Volume 17, Issue 1 January 2014 Official Newsletter of USS Cambria (APA-36) Cambria Press News

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Coordinator’s Column Hank Henry’s Column 1 to see and do that we my discharge. When we News from Ramon Stafford 1 know that everyone will see everyone in May, I have a good time. We will tell the full story Welcome Mat & Taps 2 always look forward to about how I amazed a Mail Call 2-3 these reunions because salesman. So until May of all the people that we we want to say that eve- Shellback Certificate 3 have come to know and ryone stay healthy and like. Norfolk has always safe and that all of my Treasurer’s Report 3 been special to me as shipmates and their Donna and I hope that that was where I first mates have fair winds Photos from Melvin Turner 4 everyone had a Merry went aboard the Cam- and following seas. Christmas and a Happy bria. It was where I New Year. bought Donna's engage- Hank and Donna Henry 2014 We are both looking ment ring one weekend ______forward to the Norfolk when her and our son USS CAMBRIA reunion. There is so much came to see me prior to REUNION Personal News from Treasurer Ramon Stafford

MAY 5-8 For those who haven't were getting ready to go else. WE ARE OK heard, our house burned to bed when Phyllis went AND ARE PLANNING down on Sept. 8, 2013. into the bath room and TO REBUILD. SEE VIRGINIA Phyllis and I are ok. It was saw the bath room light YOU IN NORFOLK. a electrical fire in the attic on fire. That's when BEACH, VA over our bed. By the time smoke came in the Ramon we discovered it, it had to house. We lost every- have been burning at least thing. The neighbors got HOLIDAY INN HOTEL 2 or 3 hours. No smoke out a lot of my military came in the house and we pictures and not much PAGE 2 CAMBRIA PRESS NEWS

Welcome Mat Taps

We are proud to announce that The Association was saddened to learn of the following ship- the following USS CAMBRIA ship- mates’ deaths. The entire membership extends our deepest sympa- mate has recently been located. thy to the families and friends of the deceased. Welcome Aboard and we hope to see you at the next reunion. Also, John “Jack” Danze Leslie Vien you are invited to become an ac- (1942-46) MM2 Refrigeration (1944-45) ET1/C Deck tive member of the Association. Died July 15, 2013 Died June 28, 2013

Ted Law Calvin “Jeb” Stuart Ray Stell (1966-68) (1951-52) Sgt USMC 1st BN 6th (1964-65) BT 51 Highbury Rd Marines Died April 22, 2013 Cheswick PA 15024 Date of death not reported [email protected] ______

you can get in touch with his son, difference in our age as I was 93 Robert, Jr. at this e-mail address: in February. Les had only been feeling bad a short time. His [email protected] daughter said she didn’t think he ______felt too good on Father’s Day, but he did not mention it. His cause of Karen: death was from pneumonia and I am Jack Shuler, a Coast kidney failure. Mail Call Guard member of the USS Cam- He was one great guy. I know bria during WW2. In my younger several of your regular attendees years, I attended the conventions of the conventions will remember Dear Ms Coffey, of the Cambria, starting with one him. I might be wrong, but I be- I am Robert M. Nethaway, Jr., in St. Louis. lieve he was a plankowner. Was MSgt, USAF Retired. My father, The purpose of this e-mail is to on the Cambria from its launching Robert Sr, served on the Cambria, advise you of the passing of one until the time we turned it over to I believe, in the late 50s early 60 of our Coast Guard crew mem- the Navy after the war. s. I was curious to know if I could bers, Les Vien. He also was one to I would appreciate it very much attend a reunion to speak with attend the conventions. Les and I if you could include a notice of his anyone who may have remem- talked to each other rather regu- passing in the Cambria newsletter. bered my father during his time in larly and I called him several times I will sure miss our phone calls. the Navy. today, but did not receive any an- Thank you very much.

swer. About 2:30 this afternoon, I Sincerely, tried again and his daughter an- For God and Country, Robert M. Nethaway, Jr. swered the phone and advised me Jack

that her father had passed away Editor’s Note: We, of course, in- last night, Friday, June 28, 2013. P.S. vited him to the reunion. If you Les was 95 in March. We were At several conventions I at- remember Robert Nethaway, Sr., always having fusses about the tended, some of the Navy person- but are not attending the reunion, (Continued on page 3) PAGE 3 CAMBRIA PRESS NEWS

(Continued from page 2)

nel were inquiring about the actions of the Cambria during the war and operations it was involved in. A crew member who served the first 27 months on the ship has written a book about it. If you go to your internet and go to Amazon, click on books and then type in “Long ago and far away by Robert Sams,” you will come up with all the information about the book and Sams. It is a very interesting book and I am sure you will enjoy it. It is paper back and cost &14.95 plus shipping and handling that runs three to four dollars.

