Destin

Another outstanding reunion! Although the turnout, in this area of about 200 Headhunters, was only 65 total people including spouses & family members for the Saturday night banquet, those that made the trip had a great time! WWII P-38 pilot Glenn Hope flew in with his son all the way from Maui--again--to attend. The other WWII members to attend came in from Tennessee and Tampa. Thank you very much for making the trip--you were an inspiration to all of us!

Bosco & Bob Kan, along with Tex & Rita Ritter and Butch & Mary Byrd who helped in the background, did an outstanding job putting this together. Bob set up our traditional "Headhunter Open" golf tournament including a bar-B-que lunch and superb prizes, while Bosco was the overall host--both did a fantastic job! Bob also does all the collage pages for our Reunion Memories Book put out by the Dunning Company who took our portraits at the banquet. Thanks again, Bob.

Our many thanks go out again to fellow Headhunters, Dick & Mary Jonas, for supplying the outstanding entertainment at our banquet and the rest of the reunion in the hospitality room with great sing-a-longs! Dick was joined by members of the Juvat Boy's Choir (JBC) -- Capt Mike "Stab" McCarthy (current JBC Lead in the active Squadron at Kunsan), Capt Brian "Thor" Congdon, and Capt Jason "Chill" Wall, for legendary entertainment unique in our fighter community. Thank you, Dick & Mary, for your continued support and memorable songs!

Our guest speaker at the banquet was Col Jacksel M. Broughton. His books Thud Ridge and Going Downtown, that deal not only with his experiences in Vietnam but with the politics involved in that war, are suggested reading for all fighter pilots, as well as his latest book, Rupert Red Two. With several DFC's, two Silver Stars, and an Air Force Cross, Jack really had some tails to tell!

Bob Kan was our CINC GOLF. He set up an outstanding "Headhunter Open" golf tournament--it was superb! We played on the Falcon Course at Eglin AFB. The course and tournament were absolutely beautiful for the 4 teams that played. Thanks, Bobby

1st Place Team (at 5 under par)
John "Sukoshi" Wilson
Cort Proctor
Lona Proctor
John Mooshie

2nd Place Team (at 1 under par)
John "Bosco" Bostick
F.T. Case

3rd Place Team (at 3 over par)
Cecil "Tron" Jones
"Tits" Breazeale
"Slam" Smith
"Bugs" Bugelwicz

Last Place Team (at 4 over par)

Here are just a few of the great photos sent in by Rita Ritter, Butch & Mary Byrd, & Bonnie. Thanks to you all for these photos that capture this outstanding reunion!

Bob Kan, our LTM member and Sq/CC from 1972 - '73, made up all the beautiful collages for our reunion memory books this time as he has for many reunions. Thanks again, Bob, for your great work!

Here they are--enjoy!! As always, just click on each thumbnail for its full size version!

"One of our most talented retired fighter pilots is Dick Jonas. Here he is with me at the 80th Fighter Sq Headhunters Reunion in Destin FL last week.

He flew a tour out of Ubon, Thailand as an F4C pilot WSO in '67 - '68. I have known him for 30 years. A super-nice guy.

I attached my very favorite Dick Jonas number (of dozens) in which he names all the places he has been in Asia/Pacific. He amazingly memorized the song and does not use a script. If you listen carefully, you will hear him name most of the targets we hit in Vietnam and most of the Pacific Rim cities familiar to us who have flown in the Pacific Air Forces.

Using the old "I've Been Everywhere" country-western song, Dick wrote and sang his own words about flying with a "new" front seat F4 pilot who asked Dick how many missions he had flown. The new guy was a former Training Command instructor pilot recently upgraded into fighters. Listen to it here--now!

80th Fighter Squadron