LSMR 409 San Antonio, Texas Reunion

October 31 - November 4, 2007

The 2006 reunion in Branson, was very successful, with a Cruise on the Branson Bell, and a tour of Military Museum. Special thanks go out to Jane Skryja, Betty Westrope, and my wife Randy Kelley for their tireless help in making this reunion a success. We had 59 crewmembers and their wives or others. There were over 100 crewmembers and guest attending the banquet. 

On a somber note, we lost two shipmates this year from Cancer and Kidney failure.

GMG1 Daniel Sapp 1966-68 from Waukegan, ILL., in Dec from cancer

RM1 Raymond Ault 1965-68 from Anderson, Ca., in Jan., from kidney failure. Most will remember Ray as he checked himself out of the hospital in Ca., and attended our reunion in Branson last year. He is in the group photo on our web-site. They will both be missed and our hearts go out to their family and love ones.

I would like to remind all Vietnam Veterans and those from Korean era veterans to contact their Disable Veterans Association for possible service connected disabilities.

For all those that were not at the reunion last year and those who are planning to attend this years reunion who have not given their $20.00 contribution to help cover cost of Mailings, Supplies, Food, and Beverages Concessions, and preparing for our upcoming reunion. Please make all checks payable to Clarion River Reunion and mail to below address.

Please contact me if you are planning to attend reunion so I have a good count. Thanks!

Please note that Leo has moved to California since the reunion. His new address & telephone below is correct!

CONTACT PERSON;  

Leo H. Kelley Sr.

Home: 916-729-0611    Cell 518-232-7015

6533 Van Maren Lane

Citrus Heights, CA  95621

 Email: lsmr409@aol.com

Hope to see everyone is San Antonio!

Leo

LSMR409 2007 San Antonio, Texas, Reunion

To the families of all those who served on the LSMR409 at any time:

During the reunion in Branson, Missouri last year, as I sat listening to the spouses and other family members tell of their experiences at home (wherever that happened to be at any given time) while their better half (?) Was serving our country, it occurred to me that those who kept the home fires burning were serving our country, too. They just did it without the uniform.

As they told their stories, I wondered why these brave people went without recognition for the most part. I approached our venerable leader, Leo Kelley, with the idea of putting some of their tales in writing for the next reunion. I should have known better. As any born leader would do, Leo immediately assigned that task to the person who suggested the idea. (Me)

I’ve dragged my feet until a few days ago, when I received a phone call from Leo, asking me if I was still interested in the project. "Of course I am," I said. So the next day, via email, I began getting pages of names, email addresses, street addresses, phone numbers, spouses names, etc., from Leo. I’ve entered all the email addresses into my computer, and this will be the first of my communication with you all.

Here’s the plan: any family member who has a story to tell of their LSMR409 military life adventures can submit their story in written form to me via email at floridahalf@yahoo.com or can send it via snail mail to Margaret Cooper, 8332 S. Kenneth Ave., Chicago, IL 60652. I’m looking for anything relating to your life while your spouse or other family member served aboard the LSMR409 at any time that ship was in service. The experiences can be serious, humorous, sad, happy, etc., just as long as they are your own true experiences.

As of right now, I don’t have a deadline for submitting your stories, but the sooner they get to me the better. Hopefully, there will be many of you who want to share with the rest of us. Whatever we can get done before the reunion in October, 2007, will be put into book form and be made available at that time. I’ll keep you all advised on our progress as we go along.

Many of you who receive this email will be those whose spouse no longer lives on the Earth. If this is the case for you, and there’s an incident from your days on the LSMR409 that’s remembered by you or your family, please feel free to share it with us as a memorial for your companion.

I hope to start hearing from you right away, and I’ll be forwarding more info to you.

Fondly,

Margaret Shafer Cooper

Wife of James Lee Cooper, EM3 (65-68)