This reunion started out to be an RVAH -7 Reunion, but the Heavy-7 guys have expanded it to all Hands that served with the wing reunion.
See Message from Joe Kennedy in comments below with the current itinerary.
VFW Post 7175 in Millington will be hosting the reunion. They will have folks on hand and food and beverage.. pay as you go.
VFW address: VFW Post 7175 * 4681 Cuba-Millington Road Millington, TN 38023 * 901-872-717
Map of location of the Hampton Inn
Map from Hampton Inn to Airport
51 to Veterans to Dakar StFolks are starting to arrive in Millington. 156608 is in the Hanger waiting for its viewing on Monday.
Comments
This should help everyone involved making the trip to Millington. Things have been very fluid, and continue to be, but this is the latest info we have and the best we can do for now considering all the changes made in the last 4-5 weeks leading up to Monday May 1st, as some things are just plain out of our control. I have been in constant communication with the key play makers, and supervision, but it’s actually really simple as the wrinkles are getting ironed out. Sooooo……
FRIDAY-No real plans are in the works as fewer people are arriving that day. Basically, you are on your own. I would suggest people arriving on Friday to use this reunion site page to communicate with each other for any possible spur of the moment impromptu lunch, dinner, or travel plans you may want to make with each other. Feel free to be spontaneous.
SATURDAY-I suspect most of our group will be arriving this big travel day. A large number of us are staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites on Rt. 51. and surrounding hotels close by. Feel free to settle in, shop/eat as there is a Walmart right nearby for last minute things you may need, along with many restaurants along Rt 51. It's much different from how I remember it in 1974! We have planned to meet up Saturday night at the VFW Post 7175 located at 4681 Cuba Millington Rd., which is just 2 miles south of the Hampton, just past the Walmart off of Rt. 51. They are eagerly expecting us and will have tables reserved for our group. It is karaoke night, so tune up your pipes for those of you who enjoy that. Uh hem..I just may try myself. I understand they have a nice menu and good food also. Everything there is pay as you go. Should be a lot of fun. I was told to mention they have Steak Night on Sunday there.
SUNDAY-This will be a free day to travel, rest up, do some shopping, etc… but please be aware we have secured a small banquet hall just for us at the Hampton Inn. I understand it is immediately in back of the hotel. It will be open around 11am, possibly noon at the latest, as soon as a few of us can set things up and arrange the tables, etc…
There will be food and drinks available all day and into the night. This is just for our group, for your enjoyment. Feel free to stop by for an hour between other activities you may have planned, or spend the day, it’s all on you. We will have music, beer and soda available, feel free to bring your own if you prefer, along with pizza and hopefully we will find some fried chicken nearby. We plan to have a slide show with hundreds of RVAH related pictures running all day, and that should be very interesting. We do ask, and some have volunteered to bring a cooler or two from the folks who are driving in from nearby, and have room, that would be greatly appreciated and cut down on unneeded expenses. Joe Butler is running a Venmo account for anyone wishing to make a contribution to help with expenses for Sundays meet up, but it is strictly voluntary,  no one is obligated. Every dime collected will somehow be used and spent for everyone’s enjoyment. Like I said, the hall will be open all day until probably well into the evening, so come and go as you please. It will be a great opportunity to make new friends, and swap old stories.
MONDAY- The day we’ve be looking forward to. After numerous communications between the main players, we will meet up at the Millington-Memphis Airport terminal. The time still to be officially decided, but we understand it to be 9-10 o’clock to kick it off. James Jones, along with his whole crew have painstakingly, with such love and devotion, taken on the job of restoring one of our RA-5C aircraft and put in on display for all to admire. Most of you know the story, so I’ll spare you. Pray for good weather and we should have all day to come and go to see it.
Like everyone else, I’m so looking forward to seeing the finished product. They overcame many obstacles to be able to share this event with us, and we are all very grateful. Great job, folks, thank you one and all. We also want to thank Roy Remmington, the Airport Director for all the work and dedication he’s put forth to allow this to happen.
Below I will try to post a message I received from one of the key players, Cleve Turner, who had a few things to say to me yesterday, alond with some directions to the Airport terminal.
If anyone else has any input, or suggestions to add, feel free. If I may have forgotten anything, I will add on later. Other than that, we'll see you there soon. Safe travels.
The comments below are the most current info we have. I believe final planning is in the works. If you have specific questions you can try emailing Joe Kennedy (neveragain19@icloud.com) and/or Joe Butler (70trail90@gmail.com)
I need a list of names of everyone who has booked a room at the Hampton Inn in Millington. When this first took off back in December, no one knew how many people were going to stay at this one particular
hotel, but after speaking to the manager, he’s going to give us a group rate for the room, and may come down on the price of the conference room, but I don’t think it’s gonna be cheap enough for us to rent the room for the day. As I stated earlier, they want $400 to rent the room for a day, they won’t just rent it by the hour. One step at a time, so please everyone take a moment and sign in because I need at least 10 names or more to be able to get the group rate for all.The manager asked me for a name of a group, in this day and time the term vigilante doesn’t sit well with some people so we will call ourselves ‘HEAVY FRIENDS group’ if anyone from the hotel asks. Thanks for your cooperation, and your patience, we try to keep these posts down to a minimum of just the most important information, but anyone is open to Xpress anything you want at any time and hopefully we will get answers back to you immediately. I just added this as I forgot prior, please list the number of people in your party because we need a headcount also to be able to present to the airport Director, who has been fantastic and this whole event. Thanks.
If you don't "Facebook" Joe K can be contacted via email at: neveragain19@icloud.com
or you can contact Joe Butler at: 70trail90@gmail.com
"We’re getting closer to the reunion. Lots of folks heading to Millington.. I’ll be more proactive after the first of February.. Just trying to get a count on who’s coming and how to view the Vigilante at the Airport.. I’ll post what we should do.. most folks at the Hampton Inn. A afternoon and evening at the VFW. I’m trying folks.. can’t wait to see all of you."