Author |
Topic: Update: Weekend with Skipper Liebenow & Welford West |
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Roy Forbes
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 12, 2013 - 4:27pm
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It looks like this book signing is turning into a mini-reunion of sorts. The list of attending folks keeps growing and so is the list of attending modelers. Anyone that might be hesitating about making the trip and making reservation, check out the Best Western Bryson Inn in Mount Airy. The motel is in an awesome location right off I-77 and only 9 miles from the center of town. With room rates at $67.99, it makes a great place for more PT Boaters to come and join us for this event. Only 2 weeks left. Sure would love to meet some more of you guys !!
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Total Posts: 371 | Joined:
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Frank Andruss
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 13, 2013 - 1:24am
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Wish I could have made this get together with you guys. I would have like that very much. I am in hopes that you will take plenty of photo's to share with us. My last meeting with Mr. Liebenow was in 1993.
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Frank Andruss
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 29, 2013 - 3:09pm
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Hey guys we heard about the wonderful weekend coming up, but have not heard anything about how it went. Can you guys that were there shed some light and or photos of the get together.
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Pat Hutchens
Full Member
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Posted on: May 29, 2013 - 4:43pm
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Frank,
To be honest, I've not been able to formulate into words yet the spectacular time my wife and I had. Bridge was a great "Master of Ceremonies" for the weekend, Roy and Susan Forbes and Wayne and Linda Traxel were fine company.
Skipper Liebenow and his wife Lucy, along with Welford West and his nephew Don, and also for the three days of activity, Miss Betty Lynn..."Thelma Lou" herself!!! She was very complimentary of the models Roy and I took. Bud and Welford were appreciative of our efforts, too. The weather couldn't have been nicer, either.
All in all, a weekend I won't forget.
I'm sure one of the guys will be posting some pics. Maybe some day I'll take the time to learn!
Pat
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Wayne Traxel |
MASTER
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Posted on: May 30, 2013 - 11:34am
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Memorial Day week end 2013. Was A memorable experience. Couldn't say it any better than Pat did.
Pages Bookstore, Mt Airy, NC., Memorial Day signing of "First Up" pictured R to L are PT-157's Skipper, William F. (Bud) Liebenow, TM1/c Welford West and "First Up" Author Bridge Carney
Pat Hutchens photo of the Memorial Day signing of "First Up" at Pages Book Store. L to R Author, Bridge
Carney, PT166 Modeler, Pat Hutchens, Welford West, Modeler W. Traxel, and Bud Leibenow.
Italeri 1/35th scale PT Models by Roy Forbes PT-157 and Pat Hutchens PT-166.
Only picture I have of Roy Forbes. As Bridge mentioned Roy was documenting Saturdays VFW and Sundays Ridgecrest presentations.
Wayne |
Total Posts: 248 | Joined:
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Frank Andruss
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 30, 2013 - 1:38pm
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Thanks guys for posting a few photo's. I bet you had fantastic day. By the way, where is Roy in some of these photos. Thanks Pat for sending me the photo's. WISH I COULD HAVE COME............
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TheBridge
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 30, 2013 - 2:32pm
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All told I think we spent about 10-12 hours together as a group. We all got to know each other and, as Pat said, it was indescribable memorial day weekend and it's still sinking in!
[Note: Mount Airy is the boyhood home of Andy Griffith and it is the setting from which the town of Mayberry of the Andy Griffith Show show was based. This comes into play as you read on]
At this time, the first thing I can give you is the schedule of events we had...other details will come out as Pat, Wayne and Roy may post.
Saturday Evening: I made a two hour presentation to the local VFW/American Legion in Mount Airy. Although the Skipper of the 157 (Bud Liebenow) and West were of course at this presentation, I had set this up for myself to do most of the talking as Liebenow is more or less a ‘yup – nope’ not too talkative type guy and West’s tidewater Virginia accent is hard for someone, not accustomed to hearing him talk, to understand. I spoke about PTs in general, PTs in the Solomons and then the PT-157 and reviewed a couple of their more notable missions. The models brought in byRoy and Pat were on display. About 40-people attended this presentation.
Betty Lynn is the actress who played the part of Thelma Lou on the Andy Griffith Show that ran from 1960-68. That show, now some 50-years later, is still in reruns on TV and loved by many. Betty happens to lives in the same are as the Liebenows and she stayed with us throughout the whole weekend. She was a real pleasure to be around.
Sunday AM: all us 'out-of-towners' + the West and his nephew Don all stayed at the Hampton Inn Hotel so we all met at breakfast and talked PT talk with West.
Sunday afternoon: Liebenow, West and the ‘out-of-towners’ plus some of the residences of the retirement community met in their Club House room where we showed some color film that happened to be taken off the PT-157 in July by combat photographers. The more riveting part of the afternoon came after this when West recalled (after Liebenow asked him to) in detail two of the missions (including the rescue of the crew of the PT-109) that occurred in the summer of ’43. Roy filmed this event so we do have this for posterity. I gave some enlarged, mounted photos to Bud and Welford of the PT-157 under at high speed as can been seen on the front of the FIRST-UP book. They really like that photo!
