Reunion Information as of 3 February 2012
(For room information see June and July 2011 updates below)

      IMPORTANT:   If you read nothing else, please READ THIS Paragraph.  I must get a fairly accurate count of those attending the reunion in Hawaii, June 28-30.  If you said YES, MAYBE, or NO (List at end of this) and have changed your plans or the number attending is not correct, please send me an email.  If you are not on the list and plan to attend or might attend, let me know, along with the number.  (Note:  Some of our Hawaii people are not yet on the list!!)  P.S. If you plan on golfing, please send me the number of people in your golf party.

      Thursday night we will have a reception at the Hale Koa, I am not happy with the arrangements, but it is the best I could do.  To get a hospitality room and bar, you have to have food served, which is pricey, it will cost $20 each for basically heavy pupus and pay as you go bar.  The room is limited to 64 people, I doubt if we will have that many, if I went with the bigger room (100+), we would have to buy a minimum of 100 meals, even if only 30 people attend, so I went with the smaller room, there to, we still pay for at least 25 meals; Also, we can not bring in our own drinks or food, this is Waikiki and not Dayton, so we have to live with it.

      Colonel Kollien, Commander of the 613^th Air and Space Operations Center who now occupies Hangar 3, has graciously allowed us into the building on Friday at 1300 for a tour, so our schedule (draft below) for Friday and Saturday works around that event.  Prior to the tour of Hangar 3, we will meet at the Atterbury Circle Memorial (base flag pole) to dedicate the 548^th plaque, and walk over to Hangar 3 from there.

      I also got my second career workplace, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command to give us a briefing on the JPAC mission and tour of the identification lab on Friday at 0900, a very interesting operation.  (JPAC is located next to the old chapel at Fort Kam, on the way out to Hickam Harbor)

     Friday afternoon, we will have our business meeting at Foster Point, near Hickam Harbor, followed by a cookout and social with cheap food (burger, dogs, plus other selections), beer and sodas (No bottles allowed).  If I have anyone who wants to give a presentation similar to what we did in Dayton, let me know.  Also, I would like someone to make a Power Point slide show to run during the event, if anyone is good at that, let me know and I will send you disks with all of the photos from the website.

      Due to the Hangar 3 tour on Friday, I tentatively scheduled golf for Saturday.  Do we have any golfers on the island that can set up the golf?  I never figured out how to cook that little white ball after I shot it, so I know nothing about golf.  If no one comes forward in the next few days, I will try and muddle through it.

      LtCol (Ret) Steve Alber will also host a tour (cost TBD) of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, where he volunteers.  It is located on Ford Island, which now has a bridge connecting it to the mainland, and is close to the USS Missouri.  I scheduled this for Saturday, but it could also be an option for Friday morning for those who do not, or can not take the JPAC tour, let me know your thoughts.

     I will also try and get a pavilion at Bellows for Saturday, for those who would like to come over and enjoy the sun and sand, and eat and drink the leftovers from Friday night.   As a retiree, I have to wait until 60 days out to make a reservation, so it is iffy at best for the pavilion.   Hopefully, the Security Police at Bellows will accept a list of our members for access, otherwise, for those without DOD ID’s, I will have to come to the gate and sign you in.  I have the details for getting you access to Hickam (BTW, it is now officially called Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam), so that should not be a problem.

      Saturday night is our banquet at the Hickam Officers Club Lanai, if we don’t have 100 attending, they may move us into the main club.  I went with the buffet, like our old Christmas parties (when you could call them Christmas parties), menu is attached.  The price of the buffet is $25.95, but I am charging $4.00 extra to cover meals for the Air Force Band and Honor Guard troops, plus any incidental expenses (for kids rates, see schedule below).

      I have asked Col Patrick Flood, the Commander of the 548^th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, at Beale AFB to be our guest speaker at the banquet, still waiting for an answer; hopefully he can fit us into his schedule.

      Also working on locating the 6 PTS painting that hung in the stairway of the 548^th, and foyer of the 67^th, it was last seen on display at JICPAC, but may not be on display there any longer.  Hopefully, we can get it and present it to Col Flood at the banquet for display at the 548 ISRG, where it belongs.     If anyone has any suggestions on the events, schedule, or other possible activities, PLEASE let me know.  Also, for those of you who attended the Dayton reunion, I am bringing my grandson Josh over from Idaho, where he is going to college, to help out again.

