Rich Ziebart and his wife Lorraine, enjoyed helping to organize reunions for the 417th NFS members as well as the broader multi-squadron Night Fighters Conventions. The gallery below is a selection of photos from various conventions.
Note: The captions listed for the photos were written based on Richard Ziebart’s hand written notes on the backs of the photos. My apologies for any spelling errors or naming issues. If you recognize someone in a photo who has been misidentified or not identified, please post a comment and the website administrator will update the file accordingly.
Night Fighter Reunion 1990 Cincinnati OH Angelo D-Orazio, Justin, J. Donahay, Terence Carter, Richard Ziebart – 417th NFS P-61 Radar Mechanics
Lorraine and Richard Ziebart at hotel, 1990 Reunion, Cincinnati OH
417th NFS 1994 Norfolk, VA. Back Row L-R: Ed Spencer, Ed O’Neill, Rich Ziebart, John Schmitt, Morris Dalton, Abe Garmise, Jim Packard, Dick McCray, Earl Hissett, Harold Heinecke, Sam Hooton, Dick Rose, Bill Rhodes, Charles Tompkins, Paul Peyron, Angelo D’Orazio
Rich Ziebart and Mike Lamoreou with 417th Banner 1996 Las Vegas
1997 417th NFS Reunion – Front row seated L-R: Marion Myers, Betty D’Orazio, Becky Earley, Lorraine Ziebart, Jo Hissett. Standing L-R Jody Herbert, Joan Carter, Gloria Roberson, Helen Herbert, Betty Kaplon and John Gareano Standing at the rear by the Bar
Sept 1997 Banquet Attendance. Kneeling L-R: Terry Carter, Angelo D’Orazio, Earl Hissett. Seated L-R: Marion Myers, Betty D’Orazio, Becky Earley, Lorraine Ziebart, Jo Hissett. Standing L-R: Ned Earley, Bob Hamilton, Rich Ziebart, Ed O’Neill, John Roberson, John Koneski, Abe Kaplon, Joan Carter, Gloria Roberson, Helen Herbert, Betty Kaplon
NFS 1997 Reunion Reading, PA. Front Seated L-R: Abe Kaplon, Rich Ziebart, John Konosky, John Roberson, Earl Hissett. Back Standing L-R: Terry Carter, Angelo D’Orazio, Ed O’Neill, Ned Early, Bob Hamilton.
Attendees enjoy a break from the heat at the 1997 Reunion in Reading.
Sept 20, 1997 Mid Atlantic Air Museum P-61 Restoral. Back Row L-R: John Roberson, Jo and Earl Hissett, Bob Hamilton, Marion Myers, Terry Carter, Gloria Roberson, Becky Earley, Ed O’Neil, Joan Carter, Betty & Abe Kaplon, Rich & Lorraine Ziebart, Betty D’Orazio
1998 Reunion. Seated L-R: Robert Beton, John Schmitt, Ed O’Neill, Angel D’Orazio, Rich Ziebart. Standing L-R John Robertson, Tom Hart, Frank Bolinski, “Dirty” Dalton, Howard Bettinger, Mike Lamoreau, Paul Payron, Ned Earley, Bill Rial, Harold Heinecke, Him Packard and Earl “Sleepy” Hissett
Back Row: Mike Lamoreau, Bill Rial, 3rd Row: Frank Bolinski, Bettinger, Ned Early, Jim Packard. Middle Row: John Roberson, Tom Hart, Morris “Dirty” Dalton, Paul Peyron, Hal Heinecke, Earl “Sleepy” Hissett. Front Row: John Schmitt, Ed O’Neill, Terry Carter, Angelo D’Orazio, Rich Ziebart
NFS Reunion 2002 Dayton OH. L-R Mike & Connie Lamoreau, Ned and Becky Early, Rich & Lorraine Ziebart, Ed & Ginny O’Neill, Jo Hissett, L. Robert Betton, Earl Hissett, Gloria & John Roberson, Paulette Bosace, Paul Payron, Carol & Harold Heinecke, Mary Alyce Wishart, Morris Dalton.
NFS Reunion 2002, Dayton OH. Lorraine & Richard Ziebart, Morris Dalton, Bob Beton, Mary Alyce Wishart, Jo Hissett. At reception desk for 414th, 415th, 416th and 417th.
NFS Reunion 2003 Dayton OH. L-R Mike Lamoreau, Ned Early, Ed O’Neill, Rich Ziebart, Bob Beton, Earl Hissett, Harold Heinecke, Paul Payton, Morris Dalton, John Roberson
NFS Fighter Squadron Memorial 2003
NFS Memorial 2004
Reunion 2006 – Middle of Photo – Grace and Larry Gilmer (Lorraine Ziebart Twin)
2006 Reunion, Rich Ziebart on Right
Night Fighters Reunion June 18th, 2009 Park Inn, Stevensville, MI
The WWII Night Fighters Convention in 1994 was held in Norfolk, VA. It was organized by 1994 Convention Committee (see photos for details). Night Fighter Squadrons represented at this convention included members from: 415th, 416th, 417th, 418th, 419th, 422nd, 425th, 427th, 547th, 548th, 549th and 550th. The photos below are from the “memory book” created with photos from the convention.
In 2000, the WWII Night Fighters Convention was held in Salt Lake City, UT. As with the 1994 convention many of the different NF Squadrons were represented: 414th, 415th, 416th, 417th, 418th, 419th, 421st, 425th, 427th, 547th, 548th and 549th. The gallery below is from the memory book from that convention.
