U S S R E E V E S (DLG-24/CG-24) A SSOCIATION Spring 2013 Volume 6, Issue 1 The Ironman—A Double Ender’s Newsletter Membership Scorebox Reeves 19661966----19681968 Cruise With DESRON 9 Current 34 USS REEVES (DLG-24) departed supply management. Past Due 126 Long Beach, California, on 26 May On 1 July 1968, REEVES departed Snail Mail Ad- 248 1966, for a two year tour with the U.S. Yokosuka, Japan, for her new dresses Only Seventh Fleet. The ship, a unit of De- homeport of Long Beach, California. Email Address 473 stroyer Squadron Nine, was homeport- Leaving Japan was a sad occasion for ed in Yokosuka, Japan, and operated Total Shipmates 2,968 many, but there was a happiness in the in the Gulf of Tonkin as an anti-air thought of “going home.” warfare Dues Notice! The trip picket and Please be sure to check your home was search and mailing label or email nota- eventful tion. rescue and enjoya- If it doesn’t say Current unit, with ble for the above your name at the top three pa- of the label, you should re- entire crew. trols as an new your annual dues. To REEVES reach the greatest number of escort to crossed the shipmates, we will publish Aircraft the complete Association Equator, Carriers. newsletter to any valid email where King or snail mail address. Your REEVES Neptune dues payments make this spent 720 USS REEVES (DLG-24) in the Hawaiian Op Area, enroute to Long Beach on 6 August 1968. came possible. days with aboard to the Sev- Inside this issue: hold the traditional “Shellback” initia- enth Fleet, 493 of which were at sea tions. The ship then made visits at President’s Message 2 and 312 of those in the Gulf of Ton- Sydney, Australia, and Christchurch, kin. During these operations, Shipmates’ Deck Log 3 New Zealand, when the people from REEVES steamed 162,000 miles on Consider Portland 5 “down under” lavished the crew with 12,272,000 gallons of fuel taken on Financials/Objectives 6 attention and good times. through 156 underway replenishments. Mesothelioma Request 6 The ship arrived in Long Beach on REEVES achieved the reputation 12 August 1968, the end of an enjoya- A Story of Two Photos 7 of being an outstanding search and ble and rewarding tour. Agent Orange Update 9 rescue unit among both Navy and Air Remember Scooter Stores? 10 Force aviators. The ship effected the Council Appointment 10 actual rescue of seven downed airmen, REEVES was the and through professional air control flagship for De- Have You Heard? 11 and air navigation services, prevented stroyer Squadron TRICARE Pharmacy 11 the need to rescue many others. Nine (DESRON 9), Membership Application 12 In recognition of REEVES’ perfor- Captain J.M. Mason mance, the ship was awarded competi- (COMDESRON 9) tive “E”s for excellence in air control, and an embarked electronic warfare, engineering and (Continued on page 8) PageP a g e 222 The IronmanIronman————AA Double Ender’s Newsletter The President’s Page Greetings to the be every bit as professional and capa- We, as veterans, should be very Reeves Associa- ble as our best memories of the concerned about the needs of our tion Family Reeves. The accounts of our sailor, troops, as we can all identify with the Spring time is up- soldiers, and airmen serving in Iraq problems associated with less- on us and we can and Afghanistan are overwhelming money, less time with family, and a hopefully put the proof that our troops remain second bare-bones budget to support long winter of ‘13 to to none. deployments. The threats and events rest. No real com- However, this generation of ser- of our cold-war era days seem to pale plaint from here, as the Mid-Atlantic vice personnel is faced with many in comparison to the threat potential celebrates its second consecutive issues that we did not have to consid- our military faces today, from both year of being completely ignored by er in our day, including more time external and internal actions. Who of winter. We’re actually good with deployed, a very un-clear threat envi- us could have predicted Al Queda, warmer than usual temps and no ronment, shifting priorities, and un- Cyber Warfare, and years of continu- snow to speak of…… It seems all the certain economic pressures. All of ing resolutions? The loss of the very nor’easter inspired weather decided which is needlessly complicated by benefits that makes all those efforts to skip past us yet again, and clobber an environment of political correct- bearable could create just the condi- the Northeast – like they