33rd PRS Online: Veterans | |
33rd PRS Association Some years after World War II, former members of the 33rd Photo Recon Squadron decided it was time to renew old acquaintances. The 33rd PRS Association was born. Starting in 1958, the Association sponsored periodic squadron reunions, kept an updated address bank of squadron members, and produced regular Association newsletters to help former members of the 33rd keep up with their comrades. It also sponsored the publishing of a squadron history, Straight and Level, by Association member J. B. Woodson, Jr. The 33rd PRS Association's final reunion was held October 3 through October 5, 2010 in Dayton, Ohio. |
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The Last Reunion of the 33rd
Burl Stokes (left) and Leonard Gold (right), US Air Force Museum, Wright-Patterson AFB
At the 24th and final squadron reunion in October 2010, former squadron pilots Burl Stokes and Lenny Gold were the only squadron member attendees. They stood in front of the P-38 exhibit at the US Air Force Museum for a final reunion photo. At the time, Lenny was Vice President of the 33rd PRS Association. Burl was a former Association President, and he appears in the 5th Row of the "Official 1958 reunion photo" shown above (holding the reunion banner). Burl Stokes died January 5, 2013.
Photo courtesy of Kent A. Ramsey
In 1980, the Reverend Neal E. Lake, chaplain of the 33rd PRS Association, wrote the following poem entitled "The Last Reunion of the 33rd". It was published in the Association's 1981 newsletter.
I had a dream the other night,
That sent chills through my bones.
I heard the names of the 33rd men,
Being read in solemn tones.
The years had passed, as all years do,
And had taken our friends away,
Until only two were finally left,
To have a reunion that day.
The two who were left were old and weak,
They couldn't even stand,
Their voices trembled as they tried to read
The names of that gallant band.
All their buddies and comrades had gone before,
These two were now the last,
But they had come to a final reunion,
To honor their friends from the past.
I heard the names I knew so well,
The ones that had shared with me,
And I tried to catch if mine was read,
And wondered if it would be.
The light was dim, the voices low,
So I couldn't understand,
I only knew these two old men,
Were sitting hand in hand.
Remembering days when they were young,
And the ones who shared their lot,
Remembering strong and handsome youths,
And the days they had never forgot.
I don't know who they were,
Though I strained my eyes to see.
I hope that one was J. B. Woodson.
I hope the other one was me.
Neal Lake was a Technical Sergeant in the Photo Lab. The picture at left is Neal at Chalgrove, England in 1944. He died October 12, 1998.
J. B. Woodson was a Sergeant in the Photo Lab and wrote Straight and Level, a history of the 33rd PRS. He died July 9, 1981. Photo of Neal Lake courtesy of Elwood E. Davis
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