  Paul and Lavon Laube April 26, 2007 Tom, This is definitely a recount of the 1982 CNAC reunion trip to China. We traveled throughout the 3 weeks with the Laube's, . . . . Paul, Lavon and their son, Ed. I recognize these descriptions of events and there's no question it describes that reunion trip. It was a great trip, all in all. We flew into the Kaitak Airport in 1982 when we were back in China and Hong Kong for the 1982 CNAC reunion. I remember the "thrill" of landing on this runway. Now that I'm learning to fly, I'm really impressed with any pilot who lands on this runway with a load of passengers. Wow! The trip to China in Oct., 1982 was set up by a tour company, supposedly to be a CNAC reunion trip, but it was ultimately opened up to non-CNAC folks too. The tour company set up at least 3 different tours of China, all leaving at the same time, but each tour went to different Chinese cities. After approximately two weeks of touring the country, the plan was for all three groups to rendezvous for a trip across the Hump in one chartered airplane and then to spend one day in Calcutta together. The whole group then traveled together to Bangkok, as I recall, and then on to Hong Kong where everyone split up before returning to the U.S. There were only a couple of days where the CNAC members from all three groups stayed together. During those couple of days, we enjoyed several reunion banquets as one group. The Laubes traveled with our group for the whole trip, but other than Chuck West, Dad and the Laubes, there weren't any other CNAC members in our group. We didn't meet up with the other CNAC members until the rendezvous in Canton where we boarded the plane for the flight across the Hump. It seemed as if the CNAC reunion was somewhat of an afterthought, and quite honestly, was not the best part of the trip. Eileen McBride (daughter of CNAC Captain Don McBride)  or would like to be added to the CNAC e-mail distribution list, please let the CNAC Web Editor, Tom Moore, know. Thanks! |