Nearly 15 years after first visiting Columbus for a 50th anniversary celebration of V-E (Victory In Europe) Day, B.W. Curry, and his wife, Nancy, returned over the weekend and were impressed with how the city has changed.

“It”s changed quite a bit,” Nancy Curry said. “I didn”t recognize a lot of things.”

In 1995, B.W. Curry, 88, a member of the original Association of the 14th Fighter Group, 49th Squadron, spoke at the 50th anniversary celebration, hosted at Columbus Air Force Base, of the day when World War II Allied forces formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.

And Curry returned this weekend for the 49th Fighter Squadron Association reunion events, which included a tour, Saturday, of downtown Columbus.

“They”ve kind of gone uptown,” he said of changes he”s noticed in Columbus. “It”s changed considerably in the last 15 years. The houses look very well-kept. You can see there”s a lot of pride in the town.

“Being from South Mississippi, we”re kind of envious of your place down here,” B.W. Curry, who lives in Hattiesburg, continued. “We don”t have the same background you have up here.”

“Your preservation has been wonderful,” said Nancy Curry.

“Not only in the town do you have your history, you also have your air base,” B.W. Curry added, referring to CAFB, which the members of the squadron reunion toured.

“The events were great,” said CAFB Event Coordinator Capt. Nick Graham, who led the reunion events and also is a current member of the 49th Fighter Training Squadron. “All the members of the 49th Fighter Squadron Association had a great time.”

For the reunion, the visitors were taken to three local restaurants — Huck”s Place, Woody”s On The Water, and Anthony”s, in West Point — were treated to an aviation artist and flights of T-38C-IFS airplanes, as well as other activities.

The reunion weekend ends today with a banquet at the Columbus Club at CAFB.

“Everything this weekend went well,” Graham said, thanking Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Project Manager Nancy Carpenter, who led Saturday”s tour and the “local businesses and restaurants” who supported the reunion events.

“It”s not about them coming to see us,” he explained of the pilots, military service personnel and family members who attended the reunion. “It”s about us showing them a good time. They”re the ones with the heritage and legacy. It”s about honoring them and I think we”ve been able to do that.”

In 2002, the 49th Fighter Squadron Association expanded to include anyone who has ever served in the 49th Fighter Squadron, from its inception in 1941 to the present day.