ANA Pitcairn Squadron
Squadron Council Meeting Minutes

1 March 2005

In attendance: CAPT Russ Appler; CAPT John Foster’ CAPT James Kenney; CAPT Walter (Barry) Nixon; Bill Hahn; Mer Claar

Financial Report: $1,581

Air Show (26-29 May 2005): No response as yet from Base PAO as to our involvement. Russ has been attempting contact with her over the past month. Originally, she said that they have a new head of MWR, and he needs a few days to acclimate himself to base operations, but a meeting has been scheduled. No additional information since then – only non-returned telephone calls to the PAO. Russ will follow up with the PAO for an answer.

Activities:

Annual Banquet – 23 April, at Julie’s Steakhouse
1730 – Happy (Half) Hour
1800 – Dinner
Guest Speaker – CDR Joseph Donnelly, XO Naval Air Reserve, Willow Grove.

Spirit of Philadelphia Luncheon Cruise – 16 July 2005, 1100 Hours

Open Air Theater – Date TBD when schedule is published , depending on the show selected.

Nominations: John Foster is the Nominations/Election Officer for the elections at the Spring Banquet.

New Member: Bill Hahn, a WWII F-6-F pilot/veteran with a great story to tell. Bill joined us as Russ Appler’s guest. Bill was celebrating the 60th anniversary of being rescued from the treacherous waters off Okinawa, 1 March 1945. Thanks Bill, for buying the drinks!

UPDATES:

Airshow: Russ happened to catch the PAO answering her own phone on Tuesday (2 March). The short version is, we (ANA) will not be participating in the Air Show. MWR personnel are coming up from Virginia to help, and will staff all the booths. ANA can have a table to hand out literature only, but no selling! Russ ask her if that was their final answer on the subject, to which she replied, “yes”.

Russ immediately put in a call to the CO, and left word for a call back. He also wrote a very strongly-worded letter to the CO, in hopes of turning this situation around. …more to come.

NEXT MEETING: 5 April 2005

Respectfully submitted,

Merwyn B. Claar
Administrative Officer