Comments from USS CHARLES P. CECIL (DD835) REUNION of May 2008
Reprinted from a letter from Jerry and Judy Berard, Reunion Coordinator
May 8, 2008
Dear Tom,
We wanted to let you know how much we appreciated all you did to make the Cecil reunion such a success for us!
We could not have done it without you, Tom, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Regards,
Jerry and Judy Berard
P.S. And I will try to keep Jerry on a tighter rein and away from all those women on the beach!
(Beach Bum note: This comment refers to a mannequin out in front of the Island Trader where we go
souvenir shopping.)
Regards,
Jerry and Judy Berard
Seabrook, Texas
Comments from USS SAUFLEY (DD465) REUNION of April 2008
Reprinted from a letter from Homer Hirt, Reunion Coordinator
April 25, 2008
Tom-
Many thanks for your excellent services and your friendship. I got the credit for an outstanding reunion, but it
was mostly you and Marta that made it happen. And nothing could surpass the Blue Angels show - Talk about up close and personal!
Please thank your staff for me. If you wish, you most certainly may use me and the Saufley Association as a reference
for future reunions with other groups.
Regards,
Homer
Comments from WWII U.S. NAVY PATROL BOMBING SQUADRONS VB-VPB-VP 106 of November 2007
Reprinted from a letter from Howie Ells, Reunion Coordinator
December 3, 2007
Hi Tom:
I want to once again thank you and your staff for the great friendliness, attention and expertise that was
extended to us at our reunion.
I heard nothing but pleasant comments from all involved and say again, we could not have done it without your help.
I am enclosing my Navy flying scarf which I received at Pensacola upon graduation on August 31, 1943.
I am sure that Jim can use it with his "flying equipment". Please tell him that we all enjoyed his jokes.
Blue Skies,
Howie
Comments from WWII U.S. NAVY PATROL BOMBING SQUADRONS VB-VPB-VP 106
Reprinted from the Squadrons' December 2007 news letter
Andy Kalton and Howie Ells, our hosts for our Pensacola Reunion were supported by Mr. Thomas McKean and his staff of
the Beach Boy Trolley Corporation, whom we would like to thank, and who planned our activities and made all the
arrangements for our trips, dinners and Banquet.
Our trolley trip to the Navy Air Museum was very special this time for we were treated to an excellent tour by an
ex-Marine pilot (Beach Boy Trolley Editor's Note: There is no such thing as an EX-MARINE!), Lew Humphrey, who provided
us with a vast history of Naval aviation along with an expert's knowledge of most of the aircraft in the Museum.
After returning to the hotel, we later had our Beach Boy Trolley catered Reception Party and light dinner in the ready room.
We were elbow to elbow with hot Bar-B-Q sandwiches, baked beans, cole slaw and bread pudding with butter
sauce - that was sooooo good!
Friday morning we relaxed until our trolleys arrived at noon to bus us to the Naval Air Station to our front row
reserved seats for the fabulous Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show which was awesome! We stopped on the way back to view
and take pictures of their Privateer for a moment of memories and nostalgia. Later we were treated to the Beach
Boy Trolley's "all you can eat" Fish Fry dinner in the ready room - again elbow to elbow family style. My but the
cole slaw, baked beans, cheese grits and hush puppies were tasty.
Five o'clock on Saturday was dress up time and pre-banquet pictures were taken. And then, Beach Boy Trolley's
red double decker bus arrived to transport us in all our finery to our gala 17th Reunion banquet at Skopelos famous
restaurant for a fabulous dinner of either London Broil, Chicken Archduc or Grouper Margarita followed by
Key Lime Pie for dessert. How delicious - yes we are a spolied bunch, but we deserve it!
Comments from VF-41 BLACK ACES REUNION of October 2007
Reprinted from a letter from William P. (Skip) Aiken, VF-41 Reunion Coordinator
October 18, 2007
Dear Tom:
Thank you for all the hard work you put in to helping me
plan and carry off the successful reunion for the VF-41 Black
Aces. We all had a good time. I told you what we wanted
and every detail was attended to and went off flawlessly attesting to your
foresight and attention to detail. The trolley, trip to Wall South,
the trip to the National Museum of Naval Aviation, lunch at the Cubi Bar, dinner
at McGuire's and our last evening together with dinner at Skopelos were all
outstanding. The whole package set a high standard for our reunions.
