PAWCATUCK PILOT Volume 15 Issue 1 June 2007 Special Points of Interest 2007 JACKSONVILLE REUNION REVIEW • The reunion in Jackson- ville, FL was, as always, The USS Pawcatuck Reception. Reunion Chair- the group enjoyed a great a great time. Read all (AO-108) chose Jackson- man Dave Willis and Co- lunch at the Officer’s Club about it from the cover ville, FL for their 2007 re- chair Mark McPherson wel- on base. At 4:00 PM the story all the way union. The reunion was comed everyone and Memorial Service, which is through page three. held from Sunday, April 15 asked for introductions. always a moving experi- through breakfast on Everyone enjoyed drinks, ence for the Pawcatuck • A new project for the Wednesday, April 18 at the light hors d’oeuvres and family, took place. Chap- Pawcatuck family is Sea Turtle Inn. Forty-two good company. A great lain Phillip Wyrick led the introduced on page members and 30 guests evening followed with a trip service and music was pro- four. Read about the Pawcatuck Plaque Pro- attended the event. Guests to the Alhambra Dinner vided by the Navy Band ject. began arriving on Sunday Theater in St. Augustine, from Mayport. The colors around noon and after get- where the group enjoyed a were presented by a local • Deck Force on pages ting registered with delicious dinner and the ROTC color guard. This five and six has some ML&RS, Inc and settling in performance of “Grease.” was, as always, a very im- shipmates’ memories their rooms, the first place This play, set in the 1950’s, portant part of the Pawcat- as well as some sad almost everyone headed brought back memories for uck reunion and was very news of the passing of was the hospitality room to some who grew up in that impressive. Special guests fellow crewmen. see who else had arrived. era and was greatly en- at the service were Mrs. • Read the letter to the It didn’t take long for the joyed by all. Ann Horton and her family, crew from Capt. Hey- storytelling and reminiscing On Monday morning the who attended in memory of worth, Jr.. It’s on pages to begin and for everyone tour to Mayport Naval Sta- her husband, Billy, who 6 & 7. to feel right at home. Soon tion had to be altered due died in March of this year. it was 5:00 PM and time for to unforeseen circum- They were regular atten- • 1952 Cruise Journal is the official kick-off of the stances. A windshield tour dees of the Pawcatuck re- on page 7 & 8. reunion—the Welcome of the base was made and (Continued on page 2) VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 PAWCATUCK PILOT PAGE 2 (Continued from page 1) always, this is the hardest part of the unions and so this was a very reunion, but everyone hopes to meet COORDINATOR’S touching service for everyone. The again next year in Little Rock, Arkan- remainder of the day was free to sas. Hope to see you there. COLUMN enjoy dinner at one of the local res- __________ Otherwise known as Willis’s taurants, to check out the entertain- Words of Wisdon ment options in Jacksonville, or to spend time in the hospitality room 2007 REUNION 06 June, 2007 with old friends. A tour to St. Augustine was on ATTENDEES Shipmates and Pawcatuck family the agenda for Tuesday morning. members, St. Augustine is the oldest Al & Joyce Alexander Hello again from sunny Arizona “continuously occupied” city in the Nicholas & Vivien Andrews and we are doing just fine. Jan U.S. The narrated tour gave all the Edmond & Christine Bernier and I are keeping busy. The store information about Henry Flagler and George Casey that Jan and another gal opened his three wives and the many build- Philip Cooke moved to a different location and ings he built, plus many interesting Jeff & Lynn Cowan business is much better. I stay facts and legends of the city. The Mike Culbertson busy going to six meetings a city is most famous, of course, for James & Linda Duross month and of course during the the Fountain of Youth, but there are Jim Fortune Memorial Day week kept busy tak- many more points of interest. Time Terry Futrall ing pictures. was allotted for some free time for Ted & Stella Guy Our 15th annual reunion was a shopping or taking in some of these David & Lola Hilton big success once again. We had interesting sites and to have lunch. Capt. Walter Honour seventy-four shipmates and wives, The tour returned to the hotel in Paul & Loretta Houston five from the Brass Quintet from time for the 3:30 PM business meet- Ralph & Elizabeth Jordan NAS Jacksonville and four mem- ing where David Willis