2010 REUNION

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Area of Operation: Washington, DC, Fairfax, VA. and Vicinity

The 2010 Flying Circus Reunion was successfully completed on September 13, 2010 with the Flying Circus headquartered at the Hyatt Hotel in Fairfax, VA.  Steve Rossiter (King Nine) and his wife Sherry arrived on September 5, to establish the headquarters and recon the area.  Steve and Sherry located the NRA Headquarters, National Fire Arms Museum, local restaurants, the nearest DC Metro station, and determined how the hotel might provide services. 

On September 7, the Rossiters reconned the National Helicopter Museum in West Chester, PA.  The reunion commenced later with the arrival of Ray Molinar (Tumbleweed) and his wife Mary while Steve and Sherry where in West Chester.  You can’t have a reunion until two or more “reunionees” are present, so the Rossiters and Molinars actually hooked up on the morning of the 8^th.  

On September 8, the Tumbleweed-plus did a Metro system recon and visit to the US Senate while King Nine ventured to Fredrick, MD to visit the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association headquarters. September 8 also resulted in the arrival of Stan Childress (Playboy) with his fiancée Gloria Houston, Bill Medsker (Muscles), Sam Estes, Pat Riley, Ron Grossmann, and Cleveland Grant (Gomer).  Serious socializing began with a mandatory briefing and consumption of adult beverages in Gomer’s hooch.  A plan for the balance of the mission was determined.  The ladies elected to run a separate operation based from King Nine’s hooch.

September 9 began with an early dispatching of Tumbleweed-plus to the White House.  The rest of the Flying Circus-minus moved to the Silver Diner mess hall followed by re-assembly at the National Rifle Association’s Fire Arms Museum in Fairfax.  This is a spectacular collection of fire arms dating back to before the American Revolution.  The day marked the arrival of Bill Conway (Swamp Fox) and his bride Lydia as well as Harry Oberg (Cowboy) and his wife Jeanna Tendall.  The planning session was continued that evening in Gomer’s hooch with re-fuelling by Pizza Hut and lubrication by adult beverages.  Our open door policy was terminated with the arrival of the ladies from a Christian Tour group.  We judged that our normal rude, crude and socially unacceptable behavior would be too “out there” for the Christian ladies, so the door was closed.  Good call!

Travels with Gomer; NRA Fire Arms Museum returning to the hotel:  Spending more than an hour on what should have been a 15 minute trip would normally be boring, but between Gomer’s driving and Pat’s navigating via mapster, it was pure entertainment, we laughed like a bunch of teenagers the whole time.

September 10, began with a breakfast pre-mission briefing prior to assaulting the Fairfax, Vienna Metro station for a trip downtown minus Gomer (who drove himself and missed the rest of us in DC) and Cowboy (who previously worked in DC and didn’t need to see this stuff again).  After debarking at the Smithsonian Metro Station, we marched (route step) to the World War II Memorial and then on to The Wall.  Sam Estes had prepared several Flying Circus Scout patches for all of us to sign and leave in respect for six fallen Flying Circus members enshrined there:  Art Crosby (Chicken Man), Gregory A. Marvin (Tiny), John Berry (Mister Clean), Gaylord Kerr (Red), Billy K. Evans, and Richard T. Williams (Harry).  At The Wall we met a large number of brother Vietnam veterans and exchanged pleasantries.   We later divided forces with some of us going to the National Air and Space Museum mall facility and the balance visiting the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Roosevelt Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial.  The arrival of Bruce Brattain (Batman) and his significant other Debbie Scott completed the balance of the Flying Circus 2010 Reunion attendees.  That evening the unit then travelled to the Olive Garden mess hall for a quality food event and good fellowship.  The evening planning session was held at the Flying Circus Club on the patio of the hotel.

September 11 commenced at the Silver Diner mess hall and upon completion a portion of the group headed to Arlington National Cemetery with later movement to the Udvar-Hazy branch of the National Air and Space Museum at the Dulles International Airport.  The other contingent went directly to Udvar-Hazy.  We later reconvened for movement to the Logan’s Roadhouse mess hall for another excellent meal, good fellowship, and remembrance of our fallen comrades and those lost on 9/11/2001.  A closeout briefing was again held at the Flying Circus Club where initial goodbyes were exchanged for those leaving early on Sunday.

A note about going to aviation museums: It causes one to consider their age when you see aircraft you once flew on display in museums.  This occurred at each of the museums we visited.  We’re too young!!  Well, maybe not considering some of us now have great grand children.

On September 12 a few of us met for breakfast before heading out.  In the afternoon, Rossiter and Medsker found an interesting place which seems appropriate to mention.  About 50 miles south of Fairfax we located the Flying Circus Aerodrome.  On Sundays (May thru October) they have an airshow and offer rides in various old aircraft.  We arrived just as the airshow was completed, but we were able to wander around and look at the vintage airplanes.  We didn’t take any rides because they wouldn’t let us drive.

King Nine-plus was the first to depart at “oh dark thirty” (0345) on September 13, 2010, for the Dulles Airport and the return trip to Montana.  The remaining Flying Circus guys were due out at various times throughout the day.  Thus ended the 2010 Flying Circus Reunion.  Mission accomplished.

by Steve Rossiter

The following members attended the reunion :

As all those who attended are named in the first eleven photos, the names are not repeated in the rest of the collection.