The sierran - USS Sierra AD
Transcription
The sierran - USS Sierra AD
The sierran Service to our country 1944 to 1993 A newsletter for the U.S.S. Sierra Veterans Association Volume 16 August 2015 Next Port Of Call For USS SIERRA Norfolk Reunion President Joseph Strecker 1312 Country Club Road Concordia, KS 66901 785-243-3533 Vice President Herb Price 31 Owego Street Spencer, NY 14883 607-589-6163 Treasurer William Skillin 5408 NW Crooked Road Parkville, MO 64152 816-584-0055 Secretary John Eberhardt 25 Maple Road Iselin, NJ 08830 732-548-9808 Governor David DelPizzo 131 Belmont Avenue Trooper, PA 19403 610-630-0129 Governor Rodney C. Wallace 350 N State Hwy 360 #4101 Mansfield, TX 76063 407-579-3405 Governor Henry J. Harden 1048 N. 6th Street New Hyde Park, NY 11040 516-775-6932 Governor James Kane 15 Addison Avenue Lynn, MA 01902 751-599-0462 Webmaster Mark Fenley 200 Deer Run Drive Windor, GA 30680-3909 678-863-4160 This is it folks . . . Last Call for this year’s reunion. Anyone shipping out to the Norfolk reunion needs to submit their orders by August 31, 2015 at the latest. For those who served on board the Sierra while she was docked in Norfolk, here is a chance to see just how much the old D&S piers have changed. For those who were on board her in Charleston, here is a chance to see her other main home-port. This year’s reunion should prove to be a great experience. Each year our reunions get better and better, and this year is no different. This reunion should prove to be one of the best. We’ll start the journey with our registration and welcome on board to all our shipmates. President Joe Strecker will welcome the crew and we’ll start our voyage of Reunion 2015. TOUR 1 (Thurs) Nauticus & USS Wisconsin Berthed at Nauticus, the USS Wisconsin BB-55 is one of the largest and few remaining battleships ever built. We’ll explore this majestic ship and experience her glory years. During her service she earned five battle stars. TOUR 2 (Thurs) Victory Rover Cruise Departs from Nauticus, the cruise will sail the smooth waters around Norfolk where we will see numerous sights including the US Navy base in Norfolk. news from the fleet US Navy Status - July 2015* Total Force = 326,404 Officers = 54,644 Enlisted = 268,435 Total ships = 273 Ships deployed = 89 Aircraft = 3,700+ USS Theodore Roosevelt will be leaving the Persian Gulf. There will be no US carriers in the Gulf for two months Admiral Richardson before the Senate stated that “In any situation . . . in any fight, America expects their Navy will find a way to win; and we will.” Officers on board the USS America (LHA-6) will train with Surface Warfare’s “Top Guns” and will focus on new warfare tactics to include surface and submarine operations in one-on-one scenarios. * Note there were no figures given for August TOUR 3(Friday) MacArthur Memorial Tour Memorial Service This year marks the 70th anniversary of the elcome Aboard campaign to liberate the Philippines. The Welcome to our newest shipmates of the MacArthur Memorial will mark that anniversary with a 5,000 square foot temporary USS Sierra (AD-18) Veterans Association. exhibit. Wayne Mills (70-72) HT1 Edward M. Porter (44-46) SN2 SIERRA BANQUET(Friday) Welcome Aboard! W Banquet on board Spirit of Norfolk A treat this year - we will be having our annual banquet while out at sea. We’ll enjoy a fine dining, fond memories, and great conversation with our shipmates WANT AD Life Members Congratulations to our newest Life Members: Bobby J. Allred Donald Governo nyone interested in an exciting and Captain Joseph J. D’Amato rewarding job, please contact John Eberhardt. The position of Secretary of the USS Sierra Veterans Association is all of the above plus more, and will be opening this year. Please see the By-Laws on our website at for an overview of the job: t is with deep sadness that we wish safe http://www.uss-sierra-vets.com For more information about the passage in heavenly waters to our departed position either email or call John at the shipmate: following: Kenneth Aldbridge . . . . . . . February 9, 2015 [email protected] (732) 548-4187 A Taps I Uss sierra veterans association needs all hands As you know it takes money to keep the USS Sierra Veterans Association afloat. Just like any undertaking there are expenses to keep the engine of the association running. The only source of income to the USS Sierra Veterans Association is your dues. Those dues support everything that the association does. For the most part each and every crew member is carrying their weight. There are a few whoever that are delinquent in their dues for several years. If you have not paid your dues since 2014 you are delinquent. page 2 News From Our Sister Ships USS Tidewater AD-31 USS Dixie AD-14 USS Grand Canyon AD/AR-28 USS Shenandoah AD-26 The USS Tidewater (AD-31), USS Dixie (AD-14), USS Grand Canyon (AD/AR-28), and the USS Shenandoah (AD-26) send us their Newsletters filled with information about their crew and some interesting stories of the adventures on board those ships. They