News

First and foremost being the very sudden passing of our dear
friend and Buddy, Dan Trevarrow. Dan and I had worked together
for may years putting together these great reunions since 1986. I
miss him more than words can express, as we all do. Dan was a
loving husband and a devoted father and a true friend to all the
819th gang. God Bless you Dand and I know you are still watching
over us - one of these days we will all meet again for another big
reunion and what a grand on that will be.

Lois and Jean wanted me to let you all know how much they
appreciated all the nice cards, memorials, and condolences that came from the 819th - thanks to all.

The following was penned by our good friend, Morris Kennedy:

The 4th of July

The 4th of July is designated as a national holiday to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The 4th of July is also designated for the men of the 819th Tank Destroyer Battalion as a day of memorial for the Passing of one of their most illustrious members. Dan Trevarrow lived and breathed the 819th. He know its History well and a large number of its members. He was an excellent soldier and an astute veteran. For all of us he was a true buddy. May Dan's soul rest in peace. Amen. Nothing more need be said.

Second point of interest is, of course, our upcoming reunion
in Lancaster, PA - Sept 26, 27, 28, 1999. Warren and Doris Beach
are still working hard on this big week-end and we are ooking for
a large attendence since so many of us live in the general vicinity
of the Amish country. You should have made your hotel reservations
by now but you still have until Sept. 24, 1999 to make your
banquiet reservations. Send your banquet checks to Warren Beach,
344 Newtown Road, Warminster, PA 18974. Specify beef or chicken,
all at one price, $22.00 per person. Remember, Warren will arrange
pick up at the Lancaster Airport only for those flying into
there - there will be no pick up at the Harrisburg
Airport - you will be on your own from there. Will be looking
forward to seeing all of you there so come early and stay late.

We are still doing the door prize thing so please, each person,
bring a small gift so that everybody will receive something. Hand
crafted items are very popular.

Third Item: Thanks to Wanda & Leonard Harless the 819th now
has a WEB site all of its own. If you have your own computer all's
well and good - if not I'm sure you have a friend or relative that
will share with you. Just punch in the following:
http://www.fortunecity/boozers/lansdowne/235.
You will be pleasantly surprised I can assure you and Wanda is
still adding items daily so the format does change so tune in often. It even has
background music that will amaze you (and may even bring a tear).
In case you don't remember Wanda, she is the daughter of Steve and
Marie Rogers from Company B.

Wanda is always looking for new 819th material so if you have
anything that you think could be used please send it to her at
Rt #1 Box 57-B Duffield, VA 24244.

Thanks to all who have sent in contributions to boost our
treasury. It would be impossible to continue this without every ones
support. I'll have a complete treasurers report to present in
Lancaster in September.

Here's another gem of penmanship from our Buddy, Morris Kennedy:
NEW BLOOD: The first infusion came in Williamsburg when Wilmer
Stitt joined their group. Wilmer is short in stature but tall in
enthusiasm - so much so that Palmer Dawson named him our Ambassadore
at large.

The second infusion came at Asheville when Don Williams joined
us there. Don is easy in speech and highly personable. Don comes
from Cooz Bay which is a high-light of the beautiful Oregon Coast
- except for a rare oil spill.

I received a call from Don a few days ago but unfortunately I
was away but he left a message for me anyway. Will see us in
Lancater and we are so happy to hear that news. Don was a member
of C Company and will be bringing his wife, Marie.

Also had a phone call from good friend, Charles (Chuck) Shorter
the other day. Chuck was C Company Commander and after WWII spent
a tour of duty in Korea and after that in Vietnam. He reports that
he is doing OK right now and would like to make it to Lancaster
but will have to wait andsee how his health is when the time comes.
Was sure nice talking to him.

Good friend, John Kachuba (C) checks in by phone and even
though his health hasn't been so good he still has an up-beat
attitude and a wonderful sense of humor. It is a delight to talk
to him. What a wonderful place this world would be if there were
more like John running around with his great out look on life.

Don Fox and I had several phone conversatins following the death
of Dan Trevarrow and I appreciated the comforting words that Don
had to offer. We will all be looking forward to seeing Don and
Aggie in Lancaster in September.

Wilfred Daly (Hq Co) keeps in contact regularly and he and
Marge are always on the move doing things with grandson, Chris.
Will has made arrangements to be in Lancaster in September and we
will all be looking forward to seeing them once again.

