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USS McMorris (DE1036) Volume 3, Issue 1 (Fall/Winter 2001) |
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Special Points of Interest: Editor's Note: America at War Reunion Information New Arrivals WebSite News Our Vision/Mission General Notes Contact Information |
Defender of Liberty! |
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In Honor of Those Who Have Fallen As I write this letter, America is in the midst of a terrible tragedy, and has declared War against terrorism. By the time this is posted, America may well be in physical combat and possibly more American lives could be lost. President Bush has declared that our country will root out those who have tried to destroy our nation, and that our response will be strong. This is not a forum for politics or editorials. However, I ask that you stand strong for America, and if you can help in any way, please do. Scott has posted a piece on the web-site to help you to make donations to our relief effort.
Please click on the banner above to make an online donation to the
Red Cross.
God Bless America! After my Aloha message in the June/July 2000 newsletter, I did not expect to be back in this seat writing as I have. Much has taken place in the last year. The San Diego reunion was a great success, thanks to your participation, and expressly for those who stood in for me and pulled things together. I want to publicly thank CAPT Ralph Spencer and HCM Doc Corradetti for their dedication and passion to make sure that you had a great time in San Diego. Without these great friends of yours and mine, San Diego would not have happened. Attention on Deck! "Hand Salute" The loss of my wife Michele last November to cancer was a great loss to me and our two sons Scott & Steve. Many of you stood right by my side and provided comfort to myself and my family. I want to thank all of you for your kindness and support. Again, I want to publicly thank CAPT Ralph Spencer who spent hours of his time talking with me and providing insight and comfort. God Bless you sir! I would also like to acknowledge many others, including CDR Ken Small and Vic & Carol Yanosy for attending Michele's services. Also the Pikes, Doc, the Galbreths, Shirley Newman, Barb Marsden, and so many others for providing kind words. Thank You! Jerry and Chris Martin were in the Philadelphia area a few month's back and were kind enough to have brunch with me. Thank you. This Summer I caught up with CAPT Spencer and his wife Mary, Jim & Linda Pike and Jules & Lorraine Galbreth. We met at Doc's place in Bushkill Falls, PA for some fun and food. What a crew! During my business travels I met with an old shipmate of mine, Mike Hardison. Mike still works for Uncle Sam at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. After 30 + years, he hadn't changed a bit. Well, I am back at the coordinator's seat and Scott Vliek is back at the helm of the Website. Expect new additions and updates in the coming months. The reunion in Las Vegas is on track for October of 2002. Plans are being made as we speak. I have coaxed my old friend Ruby Otto out of retirement to put the initial package together for our group. Ruby was my original planner for the Charleston reunion in '97 and has agreed to work the initial details for us again. She is a sweet heart, and a lifesaver. I look forward to working with my colleagues and friends to make Las Vegas a special 3rd reunion I also look forward to meeting up with all of you in Las Vegas. Let the Games begin! |
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Reunion Information - Las Vegas 2002
Las Vegas, NV is the chosen site of our 3rd reunion. It is intended to hold this event in the 3rd or 4th week of October 2002. This should be settled soon. Unless something changes, our reunion will be held at the Tropicana Resort & Casino. You can visit their website at www.tropicanaalv.com. Our plans are to follow a more traditional format that allows for plenty of free time so that you don't miss whatever your pleasure is. We will have an opening night gathering for food, fun, and getting acquainted (again). Plan on having at least one trip (probably Hoover Dam), and our final Dinner/Dance party to finish off the week Sunday morning is always reserved for a memorial service. Although we have never been able to pull this off, I am always up to meeting prior to the "official" start date/time to golf with anyone who is willing. The last time I was in Vegas, I golfed at the Painted Desert and was it beautiful. Anyway, I am always game. Our refuge is of course the hospitality suite. This is the place in the hotel where we will register with the reunion group, spend relaxing time telling war stories and just spending time together. I know that many of us bring our collection of Mac Memorabilia, so don't forget to bring your "stuff' along as well. Our turnouts have been good and so I expect this reunion to be as good or better. I want to keep paperwork to a minimum, so if you are an online member, all registrations will be done through our website. Nonusers of the World Wide Web will be provided paper registrations. Plenty of time will be given (starting now), to plan for attending. Speak to anyone who has attended our last two reunions and discover the magic. All monies will be handled through myself and, of course, you will be provided a registration packet and name tag upon arriving at the registration desk in the hospitality suite. If you have never attended one of our reunions, you need to know several things. Transportation to the reunion is handled by you. Registration with the hotel is also handled directly by you, either by e-mail, travel agent or by phone. We do get a re- union rate so you must identify yourself as being part of the McMorris group. Registration to attend must be done through myself and any trip money or any other group activities expenses must be paid in advance (by check). More on that later. Between now and when we really begin to emphasize registration (after the New Year), let me know if you are planning on coming. If you are not, let me know that as well. Be honest, it doesn't hurt our feelings. I'd rather know than guess or hope.
