386th Air Service Group (386th asg) at Iwo Jima

Welcome to the website for the 386th Air Service Group

Third Reunion of the 386th Air Service Group

Invitation to Third Reunion
Dayton, OH
May 4-8, 2007

December 6, 2006

Dear Vets, Families, and Friends of the 386th,

I am pleased to announce that the 386th ASG will hold it's third reunion in Dayton, Ohio, May 4-8, 2007.

Both 386th veterans and any family members of a vet are encouraged to attend.

If you think there is a possibility that you might attend, I would appreciate an email response. We are trying to get a head count. So far we have ten rooms reserved by vets.

The reunion will be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel. Rooms are $134/night, which includes all fees and taxes. This includes a comp breakfast, two drink tickets, hot hors devors, and use of the private club lounge. You may stay for as short a time as you wish or as longer if you wish. There is a hotel shuttle from the airport, no charge.

Blessings to you all,
Ron Villi
2425 E. WOOD AVE.
LATON, CA, 93242

This website has been developed for the family, friends, and men of the 386th ASG and all those appreciative of the men and women that sacrificed a part of their lives assuring that freedom and our way of life could continue. This website celebrates just one very small part of the struggle that was WWII. While doing research for the site, I found that the 386th ASG was a microcosm of the whole, and portrayed the willingness of the service people to do more than just the job that they had been trained to do.

What was envisioned as a 72 hour battle turned into a struggle that would take nearly 7,000 American lives and wound more than 20,000 others. Trained to service aircraft, the 386th ASG disembarked onto Iwo Jima on D + 5 and found themselves in the middle of an epic battle. They were then enjoined to aid the Marines by helping resupply, take the wounded out to aid stations, and do whatever other task developed. The men of the 386th worked well beyond the call of duty. Major Richard Feuille reports that the 386th was the only non-Marine or Naval unit on Iwo Jima to receive an award from the Marines. A copy of the commendation and award can be found on the Mission page.

This site is designed to enable the men of the 386th ASG, their families, and friends to communicate with one another if they so desire, using the Message Board. We have attempted to describe the Mission in terms understandable to the children and grandchildren of veterans. The History page is filled with descriptions written by the men themselves.

I will be forever grateful to the following for their time and gracious understanding to someone that needed a hand (several hands!) in this endeavor:

A. J. (Westy) Westheimer, 1st Lt. 611th Materiel Squadron
Richard (Rickie) Feuille, Major, Headquarters Squadron
Melinda Zipin, daughter-in-law, 1st Lt. Martin Zipin, deceased, HQ Squadron
Sandra Brown, daughter, Corporal Raymond Minton Jr., HQ Squadron

and to my uncle, T/Sgt. Oswald (Ossie) Villi, 490th AES, deceased, for his time and gracious understanding when I needed it.

---Ron Villi
I welcome your mail at
2425 E. WOOD AVE.
LATON, CA, 93242

Click photo for larger image with names of men.

We believe in America and Americans.
We believe that Americans have a sense of what
has been sacrificed in the past for our Freedom today.
We believe that Americans are heroes-in-waiting,
and that given a particular moment in time,
will step forward and demonstrate that innate ability.
We believe that as Americans we should reflect often upon
the heroes-in-waiting that did step forward on Sept. 11,
and to those men and women who have
done the same throughout our history.

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