The VP-90 Reunion was a success. I was not able to attend, so I got comments from the following Shipmates. The next Reunion will be in Pensacola on March 7-9, 2008. This will be my only notice for some time, so mark your calendars now. Ron Hilson is a volunteer at the museum, so we should have a great Reunion there.

From Mike Stungis.

It turned out much, much better than we anticipated. The NAS Jacksonville, Florida Officers Club Staff did a fantastic job with the setting and dinners both Friday and Saturday night. Our DJ played dance music Saturday to a rocking bunch of Lions. Prizes were awarded to the best couple, most original costume, and best costume for the era. Go to the web site LIONS DEN SECTION(see below for address) for more comments from some of the crowd. Our next Reunion will be in spring of 2008 at Pensacola. Ron and Barbara Hilson will chair the next bash. I will be turning over 2500+ dollars to Ron once all the checks clear. We had 100 people in attendance, but sadly only 8 Officers. No former CO's were present. Marty Black went to Denver due to his mother's illness. Doing one of these is kind of like planning a wedding. Lots of little details.

Good luck to Ron and Barb.

From Bernie Cottone

You know how Mike Stungis has the knack for going all out in anything he has ever done for the squadron, well he did it again. Friday evening had a cocktail hour and a say hello to all your old friends, blending right into a buffet dinner, followed by the "famous" Ron Leis and Skinny Brown auction (which netted over $800.00 towards our next Reunion in two years). Everything was held at the "O" club on the Base. Saturday during the day was split up between golf, a tour of the USS Kennedy at Mayport, and a tour to Camp Blanding Army Museum.

Saturday, evening again at the "O" club, we had cocktail hour followed by very excellent dinner, with many choices of entrees. Outstanding dinner!! The theme, Saturday evening was the 40's and 50's and Mike encouraged everyone to come in costume from that era. Skinny Brown was Gen. Patton and he did a great job of it. His girlfriend was Amelia Erhart. She won best costume. Mike Stungis was a WW 2 pilot and his wife, Carol, was Rosie the riveter complete with the red bandana covering her hair just like in the posters. Jim Harrington and friend came in Zuit Suits with extra long jackets, tight cuffs and baggy knees on the pants, with a 4 ft. key chain. His suit color was a deep red and his friend was dark gray and both had matching fedora hats. They won most original costume. Minnie mouse, our ex Corpsman, came with a WW 2 style hairdo and clothing to match. Most of the rest of us came in suitable casual attire. After dinner we had a DJ and a dance contest. We had many, many new faces this time. I couldn't believe all the people who showed up that I hadn't seen in so many years. Even guys that go way back to the P2V's. We had a really big showing of shipmates. We even held a moment of silence for all our fallen Shipmates, and Mike had a small table prepared with a lit candle on it and a chair tilted towards the table for them. He thought of everything. Our next one, by majority vote, will be at Pensacola in March of 2008. Jim Harrington is going to set up a permanent web site exclusively for VP-90. He said it should be up and running in the very near future. Ron Hilson will be running the show for Pensacola. Everyone had a real blast the whole week end. No complaints were heard.

From Ron Hilson

The Reunion was great. There were around 100 attendees. Friday night we did the usual - business meeting, dinner and auction. The choices for the next Reunion were Texas, Minnesota or Florida. The majority voted on Florida, so in two years Pensacola will be the spot.

Saturday night only a few people dressed up in 40's costumes. Everyone seemed to enjoy visiting. There was a DJ and some of us danced, but most just talked.

Sunday a good number had breakfast at the golf course before leaving.

I'm planning the next Reunion for March 7, 8 and 9, 2008. Friday night will be a museum tour and then dinner at the Cubi Cafe. Saturday I'm hoping to go the Lighthouse Café/Chief's Club, but it is going to be taken over by the Marriott Inn. They won't book affairs over a year out, so I have to wait on that one.

We will be having a Web site that Jim Harrington is putting together. It will have the same Web site address which is vp90reunion.com. We are hoping to keep that site from now on for future Reunions and squadron information.

So it looks like everyone had a great time, I am sorry I missed it. But it looks like we will be back in Pensacola in two years. If you have not visited the VP-90 website here is the address: http://vp90reunion.com/

Hope to see you at the next Reunion. It will be the 38th year since commissioning and 14th year since decommissioning.

Take Care,

John Larson

"VP-90 Association Reunion Summary Page"

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