We got a request from Jackie Dietrich on behalf of her father, KEITH SHAFER, requesting anyone knowing him in the early 50's to contact her.  Jackie says her father was stationed in Passau with the 8608th.  Your Editor, who served with FS 8608 in Scheyern, is not aware of a Detachment being in Passau that early.  Wels and Memmingen yes. Was there actually a Detachment from Scheyern at Passau in the early-50's?  You can get in contact with Jackie Dietrich through her e-mail at: supermom@justice.com and let me know about Passau.

 

We were Googling the 116th SRIC earlier and ran across an article in a local Ohio newspaper mentioning that Mr. & Mrs. JOSEPH T. ROCK celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on February 23, 2006.  Unfortunately we do not have an e-mail address for Joe but if any of you 116th SRIC guys are in the Struthers, Ohio, area, you might want to give Joe and his wife Margaret a call and wish them a belated happy anniversary from the Alpiners.

 

The 335th Radio Research Company/9th Infantry Division will host their biannual reunion in San Antonio, TX this coming fall.  We'll keep you posted as more details become available.

 

Eva and JIM NATIVIDAD (Scheyern 47-54) write that they just spent a great month in Germany visiting Scheyern, Passau, Nottau, Bad Aibling and the new Pope's boyhood home.  Jim had an opportunity to visit with several of the German Nationals that worked for or with him in Scheyern.  He also confesses to gaining ten pounds due to the consumption of too much great food over there.

 

JOE STROCK (Wels/Bad Aibling/Nottau 54-56) reports that on March 11th a small group of Alpiners and their wives gathered at Arnow's Restaurant in Reading, PA.  Attending were PAT McFERREN (Scheyern/Wels/Bad Aibling 55.57) and his wife Gloria, MERRILL SCHAEFFER (Scheyern 55-57) and his wife Linda, EUGENE VARELL (Scheyern/Wels 49-52) and JED HOSHOUR's (Bad Aibling 58-60) window, Karen.

 

Pat was in a serious automobile accident about a year ago and has started to walk once again, only recently.  Everyone applauded his progress and we are sure he will continue to improve as time goes by.  Both his eyesight and memory are crystal clear.

One interesting bit of information that developed when Joe spoke with Pat was that they were in the same basic training Company at Camp Breckenridge in early 1953.

Gene Varell was at Wels in December of 1949 when the station opened up and stayed on until 1952.  He mentioned that the contingent from Vienna was moved to Wels shortly after its opening.

 

WEST COAST MINI-REUNION?  No and maybe.  We got a very good response about having a mini-reunion but no one actually volunteered to be the on-site coordinator.  So, we are letting you know about the next best thing and let you Left Coasters make your own decision.

 

Last November, Chris Homeier (POC Herzo Survivors) held a reunion in Las Vegas, NV.  Chris informed us that if we were not successful in holding our own Alpiners reunion, we would be more than welcome to attend the next reunion of the Herzo Survivors.  It is my opinion that you West Coast Alpiners should take Chris up on his offer.  One of the nice things about Chris' Las Vegas reunion is the dinner they have at the Hofbrauahus in Las Vegas.  From what I understand this establishment is constructed along the original lines of the Munich Hofbrauhaus and their beer is imported directly from Munich.

LARRY GOODMAN (Herzo/Berlin 56-59) has graciously volunteered to coordinate with the Herzo Survivors any Alpiners who want to attend the reunion.  Larry can be contacted by e-mail at  larryjammin1@sbcglobal.net.

Once more details are available from either Chris or Larry, we will publish the information in the Interceptor and will mail copies to West Coasters not on the Internet.

 

16TH ALPINERS REUNION.  Our next reunion is scheduled for May 24-26, 2007, in Louisville, KY.  The on-site coordinator is JEROME F. (JERRY) DOMEK  (Wels 53-54).  Starting with the May Interceptor (released June 1st) we will put up a separate page on our web site relating to this reunion.  In the meantime, you Alpiners living in the Louisville area can help Jerry out with some of the details.  Jerry can be reached by e-mail at: jerrel@webtv.net.

 

 

The February update bounced for the following:  Richard Scott (Bad Aibling 68-69); Paul Rounds (Herzo/Giessen/Heilbronn 48-54); Robert Reynolds (Herzo 68/Augsburg 72-76/Berlin 80-83); Thomas Dunleavy (Berlin 60-62); Bob Moyer (Nottau)

 

 

RICHARD J. FLEMING (Scheyern 55-57) passed away on March 4, 2006, as reported by Supporting Member CHARLES L. RAND, Jr. (Scheyern 55-57.)  Richard passed away at his home in Brookville, PA.