1971. (photo provided by Mike and Terry Pavisich)

Terry Jo, Debra and Mike Pavisich, Door Gunner/Recon A/101 AHB, enjoy the 101^st Memorial Dinner. (photo provided by Mike and Terry Pavisich)

Terry Jo Pavisich and Gary Lee Stamey, A/101 AHB and F Troop 2/17^th Cav, enjoy the warm Florida weather. (photo provided by Mike and Terry Pavisich)

Bugler at the Reunion (name??)

(Photo supplied by Ken Hamill)

Bag Piper at the Reunion (name?)

(Photo suppled by Ken Hamill)

L to R: Harry Meyer, Larry Stotts and Ken Hamill

(photo provided by Ken Hamill)

L to R: Doug Jefferies, Randy Kirby, David Stacey (son of James Stacey), Tim McElrath, David's Mother Patricia, and Robert Sorell.

David Stacey and his Wife Patricia and Mother Patricia (both are named Patricia) were special guest of the 159th Avn. Battalion at the Tampa Reunion. David's father James Stacey was KIA in a Chinook crash on August 2, 1969. James Stacey was a member of C Company "Playtex" 159th ASHB. David was born 12 days before James death. James Stacey had just found out that he was a new father (of David) the morning he was KIA in the crash.

Many of the 159th'ers at the reunion were close friends of James. It was a very emotional time at the reunion for all of David's family, and James former 159th buddies.