Sunday evening[: all the 'out-of-towners', the Liebenows, West, Don, Betty Lynn went out to dinner.
Monday morning: The same group that went to the Sunday dinner now converged on a place called Pages book & coffee shop in the town of Mount Airy. Liebenow, West and myself began immediately signing books. Roy, Pat and Wayne took photos. We were told at the end that twice as many books were sold in this book signing session then any other book signing event at this store. As an added surprise, West’s granddaughter (and boyfriend) had driven 5 hours to Mount Airy to surprise him during the book signing!
Monday 12:30: With the book signing over, We all left the book store and we all walked a half block to Barney’s restaurant. They had the real deal, all-American menu (BLT’s, burgers, club sandwich, and so on) and at unreal prices [a BLT with chips and pickle for $3:00!], There were 16 of us at the table and everyone got a lunch...unbelievably bill, including the sodas, was just under $50!
As lunch broke-up, we stepped outside and said our good byes and began the separate journeys home. It had been an extraordinary two-and-a-half days.
Bridge |
Total Posts: 318 | Joined:
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TheBridge
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 30, 2013 - 3:03pm
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All told I think we spent about 10-12 hours together as a group. We all got to know each other and, as Pat said, it was indescribable memorial day weekend and it's still sinking in!
[Note: Mount Airy is the boyhood home of Andy Griffith and it is the setting from which the town of Mayberry of the Andy Griffith Show show was based. This comes into play as you read on]
At this time, the first thing I can give you is the schedule of events we had...other details will come out as Pat, Wayne and Roy may post.
Saturday Evening: I made a two hour presentation to the local VFW/American Legion in Mount Airy. Although the Skipper of the 157 (Bud Liebenow) and West were of course at this presentation, I had set this up for myself to do most of the talking as Liebenow is more or less a ‘yup – nope’ not too talkative type guy and West’s tidewater Virginia accent is hard for someone, not accustomed to hearing him talk, to understand. I spoke about PTs in general, PTs in the Solomons and then the PT-157 and reviewed a couple of their more notable missions. The models brought in byRoy and Pat were on display. About 40-people attended this presentation.
Betty Lynn is the actress who played the part of Thelma Lou on the Andy Griffith Show that ran from 1960-68. That show, now some 50-years later, is still in reruns on TV and loved by many. Betty happens to lives in the same are as the Liebenows and she stayed with us throughout the whole weekend. She was a real pleasure to be around.
Sunday AM: all us 'out-of-towners' + the West and his nephew Don all stayed at the Hampton Inn Hotel so we all met at breakfast and talked PT talk with West.
Sunday afternoon: Liebenow, West and the ‘out-of-towners’ plus some of the residences of the retirement community met in their Club House room where we showed some color film that happened to be taken off the PT-157 in July by combat photographers. The more riveting part of the afternoon came after this when West recalled (after Liebenow asked him to) in detail two of the missions (including the rescue of the crew of the PT-109) that occurred in the summer of ’43. Roy filmed this event so we do have this for posterity. I gave some enlarged, mounted photos to Bud and Welford of the PT-157 under at high speed as can been seen on the front of the FIRST-UP book. They really like that photo!
Sunday evening[: all the 'out-of-towners', the Liebenows, West, Don, Betty Lynn went out to dinner.
Monday morning: The same group that went to the Sunday dinner now converged on a place called Pages book & coffee shop in the town of Mount Airy. Liebenow, West and myself began immediately signing books. Roy, Pat and Wayne took photos. We were told at the end that twice as many books were sold in this book signing session then any other book signing event at this store. As an added surprise, West’s granddaughter (and boyfriend) had driven 5 hours to Mount Airy to surprise him during the book signing!
Monday 12:30: With the book signing over, We all left the book store and we all walked a half block to Barney’s restaurant. They had the real deal, all-American menu (BLT’s, burgers, club sandwich, and so on) and at unreal prices [a BLT with chips and pickle for $3:00!], There were 16 of us at the table and everyone got a lunch...unbelievably bill, including the sodas, was just under $50!
As lunch broke-up, we stepped outside and said our good byes and began the separate journeys home. It had been an extraordinary two-and-a-half days.
Bridge |
Total Posts: 318 | Joined:
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Frank Andruss
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 30, 2013 - 4:15pm
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Bridge, thanks so much for your commentary on the days events. I can not imagine a better time then spending time with PT BOATERS and Friends, which I have done many times over the past 40 years. I can't wait to hear from Roy, who if I know him will have taken some great shots of this event. I am so glad you did this Bridge, and that your books went well.
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Jeff D
Moderator
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Posted on: May 31, 2013 - 6:59am
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A fine looking group of distinguished gentlemen, I'm glad all of you had such a good time! Thanks for posting the photos Wayne.
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