 Reunion Attendance

Thursday June 28^th                                            Where                                                  Cost

Arrive Hawaii (or earlier)

                            1800-2400 Reception      Hale Koa Kalia Rooms 1-2                          $20/person

                                               Food included, pay as you

                                               go bar

Friday June 29^th

0900-1030                              Brief and tour Joint POW/MIA                         Free

                                               Accounting Command and Central

                                               Identification Lab

1100-1220                              Lunch (Options open to all)

                                              -    Sea Breeze Buffet (near JPAC)                  $14.50

                                              (need to make group reservation)
                                              - Officers Club                                                     $6.95 - $10.95

                                              -    Wilbur and Orville’s (Maka of                      Various all below

                                                   O’Club

                                              -    Golf Course

                                              -    JR Rockers (Old Tradewinds, now near the 10^th puka)

                                              -    La Familla Mexican (at 10^th Puka, was J’s Korean BBQ)

                                              -     BX Food Court

1230-1245                             Dedicate 548^th plaque Atterbury Circle (Flag Pole)

1300-1430                             Tour Hangar 3 / 613^th AOC                               Free

1430-1600                             Revisit Hickam                                                  Free

1600-1700                             Business Meeting Foster Point

                                              (Ewa-Makai of Hickam Harbor)

1700-2100                             Cook-out/social at Foster Point                       $7.00/person

                                                                                                                      (under 21 Free)

Saturday June 30^th

1000-???                               Golf                                                                 TBD

1000-1200                             Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl

                                              Harbor tour hosted by LtCol (Ret) Steve Alber  TBD

1200-????                             USS Missouri                                                Adult $22, Child $11

                                              (also Military and Kama'aina prices)

                                              Arizona Memorial                                            Free

                                              USS Bowfin  Adult: $10, Children 4-12 $4, Military, Senior

                                                Ctizens, Kama'aina: $7

All Day                                    Bellows  Beach                                               Free

Banquet

1800-1900                               Social Hour Hickam O’Club Lanai                Pay as you go bar

1900-1915                               Posting of colors, Invocation,

                                                POW/MIA Table 

1915-2100                               Dinner and Guest Speaker                           $30 12 YOA+

                                                                                                                      $14 7-11 YOA

                                                                                                                      $7   4-6 YOA

                                                                                                                      Free under 6 (no

                                                                                                                      plate)

2130-Closing                          Hale Koa Pool Bar                                         Pay as you go

Sunday June 31st                     Aloha 548^th until our next reunion in 2014

(Option:  Hickam O’Club Sunday Champagne Brunch, 10 a.m.- 1 pm Cost: $20.95, $10.50 for children ages 7-11, $5.25 for children 4-6, under 3 is free.)

Officers Club Saturday Night Buffet
DINNER BUFFET

(There is a minimum requirement of 55 guests to have a buffet menu)

Classic Club Buffet

Tossed Greens with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Carrots, Sprouts, and Choice of Dressings
Macaroni Salad
Classic Crispy Cole Slaw
Carved Steamship or Top Round of Beef with Horseradish Cream
Sliced Smoked Ham with Rum Raisin Sauce
Sliced Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy and Stuffing
Oven Roasted New Potatoes
Buttered Peas and Carrots
Warm Fruit Cobbler or Assortment of Pies with whipped topping
Freshly Baked Rolls with Butter
Coffee &Tea Service

S25.95/per person

Hale Koa Thursday Night
COCKTAIL RECEPTIONS

Our Moana Selection includes all of the cold hors d'oeuvres, dim sum, rice bowls plus
three hot items.
MOANA SELECTION
Minimum 25 guests

COLD HORS D'OEUVRES
Fresh Vegetable Cruditds with Creamy Herb Dip
Seasonal Tropical Fresh Fruit
Selection of Domestic Cheeses with Sliced French Bread and Crackers

DIM SUM
Shrimp
Mini Char Siu Bow
Black Sesame Vinaigrette

MINI RICE BOWLS
Top off your rice bowl with
Chinese Cold Ginger Chicken or Beef Stew