Jack Shuler 21 Hope St St. Augustine, FL 32084-3215 [email protected] ______Submitted by David Wright from the Cambria News dated May 3, 1945

provided. That will get the cost of our newsletter down. Treasurer’s Report Even if you have been getting the newsletter by e-mail, now you must subscribe to keep receiving it by e-mail. My From the desk of treasurer USS Cambria APA-36, Ramon Stafford 12/27/2013 e-mail address is [email protected]. Recently we have had a house fire and Phyllis and I lost our entire house. We managed to get some things MONEY ON HAND AT LAST REPORT $2,013.50 out and ourselves. I saved some of he Cambria material MONEY RECEIVED HATS $95.00 that was in the house, I keep most of the stuff in my of- MONEY RECEIVED FOR NEWSLETTER $509.00 fice which was in the garage. I do still have hats for $15.00 mailed and $10.00 at the reunions. I also have MONEY RECEIVED FOR DUES $20.00 the patches for the hats for $4.00 . If you want either, TOTAL $2,637.50 send the check to Ramon Stafford, 5324 Tower Hill Rd., Gladstone Va. 24553. MONEY EXPENDED We plan on being at the reunion in Norfolk in 2014. PAID FOR NEWSLETTER $375.48 Hope to see you all there. By the way, we are rebuilding in the same spot and they have outside walls up and are PAID POSTAGE $7.23 bricking today. See you in Norfolk. PAID FOR ORDERED CHECKS $23.14

TOTAL $405.85 Treasurer, BALANCE $2,231.65 Ramon Stafford If you have an e-mail address, please send it to me. ______Also, please go to the reunion web site www.mlrsinc.com/cambria and follow the subscribe link

Financial Report from Premier Reunion Services The cost of this issue of Cambria Press News is $375.48. This issue is being along with the registration packet. From now on, if you have not subscribed to the email list and have an e-mail address, you will not receive the newsletter. Email List Subscribers will receive their copy by email. VOLUME 17, ISSUE 1 PAGE 4

Photos submitted by Melvin Turner Old Time Radio (1967-69) By Don Snyder, YN3

USS CAMBRIA (APA-36) (’55-’57) I’m sure most of us remember one of our favorite radio shows, The Life of Riley. Emerging as a series during the 1940s and eventually adapted as a feature film, and then into a long-run 1950s television series. The original “Riley” was played by Jackie Gleason and on radio for one season, followed up by William Bendix for six seasons. A 1958 comic book was also published about the character. The show began as a proposed Groucho Marx radio series, The Flotsam Family, but the sponsor hesitated at what would have been essentially a straight head-of-household role for the comedian. The Flotsam Family was reworked with Bendix cast as blundering Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cun- ninghm Aircraft plant in California. His frequent exclamation of indignation – “What a revoltin’ development this is!” – became one of the most famous catchphrases of the 1940s. It was later reused by Benjamin J. Grimm of the Fantastic Four. The radio series also benefited from the immense popularity of a supporting character, Digby “Digger” O’Dell (John Brown), “the friendly undertaker.” The expression, “Living the life of Riley” suggests an ideal contented life, possibly living on someone else’s money, time or work. Rather than a negative freeloading or gold-digging aspect, it implies that someone is kept or advantaged. The first Life of Riley radio show was a summer re- placement show heard on CBS from April 12, 1941 to September 6, 1941. The CBS program starred Lionel Stander as J. Riley Farnsworth and had no real connection with the more famous series that followed a few years later. The radio program starring William Bendix as Riley initially aired on the Blue Network, later known as ABC, from January 16, 1944 to June 8, 1945. Then it moved to NBC, where it was broadcast from September 8, 1945, to June 29, 1951. The supporting cast featured Paula Winslowe as Peg, Riley’s wife, and as Riley’s mother-in-law; John Brown as under- taker “Digger” O’Dell and as Riley’s co-worker Jim Gillis; Francis “Dink” Trout as Waldo Binny; Tom Cook, Bobby Ellis and Scotty Beckett each played the role of Junior during the show’s run; Sharon Douglas played Babs; and in one episode Henry Morgan voiced Riley’s father. Alan Reed was a regular on the show as multiple characters, including Riley’s boss Mr. Stevenson and Peg’s father; Shirley Mitchell played Honeybee Gillis; and Hans Conried was Uncle Baxter. Whereas Gillis gave Riley bad information that got him into trouble, Digger gave him good information that “helped him out of a hole,” as he might have put it. Brown’s lines as the un- dertaker were often repetitive, including puns based on his pro- fession; but, thanks to Brown’s delivery, the audience loved him. The program was broadcast live with a studio audience; most of Published by: Premier Reunion Services whom were not aware Brown played both characters. As a result, PO Drawer 11438 when Digger delivered his first line, it was usually greeted with howls of laughter and applause from surprised audience mem- Hickory, NC 28603 bers. Phone: 828-256-6008 The series was co-developed by the non-performing Marx Brother turned agent, Gummo. The American Meat Institute Fax: 828-256-6559 (1944-45), Procter & Gamble (Teel dentifrice and Prell shampoo) E-mail addresses: [email protected] (1945-49), and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (1949-51) took turns as [email protected] the radio program’s sponsor. Chester Riley earned his place in broadcasting history. Web site: www.mlrsinc.com/cambria Stay tuned….. Our Reunions Work So You Don’t Have To