2007 Reunion in Branson, Missouri

Nestled among the green Ozark hills of southern Missouri, between Lakes Table Rock and Taneycomo, is the surprising town of Branson. Boasting of more stage shows than NYC and LA combined, it was the site of our 2007 Reunion. There we were – 42 old salts - all proud graduates of Robbie U., along with a fantastic support group of 46 wives, family and guests, all having a ball. The Clarion Hotel in beautiful downtown Branson was our temporary home.

Among our 42 old salts were 4 “first timers”, ex-Robbie crew mates who have somehow managed to survive for 43 to 61 years without the therapeutic effects of a Robbie Reunion. They are:

1. Eben Ives of St. Joe, Arkansas – DC3 1953-54 – with Anna McCollum
2. Spencer Meade of Riva, Maryland – SOG2 1956-59
3. Paul Reuter of Waterloo, Iowa – CSSN 1952-54 – with wife Mary
4. Vernon Stump of Deland, Florida – GM3 1952-59 - with wife Linda

Vernon Stump holds the record for longest continuous service aboard the Robbie – 7 years! After leaving the Robbie in 1959 he continued his Navy career, retiring as a GMMC. We welcome these newcomers with open arms. If you served on the Robbie and have never attended one of our trademark reunions, give serious consideration to joining us next September in Boston. Now a look at the old salts:

World War II Crew


Back Row, L to R: Andy Anderson, Ralph Moore, Dave Miller, Fred Robertson
Front Row, L to R: Tony Duran, Maurice Johnson, Roy Davis. Ray Burras

Korean War Crew

Back Row, L to R: Fred Souba, Paul Reuter, Pete Masella, Bob Welsh,
Art Bowne, Don Loder, Vernon Stump, Art Schuetze,
Jim Ernsberger, Tom Clegg, Luke West, Eben Ives
Front Row, L to R: George Schureman, Gene Ferguson, Walter Vereecke,
Tom Womble, Howard Wise, Don Hendrick, Frank Schwerin

Post-Korea Crew

Back Row, L to R: Jerry Harshbarger, John Lucas, Jim Paulson,
Charles Smith, Charles Allen, Vern Compton, Spencer Meade
Front Row, L to R: Dick Gruny, Jim Tomkinson, Don Wiser,
Hal Mullen, Bill Murphy, Ron Kaiser

Saturday Morn in the Jungle Room

Saturday morning is traditionally the time the crew meets to decide where the 2-year hence reunion will be held, and who will host it. So what do the non-crew female celebrants do to pass the time? Until a very few years ago they gathered in a separate room, and chatted over coffee and doughnuts. But then came Peggy Clegg with a whole different approach – a dress-design competition. Last year it was hats, this year vests, and next year, in Boston, aprons.

Here you see the ladies sporting their vests – and hats - while working on personalized quilting squares for a quilt to be raffled at our Boston reunion. The vests were judged in four categories: patriotic, western, crazy/creative, and seasonal.

The Winners

Patriotic:

• 1st place, Sharie Paulson
• 2nd place, Barbara Reynolds
• 3rd place, Louise Reuter

Seasonal:

• 1st place, Joanne Kaiser

Western:

• 1st place, Dot Kiker
• 2nd place, Margie Compton
• 3rd place, Sharon Harshbarger

Crazy/Creative:

• 1st place, Venice Loder
• 2nd place, Mary Ellen Ernsberger
• 3rd place, Sharie Paulson

And Then There Was …

….Our traditional Saturday evening banquet. As has been our practice for several years, our MC Supreme, Art Bowne, called our attention to the Table of the Fallen Shipmate. and read the accompanying plaque. A new plaque contributed by our Rev. Howard Wise, was also read

Our superb Clarion Hotel dinner was followed by our traditional raffle, and then the photo session which gave us the group photos displayed earlier.

1981 South Bend, IN
1982 St. Louis, MO
1983 Denver, CO
1984 St. Louis, MO
1985 Seattle, WA
1986 Baltimore, MD
1987 New Orleans, LA
1988 San Diego, CA
1989 Dallas, TX
1990 South Bend, IN
1991 Post Falls, ID
1992 Charleston, SC
1993 St. Louis, MO
1994 Denver, CO

1995 Covington, KY
1996 Myrtle Beach, SC
1997 Harrisburg, PA
1998 San Diego, CA
1999 Covington, KY
2000 Daytona Beach, FL
2001 Peoria, IL
2002 Gulf Breeze, FL
2003 Buffalo, NY
2004 Baton Rouge, LA
2005 South Portland, ME
2006 San Antonio, TX
2007 Branson, MO
2008 Boston, MA