300th quarterly · 2017. 11. 23. · 300th q uarterly th300 combat engineers fall 2017 1 left to...

300th Quarterly

3 0 0 t h C o m b a t E n g i n e e r s F a l l 2 0 1 7

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Left to right: Billy Byers, Chuck Bice and Roy Welchel. The two empty chairs represent Don Richter and “Cowboy” Morris who

passed following the 2016 Tyler reunion.

Reunion, Tyler, 2017

Tyler, Texas was the setting again this year

for the annual reunion of the 300th. It was in

one way sad as we recognized our good

veteran friends who passed in this past year

- Kenneth “Cowboy” Morris and Don

Richter. Each had been stalwarts of the

reunions for decades.

We also missed Thomas Lakey who had a

hip replacement a couple of weeks before

the reunion and Homer Garrett who was

unable to attend for health reasons.

Even with these losses, the reunion was

well attended with 25 family members and

three veterans. The veterans, Billy Byers,

Chuck Bice and Roy Welchel are in

excellent health. It is good to see that

family members of our 300th veterans who

passed over the years still attend the

reunion. Lots of stories were shared and

friendships renewed. Brad and Jan

organized the reunion not knowing if this

might be the last with so many losses over

the past couple of years. Several expressed

the opinion that it is “see you next year.”

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Three veterans and 20 family members pose for the annual photograph at the Tyler Reunion in October 2017.

Don Richter, left, and

Kenneth “Cowboy”

Morris, right, at the

2016 Reunion.

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Clockwise; Billy Byers had a reunion with his cousin who he had not seen since their childhood; Roy and Pat Welchel and their

friend, Jerry Furr; Joy Walker, left, and Gayle Mullin (daughters of “Cowboy”) with Cowboy’s wife Gerri; Gerri Morris and

Chuck Bice enjoy a story.

300th Quarterly is a newsletter

for and about the 300th Combat

Engineers in WWII and their

families and friends.

Editors: Brad Peters and Jan Ross

Contact:

Peters/Ross

39 Old State Road

Erving, MA 01344 413-422-2577

E-mail address:

petersross@300thcombatengineersinwwii.com

Web Site Address:

www.300thcombatengineersinwwii.com

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Clockwise: Billy Byers display; Henry and Charlene Uhr

relax at the reunion; Chuck Bice on a visit to the WWII

Museum in New Orleans met Gary Sinise of Apollo 13

fame; and Gerri Morris fondly remembers “Cowboy.”