New Yancey Memories NL
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A NEWSLETTER EXCLUSIVELY FOR FORMER USS YANCEY (AKA-93) SAILORS YANCEY MEMORIES Volume 15, Issue 1 January 2011 Friendships on the yancey and are the only ones I and that is final.” I gave Inside this issue: Editor’s Note: For this keep in touch with now. Paul a landline and we issue we asked for sto- Stories about friendships 1 & 2 Too many good memo- talked for quite a while. ries of friendships on the ries to put down in a The good news is I got Coordinator’s Message 2 Yancey. Here are your short letter. I was a good the green light from the Yancey Stories 2 & 3 stories. four years. boss. I am going to at- Taps 3 __________ tend the reunion. It was Welcome Mat 3 Harold Hegler, Store- then I started planning Mr. Roberts 4 keeper, 1951-54: John Karlis, EM3, 1966- the trip. Buffalo to Bos- Yancey History 5-6 The friends I remem- 68: ton is about an eight ber the most from 41 Years Later hour drive. I decided on Yancey days were Ralph Forty-one years or flying, which made the McCulley, Ralph Over- four decades is a long trip easier and less time field, Ed Stevens and time. That is the last consuming. Well, I can Grassy Greenwalt. Ed time I saw shipmate honestly say the reunion died in ‘03 and yes, I Paul Smith. Still, in turned out great. The have kept in touch over those 41 years, Paul weather could not have the years with them all. and I kept in touch via been better. In addition, We all worked in the Christmas cards every another E-Division ship- Supply Division and year. In 2009 Paul mate, Bill Welfare, was Special points of in- worked well together added a note to that in attendance. I had not terest: year’s card. At this time seen Bill in 41 years ei- and I have to say we did Read about the special he informed me of the ther. He brought a bun- a good job at what we bond of friendship upcoming 2010 Yancey dle of pictures from the were assigned to do. between shipmates in reunion in Boston. Paul Yancey Med Cruise in Rural Texas (me), Arkan- our cover stories. sas, New York and Colo- said it would be great if 66-67. This brought rado was an odd mixture we could get together. back fond memories. A continuing story of for friends to get along Then I began thinking of Some of our crew mem- the history of the well together, but we my hectic work sched- bers I met in Boston are Yancey begins in this did, and I still enjoy chat- ule, so I ran the reunion not in the best of health. issue, page five. ting with them fairly bit by my spouse Clau- I wish them all the best regularly now. There are dia. She gave me a di- and hope they’re all do- a lot more then these rect answer and a direct ing better. It was also four, but they stand out order. “You are going (Continued on page 2) V OLUME 15, ISSUE 1 YANCEY MEMORIES P AGE 2 (Continued from page 1) arranged an RV trip to Washington shortly after that. He spent a YANCEY STORIES the first time that I had seen sev- pleasant time visiting with us both eral shipmates that served while I before the wives passed away and By Paul H. Dunn, 1966-69: was onboard the Yancey. In clos- after. I still am in contact with him During our recent reunion in ing, I encourage everyone to at- by e-mail. Boston (Oct. 7-10, 2010) I was tend the 2011 reunion in New My other close friend is Jerry pleasantly surprised to find three Orleans. Happy New Year to all Goforth. He was a Yeoman also. shipmates that I had served with and hope to see everyone this He later transferred to another who were attending their first re- October in New Orleans. ship. After our discharges, I visited union. Not only are new attendees __________ him and his wife Carol at their the lifeblood of our reunion, but to home in Oklahoma. Carol worked meet them for the first time since Ken Groom, aka KD, Yancey Histo- in the same bank with some other 1967/68 was a real pleasure. rian: ladies that she wanted me to (John Karlis, Paul Smith and Bill I first met Dave Chestnut when meet. That is where I met Virginia Welfare) I was assigned to the deck force and did some long distance dat- Each of us had different memo- right out of boot camp. Dave was ing. We did keep some contact ries of what we did and saw while a salt, in my eyes, at the time be- with the Goforths, but we both on deployments on board Yancey, cause he had already been on were going to school and working, but all within the same context of board two months before me. We so our contact was minimized. the ports and the ship. Looking at went on Liberty together and with They attended our wedding, we others many times. After about six moved after school and another old cruise books and personal months, I was asked to strike for move to Washington State after a photos brought back more Yeoman. I could barely type but couple of years. The next contact I thoughts of what our lives were didn’t have many other talents. had with them was at the 1997 like at that time. We continued our friendship until reunion in San Francisco. It was a The other discussions were he transferred to his brother’s small reunion, but I knew most of about what each of us did after ship. I sort of lost contact with him the shipmates at the reunion. I leaving the ship. Some left the until the computer world arrived. I showed up with some photos and Navy while others spent time in was recently retired, so one of the information on the Yancey—I left the Reserves and actually retired first things I did was to use the being voted the Yancey Historian, from the Navy. We all had lived “White Pages” to locate old ship- a job I enjoy because I meet new full lives with our families, but also mates. The time was 1997. I shipmates from other generations look back upon our naval service found several Dave Chestnuts in as well as old shipmates of my as a formative part of our lives. the south, and finally I made that generation. In addition, I was able to recon- call and contacted him. We both I now have a large collection of nect with shipmates that regularly had become Engineers during our photos from those times and re- attend the reunions, both from period of lost contact. He put me cords of our reunions. What else the time I was onboard Yancey to in touch with others and we met could I ask for. often at reunions. Later, we both __________ those who served at other times. I lost our wives. It was Dave that thank George Clifton, reunion co- ordinator, for his tireless efforts to recruit new shipmates and to or- COORDINATOR’S MESSAGE ganize our reunions. __________ By George Clifton definitely include a day at the World I hope everyone survived the hec- War II Museum where there is plenty White Castle Hamburgers tic Holiday Season and are all look- to see. Hopefully we can have a By Ken Groom: ing forward to a great 2011. The good turnout and I know as always The first foreign port I visited dates for the reunion in New Or- we will have a great time. I hope while on the Yancey was in Sa- leans have been finalized, so put it everyone is well and I look forward sebo, Japan. One of my first liber- on your calendar for October 6th to seeing you all in New Orleans. ties I went with several shipmates through the 9th. The itinerary will ___________ to downtown Sasebo. We were V OLUME 15, ISSUE 1 YANCEY MEMORIES P AGE 3 tied up in Item Basin. The route to downtown was about a mile down a curving road, across a river and to the right of the main shopping center. This teaming assembly of buildings consisted of bars, souve- TAPS WELCOME MAT nir stands and other attractions The Yancey Memories was no- The following shipmate has for sailors. After strolling down tified of the following shipmates’ been located since the last news- this dusty street and taking in all deaths. Our deepest sympathy is letter. Welcome Aboard! We hope of these foreign smells and attrac- extended to the families of the to see you at the next reunion. You tions, someone from the eastern deceased. Anyone who knows of are invited to become an active part of the USA spied a familiar a deceased shipmate, or learns member of the association. shop. He almost shouted, “They of one, please notify ML & RS, Inc have White Castle Burgers!” so their names can be included Francis Remon There, sandwiched between these in TAPS and be added to the SN 3rd Div other attractions was a white Honor Roll. 9705-86 Hickory Hollow Rd building that served hamburgers. Leesburg, FL 34788 At the time I don’t remember if I 352-315-9042 Ralph Boyd tried one—but I never forgot.