12^th REDFIN Reunion
Mobile, Alabama
September 24 - 27, 2009

 

Our 12^th REDFIN Reunion was held in Mobile, Alabama at the Ashbury Hotel & Suites  A full breakfast buffet was available to us every morning and kept full by “Chef Jim” Waldrop and his staff.  We had the Dogwood Room for our Hospitality Room and we also had our Pizza Party and our two Dinner Buffets served there.  Stephanie Ward and the Ashbury Staff made our stay very enjoyable.  Chef Jim provided two superb buffet dinners including a Bread pudding with whiskey sauce that was a recipe of his Mom’s. 

We had a pretty good turnout with 28 Crewmen and a total of 56 people including two grandsons of Ron Kuechler (Sean & Tobin Loftus).  Those present were: Francis & Pauline Baldwin, Lloyd & Mary Boucherie, Steve Buski, Steve Chordas, Bob & Cheryl Crane, David & Sally Edwards, Chuck & Eileen Franklin, Dan Gilson & Ann Vargas, Jim Gradeless, Woody & Carole Gunderson, Tom & Fran Hess, Ken & Jimmy Lou Ingram, Jeff & Marge Jones, Ron Kuechler and daughter Gretchen & Jeff Loftus, Louis LeBlanc, Art & Vi Maki, Jack & Joanne March, Jim & Linda Martin, George Mendes and son-in-law Brad Schermer, Bill & Pat Pelkey, Larry & Maxine Rash, Bob & Judy Ruppel, Richard Scoville, Walt & Barbara Sealy, Walt’s brother L.B. & Anne Mae Sealy, (L.B. Sealy was stationed on USS ALABAMA during WWII),  Cal & Wanda Sheeder, Cecil & Rosemary Stiles, Mike Taccardi & sister Nancy Fanelli and Dave & Sylvia Twigg.

I had just located and received the REDFIN Ships Bell and Jim Martin transported it from Pennsylvania to Alabama and back home.  The bell was rung by Jim Gradeless as the names were read of the REDFIN Crew on Eternal Patrol.  Al Ferdinandsen was kind enough to be our speaker on Friday.

We made a bus tour of, National Naval Aviation Museum  Pensacola, Fl on Friday and the USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park on Saturday and spent a lot of time on USS DRUM .  Lesley Waters and Tom Bowser have spent countless hours getting DRUM back in shape after many years of neglect.  And they can feel proud of themselves for what they have accomplished.

The Chinese Auction was held on Saturday evening and again was very successful.  Just remember, they may be able to take prayer out of public places but they can’t take prayer out of our hearts and minds!