Stephan Taylor, Jerry Files, Tom Martin, Charlie Florence, Bill Lannom, Terry Boone, Steve Vogt

Midwest Swift Boat sailors gathered in the St Louis suburb of Florissant for Veterans Day weekend 2006 On Friday evening, they met at the VFW hall to partake refreshments, reminisce and swap Swift sea stories

Jerry Files and Bill Lannom Check out the ample offerings

The Florissant vets provided a very warm welcome Here a Korean warrior stops by to share his stories

And the sea tales went on well into the evening The horror stories about SERE were hilarious

Then on Saturday evening everyone attended the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 794 fund raisers dinner and dance held at Swift Boat sailor Steve Vogt's Catering to You facility

!! GOOD MORNING FLORISSANT !! Getting started with morning coffee prior to preparing an entry for Sunday's parade

Everyone was up early, wide eyed and raring to go It is Veterans Day. Time to show our Swift pride

Any doubt which boat Bill Lannom was on? Nice jackets. Wonder where can I get one?

Charlie Florence, Ron and Arlene Green listen as Tom Martin tells Bill Lannom one more sea story

Steve Vogt and Stephan Taylor were the instigators of this gathering. Great job guys!!

Charlie

Ron

Florissant Veterans Day parade participants assemble at the Coldwater Creek Community Park

Jerry, Terry and Charlie assemble the Swift trailer

Stephan raises the Midwest Swift Sailors banner

Co-operation across the generations. Inshore Boat Unit 14 sailors assist in securing the banner

IBU 14 Coastal Warfare Sailors

IBU 14 Training Boat on a trailer Left to Right: IBU 14 Sailor, Charlie Florence Tom Martin, Jerry Files

The Swift and IBU 14 entries Lined up and ready to roll Charlie Florence says "Let's DO IT!"

Swift Sailors settled in to move out for the parade Stephan Taylor, Tom Martin, Terry Boone, Jerry Files and Charlie Florence

As the parade got underway, the activities of the new generation of sailors recalled thoughts of long ago The current warriors are no slouches when it comes to putting it on the line. Our future is in good hands.

Inshore Boat Unit 14 protects Umm Qsar waterway Deja Vu visions of the Cua Dai or the Bo De

This image of an IBU 14 boat off the Iraqi coast Brought back memories of similar heavy seas

!! Now let the parade BEGIN !! The Sea Cadet Drum and Bugle Corps leads the multitudes past high unfurled flags

And the Brownwater sailors past and present follow suite along streets lined with appreciative spectators

Swiftys perform a Corpen Port 90 to follow IBU 14

Into the far suburbs and thinning spectators As the parade finally peters out

Another Veterans Day is now history. But the memories live on in our hearts. "May we never forget"   "God Bless the USA"