Year    Location              # Annv Count   Hosts

----    -------------------  -- ---- -----   ---------------------------------------

2014    Charleston, SC       35   70         Tish and Ray Ward

2013    Pensacola, FL        34   69    61   John Struck, Sr. Family

2012    Fargo, ND            33   68    72   Vietnam Vets of America, Chapter 941

2011    New Orleans, LA      32   67         Bob & Lee Mathis, Diane & Massie Hughes,

                                             and Bill & Judy MacInnes 

2010    Bettendorf, IA       31   66    67   Bob & Martha Border

2009    Spokane, WA          30   65    91   Sally & Larry Hattamer

2008    Bloomington, MN      29   64   102   Ken Bruce

2007    Warwick &

        Block Island, RI     28   63   141   Ben Hruska & Ken Bruce      

2006    San Antonio, TX      27   62    84   Ray & Ruth Warden,

                                             Bob & Lee Mathis

2005    Branson, MO          26   61   100   Ken Bruce

2004    Annapolis, MD        25   60   145   Ken Bruce

2003    San Diego, CA        24   59   121   Bill & Judy MacInnes, John & Pat Woods,

                                             Bill Davis, John & Gloria Supancik,

                                             Paul & Gwyneth Hoff

2002    Memphis, TN          23   58   196   Ray & Dottie McMillan

2001    Duluth. MN           22   57   161   Ken Bruce

2000    Lafayette, LA        21   56   186   Bob & Lee Mathis

1999    Reno, NV             20   55   154   James & Marilyn Lenfesty,

                                             Anne & Ralph Olsen

1998    Roanoke, VA          19   54   169   Walter Burnette, Mackey & Lew Vaughn

1997    Daytona Beach, FL    18   53   192   Bob & Florence McCann

1996    San Antonio, TX      17   52   191   Ray & Ruth Warden, Rayleene Morris,

                                             Eddie & Muncey Kolhoss

1995    Colorado Springs, CO 16   51   218   Russ & Elzora Nielsen,

                                             Charles & Virginia Wilhite      

1994    San Diego, CA        15   50   232   Wayne & Shirley Lee, John & Pat Woods

1993    Memphis, TN          14   49   326   Ray & Dottie McMillan

1992    Lafayette, LA        13   48   180   Bob & Lee Mathis

1991    Norfolk, VA          12   47   246   James & Ruth Cochrane

1990    St. Louis, MO        11   46   260   Loren & Dorothy Hewitt

1989    Reno, NV             10   45   280   Eddie & Muncey Kolhoss,

                                             Ralph & Anne Olsen

1988    St. Paul, MN          9   44   260   Unknown

1987    Seattle, WA           8   43   236   Louis & Verly Hellwig

1986    Nashville, TN         7   42   223   Unknown

1985    Las Vegas, NV         6   41   200   Wayne & Shirley Lee

1984    Cambridge, MA         5   40   111   Al & June Dulman

1982    Randolph, MA          4   38    88   Al & June Dulman

1965    Dedham, MA            3   21    53   Al & June Dulman

1963    Dedham, MA            2   19    39   Al & June Dulman

1962    Dedham, MA            1   18    19+  Al & June Dulman

From 1947 to 1962 some of the shipmates for both CVE 21 and CVE 106 would meet from time to time in different locations throughout the country to maintain friendships and personal contact with their shipmates. Each year more and more contacts took place. In 1962 those attending these meetings made the decision that there was a common bond over and above just being shipmates. Initially, the common bond was that they were all survivors or shipmates present during the sinking of CVE 21 or the attack on DE 576 USS Barr. Crews of the DE 575 USS Ahrens , DE 686 USS Elmore and the DE 578 USS Paine were also involved in the event. While many of the CVE 21 survivors went aboard CVE 106 as the original operating crew, many of those attending these reunions actually were transferred off the ship when the Marine Squadrons were brought aboard for air operations. CVE 106 went on to make naval history. It was only a short time when everyone involved recognized that all the personnel serving on the ships and squadrons (being Navy or Marine), serving with either CVE 21 or CVE 106, were very much a part of the history of the two Block Island escort carriers. The Bylaws of the Association established these facts and as many as 2000 Sailors and Marines were made a part of the USS Block Island Association.

Note:   With the interest shown and the Association Membership increasing yearly, as shipmates became aware that in fact there were yearly reunions, maintaining records of the mini reunions by the Board was discontinued in 1984.