Next Reunion Page - VP-16 Reunion Association, Inc.

Update, March 13, 2025

  

24th reunion on October 22 – 25, 2025

Checkout the 2025 Reunion Flyer

Hotel Reservations: 2025 Reunion for VP-16 Reunion

A. Holiday Inn on Government Street

B. Visitors Free Guide

Second Reunion Letter Final   

VP-16 Reunion Association, Inc.

1240 43rd . Ct. SW

Vero Beach, FL 32968

772-708-3173

Final Letter

March 7, 2025

Greetings, Shipmates,

I pray this communication finds you all well or in recovery mode from any infirmities. It has been a long and unusual winter, especially for you who have been in the path of so many storms over the past few months, I am sure it has been a seemingly unbearable winter. If you have been unable to keep up with our War Eagles, the squadron left early last Fall on their scheduled 6 to 7-month deployment, with Misawa, Japan, as the assigned primary base for operations. As is normal for the squadrons utilizing the P8, several small detachments are scattered about, certainly much more than in the P2 and P3 days and not limited to the Pacific. Our War Eagles performed as we would expect, exceptionally. There have been many television and newspaper news reports about several successful missions they were assigned. After all, they are “War Eagles”!

Shortly, Skipper Reilly will bring them back home to family and friends. In fact, by the time you receive this letter, most likely everyone will have returned to Jax. You can follow them on Facebook. Some of you who have emailed us or visited the website will see some repetition, but this is crucial information for all considering attending the upcoming reunion. Follows are the plans for the upcoming October 2025 reunion, actions you should take, and an important cutoff date.Although previously conveyed in our 23rd post-reunion letter, Pensacola, FL was selected at the annual meeting in Jacksonville, to be the host city for our 24th reunion. As we had experienced in several prior attempts to return to Pensacola, securing an affordable host hotel that would meet our needs was unsuccessful. Affordability is our number one priority and consideration to allow for maximum participation. Keeping the geographic area in mind, we researched and visited the Gulf Coast southwest of Pensacola up to Mobile. After Linda, Ron Malotke, and I travelled to the area, met with several hotel sales staffs, and sought interesting sites, we unanimously decided to hold the 24th reunion in Mobile.

After extensive searches, numerous communications, and site visits, we, with the approval of your Board of Directors, present the

following plan for your consideration.

What: The 24th Reunion of the VP16 Reunion Association, Inc.

When: Wednesday, October 22 – Sunday morning, October 26, 202

Where: Holiday Inn Downtown Historic , 301 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602

What are the costs or fees, and what is included or covered?

Hotel Room Rate: $129.00 plus tax(s) per night. We understand the importance of affordability and have made every effort to keep the costs within a reasonable range, however challenging these times may be.

What is included: Standard rooms or handicapped accommodation.

Reunion Registration Fee: $87.00 Per person

  What is included in the reunion fee: Friday evening dinner, the cost of the ballroom for the evening, and all associated expenses.

  The hospitality room, beverages (e.g., beer, wine, soda, and water), snacks, various hors d'oeuvres offerings, coffee (K cups) during       hospitality hours for the entire reunion period, and the cost of name tags and reunion packets.

  What is not covered by the reunion fee: Any elective group activities, #1, #2, and #3, as listed below. The fee does not

  cover the cost of this communication, as it is part of the cost of the corporation doing business and communicating with its  members.

  

   Elective Group Activities

  Activity# 1 City Tour: $18.00 Per participant (Thursday)

  What is Included: Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel, narrated tour via private trolley of the historic district and areas of interest in

  the downtown area, including restaurants. The tour duration is approximately 1.5 hours. If ten (10) or more people choose to be

        dropped off at Memorial Park and have also signed up for Activity #2, we plan to accommodate them.

      Activity # 2 USS Alabama Memorial Park: $ 25.00 Per participant (Thursday)

         What is included: Admission to the Park and Transportation to and from the hotel. A shuttle van service for participants will be

        provided after the City Tour. The shuttle will run on a TBD schedule, with the last shuttle leaving the Gift Shop promptly at 4:15 PM.

        This is a self-guided, fully independent tour with a headset provided for narrating. Duration: the balance of the day.

         Activity # 3 Flight Works Alabama and Airbus Assembly Facility Tour: $42.00 Per participant (Friday)

         What is included: Admission to both venues, tour, and transportation to and from the hotel. The duration is approximately 2–2.5

        hours on site. Mobile has much to offer and explore with ample free time. Essential steps, how to execute them, specific mandatory

  cut-off dates, and other information. The first and most important action item is to reply to us promptly utilizing this letter's

  “response”  section on page 3. Complete and return it to the above address via USPS or email your response to

  billsherman.vero@me.com. There is a PDF if you wish to send your response by USPS at the bottom of the letter.  We would like to hear

         from you as soon as possible, but no later than  June 30, 2025.

         Although the signup sheet is or will soon be on the website, your response to this mailing triggers our providing it and other

        important information and updates about the reunion from time to time.

          Secondly, cut-off dates must be adhered to for those intending to join us in Mobile as we move forward due to the increasing

         cost of tickets and transportation for our events, hotel limitations, and food service costs. We are less able to “squeeze in” last-minute           attendees than in the past.