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Fighting Six (VF-6) Reunions
& Gatherings
Reunions Page 9
Steve Bach's Three Page Report
on the Oceana, VA Gathering in 2000
The following three page report from Steve Bach tells about all that is known about this gathering.
Photos from that gathering will follow the three-page report...
(Begin Page #1)
To my Comrades in Arms,
Today is the 19th of September 2000 and the VF-6 2000 reunion is officially over. It was great to see and swap
old memories with the gentlemen and their ladies who served in Butch's distinguished outfit. I wish I had invited
Tom Brokaw to join these members of his "Greatest Generation".
The renovated BOQ opened for business the day of our arrival. Things were little disorganized; the TV cables were
not yet connected, but no-one seemed to mind. The rooms themselves were very nice and all attendees were lodged
in VIP suites.
I was shocked to learn of Hurricane Florence, only 400 miles off Cape Hatteras on 12 Sept., and much relieved to
learn it was moving away from shore. Our weather stayed beautiful all three days, 13-15 Sept., 2000.
Our turnout was significantly lower than in '98. Listed alphabetically:
- Steve and Sally Bach
- Bob Bloomfield
- Willie and Sue Callan
- Hoot and Grace Hutt
- Mark and Patti Maxwell & son James
- Sy Mendenhall
- Cliff and Doe Seaver
- Scoop Smolen
- Hersch and Bonnie Pahl had to cancel late; Bonnie underwent
kidney surgery in late August to remove a large Staghorn stone. Her recovery will take awhile so they couldn't
possibly come.
- Jack Odenbrett was all set to come when his Doctors
put him back on chemotherapy and wouldn't let him travel.
- Joe Moynihan also was "detained" by his Doctor
after a fainting spell which they feared was indicative of a mile stroke. His new address: (address withheld for
privacy).
Also sorely missed were two of '98's attendees,
By Webster and Danny Lamb who along with so many of our
Comrades have now been called to the hereafter. For any who may not have heard, Bob Hobbs, Johnnie Johnston and
Moose Merritt also answered the final call since our last reunion.
A brief Memorial Service was held at 1700 Friday. Butch's daughter, Kathi Nye, with her husband and father-in-law
were planning to attend. We were all…
(Begin Page #2)
…disappointed when the older man's health forced them to cancel.
Decided at the Business Meeting:
- Do we want to meet again? Emphatically YES!
- When? Summer 2002
- Where? Pacific Northwest
- Why? A beautiful area where we haven't met and much
closer to our West Coast Comrades whom we haven't seen for too long.
- Host? Hoot and Grace Hutt graciously accepted their
election, pointing out that their best weather window is July & August each year.
Our schedule was very relaxed: Wednesday was for Meeting,
Greeting & Happy Hour in the Ready Room. About 2000 we went to the Lighthouse Restaurant on the ocean-front
for a sumptuous seafood dinner. Very pleasant.
Thursday was left open so everyone could do what he wanted. Willie Callan re-established contact with his old Diamondback
Squadron and a number of us enjoyed a personal visit there. Dinner was a repeat of '98 at Blue Pete's in Pungo.
Their chow is really exceptionally good and the ambience is great.
Friday morning we were given an informative briefing at the Admin Building by the Station XO. None of us had realized
the major role this Master Jet Base is playing in our National defense today. This was followed by a detailed briefing
and tour of VFA-136, an operational F-18 (Hornet) squadron. Although the F-18 has been with us for about 15 years,
it is a very sophisticated Bird and still perhaps the best in the world. (The F-14, Tomcat, goes back to 1972!
My how time has flown).
We had a chance to meet and question the CO, XO, Ops Officer and technicians in most of their shops. We stayed
so long we almost missed the buffet lunch at the O'Club. At 1900 we were back at the O'Club for our Banquet, and
they took good care of us with a wide choice of entrees and carafes of burgundy and chardonnay wine (quickly replenished)
on our table.
Among those who sent greetings and regrets are:
- Dix Loesch whose wife, Peg, is unable to travel and
needs him at home.
- Pat Trimble also messaged that Dick is unable to travel
any more: the complications of prostate cancer make it much easier to be in the home environment.
- Patsy Palmer, Butch's sister who is having a knee replaced
soon, asked to be invited again next time.
- Dave Moyer had no special problems; just couldn't make
it.
- Don Steadman has a few medical problems.
(Begin Page #3)
- Ken Decker has a new address: (address withheld for
privacy). Can't come. Says it's just too far for an 83-year-old-Chief.
- Herman Backlund had big, conflicting travel plans that
he couldn't fix.
- Mark Hardisty has some new physical problems which preclude
attendance.
- Ash Roberts called with a new address; (withheld for
privacy). Last time he reported a "bad arm" and an aversion to travel.
- Jack Dunn was called by Bob Bloomfield and said he would
come but there was not follow through.
- Hank Landry did not respond to our invitation this year.
Several other of our distinguished shipmates apparently
chose to stand on their communications from last time, reporting problems which were unlikely to improve with time:
- Alex Vraciu's wife Kay has Alzheimer's and he doesn't
like to leave her.
- Al Fairbanks cited the distance and his poor health.
- Joe Robbins reported high blood pressure and too many
side-effects from medication to travel very far.
- John Stann is in a nursing home.
Mark Maxwell with wife Patti and son James lost a night's
sleep to be on time for Friday's squadron tour & briefing. Only Mark was awake enough to stay with the program.
In a quiet later moment, he revealed his desire to again be the "communications center" for our group.
I hadn't realized the extent to which I had preempted his normal newsletters with the ease of e-mail promulgation
of news as quickly as I received it. With this epistle, I hereby step aside. Mark, the role you have so fully earned
along with our gratitude is again yours alone until Hoot has need to pass the word on the next reunion.
Enclosed is a marvelous picture (received by computer from Hersch) of Stinkey's Flight taken en route to Truk aboard
Intrepid. This is the same time period as the other squadron picture we got from Hoot at the San Diego reunion
but has better detail and individual signatures!
I forgot to bring my camera to Oceana so I bought a "one-time-use" job at the PX. The pictures are not
worthy of reproduction so I'm Xeroxing a few just to show we were there. Also enclosed.
All the best until we meet again. With warm regard,
(Signed)
Steve Bach
(End Three Page Report)
The photo Steve Bach was referring to
in a paragraph above follows with other photos on the next and final page...
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