needed any ness. tions for an exodus of highly trained and dedicated troops from our mili- additional attention after the devas- Our biggest concerns, as veterans tating storms of last year. tary. And right at a time when we, as of this process, should be for the a country, need them the most. Now if we could just have the manner in which the members of our same luck with avoiding all the polit- military are being treated. It is be- What to do? Look, listen, and ical drama and rhetoric that seems to coming increasing apparent that the read about what’s going on. Don’t have invaded the air waves. Like latest cuts to the defense budget will take my word for it. Make it a point many, I was hoping for some respite eliminate many of the support pro- to examine the problems facing both after all the election noise of the last grams that enable our troops, and our country and military, and form few years, but that seems to have their families, to survive living while your own opinion. Aim at a point been replaced with repeated an- serving the demands of our country. above noise level where political nouncements of financial disaster Support programs that were lacking promises are made, and actually (Fiscal Cliff, Sequestration, Tax in our day, and in many cases were watch what they do instead of just hikes, etc). I’m clearly not im- built to address the problems of our what they say. Support those people pressed with what’s going-on, but day, are being cut to satisfy budget- and organizations that support our much happier to consider all these ary needs. We’re observing the un- troops and our veterans, and stop issues from the near-retirement per- doing of many years of effort to supporting those who demonstrate spective, as opposed to our younger make the military attractive to our they do not. Our troops and veterans comrades who may have many years next generation of sailors, soldiers, clearly deserve better than they are left in the work force . and airmen. Programs designed to getting. It is up to us as Americans, not only bring young men and wom- and particularly as US Navy Veter- We, as veterans, should be par- ans, to do what we can to help our ticularly concerned for the well- en into the military, but also take good care of them while they serve. current generation of military watch- being of our active-duty brothers and standers through these tough times. sisters, who seem to again be target- De-funding and eliminating these ed by the budget axe. We should all programs breaks promises made to Please make it a point to keep be very proud of the level of dedica- those who are expected to put them- their best interests in mind, and do tion we see from our military. I selves in harms way, and leaves their what you can to support positive don’t believe we have ever had a bet- families without the support required changes for our current and next gen- ter fighting force, or one better to stay off the welfare rolls. The im- eration of veterans. It’s that im- equipped to do its job. We saw this pact can be most easily and disas- portant. in 2009, when our reunion group was trously quantified by considering that Happy Spring! Here’s wishing invited to tour the USS Preble (DDG the suicide rate of our armed forces you fair winds and following seas. has, for a second year, exceeded the -88) in San Diego. The Preble turned //tom out to be a top-notch fighting ship, battle loss numbers in an active war manned by a crew that appeared to zone. Volume 6, Issue 1 PageP a g e 333 Mail/eMail/Decklog From Our Shipmates ——— Merry Christmas to all the Thanks again. er. This was July 1967. J.L. was given sailors that was aboard the Robert A. Warner a Medical discharge by US NAVY old girl & to the people be- and returned to Ky and died March hind this site!!!!! 1977. Ed Williams (Facebook) I just joined the group and Jerry and I remained good friends thought I would say hello. I after I was discharged in 1969 until was aboard the Reeves from his untimely death in 1977. His fami- Merry Christmas to all the June 1972 and departed July ly asked me to be a Pallbearer, it was Reeves shipmates. How 1976. an honor for me to serve. many of you remember William Boggess (Facebook) what happened the last night David "Cotton" Sumner of the long cruise that started after I just joined the group and I'm recommissioning in Bath and ended David, up at our new home port of Pearl Har- anxious to get in touch with bor? All of 2nd division would know.