Welcome to the Drawbridge Villager Premier Hotel and the 29th Annual Reunion of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment Association. As most of you know last year at our Reunion our General Membership voted to retire our Association in Camp Blanding Florida on October 19th in the year 2004. Our reunion will be at the Paramount Hotel, formally the Sheraton Hotel Gainesville, Florida, October 17 - 21, 2004.1 have a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the officials of Camp Blanding that I will present to the Board of Directors and the general membership for their approval. In this Memorandum of Agreement is the plan to execute the Retirement Ceremony scenario. All Company Representatives at their annual meeting in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky on Thursday August 21 will be given a copy of this Memorandum of Agreement.

Our Retirement Reunion in the year 2004 will be for four instead of the usual three. Reason being one day will be designated Camp Blanding day. We will also serve four meals instead of the usual three, as we will be having lunch at Camp Blanding. The cost of the extra meal will be included in your registration fee. It is the Board of Directors wish that all of us try and plan to make this last reunion to honor our fallen heroes and our beloved Association and Regiment. I have served committees and on the Board of Directors for the past ten years and I want to take this opportunity to thank all the unit Reps, the Board of Directors, the general Membership, and most of all the Hamblin Committee for all their guidance and support these past ten years and with their continued support. I will assure that we will retire our Association come October 19,2004 with honor and dignity.

(signed) Kenneth "Rock" Merritt

Kenneth "Rock" Merritt
President