1
2nd Missile Battalion, 71st Artillery
(Taiwan) Association
271 Shady Oak Drive
New Market, AL 35761
<http://www.2-71adataiwan.com>
Volume 7
Newsletter 1
April 2003
Reunion 2002
We still have some unfinished business regarding the
Nashville Reunion.
For some unexplained reason the C Battery group picture
did not get in to the last newsletter. With apologies to the
troops of C Battery it is included on this page.
We also have included Karen O’Connell’s refreshing
account of the reunion.
Karen’s Reflections on the Nashville Reunion
The anticipation was mounting, as we headed from our
home in East Aurora, NY, on Tuesday, October 8, 2003
(which just happened to be our 36th wedding anniversary). We
were planning to drive as far as Huber Heights, Ohio, where
we would meet Dave’s old buddy, Don McMahon (aka Big
Mac), and then we three would continue our journey on
Wednesday morning. We pulled off the highway in Huber
Heights, stopping for gas. I bought a lottery ticket and won
$50.00!
We stayed at the Comfort Inn that night. Once we were
settled in our room, Dave called Don, who said he’d be right
there to meet us. I’d never met Big Mac, but as soon as he
walked into the lobby, I knew it was him. What a great
reunion it was. I had heard many stories of these two com-
rades and to see them together again after forty plus years was
heartwarming. (A little aside here, if you don’t mind. Once
this whole reunion thing got started five or six years ago, we
were living in Massachusetts. After the initial letters were
sent out, the second phone call Dave received was from Mac.
For the record, the first was Karl Kolm. Anyway, through
their conversations, we learned that Mac’s son, Terry, lived in
Lancaster, NY, the town next to Clarence, where we lived
prior to our return to Mass. On one of our visits to see our
kids in western NY, it was decided we’d meet up with Terry at
a local bookstore. Now, I’ll let you in on something. I have a
friend Terry who also lives in Lancaster. Yup, when we got to
the store, it was the same Terry! Can you believe it? Dave
pronounced the last name differently, and besides, he usually
just called him Big Mac. What a coincidence, huh?)
About 8 am, we headed south for Nashville. The weather
was just beautiful. We got to the DoubleTree hotel between
2:30 and 3 p.m. Already there were a few old friends. By the
time we were to have dinner, about 30 people had arrived.
Talk about being excited! Board members were asked to
come a day early for a meeting, but to see so many others
come early makes it special. Seeing the familiar faces is
truly exciting. After much thought and deliberation, it was
decided we would eat at the hotel. That way we didn’t
have to go out into the elements.
After we ate, we helped Bob and Lois Mackintosh
unload snacks and drinks, to make the hospitality room
(Jackson/Johnson Room) more comfortable. There was
much chatting, laughter and reminiscing. Orders were
taken for shirts and hats.
Early Thursday morning, we walked down the street
and had great homemade food at Varallo’s. While the men
were having their board meeting, I was walking around
town for more than 40 minutes, waiting for a store to open,
so I could buy a pen. I had no luck, so went back to the
hotel, to the hospitality room to see if I could be of help.
The room was full of people waiting for registration. Once
the Grand Ole Opry tickets arrived, Lois, Diana Lapham
and I distributed them to the respective envelopes. NOW,
we were ready to register the attendees. Some people had
pre-ordered golf shirts and Taiwan video tapes. A few
select, lucky people had battery patches available for
purchase. There were a few shirts left, which were sold on
a first come basis. Didn’t last long.
Thursday brought much rain, rain, rain. Many
travelers didn’t have it so easy. I guess driving in some
C Battery Troops at 2002 Reunion
Front: Willard Ottman, Nick Hodge, Oozy, Ed Jones
Rear: Bob Buchanan, Jerry Decker, Merle Weller, Dock
“Sunny” Price, James Pannell
