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Reunion 2017

The 281st Assault Helicopter Company Association converged on Washington, D.C. to conduct reunion activities during October 12th thru the 15th. Reunion HQ located at the Hyatt Regency, Crystal City, Virginia. Our memorial activites included heartfelt visits to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial -the Wall- and a wreath ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Credit Dave Hartong, again, for the magnificent photo collection; and to Joan Baker for the programs.

For the complete slide show click here.

Or click here for video format in a new window.

If you would like to add text to one or more pictures, send your words to the webmaster. We'll even bring a photo from the slide show front and center.

The original announcement page begins below the line.

turning downwind
DC, where everything is just a little bigger than life.


friday program friday program

advance party
the advance party


board meeting
the board meeting


hospitality room
Hospitality room warmup; the store is back there in the next room.


At the Wall

at the wall
Reflecting


at the wall
Not forgetting . . .


at the wall
tourists, finding more than names . . .


at the wall
Representing our lost crewmembers . . .


Placing the wreath at Arlington ...

arlington program arlington program

the old guard
The Old Guard - 3d U.S. Infantry


placing the wreath
Placing the wreath


Saturday
Saturday.


saturday program saturday program

Saturday
BG Frank Tate of Army Aviation Branch, Dept of the Army.


Saturday
Jack Mayhew receives another award for his years of service to the association. Thanks JM.


Saturday
The ladies' luncheon.


Saturday
Saturday business meeting.


Saturday
Saturday business meeting.


Saturday
Jay Hays and Doris checking in ...


Saturday
remembering ...


Saturday
Joe Galloway, author of "We Were Soldiers Once, And Young. He has many videos on Youtube.


Saturday
The prize quilt benefitting the Scholarship Fund.


Saturday
Will introduces Walt Pikul, Intruder of the Year.


Saturday
On the right, Will McCollum, outgoing president; second from right, Bain Black, incoming president.


Saturday
Rewarding the outgoing president for a job well done.



The 281st Assault Helicopter Company Association announces its 2017 Annual Reunion will be in Washington, D.C. (actually, Arlington, VA, but close enough). We have planned exciting trips to museums and to Arlington National Cemetery to participate in a wreath ceremony, fun filled evenings with a buffet style dinner and our Saturday evening awards banquet is always the highlight of the weekend. Don't forget the "Hospitality Room" that will be fully stocked with beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and providing lunches and late night socializing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Click here to download the reunion registration form.
Print it, fill in the blanks and send it with a check to address on the form.

Click here to make your reservations at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.

Room rates are $109/night, plus tax and parking ($16 - if you are driving). This rate is good from Wednesday (10/11) check-in until Monday (10/16) check-out for those who want to have a couple of extra days in our capital. Hotel shuttle bus is available from Reagan National Airport, which is 10 minutes away. A random check of about six cities showed that airfares will be reasonable for most of us. Dulles (IAD) and Baltimore Washington (BWI) are optional airports with greater surface travel times to the hotel.

Here are the slides used at the 2016 Reunion to make this announcement.

The Wall
Hyatt Regency Lobby
Overlooking the city
at the Tomb of the Unknowns


Let's not forget the real reason why we have these reunions - we see our brothers in arms that we haven't seen in decades and renew friendships we've built up over the years. In 2017, it will have been 51 years ago that the 281st was organized; then sent to Vietnam. Five years later the company was deactivated. In that 5-year plus period of time, hundreds of us spent many months doing many different jobs; each and every one of them contributing to the success of the 281st. Celebrate that this year. Last year, 2016, we saw the most in attendance and most reunion "first timers". Let's do even better for 2017. If you've never been to a reunion, this is a great time to start.


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