September 29 – October 2
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dear Firebirds and Friends,

Our cross-generational mini-reunion in Chattanooga was a great success. The 13 “Legacy” and 12 “Post ‘70s” Firebirds, along with 9 spouses and a son, established new friendships and refreshed old ones. Ten Firebirds joined in by Zoom on Wednesday afternoon. Smiles and laughs were everywhere! See 2025 ChattanoogaPhotos.pdf for more.

We thank Ken & Carolyn Pribyla (and grandson Ethan), Wedge & Debby Kronberg, and Dick Dodge, for researching and setting up the Hampton Inn and the Lookout hospitality room for us. The facilities were excellent. Like last year, it was designed as a non-structured free-for-all reunion. Small groups drove or rode the Incline railway to the top of Lookout Mountain. Others descended into Ruby Falls Cavern, or drove over to the Chickamauga Battlefield.

Lunches were in ad hoc groups during these field trips. Dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday were enjoyed in the Lookout room and consisted of Jack’s fried chicken & sides, and/or Mr. T’s pizza. Our thanks to Thad & Phyllis Heaney along with Frank Whittle for dinner pick-up and delivery. And thanks to the Firebird Association for picking up the tab for meals and soft drinks. Additional “adult” refreshments came in various kinds and quantities and were provided by a number of friendly Firebirds.

On the business side, the administration of our Association will remain in place “as is” with the additional support of Willie Kramer, Frank Whittle, and Thad Heaney for Reunion Planning & Execution. The Mini-Me of Iron Mike is now in Willie Kramer’s custody in Ft Walton Beach and the Tiny Tin Mike makes 18 appearances in the 2025 ChattanoogaPhotos.pdf. Did you find them all?

Those in attendance this year favored continuing to meet annually with the understanding that some may only make it every other year. There is no obligation to make every reunion, but we want to provide the opportunity for those who can, while they can.

We need to begin the process for next year and that starts today with YOU! These proposed locations for next year were offered by the group on Wednesday night:

1. Savanah, GA
2. Anchorage, AK
3. Fredericksburg, TX
4. Charleston, SC
5. San Antonio, TX* (was also a candidate last year)
6. Fayetteville, NC

We’re open to any other suggestions and need to hear from everyone.

We will then send out a complete list and ask each of you to pick a first and second choice. The outcome will determine a location and we can get to work on the details.

If you are in contact with other Firebirds who may not be on our email list, please have them email Willie Kramer with their contact information so he can include them in our future Firebird communications.

Warm Regards,

Honi Garvin

Gene Ramsay

Ken Pribyla

Dear One and All Firebirds,

Last month’s mini-reunion in Tucson was highly successful and good times were had by all. We thank Lynn Alsbury for researching and setting up the hotel for us which was exactly what we were looking for. It was a non-structured free-for-all as designed and we all took care of entertainment ideas. Small groups drove to the top of Mount Lemmon, others to museums and most to PIMA as addressed below.

Attendees update: Dan and Jo Brooks, Ken and Carolyn Pribyla, Honi Garvin, Jerry and Diane Drennan, Bruce (the Wedge) and Debbie Kronberg, Gregg and Laurie Fitzer, Kathy and Gene Ramsay, Dave (Tank) and Sue Frank. Steve Passmore, Bob Snyder, Chuck Lavoie, Bob and Margaret Shellenberger (Sq Commander after the late Jim Waldman), JJ Nicholaus, Chuck Donahue, Stet Palmer and Frank Allen. Also the C-130 Pilot son of Jim Waldman, Jeff Waldman attended. We told tall tales, shared stories about each other and a highlight was visiting C-130D 493 in the Pima Air and Space Museum. It was unseasonably hot and reached 103* every day we were there. The Zoom get-togethers were a bit disappointing as we had quite a good turn-out on them two years ago, only about 6 on each call. This year we had two initial cadre guys on the calls who brought the Ds from Dyess up to Elmendorf in 1964, people on the zoom calls were Jim Banas, Fred Cooper, Mike Steele, Alan Anderson, Jack Cayton, JC Arrington, Charles Hefner and our last Brit RAF Exchange Officer, who succeeded Jerry King, Felix Maguire.

Several of the “newest” firebird clan came as well to include Jeffrey Sherman, Kirk Shaw, Rob Staples, Jim Summers, and Mark Hirmer.

It occurred to us that not everyone got the message posted on our web page about our decision to stop organizing large reunions after nobody signed up to take any of the officer’s positions two reunions in a row. It was decided to make things easier and have mini-reunions every two years with no advance planning for activities, pay-as-you-go bar, and just get together and plan on the run. It worked out great. We only need a volunteer POC at the chosen sight to coordinate accommodations. Our next mini-reunion was discussed and suggested that we have it every year because we are dropping like flies. Thoughts were for a central location with several suggestions:

Tennessee – cheaper and central-ish but would require some research for city and things to do

San Antonio -Possible activities include a rodeo dinner with a live band; a tour of the San Antonio missions and the Alamo; plenty of time to meander along the River Walk, which features tons of restaurants, shops and bars. There are also some great spas for those needing a good rub down! You can do as much (or as little) as you’d like, and we’ll plan to stay at a downtown hotel, so a lot of this would be within walking distance.

Colorado Springs- Lots to do like cog railroad to top of Pikes peak, or you can drive up, sports events at the Air Force Academy depending on the season, Pioneer Museum and Olympic Museum etc. The only draw-back is the altitude. Many people get altitude sickness with bad headaches. Honi’s mother-in-law, visiting from Michigan, passed out. Anyone with breathing conditions should think twice about it.

Open to any other suggestions.

Regards,

Honi Garvin
Gene Ramsay
Ken Pribyla 

This is a feeler to see what the group wants so if you could please answer the following questions and reply to the group of three of us listed above so we can consolidate the inputs:

Suggested location_______________________________________

Month/week of the event__________________________________

Frequency of mini-reunions ( one or two years )________________