U S S R EEVES (DLG - 2 4 / C G - 2 4 ) A SSOCIATION Winter 2010/2011 Volume 3, Issue 4 The Ironman—A Double Ender’s Newsletter Membership Scorebox What You Can Find By Surfing The Net Current 35 For those of you with access to the inter- Isle Royal (AD-29) before getting under- Past Due 91 net, there is a wealth of information to be way for Hong Kong on the 19th. Snail Mail Ad- 101 pulled up—if you know how to surf the dresses Only web without getting in trouble. Just be From the USS Collett (DD-730) deck- aware that someone, somewhere out there log: Email Address 425 is tracking every mouse-click. Regard- Total Shipmates 1143 less, here are some 1960‘s results of ask- The first day of June (1967) found COL- ing questions that start to fill in the mosa- LETT once more enroute to Southern Dues Notice! ic of the Iron Lady‘s life at sea... SAR station in the Tonkin Gulf, with the Please be sure to check usual brief stop for fuel on June 3rd in your mailing label or From the USS Warrington (DD-843) Buckner Bay. Arriving in Danang Harbor email notation. decklog: on 7 June for briefings and SAR training, If it doesn’t say Current COLLETT reported to the USS REEVES (plus year) above your Warrington returned to Newport on 18 (DLG-24) for duty. The REEVES and name at the top of the la- December (1964) and began almost two COLLETT arrived on South SAR station bel, you should renew years of operations along the east coast 9 June. COLLETT received her SAR your annual dues. To primarily ASW training evolutions as well turnover folder from USS ARNOLD J. reach the greatest num- as occasional cruises to the Caribbean ISBELL (DD-869) and remained on SAR ber of shipmates, we will publish the complete As- area for "Springboard" operations, gun- station ―riding shotgun‖ for the REEVES sociation newsletter to nery drills, and refresher training. That through 3 July. The month of SAR sta- duty ended late on 4 October 1966 when tion was relatively quiet. Although ample the destroyer stood out of Newport to de- opportunity for independent and dual ship Inside this issue: ploy to the Far East. She transited the training was taken advantage of, the peri- Panama Canal on 9 October, stopped at od was generally tedious, boring and frus- President’s Message 2 Pearl Harbor on 24 October, and arrived trating, as the tropical sun beat down of Shipmates’ Deck Log 3 at Yokosuka, Japan, on 10 November. the COLLETT and REEVES patrolling Congress 2011 Agenda 4 That same day, she headed for the Tonkin their SAR station in the ripple-less waters Gulf in company with Manley (DD-940) of the Tonkin Gulf. Long hours stretched Next Reunion 5 and Keppler (DD-766). On 21 November, into long days, and days to weeks, with Financials/Dues 6 she relieved Reeves (DDG-24) (sic) on occasional underway replenishments, in- New Navy Logo 6 "Traffic Cop" station off the coast of flight helicopter refueling, and Junior Of- RAO Bulletins 7 North Vietnam. Operation "Traffic Cop," ficer tactical maneuvering drills between VA Eligibility 7 soon to be redesignated Operation "Sea REEVES and COLLETT providing the Dragon," was an ongoing patrol to inter- main breaks in the routine. However, all Building the Association 8 dict waterborne logistics to the insurgents the monotonous hours, days and weeks Tricare Update 9 in South Vietnam. After 13 days of proved worthwhile on the second of July, Ruminations 10 "Traffic Cop" duty, Warrington put into when ―Clementine 2‖, the REEVES‘ heli- Danang on 3 December before sailing copter, successfully recovered a downed Medicare Part B Update 10 later that same day for Kaohsiung, Tai- Air Force pilot from the jungle southwest Have You Heard? 11 wan. There she spent another 13 days un- of Vinh. Internet News 11 dergoing a tender availability alongside (Continued on page 6) P a g e 2 The Ironman — A Double Ender’s Newsletter The President’s Page—Spring Is In The Air Greetings to the year out - without a reunion. No, they have been able to pull off Reeves Associa- this time I have to find creative talk some memorable reunions. Now tion Family; to keep us alive as an organization picture yourself in the same posi- until we can get together again in tion, and after a few years you may I‘m sitting 2012. also feel like the risk, expense, and here on the first This conversation is about the trouble are more than you want to day of March actions needed to sustain the asso- step up for each