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USAF Pilot Training Classes 52-G, 52-H and 52-F
2008 Reunion Memories of the USAF Pilot Training Class 52-G Association

Introduction by Phil Alden 52-G Our Association celebrates two histories tonight. The first, our graduation from pilot training and the receipt of those treasured silver wings, took place nearly 56 years ago.  Each of us in his own way made that history, and our memory of it is undiminished. The second history we celebrate is that of the Association itself. It began 17 years ago when Jack Gilliland and a handful of men and women met to plan and organize our first reunion.  Thanks to their efforts, and those of many other hard working volunteers, we've been gathering every second year since 1992. For tonight's celebration, Faye Dorsey has collected, collated and edited the reminiscences of our former presidents and several other key contributors to our Association's history.  Their stories are here to help you recall where we met and what we did at those earlier get-togethers.  But what really counts is your own store of indelible memories.  We hope you will carry many of them back home with you from this, our latest "Gathering of Eagles" - Reunion 2008. The Beginning of the 52-G Association by Jack Gilliland I had lost contact with all of my comrades from Pilot Class 52 G except for two: Vic Chapin and Jim Hagerman.  Both were stationed at Perrin AFB with me.  We had enlisted in the Air Force and were awaiting assignment to a training class. We all had been given prior acceptance for flying school, but there was a backlog in training, and it was a question of joining the Air Force and awaiting a class assignment or being drafted into the Army.  Interestingly, the authorities came to my parents' door to pick me up for not reporting to the Army (while I was serving with the 58th Fighter Wing in Korea).  Vic was killed later in a U-2 accident while flying out of Laredo. While talking to Jim one day in the late 80's, I mentioned the possibility of getting the old gang together for a reunion of sorts.  I didn't have much to go on, so I got out the old Columbus AFB graduating book "Dreamboat" and the Webb AFB book "Rat Race' and started to work.  The graduates were listed by picture and home town.  I started at the beginning of each book and called the home town information operator.  In some cases, I was able to locate a family member who gave me the number of the 52-G pilot I was looking for.  When I called him, I got his current address and he was able to give me other names.  I tried to make calls at least 3-4 times a week and usually was able to contact one or more.  And so it went for months until I had a fairly good listing on 50 or more confirmed. I was able to put together a group of 10 or more "key people" to plan our first reunion.  One of the key persons was Randy Presley who "volunteered" to be the person to keep the roster current, as more pilot were found and added.  We had our first get together at the Hilton Inn Resort in Sandestin to formulate plans for a reunion in 1992. All voted for Sandestin for the reunion site, and that was our beginning. I was elected "President" for what that was worth, and as such assumed all the responsibility for the upcoming reunion. Chuck Miller "volunteered" to handle the golfing event, and he was also able to obtain a group of musicians to give us some of the old songs for our banquet.  They were great.  Other key people helped in numerous ways. Unfortunately, when I made arrangements for the hotel resort I assumed that everything in the area was part of the total program.  I was in error.  The hotel and the rest of the resort were in competition.  The lady with whom we had worked, taken tours of the facilities, and had a free dinner, was not associated with the hotel.  I found this out much later, when the reservations began to come in and 95% were for the hotel and not for the resort accommodations on the north side of the complex.  The lady was profoundly upset with me and told me so in no uncertain, ugly language.  In anger, she initiated a prohibition of our using all of the other facilities that she could.  This included our Grand Gala Banquet, Pilots' Night Out etc.  I had to make last minute changes for all of the events.  The Pilots' Night Out was transferred to a building off the property.  We were fortunate to get someone to give us a bus ride to the event.  The Hotel agreed for us to use their ballroom for the Grand Gala.  It was somewhat small, but worked out okay.  The event went on with great success, and no one except my wife and Faye Dorsey (Jim's wife) was aware of the setbacks.  