Received word from Dr. R.W. Beisell, that his father-in-law,
Floyd Cerny (B Co) passed away on June 25, 1999, following a stroke.
The VFW conducted a military service at the cemetary. So taps has
sounded for one more of our buddies.

I received a very nice note from Mavis Minor, Reese's widow.
She asked me to pass on to everybody her thanks and gratitude for
all the cards and notes that she received from so many of the 819th
gang. Thanks to one and all for all your concerns and prayers
during Resse's illness and sudden passing.

I received a very newsy letter from Julius Vendely (C Co).
You may remember he was trying to locate an old 819th member, Ed
Kruer. Julius's son on Father's Day, came and picked them up and
took them to Dayton, Ohio. While there Julius mentioned that he
like to try to find Ed Druer so his son got on the phone and started
calling - lo and behold on the second try they found themselves
talking to Ed's brother. The following is a transcript of that
phone conversation:

Got a nice letter from Virgil Clemetson (A Co). He is doing
fine and has made all arrangements for his trip to Lancaster in
September. Will be looking forward to seeing him again. He also
sent me the following little bit of humor that I'll pass on. It's
called 50/50: A young man saw an elderly couple sitting down to
lunch at McDonalds. He noticed that they had ordered one meal and
an extra drink cup. As he watched, the gentlemen carefully divided
the hamburger in half, then counted out he fries, one for him, one
for her, until each had half of them. Then he poured half of the
soft drink into the extra cup and set that in front of his wife.
The old man then began to eat, and his wife sat watching, with her
hands folded in her lap. The young man decided to ask if they
would allow him to purchase another meal for them so that they
didn't have to split theirs. The old gentleman said, "Oh no, we've
been married 50 years, and everything has always been and will
always be shared 50/50". The young man then asked the wife if she
was going to eat, and she replied, "Not yet. It's his turn with
the teeth."

Also received a letter from June and Earl Lee (Hq Co) along
with some funny stories that brought a smile to my face. They are
always doing something to cheer a person up. Their health hasn't
been so good but they always find time to think of others and that
is certainly one grand quality. Their house was damaged by a severe
hail storm 10 months ago and they just got a contractor recently to
do the repairs. The damage was city wide and practically every
house is in need of repairs and will take until fall to get all of
it done, even with round the clock crews.

Bill Dean (Hq Co) and Elaine are on a two to three week jaunt
to the mountains in Estes Park. Sounds like they are having a
great time with daughter Cynthia and some of Elaine's relatives
including her brothers and their families. They have their
arrangements already made to be with us in Lancaster and we are
glad for that. Bill is still working on the mystery of what the
819th would have been doing had we invaded Japan. One of these
days we'll surprise all of you by coming up with the answer.
I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Here's a couple of things that Earl Lee sent: Perhaps you know
why women over 50 don't have babies. They would put them down
somewhere and forget where they left them! Brain cells come and
brain cells go, but fat cells live forever! Just when I was
getting used to yesterday, along came today! I really got my head
together, and my body fell apart!

In a recent telephone conversatin with Warren Beach he told me
that he had been talking to Al Jorde (Hq Co) in Minnesota and was
informed that Ole Haugstad (Hq Co) had lost his wife, Marge,
recently. We were very sorry to hear that report and extend our
heartfelt sympathies to Ole. Jorde says that he is planning on
coming to the reunion in Lancaster and hopes to bring Ole with him.
We will be looking forward to that yu can be sure.

I mentioned earlier in this letter (or Morris Kennedy did)
about Wilmer and Miriam Stitt (Rcn Co) given the name of
Ambassoder at Large. Well, they were doing their thing again
recently and took an extended tour of the West and visited many of
our Buddies. I'm printing some exerpts from his last letter.
"Thought a lot about you folks while on our trip, sure are looking
forward to seeing you ALL at the reunoin. I learned about Dan in
Minneapolis, MN. George Guerstenburg (C Co) showed me the letter
you had written and sent out." (Wilmer left on his tour before his
letter arrived). "It was a shock, and I feel so sorry for Lois and
Jean as they go through this time of great adjustment with out Dan.
But we must go on with this life even with the sorrows that come
our way."

