Day Four

USS Ranger (CVA-61)

Reunion 2024

October 12

After the Business Meeting Breakfast we had a casual day.  The Ladies conducted their Silent Auction, which is a Fund Raiser for the Reunion Association.  My Bride participated and this is what she acquired for Our Library.

We enjoyed the Farewell Banquet after the Official Reunion Photographs of all the Participants were taken.  We took the opportunity to purchase a "Memorial Book" which will be mailed to us once it is complete.

Day Five

We enjoyed the Breakfast with our Shipmates and took the opportunity to say our "Goodbyes" to conclude the Reunion.

My Bride and I took the opportunity to remain in Dayton a few more days and took the opportunity to visit the Packard Museum on Sunday Afternoon, October 13.  Here are a few pictures of that visit which was at a former Packard Dealership.  The Cars were exciting to see.  This Museum had a special meaning for me, Alan because My Dad purchased a 1949 Packard when I was nine years.  A few years later I took My Driver's Test in this Car which featured a 135 Horse Power In-Line eight cyclinder Motor and the Ultra-Matic Shifting/Clutch System.  

Here are some pictures from this visit:

This is a picture of a 1949 Packard

which My Bride took.

It is what My Dad's Packard

Looked Like.

Upon Entering the Museum You 

Saw the 1958 Packard.  The last year 

for this famed Automobile.  This was

after the merger with Studebaker.

The Motto of 

"Ask the Man Who Owns One" was 

to longer be appropriate to the 

Fine Automobiles manufactured by

"The Packard Motor Company!"

The one Packard You could sit in

and get the feel of a Luxury Automobile is

This Packard which we both 

appreciated.  

This Packard was custom built for the 16 year

old Daughter of a wealthy family.  

She did not like the color!

My Bride gave Me permission to purchase this

Book.  I suspect that this is My Christmas

Present for 2024.  Of course I will be

very happy to read and consume 

all 828 pages!

Here is proof that I grew up with a 1949 Packard when I lived in Northeast Iowa, Clayton County.  This picture shows My Dad most likely cleaning some wheel bearings for one of the Farm Tractors so he could repack them with new grease.  The House behind the picket fence was constructed in 1951 so I, sitting on the right side of this picture was eleven years old.  As stated earlier in this Blog, this is the Packard I took my Driving Test with when I was seventeen.  After I posted this Blog on November 25 I recalled that this picture was somewhere in My Library so today I found it and scanned it so I could add it here,