Again, I would like to thank you. I would highly recommend
your service to anyone that is interested in using your services.
Sincerely yours,
William P. (Skip) Aiken
VF-41 Reunion Coordinator
Comments from the USS FRANKLIN REUNION of April 2007
Reprinted from a letter from Zell Davis, Reunion Co-Chairman, 26th USS FRANKLIN REUNION
May 9, 2007
I personally want to thank you for the "special effort" you made to help make
the Franklin Reunion a smashing success.
It is my hope to get the crew back to Pensacola in 2009 or 2010. Kansas City was picked for 2008.
All the best,
Zell Davis
Comments from MARION GENERAL HOSPITAL of November 2006
Reprinted from a letter from David L. Callecod, FACHE
December 2, 2006
Thank you for the wonderful service you provided us while we were in
Pensacola during the Quint Studer Conference November 28th thru the 30th.
Your assistance was very much appreciated in getting us to and from
the airport and our trip to Skopelos for dinner.
David L. Callecod, FACHE
President/CEO
Marion General Hospital
Marion, Indiana
Comments from the USS CORSON GROUP REUNION of October 2006
Reprinted from a letter from Bob Poole, Reunion Coordinator, USS Corson Group
October 14, 2006
On behalf of the USS Corson AVP 37 Reunion Association, I wish to extend a sincere appreciation for your
hospitality and efficient trolley transportation for our tours.
Please give Jim Fournier special thanks for his amusing narrative while transporting us.
Yes, we know why they call it the 3 mile bridge!
Your selection of the tour sites for our group was interesting and informative.
However, they all pale to the National Museum of Naval Aviation.
We especially enjoyed the lunches at the Cubi Bar Cafe and McGuire's.
The banquet at Skopelos was outstanding in food, scenery and service.
Thank you for making the CD with photographs of our reunion group.
I have already made prints and plan to send them to our members.
This again is much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Bob Poole
Reunion Coordinator
USS Corson Group
Roanoke, Virginia
Comments from the AEW BARRIER SQUADRON REUNION of April 2006
Reprinted from a letter from Anne and Richard Kendel of the AEW Barrier Squadron.
May 15, 2006
Now that I have come down emotionally from the "high" of the AEW Barrier
Squadron Reunion of April 28, 29, and 30, 2006, I want to explain the difference
between working with Tom at Beach Bum Trolley and other tour companies.
Tom's tour to the Naval Museum included the magical appearance of a set of stairs to the "Connie" and
a back door to the plane left mysteriously unlocked.
The mature Naval Aviators got the thrill of a lifetime climbing aboard that plane and remembering their youthful experiences.
Other tour companies would have just driven by and maybe stopped for a photo opportunity of the outside of the plane.
When I mentioned to Tom that some of the wives might be prefer to go back to the Hotel early to get rested and beautified
for the evening banquet, he was extremely accommodating and provided a trolley for all who cared to depart the Museum early.
Other tour companies might have not been willing to split the group up for their own convenience.
The docents at the Naval Air Museum were fantastic and knowledgeable beyond compare.
The waitresses at the Cubi Bar Restaurant were super speedy and fun even though we were a massive group of 103.
The original plan for that Sunday was to tour the beach and Ft. Pickens.
However, since Ft. Pickens was unavailable for us to explore, Tom negotiated for a really neat boat trip
instead for the same price.
However, as luck would have it, the weather did not co-operate. Sunny Florida was cloudy, windy, rainy and the seas
in the bay were very choppy.
Tom went to a Plan B and took us to the Veterans Memorial Park, Pensacola Beach and gave us a great tour of the Pensacola
Historic District.
Dinner was pre-arranged at McGuire's Irish Pub and Steakhouse. However his arranging of the bagpipers to play
"Anchors Aweigh" for this Navy group was above and beyond and enjoyed by all.
His flexibility and personal attention could only come from someone who really enjoys his business.
His tours are more like a friend showing where he lives to the best advantage possible, not as a job.
Tom and Beach Bum Trolley Co. are a great asset to Pensacola, Florida tourism.