Our wives were a great help, and much of the success of the reunion must be attributed to their efforts. However, the first reunion was a resounding success and many of our old friends were reunited. We are like family and will remain so until our Lord calls us home. 1994 52-G Reunion at Scottsdale by Jack Gilliland, President The 52-G Association Board chose a great site for the Scottsdale Reunion. It was a hotel wrapped in a square around a green, quiet, spacious garden with a pool, bar, and lots of gathering space for remembering old stories and catching up on the lives of buddies.  One of the wives asked how come there was the tall group and the shorter group.  The answer was, the tall ones are the bomber pilots and the shorter ones are the fighter pilots, of course. We had a grand tour of Luke AFB led by current members of the 310th Fighter Squadron and the 58th Fighter Wing.  They briefed us on the F-16 and we actually got to sit in the cockpit of one.  The ladies made a fun shopping excursion to a southwest mall and had their special luncheon.  The Second Pilots' Night Out did not end up lasting as long as they anticipated.  The reason, they said, was because they may be getting a bit older. Louis Neve de Mevergnies was the resplendent speaker at the Gala Banquet in his Belgian Air Force Uniform.  He praised his classmates for being so welcoming to the students from France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. He told of many being invited to the Americans' homes and families especially for the holidays.  And then we danced until close to the wee hours. Randy and Sheryl Presley ran the registration from their room looking out over the pool area.  Chuck Miller and Sassy handled the finances for us and the competitive golf tournament.  Charlie Cox inspired the tennis players this year.  Jack and Phyllis Gilliland again provided mugs, shirts, jackets and hats with our base logos, which were eagerly purchased and were worn at future reunions. 1996 52-G Reunion at San Antonio by Jim Dorsey, President San Antonio was picked for location and weather for a late October Reunion.  Tom Heithaus, a 52-G member and professional Convention Organizer, met Faye and me in San Antonio a year in advance and negotiated with the hotel for our visit.  He taught us about watching the hotel costs for each meal and for room use.  Randy Presley was great at getting us all organized and pre-registered, and then he and Jan were there to greet us as we arrived to register. The hotel was right on the River Walk, close to shopping, a variety of dining experiences, and to the Alamo- a block away.  We had a perfect hospitality suite - spacious, overlooking the the lobby and the river. Many took advantage of tours of this fascinating city. Eben Dobson was the MC for the Gala Banquet and entertained us royally.  Many thanks to Norris Yates and Caroline, the local residents from our group, for their help. (He has been our Recording Secretary and legal advisor until his death this past year.) We had a good turnout and I think the riverboat trip, the Alamo tour, and the fellowship we had made it all worthwhile. it was a joy to see a pilot greet a buddy he had not seen for some years. 1998 52-G Reunion at Bossier City  by Bob Brown, President I was elected president for 1996-1998 at the San Antonio, TX reunion in 1996. After the reunion, Jim and Faye Dorsey, Ruth and I took trip out to Big Bend National Park in west Texas.  During those days Jim and Faye very nicely shared their experiences and suggestions from the period when Jim was president. The class was very fortunate that Reggie Adams arrived at the 1996 reunion with a very attractive and well prepared proposal to have the 1998 reunion in Bossier City, Louisiana, with Barksdale AFB close by.  As one member of the board of directors said "We would be crazy not to accept it."  Before leaving San Antonio, we arranged with Reggie and Dotty to stop in Bossier City on the way back home to Ohio.  We visited for several days.  Reggie was a retired Lt. Col, had been stationed at Barksdale, and was a Bossier City councilman.  He knew his way around!  They were gracious hosts. We found out during those two years that there is a very definite advantage to having a class representative on site at the reunion location.  Reggie and Dotty took care of all the local arrangements for the reunion.  This allowed the president to coordinate all the other activities.  The riverboat casinos were in full swing.  A Mardi Gras atmosphere prevailed all through the gala banquet at the Barksdale Officers' Club.  