year. It boils hoping that my ciation. First and foremost is mem- down to maintaining energy and opening line of ‗Spring is in the bership, as members are the only enthusiasm for a process that has air‘ is a big hint to the weather asset of the association. We must moderate risk and low satisfaction. gods that we‘ve had enough winter generate enough interest to keep Don‘t get this wrong. Mike has for this year. March snuck in quiet- the members we have, and at the not backed away from the planners ly this morning, and that usually same time find a way to entice new task, but he must be wondering just sets us up for a rough exit. I really members to join us. We are very when the whole uncomfortable shouldn‘t complain, as it turned out fortunate in that we have an estab- feeling of planning-at-risk becomes to be an easy winter for the Mid- lished core group of members that more fun. I got to spend some time Atlantic States. We were fortu- enjoy being part of the association, with Mike this past November by nately just-south of all the heavy and value the friendships they have inviting myself for a weekend visit snow storms that slammed the made at our reunions. I couldn‘t to their new home in Spokane. I Northeast, and very thankful that think of a better foundation for any was in the upper left corner of the we didn‘t repeat the 90-plus inches group. Unfortunately, the number country on business, so it was easy of snow from last year. So the of the core group alone is not suffi- to stop in and see how Mike and northern states get my thanks for cient to sustain annual reunions, as Lorri were doing in their new being a better snow target. I‘m go- the cost of putting on a reunion is hideout. I was warmly welcomed ing to stop with the weather talk not being met. I‘m not trying to to their home, and we got to spend before March decides to provide us sound too ―for profit‖ here by say- some time discussing the affairs of with some late season sledding op- ing that money is a limiter, but we the world over a few drinks and portunities. don‘t have the funding that allows some wonderful meals. After re- I guess the entire paragraph of us to put on quality annual reun- solving some important worldly weather whining means I‘m strug- ions for a small group. issues (while also reducing Mike‘s gling with an opening to associa- As discussed in the last news- supply of Single-Malt), we got tion business. For the last few years letter, it was the pure volunteerism around to where we were as an or- I have used the first newsletter of of Mike and Lorri Robertson that ganization, and what we thought the year to get everyone excited made the last three reunions hap- was needed to move it off the about attending the Annual Reun- pen. The first reunion in Long- ground floor. ion. That normally gives me plenty mont, CO was the product of Past- We believe the future of the of material, and I find myself try- President Robert Lewis, and others. association depends on our ability ing to stay within the space provid- Pure volunteerism in these cases to draw new members. A larger ed for my column. I get to ramble meant that the reunion planners member base would increase par- on about the great reunion venue used their own time and funds to ticipation at reunions and give us a that was selected, the good deal solicit, find, qualify, and visit the far better bargaining angle for eve- we‘re getting on room rates, the sites to make sure the rest of us rything we are trying to accom- terrific tours that are available, and weren‘t surprised by a bad hotel plish. More attendees will help us the fabulous company that will be deal. In every case I know that get into better hotels and tours, there to share it all with you. That Mike and Robert had to be hoping while reducing the costs for both. won‘t work this time, because we that the effort was worth all the The reunions to date have been a decided at last year‘s business energy and expense that it took to good time for everyone who at- meeting that we‘re going to sit this accomplish. And….fortunately, (Continued at Message on page 4) Volume 3, Issue 4 P a g e 3 Mail/eMail/Decklog From Our Shipmates — Lest We Forget the Other Reeves The First USS Reeves (DE-156/APD-52)… USS Reeves (DE-156/APD-52) Through D-Day and the summer of was a Buckley-class destroyer escort of 1944, Reeves continued to escort fast I am James Flynn, brother of John F.