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Follow-on reunion in the Spring of 2010:                    Colorado Springs, CO

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The Headhunter group was started in 1969 by M.F. "Kirby" Kirby, Lt Gen Jay T. Robbins, and Norb Ruff.  After several months of tracking many old WWII buddies down, the first reunion was held in June, 1970.

 As Kirby was tracking down the officers, TSgt Yale Saffro, who was the P-38 crew chief for Johnny Jones & Ken Ladd (two of our Squadron Aces) in 1942 - 1944 and the artist who drew our first two Squadron patches and most nose art on our aircraft, put together the enlisted troops contact information for our initial master roster.  Unfortunately Yale passed away several years ago, but Yale's widow, Ruth, is an LTM of our Association, and along with their daughter, Shelly, are regular attendees at our reunions.

The 3 founders of our Headhunters organization:
(L-R) Lt Gen Jay T. Robbins, M.F. Kirby, & Norb Ruff.
Photo taken at our Ft Walton Beach reunion in 1995.

 Only WWII people were originally involved in the group until the Korean and Vietnam era Headhunters were invited in 1975.  In 1980, the present day "Juvats" were also included.  Kirby kept the organization running for over 20 years until he passed the Guidon to Jay E. "JayBird" Riedel at the end of the Phoenix Reunion in September 1989.  Jay Riedel sent an e-mail message to Kirby on 30 August 1996 asking him how it all started.  Here is Kirby’s reply:

"Here is your request...This is how it all began!!!

About 1 am on the morning of 22 July (My Son's Birthday is the reason that I can remember) 1969, I received a call from two drunks ([Lt Gen] Jay Robbins [WWII Ace with 22 victories] and Norb Ruff) in Bloomer, Wisconsin.  They were feeling no pain. ‘Why do you not come on up?’

The next morning from the office I called them back to tell them how much I appreciated the call, how much I would like to see them...not only them, ‘but the rest of the squadron’.  That phrase was the beginning of the search!

Neither of my good buddies remembered one inkling of having talked with me in years--I told them that if they would help, that I would put it back together.  They both agreed.  They each kept their word and stayed out of my way....

Jay Robbins was going on to New England (Ina's [Jay’s wife] home) and would be back in Austin (Bergstrom Field, Headquarters of 12th AF.  Jay was CG [commanding general] at that particular time).  By the time he returned, I had his desk a foot deep in correspondence.  His Secretary (Miss Gardner) was a tremendous asset.  She and I pulled Jay's rank until we each thought that we were four or five star generals ourselves.

I started with nothing more than my own personal 201 file.  In there I found orders listing squadron personnel.  On orders for decorations would always the next of kin (usually mother) and it would give the home town.  When each man was located a request would go along asking that they send lists of squadron personnel, plus decorations for the above reasons.  It turned into a pyramid search.  As each man was located I let it be known what I expected of him.  If I did not receive his cooperation the wrath was unleashed.

I kept them abreast of the progress being made by numerous mailings.  They soon became enthused, and this generated much of the old spirit that had been dormant for the 24 years since we had last broken bread together, and nipped a little on the side.

My largest regret regarding the search is/was that I did not keep a diary from the very beginning.  Some of the ‘finds’ verged on the miracle category.  Imagine looking for a Johnny Jones [WWII Ace] in one of the larger cities of New Jersey!

Locating ‘Roughhouse’ and that was all that I knew--no name but did remember that he worked for Phelps-Dodge in Ajo, AZ.... Roughhouse ended up working for a veterinarian that Florence [Kirby’s wife] had grown up with and known all her life.

Finding a school teacher in Brooklyn with an unlisted telephone number.  I had the chief operator for Mississippi trying her best to get the number.  I finally got the telephone number and it almost broke the operator's heart, the fact that I did and she couldn't.

It finally boiled down to one man.  I searched for approximately four years for him.  I had a friend that worked for the FBI.  I went to see him, told him what I had, what I had done, where I was in the search, and requested that he approach the St. Louis Record Section and see if he could gather one bit of additional information.  He came up with the vaguest of clues, an address in Kansas.  I called the city, they looked up the address, gave the phone number--I placed a call and it was his father-in-law.  He immediately completed my search.

It was fun, yes...a lot of fun...most frustrating at times but has been the most rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life.  Look at all of the young Juvats that I have had the opportunity to meet.  You can not beat a deal like that...Kirby"

 

 

                                                NO     DATE                          LOCATION                          HOSTS

                                                1        1970, Jun 27-29         Jackson Hole, WY                M.F. Kirby

                                                2        1973, Jul 20-22          Oshkosh, WI                          Louis Schriber

                                                3        1975, Jul 10-13          San Diego, CA                     Herschal Barnes, Glenn Hope

                                                4        1977, Jun 30- 3 Jul     Dayton, OH                           Es Johnson

                                                5        1979, May 17-20        San Antonio, TX                   Robbins, Kirby, Murphey

                                                6        1981, Jun                    Cocoa Beach, FL                 “Salty” Peters

                                                7        1983, Jun 9-12           Salt Lake City, UT                 Mark Kasper

                                                8        1985, Jun 20-23        Colorado Springs, CO           Don McGee, Howard Peterson

                                                9        1986, Oct 9-12           McAllen, TX                            Kirby, L.C. Bradley

                                                10      1988, May 19-22       Williamsburg, VA                   Bill Hagar

                                                11      1989, Sep 7-10          Phoenix, AZ                           (Dean Price)*, Steve Ludick

                                                12      1991, Apr 21-24         Myrtle Beach, SC                  Jay & Bonnie Riedel

                                                13      1992, Oct 1-4              San Antonio, TX                    Jim & Lois Ince

                                                14      1993, Sep 30-Oct 3    Colorado Springs, CO         Dana & Candy Duthie

                                                15      1995, Apr 27-30          Ft Walton Beach, FL            Bob & Nan Kan

                                                16      1996, Sep 19-22         Cincinnati, OH                       Don & Susan Wykoff

                                                17      1998, Mar 26-29         Las Vegas, NV                      J.J. & Anita Cummins

                                                18      1999, Nov 4-7             San Antonio, TX                     Jack & Wanda Shelton

                                                19 % 2000, Mar 3-5              Lampasas, TX                       Penny Wilson & Kirby

                                                20      2001, Apr 5-8              Washington, DC                    Sol & Carolyn Harp

                                                21      2002, Sep 19-22         Ft Walton Beach, FL             Bob Kan, Ed Joyner

                                                22      2004, Apr 22-25          Phoenix/Mesa, AZ                The Reunion Brats

                                                23      2005, Oct 6-9               Las Vegas, NV                     The Reunion Brats

                                                24      2007, Apr 19-22          Fort Worth, TX                       Tex & Rita Ritter

                                                25      2008, Oct 2-5               Fort Walton Beach, FL         John "Bosco" & Lark Bostick

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