Volume 71, Issue 1 • May 2013 “Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast” Newsletter of the U.S.S. Houston CA-30 Survivors Association and Next Generations REUNION 2013 Now Hear This! Commemorates 71st Anniversary of Association Address: c/o John Schwarz, Exec. Dir. USS Houston CA-30’s Loss 2500 Clarendon Blvd., Apt. 121 Arlington, VA 22201 Association Phone Number: 703‐867‐0142 Address for Tax Deductible Contributions: USS Houston Survivors Assoc. c/o Pam Foster, Treasurer 370 Lilac Lane, Lincoln, CA 95648 (please specify which fund – General or Scholarship) Association Email Contact: [email protected] Association Founded 1946: by Otto and Trudy Schwarz Survivors Bill Ingram and Howard Brooks present wreath to Sea Cadet to lay at the monument on behalf of all survivors in memory of the crew. In This Issue… . Reunion 2013 / 1, 4‐6 . Memorial Service / 2‐3 In This Issue…cont. “Every Day is a Holiday” / 6 . Scholarship Update / 19 . Desk of Executive Director / 7 . CL‐81 & CA‐30 Reunion / 19 . Australian Ambassador’s Visit / 8 . Scholarship Winners / 20‐21 . Original Decking Piece / 9 . Crew Spotlight / 22‐23 . Houston Maritime Museum / 10 st . Luther Prunty’s 101 / 23 . In Memoriam / 11‐13 . Sales Items / 24 . Capt. Hec Waller / 13 . Board of Managers / 25 . HMAS Yarra / 13 . Welcome Aboard / 25 . ANZAC Day / 14 . Membership / 25 HMAS Perth Memorials / 15 . Association Websites / 25 . POWs in Japan / 16 . Mail Bag / 26 . New Books / 17‐18 . Financial Report / 26 . Memorial Day / 17 . Thanks to Donors / 26 Teresa Reilly, Eunell Weissinger, and Trudy . RAN White Ensign / 18 . Masthead / 26 Schwarz present wreath to lay at the monument on behalf of all spouses in memory of the crew. USS Houston CA-30 2013 Memorial Service This year’s service in Houston on March 16, 2013, was a beautiful time of memories, and we were honored again by the participation of our many distinguished guests. Representatives of Australia, Great Britain, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Naval Order of the US, the US Marine Corps, and the City of Houston all participated as speakers, and the USS Houston CA‐30 family thanks each one for their outstanding contribution to our annual event. Speakers Australia United States Commodore Stephen McDowall, Cmdr. James B. Sterling, III, USN (Ret.) DSM, CSM, RAN, Naval Attaché Naval Order of the US, Texas Commandery Embassy of Australia, Washington, DC United States Great Britain Mr. Andrew Millar Captain Ryan Shaw Her Majesty’s Consul General United States Marine Corps Houston, Texas The Netherlands City of Houston Mr. Geert Visser Mr. E. A. “Buddy” Grantham, Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Director, Office of Veterans’ Affairs Houston, Texas Page 2 VIPs (Very Important Participants) Our Association is also grateful for the many people who volunteered their time and talents in various ways to make this year’s Memorial Service so very special. Every person is appreciated. However, we will highlight here a few who participated in special ways. Randal K. Potter, LT, CHC, Ms. Nana Booker United States Navy: Honorary Australian Consul in Invocation, Benediction Houston: Assisted in laying wreath Mr. Matt Rejmaniak: Mr. Tom Vandeveer: Led in singing the Led in reciting the Pledge of National Anthem and “God Allegiance Bless America” Marine Rifle Detail: US Naval Sea Cadets: Marine Corps League Assisted with Wreath‐laying McLemore Detachment #324 Mr. Donald M. Kehn, Jr. USS Houston CA‐30 Survivors US Naval Sea Cadets: Association: Color Guard Historian, Guest Recognition Captain Carter Conlin Past Commander General, Naval Order of the US: The Invincible Eagles Band Led the Navy Hymn CMDR James B. Sterling, III, USN (Ret.), Director Mrs. Pam Foster USS Houston Survivors Association Treasurer: Survivor Mr. John K. Schwarz and Guest Recognition Executive Director, USS Houston CA‐30 Survivors Association: Mr. Tim Joseph: Emcee Photographer THANKS to everyone who participated! Page 3 REUNION 2013 By Marlene McCain 2013 USS HOUSTON CA‐30 Reunion! Some were It was also such a pleasure to have with us John there for the first time; some had come many Waller, son of Captain Hector Waller, HMAS times before. All who attended experienced Perth, of Australia; two other WW II Pacific what it is to be a part of the wonderful HOUSTON family! By early afternoon on Thursday, March 14, people began arriving at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, greeting each other with handshakes and hugs. Our group was a little smaller this year with about 40 registrations, but those who John Waller Marion “Elly” Ellsworth attended were so happy to be there. Our venue Theater veterans ‐ Marion (Elly) Ellsworth, who this year was the Regency ballroom, a spacious served on the destroyer USS Stewart and Clifton room that