Mine conference at 
 Yorktown , VA

These meetings were about three days and on one of the evenings the guys would get together for a meeting. Mine conferences were held once a year and led to the start of the Association of Minemen. On Oct 22, 1977 officially became the "Association Of Minemen"
The first membership card was issued to Joe Sapien CWO4 ret. (001)
Re-cap The first Officers of AOM were :
President :
 Forrest C. (Foxy )  Fisher,  MNC  Ret.
Vice President: 
 Jack Smoot CWO4 USNR Ret.
 Sec/Treas. 
Jim Longway  LT Ret. 
Board members :
 Harry L. Coker MNCM Ret.
Toby Horn CDR Ret.
Fred A. Reid MNCM Ret.
Lyal Stryker CDR Ret.
Ed Sprecher CDR Ret.

Photos courtesy of Richard "Dick" Martin LT Ret.


Photo  taken Sept. 19, 1973 Weapons Station Yorktown, VA       Posted 7-15-99
Front Row L-R Homer Kocher LCDR, John Keen MNCM, Ed Oyer LT , Earl Roberts CDR
John Loonam CWO-4, Robert "Bob" Rines LCDR (Deceased), Bob Benintende LCDR, Richard "Dick" Anderson LCDR
2nd Row L-R Don DeCrona LCDR, Richard "Dick" Martin LT, Ralph R. Ruhland LCDR, Jack Smoot (Civ) Phil Dechene LCDR
3rd Row L-R Dale "Moose" Wheelock MNCM, Richard "Dick" Billings LCDR (Deceased)
Ed Sprecker CDR (Deceased) Oren A. "Bud" Kreps LT


Photo Taken 1974       At Weapons Station Yorktown, VA  Posted 7-15-1999
Front Row L-R "Moose Wheelock MNCM, Ed Sprecher CDR
2nd Row L-R James McDonough CWO-4, Paul Hanks LCDR, John Keen MNCM, Ken Harder MNCM? Ron Chapin CWO-4, John Loonam CWO-4
3rd Row L-R Toby Horn CDR, Richard "Dick" Anderson LCDR, Phil Dechene LCDR, Bob Benintende LCDR, Jackie Smoot Civ., Don DeCrona LCDR
4th Row L-R Bud Kreps LT, Earl Roberts CDR, Richard "Dick" Martin LT, Ralph Padgett
 CWO-4) (deceased)


Photo taken Oct. 7, 1975 Weapon Station Yorktown , VA  Posted 7-15-1999
Front Row L-R   H. R. Hajnal  MNCS,   Sam English CWO-4 , John Keen MNCM, Bob Benintende LCDR,   John Loonam CWO4, Don DeCrona, LCDR,  Donald Krupczyk MNCM
2nd Row L-R W.R. "Bill" Roberts CDR, Phil DeChene LCDR, Richard "Dick " Anderson LCDR  "Mel" Bryan MNCM Richard "Dick"Martin LT, Jack Smoot Civ. (CWO in Reserves).
3rd Row L-R  James McDonough CWO-4, Ralph Padgett CWO-4, Richard Billings LCDR. Note All rates/Ranks are retired grades.


Photo taken Oct. 13, 1976 at Weapons Station Yorktown, VA    posted 7-15-1999
Front Row L-R Toby Horn LCDR, Sam English CWO-4, Lyal Stryker CDR, Cecil Martin LT, Bob Benintende, LCDR, James McDonough CWO-4, Windy Roberts (Christian) MNC?
2nd Row L-R Melvin "Mel" Brayan MNCM, William "Bill " Fortner LCDR, Phil Dechene LCDR, Richard "Dick" Martin LT, Richard "Dick " Anderson LCDR, Thomas "Tom" Shipley CDR Note: Ret. Rate/Rank


 1980 at Weapons Station Yorktown, VA    posted 9-15-2007   Photo courtesy of James McDonough CWO-4 Ret.
Front Row L-R: Unk;  Bill Schoenberg; Chuck Horn; Kennard Mckee; Jim Mcdonough; Ron Swart; Jim Longway, Jim Miller; Dennis Linner; Shelly Kelly
Back Row L-R: Unk Tall Civ w/glasses; Unk blond civ; Joe Sapien; Tom Shipley; Unk civ w/glasses; Jack Smoot; Ken Martin; Bill Roberts; Unk Person w/beard; Unk Tall Person; Warren Savage; Unk person w/glasses; Larry Beardin; Willard dixon; JB Orr; Dick Schommer; Bill Burton; Bill Fortner; Darryl Doane; Ron Gentry; Gary Gray  (For  corrections please contact pdechene@triad.rr.com )

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 L - R  LCDR BOB BENINTENDE,   LT  TOM  SHIPLEY (X-TM)     CWO JOE SAPIEN, CDR PAUL BAUER (ONC)  LT(jg) JIM LONGWAY ,   LT(jg)   RICHARD   MARTIN,  CWO  JIM  MCDONOUGH, NMEF May 1977 YORKTOWN, VA