also send information about their veteran association’s goings-on such as dates and places of their reunions and regular scuttlebutt about their ships Upon the completion of each issue of our Newsletter we proudly send it to our counterparts so that they can see what the USS Sierra Veterans Association is up to. There certainly is a pride in the ships that kept the fleet operational. Copies of their newsletters will be available at the 2015 Reunion in Norfolk. US Navy Initiative to Feed The Starving Children Surface-to-Surface Missile Tests on LCS Successful T ests in mid-June proved successful for the “Longbow Hellfire” surface-to-surface missile system on board the Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ship. The tests off the coast of Virginia helped prove the capabilities of the 24 shot missile module with a seven out of eight shots fired. The Longbow Hellfire system will be added to the existing armament on board the LCSs. The current weaponry includes the 57mm gun, SEARAM missile system, and the M H - 6 0 h e l i c o p t e r . First launched in 2008, there are two types of LCS operating. They are the “Freedom” variant and the “Independent” variant. DUES $25.00 DUES More than 25 sailors from the Training Support Center at Great Lakes joined volunteers from the surrounding area to pack more than 18,500 meals to be distributed to 70 countries worldwide. The volunteers from the TSC Petty Officers Association and Chief Petty Officer 365 worked at the Libertyville Feed My Starving Children facility. The meals on July 29, 2015, were being prepared and shipped to Haiti, Peru, Swaziland, and the Philippines. The sailors have been volunteering with Feed My Starving Children since the Libertyville site opened in 2012. Facility members appreciate the effort noting that they are the perfect volunteers that continue to give in yet other ways. $25.00 page 3 DUES $25.00 DUES page 4 October 7, 8, 9 & 10, 2015 Sheraton– Norfolk Waterside Hotel 777 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510 Reservations: (888) 627-8042 Front Desk: (757) 633-6664 __________________________________________________________________ DAY AND DATE TIME ACTIVITY AND LOCATION Tuesday, October 6 1600 Governors arrive Wednesday, October 7 0700 - 0800 0830 - 1200 1430 - 2300 1700 - 1730 Governors breakfast Waterside Restaurant Governors meeting - Greenway 4th Floor Registration & Hospitality Room/Claremont 4th Floor President’s Welcome - Hospitality Room/Claremont Thursday, October 8 0630 - 1030 0930 - 1230 1230 - 1345 1400 - 1600 1700 - ? ? ? Breakfast – Waterside Restaurant Tour - Naticus & Battleship USS Wisconsin Lunch on your own Victory Rover Cruise - Departs from Nauticus Icebreaker BBQ - Riverwalk Friday, October 9 0930 - 1030 0900 - 0945 0945 - 1200 1330 - 1400 1430 - 1800 1800 - 2300 Breakfast - Waterside Restaurant Memorial Service MacArthur Memorial MacArthur Memorial Tour Group Picture - Hotel Lobby Banquet on the Spirit of Norfolk (Otter Berth) Hospitality Room/Purchase Photos - Claremont 4th Floor Saturday, October 10 0630 - 1030 Breakfast Waterside Restaurant Checkout Until we meet again at our 2016 Reunion. * * * * * All tours depart from the hotel lobby * * * * * NOTES 1. The deadline is August 31, 2015 for reunion registration and tour sign up. Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel reservations deadline is September 6, 2015. 2. The charge for the reunion, including hospitality room, BBQ & banquet, is $85.00 per person. 3) Also, please bring a gift for the gift drawing. Suggested spending is $10.00 to $15.00. Select some thing from your state or hometown. 4) NOTE: All times are subject to change. Hospitality room daily hours will be determined by Participation. page 5 For additional information visit our website at www.uss-sierra-vets.com contact Bill Skillin: 913-683-1423 (cell). page 6 The Final Section of the US Naval Academy exam page 7 Uss sierra ad-18 veterans association 25 maple road Iselin, nj 08830 To: SIERR AN Your Newsletter President’s Message I’d like to once again remind you that On behalf of the officers, governors, this is your newsletter. It exists for you and about you. With that in mind please send in your stories, pictures, anecdotes, or reminiscences. In addition, please check out our new website that contains updated information that is not in the newsletter, news about future reunions, and pictures from past reunions. and USS Sierra shipmates, I want to extend a warm welcome and a huge THANK YOU to our current webmaster Mark D. Fenley. Mark joined the Navy on 1986 and received his discharge in 1994. He was stationed aboard the USS Sierra from 1988 until 1992. He was an electronics technician second class ET2. Mark is also host for one of the Facebook groups for the USS Sierra and accepted the role of webmaster after the death of former webmaster Rick Keough. Thanks again for doing a great job. The new website looks great and is easy to navigate. http://www.uss.sierra-vets-com Joseph Strecker Joseph Strecker, President