Apr - Portland

THE LOG
Portland Council Newsletter
Navy League of the United States
2nd Quarter 2015
www.navyleagueportland.org
DINNER MEETING ON MAY 21ST
Our Spring Quarterly Dinner Meeting will be held Thursday, May 21 at the Monarch Hotel & Conference
Center, 12566 SE 93rd Ave., Clackamas: 6PM social, 7PM dinner. We are honored to have as our guest speaker
Rear Admiral Richard Gromlich, USCG, Commander, Thirteenth Coast Guard District. Cost: $30/person if
reservations are made on or before May 18 or $35/person if later. Please note the price increase is due to
higher restaurant prices as we were losing money at the previous prices. Make your entrée seletion –Breast of
Chicken/London Broil/Vegetarian—when you make your reservations with Ken Bray, [email protected] or
971-295-7660.
SEA CADET LEADERSHIP VALUED
At the recent Navy League
Regional meeting in Bellevue,
WA, Sea Cadet Corps Lcdr.
William Wise and Lcdr. Sharon
Wise were honored with
Awards of Appreciation
presented by Navy League
National President Jim Offutt
and Portland Council President
Tom Stevenson. The couple
have been leaders of Sea
Cadets for over 30 years. Bill
likes to tell how gratifying it’s
been to see many of their
“sailors”go on to sucessful lives, either attending college or joining the Navy directly after their Sea Cadet years. Bill and
Sharon have been active in both Astoria and Portland Divisions and Regional Directors between leadership roles in the
Divisions. Presently they are Commanding Officer and Executive Officer, respectively, of the Portland Division, which has
34 Sea Cadets, 5 officers, 4 Navy Leaguers and six Auxiliary adults.
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USCGC BLUEBELL CELEBRATES TURNING 70 YEARS YOUNG
Portland’s own Coast Guard Buoy Tender Bluebell (WLI-313) celebrated her 70th birthday at the Coast Guard
Base-Portland on Swan Island. She was built at Birchfield Boiler Company in Tacoma in 1944 and launched on
April 4th, 1945. This
small ship, commanded
by CWO Jonathan
Placido, has a crew of
14, who are responsible
for servicing the Aids to
Navigation on 500 miles
of rivers including the
Columbia, Snake and
Willamente. Aids to
Navigation are the
buoys, lights and range
markers that allow
commercial and
recreational vessels safe passage on these waterways. Bluebell is one of the longest serving ships in the Coast
Guard. These days, when the Navy retires ships that are sometimes less than 30 years old, the Coast Guard
really gives tax-payers their money’s worth.
OSU TOP NROTC MIDSHIPMAN
Vice President-Portland Council Steve Easterday USMC (ret) made our
annual sword presentation to the Outstanding Midshipman in the
NROTC program at Oregon State University on May 1. This year’s top
midshipman is Connor O'Driscoll, a senior physics major who will
graduate in June. He maintained the highest cumulative grade point
average for the past four years and scored highest on military testing
and leadership courses in the NROTC program. He will be
commissioned an Ensign in the Navy upon graduation.
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ALERT SAILOR OF THE YEAR
Council President Tom Stevenson presented the
USCGC Alert Sailor of the Year Award to Tyler
Henninger on April 20. The Commanding Officer,
Cmdr. Brian Anderson congratulated FS2
Henninger, who received the Navy League
sponsored plaque along with a check for a $200
weekend on the town with his wife. Petty Officer
Henninger was honored for numerous activities
have made a positive impact on the Alert and the
Coast Guard. During last year’s Rose Festival, he
acted above his rank, Food Service Specialist, by
planning and preparing an Admiral’s luncheon that
was highly praised, and lead to a Letter of
Commendation Ribbon. After his promotion to FS2
last year, he completed requirements for further promotion to FS1 within three months. He not only set an
excellent example for his shipmates but contributed much of his free time to instructing junior enlisted
shipmates with their military education. PO Henninger is also active in off board ship activities at his church
and serves as a Scout Master for the local troop. He has worked with the local CG Auxiliary Chef program
which enabled the Alert to reduce galley workload during stand down periods.
NEXT BUSINESS/BOARD MEETING – MAY 16
Business meetings are open to all members and are held at the Coast Guard Station-Portland on Swan Island.
The May meeting will begin at 9 am. Ordinarily they begin at 10 am. Call Tom Stevenson, President (503-2975968) for further information. New committee members always needed and we are actively seeking someone
interested in taking over editing our website and editing/producing the LOG.
FOR FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS GO TO “navyleagueportland.org”
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