2nd Missile Battalion, 71st Artillery

(Taiwan) Association

271 Shady Oak Drive

New Market, AL 35761

<http://www.2-71adataiwan.com>

Volume 12

Newsletter 1

May 2008

In Memoriam

Betty Lois Davis, Wife of Sonny Davis (D Battery)

Obituaries

Betty Lois Davis

(September 24, 934 - January , 2008)

Mrs. Betty Lois Davis, 73, of Talihina, passed away Fri-

day, January th, 2008 at her residence.

Betty was born in Pelly, Texas on September 24, 934, the

daughter of the late Vivian Wilce and Alice B (DeVillier)

Lancon. She was a member of Prairie Grove Baptist Church

Talihina, Oklahoma.

She was retired as a Director of Recreation at Oklahoma

Veterans Center Talihina, Oklahoma. She married Bobby

B. Burns, Sr., June 27, 952 in Anahuac, Texas, he passed

away November 7, 978, She later married S. B. “Sonny “

Davis March 28, 98 in Talihina, Oklahoma She is survived

by her husband, “Sonny” of the home; one son; Brett Burns

Sr. and wife Cynthia of Talihina, Oklahoma; one step-son;

Sonny Davis and wife Rebecca of Kingsville, Texas; two

daughters; Sabrina Detter and husband of Muse, Oklahoma,

Gina Gregson and husband Kenny of Talihina, Oklahoma;

two step-daughters; Sandra Garcia and husband Elmer of

Goodyear, Arizona and Gail Waddoups and husband Mickey

of Kailua-Kona, Hi and one brother; Donald Lancon., also 5

grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father; Vivian “Pete”

Lancon; Mother, Alice Lancon; Son, Bobby B. Burns, Jr.;

son-in-law, Jimmy E. Timmons; Brothers; Podgie Lancon,

Ira Lancon, Frank Lancon, Willie Lancon, Harold Lancon

and Robert Lancon; her husband; Bobby B. Burns, Sr. Pall-

bearers for the service will be Brett Burns, Jr., Colton Burns,

Bobby Burns, III, Ben Burns, Josh Gregson, Justin Gregson,

Brandon Burns and Josh Kilbane. Honorary pallbearers will

be Kerry Phillips, Jack Bates, Bob Wilcox, Paul Long, Jerry

Vadnais, and Donny Sanford.

Religious Service at Talihina School Auditorium, Talihina,

Oklahoma at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, January 5th, with Rev.

Cecil Holcomb officiating. Interment following at Old Town

Tuskahoma, Tuskahoma, Oklahoma under the direction of

Talihina Funeral Home.

September 2008 Reunion

Everyone, in good health, should be planning to attend

the 50th Anniversary Reunion in El Paso, 11-14 Septem-

ber 2008. It will be a once in a lifetime reunion. If you

didn’t make any other, please try and make this one; and

bring your family. We will make a special attempt in contact

widows, members who have made a previous reunion, and

those who have not yet attended a reunion. We will be set-

ting up teams to spread the workload, so that we can contact

as many troops, and family members, as possible.

The Taiwan (ROC) government has been contacted to see

if they will be providing to our group on the 50th anniversary

of the Taiwan Straits Crisis, certificates similar to the recog-

nition that they provided on the 40th anniversary in 998.

The Military Mission at the Washington, D.C. Taiwan Eco-

nomic and Cultural Office (Embassy) has been contacted and

they have agreed to forward our letter to the Taiwan Minister

of National Defense. In fact, they assured us that we would

get a Letter of Recognition of our service to Taiwan that

would be delivered by one of their Military Attachés.

We will also be contacting some U.S. Government organi-

zations, State Governors’ offices, the mayor of El Paso, the

El Paso Times, the Ft. Bliss CG, and the Taiwan and Eco-

nomic Cultural Office for Letters of Recognition of 2-71’s

historic participation in the defense of Taiwan during the

Taiwan Straits Crisis of 958.

The biggest change to our bi-annual reunion format will

be the taping of our “War Stories”. With the help of the Air

Defense Artillery historian at Ft. Bliss, we will be taping

your stories for posterity. Where they will be archived is to

be determined. Start thinking now about the story, or stories,

you would like to record. Maybe you would like to tell a

story as a small group, e.g. tent mates, or drinking buddies. I

am sure we can set that up also. The details will be worked

out before the reunion. You can make it happen.

We will not have any planned trips to Juarez. There will

be a bus tour on Saturday, 3 September. See the schedule

below.

We will be able to help our some of our most needy mem-

bers with financial assistance, if they will privately

communicate their need to the association.