Welcome to the Midway Veterans Association
After hosting the second Three Sisters’ Reunion on the USS Midway Museum in September of this year in San Diego (and other venues around the city), the MVA is breathing a bit easier these days, because we don’t plan to hold another reunion until 2026, which will be a traditional reunion with only Midway veterans, family members and guests invited.
The veterans who gathered at the second Three Sisters Reunion (the first was also held in San Diego in 2019) were from the USS Midway, USS Coral Sea, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, all three classified as “Midway-Class” aircraft carriers by the Navy, because Midway was the first of the three built after the end of WWII. Along with the carrier veterans, their families and guests, well over 300 people attended the San Diego reunion.
Besides a great banquet held on Midway’s flight deck on the last night of the reunion, several other tours provided fun and sightseeing opportunities around San Diego. Other entertainment and activities included an ice cream social and an informative “meet and great” presentation by Museum staff, including president and CEO Terry Kraft, himself a Midway veteran and member of the MVA.
When all was said and done, a good time was had by all. For a more detailed account of the reunion, see MVA’s latest newsletter here.
MVA’s newsletters are an important part of our association’s communication network, compiled over a period of many years, with articles and photos sent by our members. To read our newsletters, click on the newsletter link in the heading above. Your feedback is always welcome. send to newsletter editor Jim Daugherty, at
MVA members were saddened to learn that their past president for 14-plus years, Oscar Granger, passed away due to complications from pancreatic cancer. Oscar led the MVA for over 14 years, forming a strong alliance with the Museum’s leadership team, including with the then-president John “Mac” McLaughlin, who has since retired. Oscar served on Midway from 1962-65, in OI Division, as a Radarman Second Class Petty Officer. The MVA goes on. But, sadly, without Oscar.
Reunion 26 Planning Conference Call
The conference call was called to order by Tim Munderloh at 3 Pm. Those on the conference call were as follows:
Steve De Cata, Ray Tillery and Tim Miller. The following agenda items were discussed during the call.
- When should the dates of the reunion be held.
- Which hotel and where will the hotel be located?
- What kind of tours or events do we want to have?
- How much should the registration fee be?
- If we use another hotel what are the public transportation options and also how far away from Midway?
- Also, will the hotel that we chose be willing to work with us as far as the fee go?
Tim Miller & Ray Tillery have already visited 2 of the hotels that we are thinking about. Both feel that the second one would be a better fit overall. Tim Miller has already done 2 recon mission to one of the hotels. He stated his purpose for those recons were as follows:
- Distance from the hotel to Midway
- Total room cost with all the taxes & fee include
- Walking & driving distance to the nearest public transportation station to the hotel.
- Also restaurants & places to eat at the hotel or near the hotel.
We all feel those details will be released when your board releases important information about next year’s reunion. The call was adjourned at 3:30 pm by Tim Munderloh. There is no set date for the next conference call. Rest assured your board is already thinking and planning next years reunion.
Respectfully submitted by
Tim Miller MVA Secretary
By Laws - Amendment
The MVA reunions as voted by and passed by the members at the reunion held in Sept 2024. The MVA reunions from this moment on will only be held in San Diego, CA. Therefore, there will no longer be any reunions held at any location on the East coast due to the low turn outs that the MVA has had there. The reunions held in San Diego will be held every 2 years or as determined by the Executive board.
A. The Executive board has the authority to change the timing of any scheduled reunion in San Diego to coincide with major events that take place on the USS Midway Museum. The Executive board will give advanced notice to the membership of any change in the scheduling of the reunions in San Diego.
B. The Executive board may form a sub reunion group of MVA members that reside in or near San Diego to be our MVA representatives at any major event on the USS Midway Museum to negate for the full MVA members to attend.
