7S5 Pilot Memorial Planning Meeting

May 17, 2010

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM.  Present were: Wayne Nutsch, Deborah Plymate, Tom Ritchey, Andy Andersen, Robert English, Elaine DeVore, Rena Peck, Al Cleveland, Pete Weber, Ron Hanna, and Harry & Suzanne Bladow.  Mitch Swecker arrived a few minutes later.

 

Andy said that the program is finalized, with a draft ready to review this evening, but it is not printed yet.  The insert with the names of the pilots was also in draft form.  Some corrections were noted: the order of lowering & raising of the flag, relative to the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem; some names of people helping out needed to be inserted under the "committee" heading; and Colonel Rickey needed to have his rank listed instead of just his name.  Suzanne Bladow indicated that she would be able to sing the Anthem this year.  The AMVETs will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.  Tom said that we needed to get hold of Steve Springer about the P.A; three emails have gone unanswered.  If there is no PA this year we may have to make do with a boom-box.  Andy suggested that we rent a PA if Steve Springer cannot be contacted, but that is expensive and will only be done as a last resort.  It is confirmed that Reverend Roach will do the invocation.

 

Mitch said that the F-15 military jets will be flying through at about 11:15, and the GA pilots need to be warned over the radio to not be flying anywhere near the altitude that the jets will be flying.  The Coast Guard might not make it this year as they might be in the Rose Parade that day; they will be called by Mitch one more time to make sure, and see if they can't be talked into doing a demonstration here as they have before.  Doug Hedland will be on furlough and not be available, so Mitch has agreed to substitute for him.  Chief Wells has sent an email to Andy saying that they would be watching traffic along Hoffman. 

 

According to Deborah, five WASP pilots will be dressed in period WASP uniforms.  Their presentation will be just before the pilot recognition segment of the program.  Rena Peck has volunteered to help with the presentation flags on behalf of the So-and-Sos here at the airpark.  The flags themselves will be listed in the program as provided by Congressman Schrader and given out by the FRA as well as the So-and-Sos. 

 

Each of the families has been asked to supply one paragraph for each of the memorialized pilots in the program.  Four of the sixteen have already been received.  Our existing one-line statements will be adequate if the family does not provide a paragraph.  There was some discussion about moving "Taps" to the end of the program, and it was considered a good idea.  The Boy Scouts will not be helping this year, so the CAP cadets will be handling the parking and pylons.  Al asked whether it was possible to feed the CAP kids, and Elaine said that the AMVETs would buy the meal tickets for the cadets.  Harry asked whether the missing man formation could be made to look more official, and he was directed to talk to Dennis Krummell.

 

Wayne said that the bus is running, with a futon in it, and it will seat 12.  It is insured and should be licensed by the time of the event.  Ron said that the radios he intends to use that day would work with the antenna that is mounted on Wayne's roof, and Wayne indicated that was OK.  Andy has contacted the city regarding the traffic cones.  He doesn't know where the signs are but they might be in the container that the OPA uses.  Andy showed the poster in its final version, thanked Lois Martin for preparing it, and said that anyone who wanted to take some to plaster around as they liked. 

 

There was one last question before adjournment: Wayne asked about what could be done with the garbage that collects inevitably by the end of the event.  It was suggested that Brandt's could be asked to contribute a dumpster and several smaller receptacles to properly dispose of it (instead of local residents having to put it out at the curb along with their own garbage, as has happened before).

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 PM.  Respectfully submitted by Robert English, ISAS secretary.

 

 

Meeting0517.doc