The commanding general (3 stars) of the Composite Wing was invited to the informal gathering before the banquet and gave us a very warm welcome.  We presented him with a 52-G ball cap to "keep the sun out of his eyes on the flight line" and he wore it around the gathering while he was there. A 52-G ball cap with 3 stars of a Lt. Gen was presented to founder Jack Gilliland as the board of directors made him an "Honorary Cadet General". Tours of Barksdale and their museum were highlights. Deacon Don Cox and Carroll Hicks conducted the Memorial Service. Phyllis Gilliland, Dottie Adams, Faye Dorsey, and Ruth Brown were outstanding in their help with all the frills and niceties that klutzy men never think about. 2000 52-G&H Reunion in Albuquerque Emmett Hatch, President Fannie Hatch: Emmett felt it was an honor to be selected by his peers to be president for 1998-2000.  Over the years, as soon as he would receive a letter announcing the site for the next reunion, he would begin calling his buddies and urge them to attend.  I recall him on the telephone saying "Guess who you will have this year as president?"  Then I heard a lot of laughter. I still can't believe someone so strong, funny, loving and smart is no longer here.  Emmett was bedridden only when he had chemo.  He was on his way to the airport the Saturday that I took him to the hospital for an elevated fever.  He went into a coma and passed away on Monday morning.  I am sorry I won't be attending the reunion this year, give my love to everyone. Doug MacCallum: A planning committee of Chuck and Lee Bowen, Doug and Pat MacCallum, and Bob and Joanne Randall started meeting in spring 1999 and met periodically until the 2000 reunion, and following the reunion to wrap up details.  The date selected in mid-September was after the New Mexico State Fair and before the International Balloon Festival, allowing members to attend either or both of these events.  Emmett Hatch joined us for an early planning meeting and visit to the hotel.  We chose the Sheraton Old Town Hotel, within a short walk to Albuquerque's Old Town.  One member flew in from Boston to attend the banquet and flew home the next day.  I remember the banquet room filled to the edges with 300+ members and wives. A Memorial Service preceded the dinner and the swing choir from the local high school entertained us with lively pop songs and patriotic music that touched our hearts. Many enjoyed the side trips, which included Sante Fe, Los Alamos, Sandia Peak Tram, Petroglyph Monument, Acoma Pueblo, the Atomic Museum and National Guard Facilities at Kirtland AFB. Lee Bowen designed an attractive motif used on canvas totes that were much appreciated by those attending. 2002 52G&H Reunion at San Diego. Jim Dorsey- President San Diego was designated in 2000 as the site for the next reunion, so I consulted with my friend, Eben Dobson (52G Columbus, Webb, Pinecastle) for suggestions. Eb had once been president of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce. We chose the President Grant Hotel downtown, and went to San Diego right after the Albuquerque reunion to make the arrangements. Later the hotel was purchased by new owners, so we had to go again and renegotiate everything with an entirely different staff. Challenging! Randy Presley did his usual terrific job of mailings and pre-registration. We sought the help of the San Diego Convention Planners, and that worked very well for us. They even pitched in to help at our complimentary bar in an emergency. Chuck and Dona Westpfahl and their daughter worked for months preparing nametags and site registration which they handled very well with help from willing volunteers. We contacted members domiciled in the San Diego area for on site assistance, and Carol Streeter responded. She helped with hundreds of last minute items, shopping, and crises. For example, on the day of the banquet, the hotel manager said we could not have the Memorial Service in the banquet room, as the maitre d'banquet would not allow it.  So it was moved to a new room while all the 52-G&Hs were touring the Pendelton Marine Base. In all, the Reunion went smoothly and we had a great time.  Every year we have had new class members join us to receive a welcome hug and "How the hell are you?" We especially enjoyed our dinner cruise on San Diego Bay on a beautiful evening. 2004 52 G&H Reunion at Covington, Kentucky by Pat Hazel, President The grass was never "bluer" than on the occasion of the 2004 52-G&H Reunion at Stephen Foster's "Old Kentucky Home" in Covington, Kentucky.  