allowed for our hospitality, display Woltz who served on USS Slater (DE‐766), and “store” space all in the same room with tables for our programs and meals. It was a very good fit. We were privileged to have 3 of our survivors attend this year – Howard Brooks with wife, Commodore Stephen and Janelle McDowall Silvia; Basil Bunyard, accompanied by his Howard and Silvia Brooks Commodore Stephen McDowall, Naval Attache’ for the Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C. grandson‐in‐law, Anthony Odom, who attended with his wife Janelle; and Jane and great‐grandson, Boyd; and Kraina, contributor to the Quan newsletter and Bill Ingram. coordinator of the American Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor Museum in Wellsburg, WV. Jane’s husband, Michael, attended with her. Bill Ingram The Scholarship Committee met in late afternoon on Thursday, and then, ready for some fun, a Also attending for large group of 18 hiked or rode the Hyatt Shuttle all or part of the to a wonderful downtown Italian restaurant for reunion were dinner and great conversation. Not yet ready to Michael Reilly, Laura Reilly,and surviving spouses, call it an evening, we gravitated to the Regency Linda Swick Teresa Reilly with room again for a time. daughter Linda Swick, son Michael, and granddaughter Laura Reilly; Trudy Schwarz and son Friday morning, March 15, found many of us back in John; and Eunell Weissinger. the Regency room for coffee and breakfast snacks, Page 4 followed by the annual Member Meeting at evening for introductions because this year there 10:00 am. Jo Klenk was elected to serve on the were two Internal Scholarship winners. Laura Board of Managers for another three‐year term. Reilly, granddaughter of John and Teresa Reilly, spoke to us and shared her winning essay. The Promptly at 12:45 pm, we departed the hotel on second winner, Maggie Tuttle, was not able to a Harris County bus for the University of Houston attend but she was represented by two from her Library. It was a beautiful Texas day with family – Maggie is the great niece of Howard sunshine, flowering trees in bloom, and a warm, Brooks, and she says that her Uncle Howard was light breeze. As always, Julie Grob welcomed us, always her favorite relative! (For more on the and then she gave us information about a scholarship winners, see pages 20 and 21.) wonderful new find. While processing the items donated by the Preston R. Clark family, a “pay The evening concluded with a special book” had been found that was kept by Ensign presentation – a documentary by Theresa Loong Clark while at Bicycle Camp in Java. The men entitled “Every Day is a Holiday” about her father, were required to sign when they received their a Chinese Malayan, who had been a “pay” there, and all of us were thrilled to see the POW in Japan. It was the moving signatures of our loved ones. No one had known story of his survival in the camps, his of the book’s existence until the week prior to immigration to the United States, and his struggle to become a citizen. In spite of hardships and a long, slow path to citizenship, he maintained an Theresa Loong upbeat attitude and felt that every day as a free man in the USA was a holiday. (For more on this story, see page 6.) Outside cover and inside page of the “Pay Book” Saturday morning, March 16, dawned sunny and this year’s Reunion! Julie also told us that warm with a light breeze, the gift of a perfect day Admiral Bob Fulton’s papers were being scanned for our Memorial Service! We into the collection and would soon be available met in the Regency room for a for research purposes. What a treasure! (Editor’s 10:30 am brunch and an excellent note: the “Lt. Robert B. Fulton USS Houston presentation by Niels Aalund, Letters” are now available and can be accessed at Chairman, and Heather Schiappa, http://digital.lib.uh.edu/cdm4/about_collection. Director of Operations, of the php?CISOROOT=/fulton. At age 102 and living Houston Maritime Museum. This is an exciting, near Memphis, TN, Admiral Fulton is himself still new museum venue which presents the a fount of information and appreciated by all opportunity for many more of our donated who know him.) Everyone enjoyed seeing the treasures to be constantly on view. Cruiser Houston Collection again this year and the reception refreshments provided for us were The 71st Anniversary much appreciated. Memorial Service was held in Sam Houston Park at The Friday evening program was especially nice. 2:00 pm. We were very After a wonderful dinner, Jane Matthews gratified to be able to introduced Robert Sutherland, this year’s winner have our service at the of the Naval Academy Scholarship. It was an Park as usual. Some updating construction, which had begun last October and was part of an Page 5 ongoing master plan project, made holding the (Feb.