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Welcome New Arrivals I am rebuilding my database of names. An active (printed) roster will be available (on request only) by the end of September 2001. A complete roster of names we have contact information for is posted under "Reunion List" on our website. If you don't see your buddy's name on there, allow us to post it under lost and found. Possibly someone else in our group knows their whereabouts'. Many people have checked in with us on the website and signed the guest book. If you haven't done so, please visit us. If you haven't done so in a while, check in again. We want to hear from you. If I have missed you on this list, I am sorry. We will catch up to you sooner or later. Well here is the latest group of Pollywogs and Shellbacks: David P. Allen 62~6, Ronney Blaney 65-66, David Bowdre 66-69, J D Brown 71-74, Rick Cardoza 70- 72, Wm. Call 67-68, Bob Curry 63- 66, Dan Davis 64Ai6, Paul Ferguson 68, Mike Hardison 69-71, Bill Ignarski 67, Doug Jernigan 61-63, Duane Keller 69-70, Lance Moen 66-69, John Mihich 69-71, James Samdal 61-64, Don Stofel 73-74, Mike Smalley 73-74, Wayne Schuler 64, Robert St John 61-64, Joe Taylor 60-61, Gordon Trask, 69-71, Gerald Vigneaux 65-69, Renee' (Wegner) Zeller (daughter of Plank Owner Wm. F Wegner, deceased). Did I mention Stephen Gertsch 69-71? I know I have probably missed someone or maybe even mentioned them again. (lucky you). Welcome to our growing family of friends and shipmates. I hope that every one of you finds a way to stay in touch with us, and to attend reunions if at all possible. Thank you for getting in touch with us. As you look at the website and you see information about you that needs to be added or corrected, we want to make sure that you are properly identified and recognized. So, if you see something that needs change, let me or Scott know. We will be glad to make the correction. I also want to make sure that we have good contact info for the rosters. If your address is different or you changed your email address, let me know so I can update our databases. Stay in touch! |
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(www.) Website News (.com) Great News! The Mac website is back in full operation. At the helm is the original founder of this award-winning site: Scott Vliek. We have teamed up once again to bring you the best of information and graphic style. Scott was sorely missed for his technical abilities and input. I think Scott's skills have given our group one of the best websites to be found. Welcome him back. I wrote in my last newsletter, that this site would remain a viable and dynamic link between all of us and anyone who has discovered our family of shipmates. Your active participation is critical to the future success of this site as well, because it is designed to be a living link to our past and future. Your stories and memories can be included in the "Living History" section of the site. Please write some- thing down and send it to us so that everyone can share in those special moments you had aboard the McMorris. The ship's history has many holes that we want to plug up. We want more specific in- formation to add depth to the chronological history of the ship. If you can provide some detail of places you have been, specific operations, yard periods, dates, etc. this is extremely helpful. Also, we continue to get new pictures all of the time and you will see very soon even newer ones in the pictures section of the site. After some consternation and rethinking, we will include a new section that chronicles and provides some more detail of the ships collision in 1967 with the USS Tombigbee. The request for information is too large and the story (while tragic), is part of the ships history. Look for that. Anything scanable send along so we can include it on the web site. |
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Vision To bring a little joy and happiness to our crewmembers and family. To be ever mindful that our culture and heritage while diverse, is the foundation that makes the McMorris Reunion Group so special in the hearts and minds of everyone of us, and to respect each and every member of our group. Our Mission There is no agenda behind our efforts, nor is any intended, other than to keep our Reunion Group members well informed through the newsletter and our website. In addition, the purpose of our group is to find as many former crewmembers and family as we can, bring them together on a periodic basis at a reunion for fun and fellowship. |
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General Notes "Thinking Out Loud" Well what can I say? Can you believe I am at a loss for words? Ha! I just cannot express my regard for those of you who responded to our internal crisis before the San Diego reunion. I am getting together some pictures provided to me by Jerry Martin, but I want to see more so we can include them on the web-site. Please send me copies of anything you think is interesting for inclusion. I missed being with you guys in San Diego, but I know that you pulled off an outstanding effort, and the reunion was a great success. Thanks again. I expect that Las Vegas will be a blast and that we will attract an even bigger crowd. Getting there is usually inexpensive and meals on your own shouldn't be a problem with so many buffets and freebees that the hotels provide. I really think the biggest expense will be what you want to lose at the tables. I anticipate a decent room rate and will of course work on a flat rate meal plan for the welcome party and final night dinner. You will have to tell me of any dietary restrictions. (I know of some). Getting around Las Vegas is pretty easy. If you don't walk, then there is plenty of public transportation or cab service. There will be free time on Friday night and Saturday day, so the door is wide open. I anticipate a Friday day trip, and of course our business meeting Saturday morning. We will want greeters and registration helpers, as well as volunteers for hospitality suite duty, and hunter/gatherers for our snacks, etc. More on all of this in month's to come. I DO expect to see you there. Ralph & Mary have already cornmitted. Special Note: In an effort to do our part for disaster relief to those in need, I am making an executive decision to make a One Thousand Dollar donation on behalf of McMorris from our General Funds. The money is there. Skip 09/01 |
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Contact Information: Reunion Coordinator: USS McMorris Reunion Assoc. Tel: (267)664-0536
Webmaster: Scott Vliek
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