From the reception cruise aboard a stern wheeler on the Ohio River to the Grand Finale Banquet featuring the empathetic and inspiring song master Gary Griesser with his "Proud To Be An American" tribute, this gathering of Eagles proved to be a memorable happening. Between the reception and the banquet, activities included a dedication of the 52-G&H Memorial bench and a tour of the Air Force Museum in Ohio, highlighted by the Emmett Hatch display.  I would be remiss if I didn't credit the success of the reunion to the outstanding support of Brenda Jackson and Ann O'Hara of the military branch of the Northern Kentucky Visitors & Convention Bureau.  In addition I had enthusiastic "wingmen" consisting of Herb and Sharon Newstrom and Rotui and Barbara Kellum. For me, it was a totally rewarding experience. 2006 52 G&H Reunion in Seattle, Washington by Mike Spaight, President A few years ago when I was selected as president of our organization I felt honored.  Several days later I told some of my family the reason I felt honored was due to the significance of the group.  One of my prime reasons for accepting was that Pat Hazel assured me that he would do all he could do to assist.  And that he did! Along that train of thought, it is very important to receive help from members who live in the local area.  In our case, we had help from Chuck and Dona Westpfahl and Jim and Faye Dorsey. We began immediately to choose the new reunion site.  I made a pitch for Greenville, Texas.  The criteria for a “good” reunion were to have good museums and a major airport.  We had the Audi Murphy Museum, and we had the Hunt County Cotton Museum. As for the airport, we have "Majors Field".  What more can you ask for?  Pat assured me that the people might want a little more. After considering several cities, we settled on Seattle.  Two prime reasons: We had never before had a reunion in the northwest and the other one was a tour of Boeing.  Personally, I was very satisfied with Seattle but somewhat disappointed with the tour at Boeing, Everett.  When I worked for Boeing, Wichita back in the 50's they put on a show every Thursday night when they rolled out a new B-52.  I assumed we would see something of that magnitude.  On the other hand, the tour of the Museum of Flight was outstanding.  Also, we could not have had a better night for our trip to Tillicum Island for the salmon barbecue and Native American Show. Our speaker for the banquet was Al Haynes, the captain of the United DC-10 that crash landed in Sioux City, Iowa.  He gave a fascinating Power Point presentation.  Our hosts at the Seattle Marriott were outstanding in every way, and it did not rain the whole time. Memories of Golf Tournaments at 52-G&H Reunions by Chuck Miller 1990-- Our first Reunion was at Sandestin Hilton, Sandestin, Florida.  Golf was an exciting part of the reunion as we were on the emerald coast of the Panhandle.  Our play was held at the Santa Rosa Country Club with 64 players attending. Lunch and stories followed. 1994-The Reunion was held at a terrific hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona.  We played the Country Club about 5 miles away - nice course with greens in transition, but we did our best.  48 played. 1996-Reunion was held down on the river in San Antonio, Texas. We played the Ft. Sam Houston Golf Course next to the Military Cemetery.  Afterward Ned and Marian Hugh's son put on an enjoyable golfing demonstration of new golf clubs.  44 players had lunch and fun. 1998-Reunion was held in Bossier City, Louisiana. We were fortunate to have Barksdale AFB close by where we played our golf.  Classmate Reg Adams and sons provided our transportation to the course.  28 players had a good day and good lunch. 2000-Reunion was held at the Marriott Hotel in Albequerque, NM.  Always good to be on a military base, so we were happy to play at Kirtland AFB where we had a grand time.  Among our 28 players, 5 were ladies (3 Of the 5 were winners!).  Then we had lunch, stories, and pictures. 2002-Reunion was held in downtown San Diego, CA. We traveled some distance to play at Navy's Admiral Baker's South Course. A great facility with many Kodak moments, lunch on the veranda in great weather.  40 good guys attended. 2004-Reunion was held at the Marriott Hotel in Covington, KY.  We traveled a ways to a neat friendly club at Kenton County where they had about 36 holes.  The lunch staff made us happy with a very nice lunch and good service.  We had 28 great players. 2006-Reunion at the Marriott Hotel in Seattle, WA. Unfortunately, golf courses were not quite close enough to make golf a viable game.  