HOT HORS D'OEUVRES
Panko-Breaded Chicken Morsels with Horseradish Orange Sauce
Beef Teriyaki Skewers
Tempura Style Mahi-mahi Skewer with Lemon Garlic Mayonnaise

$20/person

When:  June 28-30, 2012

Where:  Hale Koa Hotel, Hawaii

I received the below information from the Hale Koa on July 21, 2011 with additional details on reserving rooms from our block of 45 for the reunion:

Thank you for considering Hale Koa Hotel and mahalo for your patience .  We are happy to confirm the following accommodations for your group:  548 Reconnaissance Technical Group Assn.

Arrival:  Thursday, June 28, 2012

Departure:  Sunday, July 1, 2012

Room Type:  PARTIAL OCEAN VIEW

Number of Rooms:  45

Leisure Rates:

E1 to E5: $114.00 (single/double)

E6 to E9, O1 to O3, 100% DAV, WIDOWS:  $140.00 (single/double)

O4 to O10 , DOD CIV (Active/Retired):  $147.00 (single/double)

RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE OCTOBER 1, 2011.

Group booking requirements are as follows:

1.  March 28, 2012 – A status review of the numbers of rooms holding.

2.  April 28, 2012 - Final rooming list indicating names, number of persons in each room, children’s ages (if applicable), military rank, branch of service, mailing address & email address. A one nights deposit will be required to guarantee reservations.  A group reservation request form is attached (below) for your convenience.

 2.  May 28, 2012 - Cancellation Policy:  Reservations must be canceled 30 days prior to arrival date to avoid a late cancel charge of one night’s.  

3.  Early Departure: After Check-in, if the departure date changes, a one night's room charge will be incurred.

4.  Check in time: After 3:00 pm

5.  Check out time: 12 Noon

Your attendees may complete the reservation request form and e-mail it to Reservations@halekoa.com or contact us direct to confirm reservations.  They must provide the group name: 548 Reconnaissance Technical Group Assn, to be included in your room block.  Our phone contact numbers are; Toll free (from Conus) 1-800-367-6027, Commercial 1-808-955-0555, during the hours of 0700-1600 hours, daily except on Sundays and Federal holidays for assistance.   Please refrain from booking on-line to avoid duplications.

Group Reservation Request Form
 Click Here



Update July 15, 2011 

When:  June 28-30, 2012

Where:  Hale Koa Hotel, Hawaii

Hotel Reservations:  1-800-367-6027, specify it is

for the “548^th Reconnaissance Technical Group Reunion”

     I have been waiting to send out an update until the Hale Koa got back to me confirming our block of 45 rooms for the reunion, they have now confirmed the rooms.  All of the rooms are partial ocean view.  When you call for a reservation say it is for the “548^th Reconnaissance Technical Group Reunion”.  Reservations must be made at least 60 days prior to the reunion, April 26^th, 2012, after that time, any unreserved rooms go back to the hotel.

      I have also made a reservation for the banquet on the Hickam Officers Club lanai on Saturday and have submitted a request for the PACAF Band and Honor Guard for the banquet.  We must have at least 100 attending the banquet in order to have the lanai, otherwise, they will move us to inside the club.  Friday will be golf, independent tours, or a day in the sun at Bellows and Friday evening we will have a cook out (and probably business meeting) at Foster Point, by Hickam Harbor.  Thursday night I have a hospitality room reserved at the Hale Koa, which includes food and a pay as you go bar (food and bar are hotel requirements).  I won’t have the actual costs of the reunion until January, both the O’Club and Hale Koa will have price changes, once I get the costs, we can start to collect money for the reunion.

Moderate                     $99                             $123                                                          $130
Garden View                $106                            $130                                                          $136
Partial Ocean View       $114                            $140                                                          $147
Ocean View                 $125                            $154                                                          $162
Ocean Front                $150                             $186                                                          $196
Deluxe Ocean Front      $169                             $210                                                          $222
For more than two occupants, add $15 per person to rate.  Room rate based on highest rank occupant.  Children under 12 are free in parents room.  Rollaway beds or cots not allowed.  Cribs available.  Reservations not accepted more than 365 days in advance..  Pets not permitted.
 
