2009 REUNION REPORT

A total 66 Marines and their guests gathered for the 9^th Engineer Reunion in New Orleans May 27^th to the 31^st.  The Chateau LeMoyne rolled out the red carpet and a good time was had by all.

On Thursday, we had our first official gathering at the U.S. Naval Reserve Headquarters on the West bank.   After a short shuttle bus access problem, Petty Officer Roberts of the security force led us to the picnic area where Herb Shaw, Frenchy Roberge, and Sam Manzella were cooking up a Cajun feast.  Sam taught us how to eat crawfish and, except for the “sucking heads” part, we all ate to our hearts content.

Individual excursions to Bourbon Street that night made for some interesting stories at brunch the next day.  If you ever get to NOLA, make sure to go to The Court of Two Sisters Restaurant.  The buffet is out of this world. You name it and it was there.  The Jazz band played while we ate too much and kept playing while Judy Manzella provided the ladies with parasols and the men with white hankies, emblazoned with the 9^th Engineer Logo, and made us dance out of there back on to Bourbon Street.

A night of gambling at Harrah’s Casino resulted in most of us crying in our beer the next day when we went to Madi Gras World to see how expensive and elaborate it is to put on a parade.  All those floats we see on the News every year are privately funded and you have to pay big bucks for the privilege of riding on one.  Following the tour, we were fed an excellent catered lunch of pork cooked in a wine and fruit sauce that was truly amazing.  Saturday evening we dined at the New Orleans School of Cooking.  Some of us took notes as a retired Navy Fighter Pilot taught us NOLA history and how to cook Jambalaya. 

The times between the structured activities were filled with the camaraderie of sharing information and meals.  Some of us gathered in the hospitality room going over pictures, entering data and swapping war stories that were hopefully written down.  Others continued to party out in the French Quarter.  One thing rang true through the whole reunion, Semper Fidelis.

In accordance with our agreement at the ’08 Reunion, there was no business meeting .  We did however take a “straw ballot” that instead of a cruise for the 2010 Reunion we would rather go to New York to pay tribute to our MIA James Rodney Moore before Mrs. Moore is no longer with us.  An on-line vote of the officers and board members is needed to settle the issue.

A special thanks goes out to the hometown hosts of the reunion, Sam and Judy Manzella.  They truly showed us a good time.&n