USS Orion (AS-18) Veterans Historical Organization APRIL 2007 home.comcast.net/~orionvets/ VOLUME 19 NUMBER 2 Reunion Switched to Norfolk, October 10-13 For the reasons noted in the col- Problems in Charleston umn to the left, this year’s reunion Prompted Change will be held October 10-13 in Nor- folk at the Hilton Norfolk Airport Hi Shipmates, Hotel, 1500 N. Military Highway. I hope all is well with every- If you will be flying in, the hotel one, and you’re staying happy and provides a courtesy bus for trans- healthy. Those of us that attended portation from the airport to the last year’s reunion in Springfield hotel. will remember that we voted on the As voted at last year’s reunion, reunion site for this year to be host will be Tom Pieper assisted by Charleston, S.C. We also voted a Glenn Helbert and Dick Sager. Hilton Norfolk Airport Hotel back-up site of Norfolk, Va., in Here is a brief rundown on the case we had a problem with schedule (more details on pages 6 included, and are at the discretion of Charleston; well, problems did and 7): the individual. arise and so we had to shift the re- The hospitality room will be There will also be an optional Do union to Norfolk. open Tuesday afternoon and eve- Your Own Tours available on Tues- I tried real hard and long to ning, and each day after the tours. day and Saturday afternoon. More come up with a hotel and the dates This year we will be trying a differ- information will be available in the we had planned on, but to no avail. ent format for operating the hospi- hospitality room as early as Tuesday It seems that Charleston is a real tality room: It will be more or less a noon or by e-mailing Tom Pieper: popular place for reunions, and the serve-yourself operation. As part of [email protected] months of September and October your package, you will receive $10 Saturday morning’s agenda will are times most reunions take place. worth of hospitality room tickets to begin at 8 a.m. with a breakfast buf- You have to reserve hotel space at use at the bar. You may purchase fet (included in the registration fee) least a year in advance if you want more and will be reimbursed for followed by our annual business your reunion in Sept. or Oct. those you don’t use. meeting at 9:30. This is the year we The hotels that did have space Tours begin Wednesday morn- elect officers for the next three years. for us were cost preventative. If ing and include: Saturday evening festivities will you don’t mind paying over start at 7 p.m. with the banquet — $100.00 per night for Sunday thru Wednesday: Waterfront tour, choose between Filet Mignon or Sea- Thursday, and over $125.00 per visit Nauticus, the battleship Wis- food Norfolk. Music and dancing will night for Friday and Saturday consin and the Naval Station. begin around 9 p.m. and during the night, then we could have found Lunch at the Naval Station is in- evening we will have the raffle (don’t space “at the inn.” I knew that most cluded. $40 per person. forget to bring something). of us could not afford those prices, Thursday: Tour Colonial Wil- * * * so I started my search in Norfolk liamsburg and Jamestown Settle- Reservations MUST be in by and found friendly prices there. ment. A box lunch is included. $65 September 9 It was brought to my attention per person. that at the last reunion, it was voted * * * that if the reunion was moved to Friday: Memorial service at St. Boarding times will be fifteen Norfolk, Tom Pieper would be the Paul’s Church, then board the Spirit minutes prior to listed departure host. I turned over all the contact of Norfolk for a cruise around the times in front of the Hilton Norfolk info I had accumulated at that point harbor (includes lunch), followed Airport. to Tom, and now Tom will be your by a visit to the MacArthur Memo- host for the “Norfolk” reunion. rial. $60 per person. Please give Tom all your support The package prices include: Mo- Dusty . 4 and help so that we can have an- tor coach transportation, tour guide Letters . .2-3 other great, successful, and fun service, admissions as listed, meals Taps . .5 time. — Chuck Burgio as listed, taxes and gratuities. Gra- Reunion News . 