This is about as cheap as you can get for ocean front in Waikiki.  I will try and call on the 365th day before to block the rooms; best to make your reservations ASAP, especially the sponsored guests, since if the economy improves, this could go away.  After typing the above rate schedule, I decided to scan the brochure, which is attached, it shows the room locations.  


 
As of now, I plan on having most of our activities, tours and golf, at Hickam and Pearl Harbor on Friday, with a BBQ at Fosters Point, by Hickam Harbor, Friday Afternoon and Evening. 


January 2011
548th Alumni
 
   The votes have been counted and the membeship has decided to hold our next reunion in Hawaii.  After the holidays, I will start running some recce for a reunion location.  I already have some ideas for activities, with the main objective being a tour of Hangar Three, hopefully we can convince whoever the occupants are in 2012 to let us in.  Any and all suggestions are welcome.  We will also try and schedule the reunion for when the kids are out of school, many of our members still have young ones.  The final vote numbers were:

Speech by BGen Jim Grant, USAF (ret.)

548 RTG Reunion Dinner, 10 July 2010

Aloha!

It is wonderful to be back on an Air Force base together and have our reunion dinner here in the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. What a great setting!

I am honored to be your speaker tonight, and I will try to give voice to the strong feelings of camaraderie and pride we have shared this weekend.

Before I go further, I would like to attend to two orders of business.

Please join me in a warm round of applause for those who have worked long and hard to make this reunion a reality. In particular we owe a great debt to Bill Forsyth, the prime force behind this event.  Thanks also to Bill’s grandson, Josh for his hard work helping his granddad. We are also very grateful to Cecil Brown and Larry and Sirima Benson who have done a great job setting up the program in Dayton, and we thank Ken Kelly for his MC role tonight. Finally, let us thank those folks who have accepted their elections today as officers of the 548 RTG Association. We pledge our full support to all of you. 

I also ask for a moment of silent reflection and prayer for two very special groups of people: first, those past comrades of the 548^th and their family members who have passed on but are here in spirit; secondly, let us remember and honor the men and women of our armed forces who are fighting in distant lands to protect our freedom and security. We pray that they receive the full measure of support they need to succeed in their mission and come home safe and sound.

We have many reasons to celebrate the 548 RTG and remember fondly the time we spent in Hawaii.

First, we are part of a proud history of 548^th Recce units that have served our country for over half a century and counting, from WWII and Korea to the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq today.

Colonel Lee Schatzley, a patriot and warrior who flew combat missions in Europe in WW II and then provided critical intelligence to US forces in Asia, did an outstanding job earlier today recounting our 16-year heritage in Asia and the Pacific, as well as our initial transition to Hawaii, where he served as the 2^nd 548 RTG commander. We learned much about the 6^th Photographic Technical Squadron and the 548^th Recce Tech Squadron from him. We need to preserve these recollections as an indispensible part of the record of our early days, and sir I hope you will provide a copy of your presentation as well as any additional reflections you have on this period for our Association archives and our web site.

One thing is very clear: Our focus on the mission and the warfighter was burned into our culture from the very beginning. We have always gone the extra mile in support of the troops because their lives and US mission success depend on it. Everything else flows from that.

I was also struck by the fact that the same basic challenges and principles present in the beginning of our history have been with us throughout our existence. These tenets include: expertise, not rank, is the key discriminator in delivering the best possible intelligence; intelligence practitioners must always tell truth to power, no matter how difficult that task; we must always be creative and imaginative and look for answers below the surface - using all the information available; most bright ideas in any organization don’t come from senior leadership, but from those nearest to the tip of the spear; and effective organizations must be prepared to reinvent themselves whenever necessary to meet emerging conditions and requirements. These lessons endure despite great changes in technology and the continually evolving aspects of modern warfare.

Our time in Hawaii accounts for a little over half of the 548^th Recce’s existence. The 548th RTS was reactivated at Hickam in 1965 in support of PACAF, and it became a Recce Tech Group in 1967.  In 1971, the 67^th RTS in Japan was disestablished, and the 548^th assumed its mission. Many of its outstanding people joined us, adding greatly to our capabilities, passion and professionalism.

