Boxcar Veterans,

Our Ninth Annual Boxcar Reunion convened in Philidelphia on 29, 30 and 31 July in the Comfort Inn adjacent to the Ben Franklin Bridge. The Annual Business Meeting was called to order at 1430 on the 30th by President Al Stratton.

We offered a moment of silence in honor of our missing friends, before proceeding with business. There was a round of applause for site coordinators Ed Monroe and Josh Logan.

Treasurer John LeCates reported that about two hundred dollars remained in the treasury. Dean Nelson read the minutes of the 1998 meeting at Dothan, Alabama.

We carried on another discussion of membership fees, and again decided against them. After the annual passing of the hat, five hundred and sixty eight dollars were added to the treasury.

The main topics for discussion each meeting are the election of next years Association Officers, and the selection of the next Reunion Site. For several years we have discussed the need to stage a Reunion in a more Central or Western location in hopes of attracting more of our Western Veterans. After initial talk about Branson, Missouri and Las Vegas, Nevada, Joe and Kandi Hawkins volunteered to host the 2000 Boxcar Reunion in Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha won the vote, with possible sites for 2001 in Las Vegas and Savannah, Georgia.

President Statton declined to run for re-election; after a few minutes of discussion about the railroad -uh, the election process, we voted in by acclamation the following Association Officers for 1999-2000: President Joe Hawkins - Vice President Ed Monroe - Treasurer John LeCates - Secretary Dean Nelson.

Veterans attending the Philadelphia Reunion were: Weldon Allen (Florida), Jim Bennett (Illinois), Dan Bolick (North Carolina), Joe Boylan (Pennsylvania), Don Bryan (Pennsylvania), Tom Chism (Kentucky), John Cottman (Virginia), Robert Criswell (Delaware), Conrad Davis (Alabama), Chuck Dinges (Ohio), Bill Elliot (Florida), John Engle (Virginia), Ken Feazell (Virginia), Bob Hallock (Connecticut), Dan Hatcher (Alabama), Joe Hawkins (Nebraska), Ron Johnson (Maryland), Jack Knotts (Florida), John LeCates (Maryland), Josh Logan (Florida), Ed Monroe (New York), Andy Moore (Georgia), Dean Nelson (Minnesota), Steve Niedbala (Georgia), Alfred Romaszewski (Alaska), Fred Sass (Florida), Bob Siravo (Florida), Bill Sly (Virginia), Al Stratton (Missouri), Tom Tocco (Virginia).

Bob Siravo drove his van all the way from Ft. Lauderdale, and Alfred Romaszewski came (he did fly) all the way from Eagle River, Alaska. Bill and Eloise Elliott drove all the way from Panama City to Reno in '96. No matter where you live, if you want to see the guys, the Reunion is not too far away, as long as you want to go.

Camaraderie is always the point of each Reunion. The Boeing people put on a wonderful tour; at the factory we saw Chinooks being rebuilt, and saw Boeing's part of the Osprey construction line; and they layed out a marvelous lunch for us.

There was one negative (not the reunion, but to the Hotel and to the Philadelphia PD); Tom Chism's customized truck was stolen from the hotel parking lot, and the police took three hours to respond to the call. Tom and Donna drove a rental back to Kentucky. This was the first time for such a problem in nine Reunions.

The Reunion friendship was great, as usual. The Boeing Helicopter tour was great. And in August, 2000, our Reunion in Omaha will be great.

Winter letter will be out in January

Dean Nelson  - Association Secretary