"Had a great trip and saw a lot more of the great land we live
in. Visited with George Guerstenburg in Minnesota. He is doing
good except his eye sight is getting poor, but for 88 years he is
looking great. Stopped to see Ole Haugstad but he was not home.
I was informed that he is greaving the loss of his wife just a
short time ago. John Gerard moved could not locate him, Ken Oney's
phone was not working or disconnected. Earl Lee and Harold Moll
were a slight bit out of the way. Got into Henderson MN Saturday
night and stayed in the town park. Met Willard and Rose Marie
Busse in the morning and went to church with them, then to lunch
and visited a while in the afternoon. Stopped to see Al Jorde but
he was not home so we went on to Austinville to visit Harold Bode
(Hq Co). Found him sitting in his yard resting, he was cutting
his hedge and had a TD hat on. I put my hat on and got out of the
motor home and Bode said'I don't know the person but I know the
person but I know the hat!'. He went into the house and brought
out some pictures and we had a good time for a couple of hours. I
asked him about coming to the reunion but I got no positive answer."

"Made some stops in IN. IL and called John Kachuba in Ohio.
Unfortunately he was on his way to a viewing so we moved on and
made some stops areound Cleveland, to visit some people I grew up
with and had not seen for at least some 20 years. Went swimming
in Lake Erie north-east of Cleveland, then on into PA. Called
Richard Scalise (RcnCo), tried to locate Albert Roberts, and found
Marion Walker (Hq Co). Had a good visit with him and his
wife - sounded like he will be in Lancaster."

"Paul Tertel (A Co) is getting along good and will be in
Lancaster if things don't change for him. I have not been to see
Wayne Thomas since we have been home. I intend to write to Ben
Hoenich, Charles Micklo, Richard Ludwick, and Joe Zegley to see if
any of them are going to be at the reunion. All of these fellows
are from Rcn Company."

"Just took a couple days off to visit the Lancaster area and
to visit Richard Ludwigh and they say they will be at the reunion
if nothing happens in the meantime. Also went to Lititiz and saw
Russell Strauss's widow and one of their sons said he will bring
her to the reunion." Wilmer also sent pictures of Russell which
will be in my album for all to see."

Received a letter from Bob Dauterman (A Co) a few weeks ago.
He is helping Wanda Harless in her quest for information about
each company and we are greatful for any data at all that would be
of interest to the gang. Some of you may not know this but Bob is
quite an artist - he just completed a 4 X 5 foot copy of Manet's
Bar at the Follies Bergere. They saw this painting (full wall size)
while eating at a small restuarant in Grenoble, France last year.
Bob also just completed a series of four paintings by Pissrro's,
his city of Paris and Rouen landscapes. To quote Bob, "We belittle
copying today but each of these two painter's started their careers
with permits to copy in Louvre. I can't resist the investment
aspects of this hobby. The original investment of a little time
brings great returns in satisfaction."

I talked to Austin Rice (B Co) the other day. He is doing fine
and still working hard. Says he has to work because he still has
a wife, a dog, and the government to support. He and wife, Janet
and son, Lorne and Daughter-in-law Tiffany are planning on being in
Lancaster in September.

I'll take this opportunity to bring you all up to date on my
health. I had a CAT Scan on August 13th and an appointment with the
doctor on the 17th. The scan was excellent and I'm in complete
remission and don't have to see the doctor again for 3 months.
I'm certainly better mentally after that fantastic report but still
feel listless and no appetite but the doctor said it will be 3 to
6 months for all the chemo to get out of my body and that I
shouldn't be too impatient. I'll try to behave myself in the
meantime and let nature take it's course. I've gained back a
little weight (150 now)and my hair is maybe a quarter inch long
and growing (looks white though).I'll be glad for any color.

Joan and I will be looking forward to seeing you all once again
in Lancaster in September. Joan's nursing school class has their
reunion the same week in another part of the State but she elected
to make sure that I got to Lancaster and gave up on trying to work
in her reunion at the same time. What more can I say - she's a
great lady and looks forward to these reunions as much as I do but
I'm sure she was disappointed in not being able to make her class
reunion.

If you have any last minute questions about the reunion please
feel free to give either Warren Beach or myself a call. Warren's
number is 215-675-9410 and you can reach me at 301-824-5136.

Your Buddy,

Palmer