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Following are some articles I found which I would like to share with you. For clarity purposes, some have been retyped.
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The following article was taken from the Finger Lakes Times, Geneva, NY, Saturday, August 15, 1987:
"REUNION ORGANIZED FOR SAMPSON TRAINEES"
By: Brenda Pittman
ROMULUS - A Tennessee man has organized a reunion next month of men and women who trained at the former Sampson Naval Training during World War II.
Bill Russell of Corryton, Tenn., said he can't estimate how many of the 400,000 men and women who trained at the facility will be able to attend the reunion Sept. 11 and 12. But he says he hopes this reunion will be the first of many.
Russell, who was in the Navy for 2 1/2 years, was stationed at Sampson from March 4, 1944, until April 20, 1944.
He said he's wanted to plan a Sampson reunion ever since he moved to Tennessee in 1982 after retiring as a recreation specialist for the mentally retarded in Illinois.
He got the ball rolling about a year ago when he placed an ad in a veterans' magazine.
"I wanted people who had trained at Sampson to contact me and let me know if they were interested in a reunion," he said, noting he got letters from 15 people from various parts of the country who were interested.
"These people in turn said they would contact their American Legions and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, who would in turn part put the world out about the reunion," Russell said.
He's received assistance from VFW Post 6433 in Waterloo, he said, explaining they have invited those who attend the reunion to meet at their headquarters the evening of September 11.
"This should give us an excellent opportunity to meet others and just get acquainted," he said.
At 9:30 the next morning, the group will tour the old training base at Sampson State Park and "relive our experiences," Russell said. "I'm sure this visitation will bring back a lot of memories."
Later in the day the group will assemble at the Waterloo VFW Post again to hold a business meeting.
"I'm hoping we can form an organization with a membership that will grow and work to plan larger reunions in the future," he said.
Russell said anyone in the area who was stationed at the naval training facility during World War II is invited to attend. He added that all they need to do is go to the Waterloo VFW Post the evening of Sept. 11 or be at Sampson State Park by 9:30 Saturday morning.
He has asked the Holiday Inn in Waterloo to reserve some rooms for the "Sampson Navy Group Boots," and he asked that anyone wishing to stay there make reservations by Aug. 28.
Russell said without knowing how many people are coming, he has not made any arrangements for meals, but he said he is telling people who are planning to attend that there are many restaurants in the area.
Seneca Falls, NY - August 19, 1987
"WATERLOO V.F.W. POST HOSTS 1ST REUNION OF SAMPSON "BOOTS""
New York State Overseas Veteran - November, 1987
Once again the Finger Lakes Region resounded with nautical terminology, as over 300 World War II Navy veterans returned to the Sampson area, where they once received their boot training in the Navy. They came to reunite, and share their lives and experiences and to renew old friendships. Forty years previous, over 400,000 "boots" were sent through basic training at Sampson Naval Training Center, and they all shared one important and common cause - to protect and defend America from her enemies.
Once, all together at Sampson, these sailors would eventually sail the seven seas on tankers, destroyers , air craft carriers and ships of all sizes. Some survived and returned home, others to VA Hospitals, and others would make the supreme sacrifice and find their eternal resting place in Davy Jones' locker. They all did what needed to be done, but for those who returned, they would, forever, remember their comrades.
And so this reunion of friends and comrades, once young men now aged with time, they remembered. They shed tears of happiness and sorrow. They once again laughed together, and once again started sharing their lives again.
It all started with a phone call from a William R. Russell of Corryton, Tennessee to the Waterloo V.F.W. Post Commander Florian "Horse" Kubasik. At which time Mr. Russell expressed his thoughts and ideas of a reunion of Navy Vets, and thus enlisted the aid of the Waterloo V.F.W. Post to assist and help in anyway possible. From that single phone call the officers, Auxiliary, and members were off to the races.
Some juggling of prior commitments by the housing chairman provided them with rooms for registration and meetings.
Commander Kubasik notified local newspapers of the upcoming events and invitations for the press to cover the weekend exercises.
The post members and auxiliary members made "Welcome Sampson Navy Veterans" for those members who would be parking cars for that weekend.
The itinerary called for a visit to Sampson Naval Base, which is now a State Park, for a flag raising ceremony and sight seeing tour. Once again the Post responded by volunteering it's bus, a driver, and expenses to transport these visiting guests.
The Post Color Guard, Waterloo's own, volunteered their services. They performed the flag raising at Sampson, as well as, presented and retrieved colors at the 1st business meeting. To break the ice, the post officers and chaplain assisted by opening their first meeting and turning over the meeting after welcoming the guests to Waterloo.
A special presentation is in the planning for the future. Thanks to the Seneca County Sheriff's Department divers, who found a 1944 anchor off Sampson while practice diving. The anchor was used to anchor sea plans at the Sampson Naval Station. After a few phone calls, two local businesses, Seneca Falls Machine Company, and Vance's Welding Company donated their services to have the anchor refurbished, and hopefully it will be dedicated in the near future as a reminder of Sampson Naval Training Center and the 400,000 sailors who passed through it's portals.
The new organization founded that weekend is now known as the Sampson World War II Navy Veterans. By-laws are now being drawn up and committee chairman are now in working order. The 2nd annual reunion will again be held in waterloo the 1st weekend following Labor Day. If any Navy Veterans who went through Sampson would like further information on this organization you are invited to contact: William R. Russell, Corryton, TN or Ray Schaffer, Clifton Springs, NY or the Waterloo VFW Post 6433, Waterloo, NY.
It is with great hopes and expectations that the Sampson World War II Veterans will grow in strength each year.
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