During this period, we had many opportunities to serve, met many challenges and recorded many accomplishments. Among the highlights, we processed, exploited and assessed imagery from SR-71, U-2, RF-4C and drone missions flown over Southeast Asia, Korea, and other locations in Asia and the Pacific. Beginning in 1965, we began to exploit overhead imagery as well. We conducted operations at Osan AB in Korea to support imagery exploitation and targeting efforts in that theater, and we deployed some of our finest to Southwest Asia to support Operation Desert Storm in 1990-91.

In July 1991, the 548^th RTG was disestablished and we became part of the core capabilities of the Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific (JICPAC). It was tough to see a great Air Force unit swallowed up within the Joint world, but our folks knew that the only real issue was continued support to the warfighter, and we watched with pride as the mission focus, professionalism and dedication of 548^th RTG folks never wavered.

However, nothing could keep one of the finest Air Force intelligence units down for long! The 548th re-emerged as an Air Force intelligence unit at Langley AFB, VA for 2 years in the early 90s. It was then re- activated in 2003 at Beale AFB, California and has been there ever since.

The 548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group headquartered at Beale has a superb record of service and achievement. It has both active duty and Reserve personnel providing all-source intelligence to US troops around the world as well as to federal and state agencies at home. It has state of the art exploitation, analysis and dissemination capabilities and a global mission. The 548^th is part of the 480^th ISR Wing, which oversees an extensive Air Force intelligence enterprise supporting Joint military forces and other US security operations globally.

We note with particular pride that the unit patch of this great organization retains the 548th RTG heraldry and our beloved code of honor:” Duty our Privilege, Service our Objective.” The 548th ISR Group also honors our heritage of campaign streamers from World War II, service streamers from Korea, and ten Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards. They are obviously very proud of their lineage, and we are very proud of them. We will continue to cheer them on from the sidelines and wish them every success.

Let’s step back and talk a bit more about our quarter century in Honolulu. What made our time there such a productive, memorable and rewarding experience?

Being in Paradise did not hurt!  We lived in a beautiful, gentle land with a relaxed way of life. What made it extra special is that we enjoyed it together at every opportunity. Paradise could have been a distraction to our mission, but it never was. Polynesian Paralysis was left at the door. The other challenge was staying connected while sitting thousands of miles away from our most important customers. It was clear however that our mindset was focused on them, no matter where they were.

We had a great mission – take the pulse of the Pacific as the preeminent imagery intelligence organization in the largest US military theater in the world, and get the information to key decision makers and troops in harm’s way. 

We pulled together the all-source intelligence and targeting information needed for military plans and operations in Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. We supported senior commanders and unit-level operations. We also had world class expertise in subjects such as underground facilities that made us a major player in the national intelligence community. We adjusted very effectively to the added challenges of overhead sensors, provided critical cruise-missile support, and deployed when needed to support CENTCOM operations in Desert Storm. As an Air Force unit, we ran a united multi-Service and multi-national intelligence team that excelled in every task assigned.

Our exceptional accomplishments were reflected in an almost unbroken string of “Outstanding” ratings from Air Force inspectors and evaluators, the honors our men and women regularly received at professional military education graduations, solid promotion rates, and other base and local awards. No unit at Hickam AFB received more honors than the 548 RTG. Our most valued measures of success, however, were the regular plaudits and continuing trust of those we served.

One of our greatest coups was arranging to have the mayor of Honolulu and the governor of Hawaii present awards to outstanding 548 RTG performers on a quarterly and annual basis. These were great events but ones we did not advertise around Hickam because I am sure HQ PACAF or the Base Commander would have found a way to take over the program if they got wind of it. However, we intelligence guys knew how to keep important secrets!

What were the keys to the great success and high morale of the 548^th?

First, we took our legacy very seriously. Nobody in the unit wanted to see our record of excellence end on their watch, and we took the time to point our successors in the right direction.  We were given the “Big Mo” and we kept it going. It has been, and continues to be, a truly remarkable run.

We were blessed by the fact that to a very large extent we were a self contained unit with all the talent and expertise needed amongst ourselves to get the job done right.  Every part of the unit was essential, and we respected the unique contributions each section and individual made to successful mission accomplishment.  This mutual trust and total team commitment gave us exceptional responsiveness, versatility and flexibility, and we were able to concentrate forces and structure ourselves with ease when mission requirements demanded it.