Actually Seattle put on a terrific weather week for us. Thanks to all our loyal golfers for participating and sharing in the fun.  I enjoyed arranging it all.  It was a delightful chore that Sassy and I enjoyed being part of -  meeting and playing with each and every one.  PS..Chuck was the Low Gross winner in all tourneys except for 2004 where Dick Springer took the honor.  Those attending all 7 golf outings were Jim Dorsey, Bob Steiner, Chuck and Sassy Miller.  Attending 6- Dave Clark and Don Dietz.  Attending 5- Wally Gladney, Dick Clothier, Larry Macon, Bill Welty, and Walter and Cindy Schlaepher. What fun! 52 G&H Reunion Tennis Tournaments by Charles Cox We had two tennis activities that I remember. The first was at the 52-G reunion at Sandestin, Florida. We had tennis matches for men and women with trophies.  The other tennis tournament was at the reunion in Scottsdale, Arizona.  There were courts near the hotel. We played men and women mixed doubles. Hope you all are still playing. I am, and Jim Gregg wrote that he is as well. We played together on a team at England AFB, Alexandria, Louisiana in 1954. Recollections of the 52-G&H Association by Randy Presley, Corresponding Secretary I first made contact with Jack Gilliland about the mid to late 80's. I began to use personal computers about 1983 and found a good program called PFS Write along with PFS File and Report.  I created a database for my personal names and addresses and found I had a number of addresses of USAF friends from 52-G, Bainbridge, Bryan and Luke from before Korea and Luke after Korea.  Someone mentioned a guy in Florida who was working on having a 52-G reunion and gave me the name of Jack Gilliland, now an architect there.  We began to communicate and I found he was at K-2 in the 310th FBS, 58th FBG on the north end of the K-2 airfield, when I was in the 428th FBS on the south end of the field.  The two groups didn't do much together, so I had little contact with them.  His list of names was mostly from the 310th FBS, plus cadets from bases he attended.  We exchanged lists for some time until Jack decided we should have a reunion in Destin, Florida where he lived.  Over the years, people sent copies of orders, classbooks, names they remembered, and I started the class database.  We knew there were basic training bases at Bartow, FL; Bainbridge, GA; Columbus, MS; Goodfellow, San Angelo, TX; Greenville, MS; Hondo, TX; Malden, MO; Marana, AZ; and Spence AB, Moultrie, GA.  We knew the advanced single engine bases were Bryan AFB, TX; Webb AFB, Big Spring, TX; Laredo AFB, Laredo, TX; and Williams AFB, Chandler, AZ.  Multi-engine advanced training was either at Reese AFB, Lubbock, TX or Vance AFB, Enid, OK.  As the list grew it appeared that approximately 100 cadets entered at each of the basic flight training bases for a total of +1,900. Jack put together a list of names that had shown an interest in having a class reunion, and we met in Destin in 1991 to organize and plan for a reunion in 1992.  From my memory those who attended this planning meeting were Jack Gilliland, Jim Dorsey, Chuck Miller, Randy Presley, Phil Alden, Jim Darst, Doug MacCallum, Vern Johnson, Ken Hayes, Don Wittevrongel, and Bill Yates.  Jack Gilliland was elected President, Phil Alden - Vice President, and Chuck Miller - Treasurer.  Later Randy became Corresponding Secretary and keeper of the data base.  Bill Yates, an attorney, became Recording Secretary and took care of minutes and legal obligations. We visited the Sandestin Hilton and found it to be a good hotel for our reunion.  Bill Yates did the work for our incorporation in the state of Florida as well as getting us set up as a non-profit veterans' organization. Our first reunion in October 1992 was the largest crowd of any reunion held at the Sandestin Hilton.  Our next reunion was at Scottsdale, AZ with Jack still as president. 1996 was at San Antonio on the River Walk with Jim Dorsey as president.  For the 1998 reunion, Reg Adams made a pitch for Shreveport, LA and it was held at the Horseshoe Hotel across the River in Bossier City.  In 1998 it was voted to make the association a two class association joining 52-G and 52-H.  The 2000 reunion as held at San Diego with Jim Dorsey as president.  In 2004 we went to Covington, KY just across the river from Cincinnati.  The Northern KY Tourist Bureau was very helpful with this reunion.  Pat Hazel was president.  The 2006 reunion was held in Seattle, WA.  Mike Spaight was the president, and the Dorseys and Westpfahls were our local hosts.  And now we are planning for 2008 in Washington, DC with Phil Alden as president.

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