The Ninth Annual ASTP/11th Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on Thursday, August 18, 2005 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Hotel in Louisville, KY. It took place during the 11th Armored Division Association's Annual Reunion at the hotel. 23 of the Division's ASTPers attended the mini-reunion -- ten from the College (now University) of Puget Sound, two from the University of California at Berkeley, seven from the University of Oregon, one from the University of Pennsylvania, one from the University of Santa Clara and two from Washington State. The ASTP men spoke about their experiences in the program, and how these experiences assisted them as soldiers and later as civilians.
The Eighth Annual ASTP/11th Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on August 19, 2004 at the Double Tree Hotel Crystal City in Arlington, VA (during the 11th Armored Division Association's Annual Reunion at the hotel). 36 ASTPers from the "Thunderbolt" Division attended the event -- 14 from the University of Oregon, 6 from the College of Puget Sound, 5 from the University of California, 4 from Washington State University, 3 from the University of Santa Clara, 2 from the University of Nevada, 1 from the University of Pennsylvania and 1 from the State University of New York. The men recalled their days in their ASTP units, and how and when they were assigned to the 11th Armored Division.
The men of the ASTP at Howard University (Unit 2515) held a 60th Anniversary Reunion of their number in August of 2003. For more information on this event, please contact Friason G. Travis at Fritrav@erols.com.
The Seventh Annual ASTP/11th Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on Thursday, August 14, 2003 at 1:00 PM at the Adam's Mark Hotel, 120 Church Street, Buffalo, NY. The Mini-Reunion took place during the 11th Armored Division Association's Annual Reunion at the hotel from August 12 through August 16.
The ASTP men of the 96th Infantry Division held a luncheon for their number on Friday, July 25, 2003. The luncheon took place during the 96th Infantry Division Association's Reunion in Tulsa, Arizona on July 23-27, 2003. Contact Don Dencker at Dizzydon@aol.com for more information on this event.
A reunion of members of the ASTP at the University of Minnesota (Japanese language program) took place at the school in July 2003. Eight of the 60 original members of the unit attended the reunion. For details on the event, contact Gorge Kovacs at Kdgi@aol.com.
The University of North Texas (formerly North Texas State Teachers College) in Denton, TX hosted a luncheon on campus for the men of its ASTP Unit (Unit 3890) on September 27, 2002. The event was held in conjunction with the 103rd Infantry Division Association's Annual Reunion at the Marriott Quorum Hotel in Dallas, TX on September 25-29, 2002. Please visit Pierce Evans' Web Site for more information on the luncheon (www.pierce-evans.org).
The Sixth Annual ASTP/11th Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on August 15, 2002 during the 11th Armored Division Association's Annual Reunion at the University Plaza Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. 34 ASTPers from 6 ASTP Units attended the event -- 9 from the College (now University) of Puget Sound, 5 from the University of California at Berkeley, 12 from the University of Oregon, 1 from the University of Pennsylvania, 3 from the University of Santa Clara and 4 from Washington State College.
The ASTP men of Iowa State (Unit 3703) held a reunion for their number on June 6-8, 2002 in Iowa City. For more information on the reunion, please contact Brock Corbin at epcorb1@att.net.
The ASTP men of the 75th
Infantry Division held a reunion for their number on September 8, 2001, during
the 75th Infantry Division Association’s Annual Reunion at the
Double Tree Hotel in Denver, CO. For
more information on the reunion, please contact Ken Hohmann at chooch@cybergate.com
.
The Fifth Annual ASTP/11th
Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on August 16, 2001, during the 11th
Armored Division Association’s Annual Reunion at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in
Kalamazoo, MI. 35 ASTPers from
the Division attended the event, representing ASTP units at six schools –
the College (now University) of Puget Sound, the University of California, the
University Nevada, the University of Oregon, the University of Pennsylvania
and Washington State College.
The Fourth Annual ASTP/11th
Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on August 24, 2000, during the 11th
Armored Division Association’s Annual Reunion at the Sands Regency Casino
Hotel in Reno, NV. 41 ASTPers from the Division attended the event,
representing ASTP units at seven schools – the College (now University) of
Puget Sound, New York University (when it was in the Bronx), Santa Clara
University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Nevada
at Reno, the University of Oregon and Washington State College.
The Third Annual ASTP/11th Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on September 16, 1999, during the 11th Armored Division Association’s Annual Reunion at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Kansas City, MO. The 30 Division ASTPers who attended the event represented ASTP units at seven schools – the College (now University) of Puget Sound, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Nevada at Reno, the University of Oregon, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Santa Clara and Washington State College.
The ASTP men of the 75th
Infantry Division held a reunion for their number on September 11, 1999,
during the 75th Infantry Division Association’s Annual Reunion at
the Sheraton Astrodome Hotel in Houston, TX. For more information on the
reunion, please contact Harold Lindstrom at 4105 75th Street, Des
Moines, IA 50322, or at (515) 278-0881, or R.M. Smith at rmsmith1942@webtv.net .
The ASTP men of the 106th
Infantry Division held a reunion for their number on September 1-5, 1999,
during the 106th Infantry Division Association’s Annual Reunion
in Schaumburg, IL. For more information on the reunion, please contact Russell
Villwock at 8560 W. Foster #510, Norridge, IL 60656, or at (708) 452-8628.
The Second Annual ASTP/11th
Armored Division Mini-Reunion was held on September 10, 1998, during the 11th
Armored Division Association’s Annual reunion at the Drawbridge Inn and
Convention Center in Ft. Mitchell, KY. 35 Division ASTPers attended the event,
representing ASTP units at eight schools – the College (now University) of
Puget Sound, Leicester Engineering, Ohio State University, the University of
California at Berkeley, the University of Nevada, the University of Oregon,
the University of Santa Clara and Washington State College.
The ASTP men of the 75th Infantry Division held a reunion for their number in July of 1998, during the 75th Infantry Division Association’s Annual Reunion in Spokane, WA. 24 ASTPers attended the event. They represented several colleges, but mostly from the New York City area.
ASTP/11th Armored Division Reunion
On Thursday, August 14,
1997, 55 men of World War II’s 11th Armored Division who had been
members of the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) met for the first ASTP/11th
Armored Division Reunion, during the 11th Armored Division
Association’s 55th Annual Reunion in Hampton, VA. These men
represented six ASTP units at six different schools – the College of Puget
Sound, Washington State College, the University of Oregon, the University of
Santa Clara, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of
Pennsylvania.
At the meeting, Patrick
Kearney and William Barlow (both from the 55th Armored Infantry
Battalion of the 11th Armored Division) spoke about the ASTP plaque
dedication ceremony and reunion that was held at the University of Puget Sound
in August of 1996. Edward Berg (also from the 55th AIB) spoke about
plans for an ASTP commemoration at Washington State University that was
scheduled for November of 1997.
Patrick Kearney also
informed the ASTP men in attendance how they could go about organizing a plaque
dedication ceremony and reunion for their own ASTP contingents. He also spoke
about Ray Fox’s ASTP musical Take It Easy, which opened in the New York
City Theatre District in the Spring of 1996 and which is now enjoying tours both
in the U.S. and Canada.