103rd Infantry Division of WWII
2001 REUNION
ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END

HOWEVER, NOTICES OF THE DEMISE OF
THE 103D INFANTRY DIVISION OF WW II
MAY HAVE BEEN PREMATURE.

THE 37TH, BUT POSSIBLY NOT THE FINAL, REUNION
OF THE 103RD INFANTRY DIVISION OF WW II
 WILL BE HELD IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
SEPTEMBER 5 - 9, 2001
AT THE
CROWN PLAZA HOTEL

THIS MAY BE YOUR LAST CHANCE TO RENEW OLD FRIENDSHIPS
AND RELIVE A NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN EXPERIENCE. (OR NOT.)

A sad note: There was a recent news report that more than 1,100 WW II veterans are passing away every single DAY! This is a sobering reality that we must face. The time is fast approaching when there simply will not be enough of us left to hold even small reunions and infirmities may bring that time still closer, so don't plan on skipping the next one in hopes of attending the 2002 reunion instead. There may not be one.

PLEASE TRY TO BE THERE IN 2001.

THE 2001 REUNION SCHEDULE

If this will be your FIRST reunion, you may not have received a packet containing your hotel and reunion reservation forms and 50/50 tickets. To obtain them, contact Connie Gavitt at:
 
 

CG8290@aol.ccom

or write to her at:

103d Infantry Division of WWII
8260 Moreland Road
Jerome, Michigan, 40249
(517) 688-9249

Reservation forms for Golf, Banquet etc and 50/50 tickets must be returned before August 18, 2001

Hotel Reservation cut off date is July 25th, 2001

Be sure to get your hotel reservation in early because after this date, you will be subject to rate and space availability.

Wednesday, Sept 5th.  REGISTRATION will open at 9:30 AM and
                                        close at 5:00 PM. Board meeting 7:30 PM in the

Thursday, Sept 6th.  GOLF ... All golfers to meet at 7:00 AM in the
                                        registration room  for coffee and donuts.
                                       Tee off time is 8:00 AM.

Thursday Evening    SHOW. Entertainment featuring The Boogie Woogie Babies
                                       doing your favorite tunes from the WWII era. Show will start
                                       at 7:30 PM in the Big Ball Room.

Friday, Sept 7th.       A FREE DAY. Explore. Go on tours, Plan unit gatherings.

Saturday, Sept. 8th.  MEMORIAL AND BUSINESS MEETING will begin at
                                      10:00 AM.

Saturday Evening   BANQUET. Cocktail hour at 6:00 PM with Dinner at 7:00 PM
                                   Dancing follows.

Wednesday:    1:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Thursday:     11:00 AM to 6:00 PM as the cash bar will be in the Entertainment Room

Friday:            1:00 PM to 11:00 PM
 
 

Ground Transportation:
The Gerald Ford Airport is about four miles from the Crown Plaza Hotel. Shuttle service is available to the hotel. Use the hotel's courtesy phone in the luggage area to call for the shuttle.
 
 

WEDNESDAY Sept 6th Registration opened at 9:30 A.M. and closed at 5:00P.M.   There was a board meeting at 7:30 P.M. in the Registration Room.
 
 

THURSDAY Sept. 7th  Registration opened at 9:30 A.M. and closed at 5:00P.M.

Golfers left the hotel at 7:00 A.M. for a tee off time is 8:00  It was reported that this was a much better course than we have had in the past.

Busses picked everyone up at their hotels  at 5:15P.M. for MURRAY'S DINNER PLAYHOUSE . Cocktail hour began at 6:00 P.M. Dinner followed. The show "Singing in the Rain" began at 7:45 P.M. The show was a pleasant surprise. It really did rain on stage and those who gobbled up the stage-side seats had to cover up with plastic sheets because there was a lot of sloshing, kicking, and splashing by the dancer(s).
 

FRIDAY Sept. 8th Registration opened at 9:30 A.M. and closed at 5:00P.M.
Even at this late date, registrants continued to pour in.

Buses picked us up at our hotels at 10:30 A.M. for the noon luncheon and show (IMAX).

Friday evening was open for any units that  wanted to get together.

SATURDAY Sept. 9th 9:00 A.M. Memorial service. We were saddened to hear the names of the 71 members of the organization who have passed away since the 1999 Reunion.

An extraordinarily lively business meeting followed at 10:00 A.M.  A new First Vice President  was elected to replace the one who had recently passed away. Ray Menuey,  President, announced that he planned to resign after the 2001 Reunion as did Betty Ellsworth, Secretary, and Connie Gavitt, Assistant Secretary and their assunption was that the 103rd [sic] infantry Division of WW II , a corporation, would dissolve at that time. Several vets heavily supported by most of the membership expressed a strong desire to continue having reunions and some pointed out that a corporation does not cease to exist after the resignation of its president and other key officers pass away or resign. After some lively skirmishing over the issue, the new first vice president was named to head a search committee to find a slate of prospective officers and a task force to plan reunions for 2002 and beyond.
 

Banquet: Cocktail hour began at 6:00 P.M. , with dinner at 7:P.M. and dancing following.

I don't know if those who chose chicken got the usual "rubber chicken" served at most banquets, but the steak was outstanding.
 
 

For most of us, it ended much too soon. We all headed for home with warm feelings of camaraderie and pride in the accomplishments of the 103d Infantry Division.