My friends in Valley Forge BUSMVA reunion 2007

Having just attended my first BUSMVA reunion, I can honestly say that the whole experience was even more than I had expected. Almost everyone that I met were outgoing and friendly. Although I could only stay from Sunday until Wednesday, every minute was enjoyable.

My wife Diane and I arrived early Sunday afternoon and were wondering what to do since there was no one that we knew. Not long after we arrived we met a friendly couple, Del and Gwen Bricco. We made plans to have dinner together that evening. We also met for breakfast the next morning. During our conversation I found out that Del had sailed to Europe on the maiden voyage of the same ship that I crossed on years later.

I was looking forward to meeting my friends and Post 100 American Legion comrades, Buddy Green and John Parmenter. John was arriving Sunday evening and Buddy was arriving Monday morning. Monday, while in the Dancing Bear Room, I met both. We all were in anticipation of meeting each other. Buddy's son Allan accompanied him to the reunion. What more could a man expect than to meet super people like these? We all had cameras and many pictures were taken that week. Buddy and I also had our video cameras along.

It was not long after that I met more BUSMVA brothers. I met Mark Lind, with whom I have been in E-mail contact with for over a year. I also met Rob Pellington, George Stone and Fred Sanford, to name a few. I was introduced to many many other veterans also. To each I gave our friend Reinhards personal wishes for a great and happy reunion. I also gave to them a laminated photograph card wishing fun for all BUSMVA veterans, which he had provided. They were all pleased with this gift from our great friend.

Tuesday we took a tour through the Valley Forge National park. We toured the encampment site of Gen. George Washingtons Army during the Revolutionary war. After the tour, Diane and I drove our car to the King of Prussia mall for some shopping. This is one of the two largest malls in the U. S. There are over 400 stores in the mall. It takes a whole day just to go through it all properly. I live only about 63 miles away, so this was not the first time that my wife, Diane, was here.

Cordiality and friendship abounded. Many Berlin veterans attend these reunions year after year to keep the fires of friendship burning and also to create sparks in hope of building a new fire of friendship. Everywhere that you looked, from the hotel hallways, lounge, outside and in the Dancing Bear room you could hear the chatter of voices and sometimes boisterous laughter, as veterans relived experiences and memories. Sometimes, I would imagine, even "tall tales" were also told, for as we all know, we men are masters at "embellishment." The important thing was that we all had fun.

The evening before John and I had to leave, He and I met with Fred Sanford and hoisted a few beers together. We toasted to our individual military units, to each other and to you Reinhard, our friend. It was a fitting end to our visit with each other.

I understand that our association works very hard every year to coordinate these reunions, and for this I must thank them, but ultimately, it is the veterans themselves, who make these reunions such a huge success. To all of the attendees, I must say -THANK YOU-. They were all great. They provide the fuel and oxygen to keep these fires of friendship burning year after year.