The Friends of the 416th Bomb Group organization was officially announced by Kathe Rensner
at the business meeting in 2018 during the 416th Bomb Group Reunion in Abilene, Texas.
Reunion attendees had been discussing the organization's formation since before the 2017 Reunion in Rosslyn, Virginia.
During the 2017 Reunion, a planning group was formed to discuss forming a new organization within the 416th Bomb Group.
During the reunion's business meeting, Chris Adams presented the planning group's ideas to form a new organization within
the 416th Bomb Group, tentatively identified as the "416th Bomb Group Heritage Association". The reunion's attendees
discussed and then voted unanimously to form the new organization. Kathe Rensner then volunteered to research the creation
of a Non- Profit organization and set up a committee to begin moving forward.
Kathe presented her research and findings during the 2018 Reunion business meeting. Kathe and her committee recommended renaming
the organization to the, "Friends of the 416th Bomb Group," and presented its mission statement. Furthermore, there will not
be an initiative to create a formal Non-Profit organization at this time. The reunion's attendees discussed and then voted
unanimously to accept the "Friends of the 416th Bomb Group" and its mission statement.
The "Friends of the 416th Bomb Group" focuses on assisting volunteer hosts or hosting future reunions when a host cannot be found.
Kathe Rensner is the designated Reunion Coordinator for the group. The "Friends of the 416th Bomb Group" continues to carry on the
long-standing tradition of yearly newsletters by publishing the annual 416th Bomb Group Newsletter. In the future, the group will also expand
to include outreach to family, friends, and others to encourage their participation with the "Friends of the 416th Bomb Group."
Contact the Friends of the 416th Bomb Group
Please E-mail Kathe Rensner at "friendsof416thbombgroup@swcp.com"
with any questions, comments, suggestions or if you are interested in joining the "Friends of the 416th Bomb Group".
