Presidents Summer Letter

June 2023

On behalf of the officers of PRHA and myself I would like to extend greetings to all of you. I have been fully retired since May of 2022 and it seems like I have worked harder since I retired than I did while I had a paying job! In any case this has been a challenging and wonderful year.

Since our last reunion, the Pedro History Project has slowly started to gain some momentum. I would like to thank all of those on the History Project Committee for their help in putting this together. Those Pedro Members are Jeff Bailey, Gary Pruitt, Hoyd Sanders (Sandy), Stephanie Cheek, Joseph DeFaeo and myself. Jeff Bailey was able to find a volunteer to assist with the interviews. At some point in the future, you will be able to go to the PHRA website, look at the names of those interviewed and click on a link and be able to go see the interview. I look forward to that day. We hope to have the interviews done by the end of the year. It may take a bit longer but our target is the end of the year.

It has been slow going because we are using technology that many of us are unfamiliar with but we are making progress. I am referring to ZOOM as the tool we are using to conduct the interviews. As of now, there are 42 members that have responded and want to be interviewed.

Just a note to those members, you will likely get an email from an email address you do not recognize. That would be one of the interviewers trying to schedule a time to meet with you. The subject in the email would be Pedro History Project or PRHA History Project. So don’t be concerned about opening the email. If anyone has not responded to the initial request that Jeff sent out and would like to tell their story, just let us know and we will get you on the list to interview for the project. Jeff Snicale has been collecting the names of the members that want to be interviewed so you can send him an email. jasnicale@gmail.com

Several of the PRHA members were at the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio on the 2nd of June for the dedication of the S.E.A. Rescue Wing at the museum. It was a good event but seemed to focus more on the Sandys, Ravens, and Super Jollys. I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of celebration of the awesome accomplishments of the PEDRO. Of course, I am biased and would always like to see more emphasis on PEDRO.

Chris Taylor has been working hard on the 2024 reunion in Albuquerque NM. He has been able to confirm the dates, September 12-15. We are waiting on a couple of responses from the hotels to determine which we will select. More information on the reunion will be shared as it comes available. At least we can start planning on our schedules to make these dates. After talking with Chris, he is planning a wonderful event for the Association.

 If any of you are like me, you sometimes forget our PRHA dues. Please check the PRHA roster that was sent out and check to see if you are current on your annual dues.

Please keep our Association in your prayers. We are aging and several members have taken their last flight since our last reunion. If you know of any members that have passed please let Jeff know so he can share it with the association. Just as we did at the 2022 reunion, we would like to recognize them at the banquet of our 2024 reunion.

This is the year that we will have elections for officers of the association. Nominations will probably commence in December with elections to follow in January of 2024. Please be thinking about who you would like to nominate for what positions.

It is my sincere desire that each of you remain healthy and prosperous. I look forward to seeing each of you at the reunion.

Rick

Rick Sheets

President, PRHA