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(MESSAGE WAS UPDATED 10/16/2011) Sixteen years ago we began a process that took us on a long journey of discovery. We discovered that even though the USS McMorris DE-1036 is no longer an active duty ship in the US Navy, it remains the home of all those who have reconnected with us over the years. From the moment we met up in Charleston, SC in 1997 for our first reunion, we discovered that the binding ties that defined who we were as a crew member of this proud ship well over 40 to 50 years ago, still remains. We are about to have our eighth reunion in October of 2012 in Nashville, TN. We have met up in Charleston, SC, San Diego, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Philadelphia, PA, San Antonio, TX, and Washington, DC for our 50th anniversary of the ships commissioning. Every two years, we reconnect with our friends and family of Grey Warrior. Each time it is an opportunity to share in our new friendships and old acquaintances. Putting these reunions together remains a labor of love and it is important to recognize those who help to make this all happen. No other person is a greater catalyst and driver of the reunion process than Lorraine Galbreth, wife of Plank Owner Jules Galbreth. She has been a shining example of dedication and persistence and has taken over the main job of pulling these reunions together. A special thank you goes out to her for all her labor of love. From the beginning, Scott Vliek has been the man behind the scene, making sure that our website is maintained on the technical side and graphically attractive. Without his knowledge and abilities to sustain our web presence, we would not be able to reach out to our crewmembers. Scott is also responsible for our Social Media presence on Facebook. Actually, when we started this venture back in 1995, the world wide web was in it's infancy. Scott graciously gave up his personal site and helped to make it what it is today. People like Doc Corradetti, Jack Shepard, Vic Yanosy, Jim Cirillo, Craig Lohner, CDR Royal Magnus, CAPT Jerry Martin, Jim Maxwell, and Wayne Stensrude , all lent special services and an helping hand to make our reunions special over the years. A very special mention must go to CAPT Ralph Spencer, second CO of the Mac, and dear friend to all of us. Now slowed by health issues, Captain Spencer remains a stalwart supporter of our reunion. We can't thank him enough for his special support that can only be described as supreme. Thank you Ralph! As we look to the future, we hope that you will continue to support our reunions in your own special way, even if it to just stay connected on facebook or add some of your personal material (pictures) to the website. More so, we hope that if you have not attended one of our reunions yet, please consider taking some time out and join us for our next celebration in Nashville, TN With Best Regards, Skip Reynolds
COORDINATOR/NEWSLETTER EDITOR: SKIP
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