6 - 7 tuities for guide and driver are not PAGE 2 APRIL 2007 THE SCUTTLEBUTT Letters Just received the December 2006 Scuttlebutt and although I normally do not consider myself all that sentimental about things, when I saw the Orion USS Orion (AS-18) Veterans pictures and article about her demise I felt a real sense of loss. It’s funny how Historical Organization something like a copy of Scuttlebutt can take you right back to where you were in 1966. It's really a sad thing to see, particularly when what you are see- Jack Dulaney ing reminds you of how temporary your life and everything associated with President that life is. Right now I feel really sad and really old. 760 E. Greene St. — Jeff Cook, RMSN aboard Orion, 1966 Waynesburg, PA 15370 * * * (724) 627-7797 The copies of the Scuttlebutt conjured up all kinds of emotions while read- John Klena ing them. I had some real belly laughs reading Bob Armstrong’s articles. After Vice President the second one, I finally looked to see who wrote them, and I wondered if it 5629 Holly Ave. was the same Bob Armstrong that I remembered, and then I saw the letter Harvey Cedars, NJ 08008 from Ted Anthony saying that he served on the Requin with Bob, and I knew (609) 361-7787 it had to be him e-mail: [email protected] The article by Robert Pritchard about arriving on the Orion a boy, and de- Dave Peckinpaugh parting a man really hit home! That was my situation exactly, and I remember Secretary/Treasurer it vividly to this day. I also was on board for the yard trip, and the Guan- 4300 E. Maple Manor Pkwy. tanamo Bay trip that followed. Turns out he lives just a couple of miles from Muncie, IN 47302 where I was born and raised. I intend to give him a shout as well. (765) 284-1746 — Art Mager, 60-61, PC3, X Div., Post Office e-mail: [email protected] * * * Ron “Dusty” Rodes I enjoyed the picture of the “Disbursing Office Gang in 1958” in the De- Chaplain cember 2006 issue, page 10. I could have been in the picture except that I 92 S. Heather Dr. spent the time of Operation Springboard in the hospital. Nampa, ID 83651 I don’t recognize some of the names of the men, however, I do remember (208) 466-5312 Frank Carson, Buford Austin and Don LaFrance who apparently sent you the e-mail: [email protected] picture. I also remember Pat Gambino and Charlie Byrd. Chief Reed (I think) Storekeeper was with us at the time. Mr. Sabec – an Academy man – relieved A.K. Larry Snyder Draught sometime before the picture was taken. 308 Oak St. Not mentioned is the name of Bart Pacofsky – the smartest DK that I ever Rowley, IA 52329 knew . did the work of two men during busy times . always a Gentleman Phone: (319) 938-2852 and made Chief in six years! e-mail: I have many pleasant memories of the time spent on Orion, that will stay [email protected] for the rest of my life. Past Presidents — Don McInnis, 51-53, DK3 George Waibel Duane Conger John Klena Editors: Dave and Mary Peckinpaugh 4300 E. Maple Manor Pkwy. Muncie, IN 47302 (765) 284-1746 e-mail: [email protected] Found this old pic- The Scuttlebutt is published in ture in some old stuff I April, August and December by the been going through, USS Orion (AS-18) Veterans Historical was cut from the Organization Inc., a non-profit organi- Orion's paper. Can’t zation, and has no official affiliation make out the faces, with the U.S. Navy. but I remember being Pictures and written articles are con- the one in the bow. It tributed by members and depict activi- was when we were at ties of the USS Orion, its crew mem- Saipan. bers, or persons affiliated with the USS —Charles Fidler, Orion (AS-18). 44-46, TM3 THE SCUTTLEBUTT APRIL 2007 PAGE 3 Mystery Stick A recent issue of the Scuttlebutt jogged my memory to send you a copy of a picture I have. It is the USS Scorpion (God rest the souls of all those on board). It shows an R-5 division radiological controls monitor (not me) tending a discharge of radioactive reac- tor coolant water to the holding tanks on Orion. That’s what I did while on board. That hose could only take tem- peratures up to a certain level and then the watch would stop the discharge until it cooled. The picture was taken from the main deck of Orion. Notice the wooden sail strapped to the rail. I guess it was there in the event we ever lost power at sea. They could rig up an old-school sail and get somewhere. I never saw it used as long as I was on her. This was taken sometime in 1968 I think, maybe a year earlier. It’s a damn shame what’s become of home for a cou- ple of years of my life.