We also recognized fully that we were in the knowledge business, and people gained influence and respect by the quality of their contributions to our intelligence production. Bill Forsyth was a prime example. He wanted nothing more than to be the best analyst in the business and to mentor young troops learning their trade. I tried more than once to promote him to more senior management positions, but he very respectfully but firmly said no.  He was right, of course. His selfless devotion to analytical excellence set an exceptional example for all of us. His leadership in making this reunion a reality reflects the same passion he has applied to every task he has ever taken on.  

With few exceptions, commanders and First Shirts at the 548th spent their time ensuring our troops had the top cover and resources they needed to do their jobs, rather than having to focus on discipline or motivational issues. We had our share of characters and mavericks - and they are well represented here this weekend, as we have already seen. They made life interesting and fun on and off duty, but there was no question that everybody pulled their load when duty called. Ultimately, we looked for and nurtured free thinkers ready to challenge the conventional wisdom. The culture we built and maintained reflected our view that Athens, not Sparta, was the ultimate model for the intelligence business.

Off-duty time provided many other opportunities for us to display “Recce” pride and camaraderie. Our sports teams were always highly competitive and we won more than our share of championships. Of  very special importance to us, our athletic, social, and fund raising efforts received tremendous support from our families, whose love, support, and sacrifices had a great deal to do with our success on and off duty. I know everyone here has fond memories of a wide variety of athletic contests, running events, golf tournaments, horseshoe games, chili cook offs, car washes, bed races, luaus, concession booths, Christmas parties, Halloween parties, beach parties at Bellows and elsewhere, Mongolian barbeques, social events at such elegant locales as the 10^th Puka and the Lagoon Lounge, and many other truly enjoyable moments together. It may sound trite, but we truly did enjoy each others’ company, and this closeness reinforced the unified effort and trust that powered our exceptional mission success in Hangar 3.

Let me close by noting again with great pride that our “recce” tradition continues, with the 548^th ISR Group burnishing our reputation magnificently in their outstanding work around the globe.

Much of their technology is indeed light years ahead of what we enjoyed, all put to great advantage in support of our troops. Their world and that of their counterparts in the intelligence business is filled with a multiplicity of sensors and other sources of information, ubiquitous collaborative networks, immediacy of collection and reporting, tailored delivery and support, shared IT services via cloud computing and other architectures, new rigor and structure to analytical techniques, and much more attention to a global C4I enterprise than existed in our day.

These technological differences do not obscure the continuing bond that remains among all who have served under the 548th Recce banner. This bond is based on unbroken commitments to excellence and professionalism, attention to detail, flexibility and inventiveness, and complete dedication to the troops and the mission.

So sit back, now and in the future, reflect on your achievements, and enjoy the full measure of mutual pride and satisfaction you deserve for what you and your families accomplished together when you answered the call to serve in the 548^th RTG in Hawaii. In your time, you set new standards of productivity and service, providing information of vital importance to US forces in Asia, the Pacific and around the world.  As a creative, dedicated, unified and highly effective team, nobody surpassed you in supporting the mission and our warfighters.

I am immensely proud to be associated with you, and I salute each and every one of you for your patriotism and your service.

God bless you all, God bless our troops, and God bless America.

This is the internet photography display site for the 548th RTG Reunion in Dayton, Ohio July 2010

Post-production is complete!

Images will be posted in a gallery which will be uploaded Thursday

and ready for viewing on Friday morning. We hope you enjoy them!

Click here to see the images online and to order prints and gifts

Photography from this event will be displayed here later this week. Please reload the page to see our progress.

The page background will be blue when the gallery is in place. The Memory Book order form is linked below.

Memory book orders will be taken through August 31st before going to print.

-----------------------------------------------------------

You will have the opportunity to see and purchase photos

and gifts online here in the weeks following the reunion.

Click here to download the order form for the

548th RTG Reunion Memory Book

Order your memory book now! It will contain each unique photo from the event

in an attractive and collectable book. Orders for the book will be taken through

August 31st and then the book will go to print.