AND to the Association Ready Room for the Board Meeting and AOM Meeting Minutes.
In 1993 the Skyhawk Association was started from names on a clipboard. 1993 Association sign-in sheet "Whizzer", the "Founder": It was an interesting beginning. It began with an idea, and a check that Cal Shoemaker wrote (for $500.00) to get the thing off the ground. Captain Hook: The Association began as an idea and a clipboard. During the 1993 Tailhook convention in San Diego, M. David "Whizzer" White, DDS, of Bossier City, LA, put up a small sign at a table in the exhibit area. The sign said merely "Are you interested in starting a Skyhawk Association? Sign up here." At the end of the three day convention, the sheets on the clipboard contained 136 names. Throughout the following year (1994) an undetermined number of "members" were "signed up." Unfortunately, only fragmentary records were maintained and many who signed-up were subsequently "lost." At the September 1994 Tailhook convention in San Diego, about 80 individuals attended a "Skyhawk" luncheon. Following the luncheon, a preliminary organization took place, with "Whizzer" White, Harry Gann, Wynn Foster, and R.R. "Boom" Powell "elected" as President, Historian, Secretary-Newsletter Editor, and Treasurer, respectively. Annual dues were established and bylaws were mentioned, but no further action was taken at that time. It was agreed that the next membership meeting would "piggy-back" with Tailhook '95 at the Nugget Hotel in Sparks (Reno), Nevada. The first Skyhawk Newsletter was published in March 1995. Bylaws, patterned after those of the Tailhook Association, were drafted during 1995 and, with the assistance of member-attorney Roger Maino, necessary actions were taken to incorporate the Association. At the 9 September 1995 meeting at the Nugget Hotel in Sparks, NV, the Association was formally incorporated, with five members (Foster, Powell, White, Jack Woodul, and Hugh Magee) elected as Directors. By consensus, it was agreed that the Board of Directors would meet twice a year, in January and in conjunction with the Association annual membership meeting. The 1996 annual membership meeting "piggy-backed" with the May ANA-Naval Aviation Museum convention in Pensacola, Florida. The 1997 and 1998 annual membership meetings were held in Sparks (Reno). NV, in conjunction with the annual Tailhook conventions. The 1999 annual membership meeting was held in Pensacola, FL, in conjunction with ceremonies for the retirement of the Skyhawk from service in the Naval Air Training Command. The 2000 and 2001 annual membership meetings were held in Sparks (Reno). NV, in conjunction with the annual Tailhook conventions. The paid membership of 403, as of 01 January 1996, grew steadily to 791 as of 01 January 2002. Beginning in 1998, the Association was sufficiently solvent to allow offering of a complimentary one-year membership to each Student Naval Aviator upon graduation from VT-7 at NAS Meridian, MS, the last training command squadron training with the TA-4J Skyhawk. A total of 70 complimentary memberships were accepted through June 1999, when training command TA-4J operations were ended. "Puresome", on his recollections of the birth of the Association: My first recollection of a formative meeting was in San Diego in 1993 at the first TAILHOOK REUNION after the festivities of HOOK 91. Not many of the faithful were there. I somehow found out about the lunch meeting, went, and signed on to help carrying groceries or whatever. CAPT Hook was one of the first Board Members and always counted our beans and kept us honest about bylaws and stuff that the rest of us allowed as necessary, but stood in the way of sea stories. Bud Southworth, Boom Powell, and Ernie Laib did important work at our Reunions, along with our other presidents, Otto Kruger and Tom Brown. "Whizzer" was heavily involved in the "Skyhawk Tribute" and the Retirement Ceremony at Pensacola. Lots of folks got involved in attending VT-7 winging ceremonies at Meridian, where SA gave plaques and memberships to the graduating Skyhawkers. The kid, here, got to VP it and mediate sword-fights some. |