was again Eugene & Irene Kelley bers of the Alan D. Nease High selected to serve as reunion coordi- Robert Klinefelter School Navy JROTC color guard to nator and Mark McPherson to co- John & Jean Kritschgau present the colors for our memorial chair with him. Several cities were Robert Lyeth service, Chaplin Wyrick from May- suggested and voted on for the Mark & Shirley McPherson port Naval Base and Ann Horton 2008 reunion, but Little Rock, AK Bruce Metz and family who came down from was chosen as the reunion site for Gordon & JoAnne Meyers Cumming, Ga. for our memorial next year. The pre-dinner cocktail John & Carol Mitchell service. hour and photo session began at Harold & Judy Morse At our reunion in Norfolk we 6:30 PM and gave a chance for Randy & Donna Mosley had seventy-four go out to see the anyone who had registered for the Roger & Janice Narkie ship, and we were honored to have banquet only to meet and greet the George & Mary Nunnery a trumpet player go with us to play others. At 7:30 PM the USS Paw- Dan & Tanya Phelps taps for our short memorial service catuck banquet commenced and Ralph & Janet Powell at the sight of our ship. We were everyone was welcomed to the af- Donald & Charlotte Prant just getting ready to start our me- fair by David Willis and Mark Howard & Margaret Reed morial service this year when Mark McPherson. After a delicious sea- Douglas Reid, Sr; Douglas Reid, Jr. McPherson looks at one of the food buffet, the group was enter- & Robert Randall Reid members of the quintet and says, tained by a slide show presented by Jimmy & Sheila Roden “I know you.” Here was the same Dave Hilton. Mr. Hilton had slides of Jerry Rooks trumpet player who had been in the adventures of USS Pawcatuck James & Margaret Roskoph Norfolk and had been transferred during the 1960s. It was a great James & Ruth Ann Salamanowitz to NAS Jacksonville. What a sur- show and brought back many Bruce & Julia Smith prise and he made this reunion memories to the former crew. It also Herbert & Jane Strickland very special. gave their guests a good depiction Robert Tomlin & Karen Marlowe Next year we will be going to of what life was like on the ship. Ted & Ruby Van Dyke Little Rock, AR. The dates should The Wednesday morning private David Willis be in this newsletter as I am writing breakfast brought an end to the re- Donald Wilson this before the dates have been union activities. This provided one confirmed. So let’s all meet next last chance for good byes, hand- Total Members: 42 year and again have another good shakes and hugs before everyone Guests: 30 time meeting new shipmates and began their departure for home. As GRAND TOTAL: 72 (Continued on page 3) VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 PAWCATUCK PILOT PAGE 3 their families. In Little Rock they mates in attendance, I am sure that rial in Washington, D.C. in memory have a old WWII submarine and a you all had a grand time. I ask that of our ship and those who served tug which was present on Dec. 7th, you search for your fellow ship- aboard her. I would encourage all 1941 when Pearl Harbor was at- mates that served with you during to assist in the great project. Our tacked. your time aboard our lady and en- shipmate Jim Fortune has agreed There is a very important article courage them to attend. to chair this project. When we in this news letter. We are going to To all those hands that assisted in have collected the required funds, raise money for a plaque to be the Memorial Service, I would like to and the plaque is ready to be in- placed at the Naval Memorial in say thank you. Without your help, stalled, it is our hope that we can Washington, DC. Please read the the full meaning of the service attend and assist in the installation article from shipmate Jim Fortune. would have been empty. and memorial service for our Your help will be appreciated to We were honored this year with plaque. raise the money for this worthy pro- the Chaplin from NS Mayport, who Finally, I would like to say ject and I hope you will give in delivered the address and con- THANK YOU for allowing me to memory of a family member, friend ducted our Memorial Service. Upon serve as your Assistant Coordina- or shipmate that you served with. the Chaplin’s arrival I had the tor and I look forward to seeing all To Mark McPherson, committee chance to spend a few minutes with shipmates during the 16th Reunion members and all who attended, I him, and one of the questions that in Little Rock, Arkansas.