| 1-4 May 2008 - Ramada North Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina |
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| U.S.S. Allen M. Sumner DD-692 | |||||||||
The
2008 Reunion - Reunion 20
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REMEMBER !
Hello Shipmates, Ladies & Friends.
Hello gang -- I'm happy to say that everyone had a great time and we ALL
survived Charleston, with many good memories of another great Sumner reunion.
Thursday evening was the first of
many highlites, when we had the unveiling & dedication ceremony of Old Glory
with all of Sumners' battle streamers. Each campaign that Sumner was in entitles
her to a battle streamer. The flag & all her streamers were donated to the
Sumner Association by Fred "Stores" Willshaw. Stores, we can't thank
you enough. "Bravo Zulu!" The flag w/streamers will grace our
reunion hospitality room forever more.
Friday was a day of sightseeing, and
I heard of many great times that our folks had out on their own.
Saturday
morning was a trip to Patriots Point and a Memorial Ceremony to be remembered.
Rebecca Smith, Margaret Bishop, and Horace Hardison, sisters & brother of
F1/c Charles Preston Hardison, KIA on board Sumner, were present. They took an
active part in our Ceremony. They received the wreath and laid it upon the
waters. One sister, addressed the assembly, as spokesperson for her siblings. A
very stirring Ceremony indeed!
Saturday afternoon was our Business
meeting, where the following Officers were elected - Prez, Charles McManus, 1st
Veep, Bob Kelly, 2nd Veep, Wes Ritchie, and 3 yr Director Frank Dibello. Two
Texans elected, and next year we go to Texas? How'd that happen? Sounds like a
conspiracy to me. Also at our meeting, it was voted on & passed as a standing
order, that ALL future Sumner Reunions will take place in the month of MAY,
forever more! As voted upon at the meeting, we donated $500 to the USS Laffey
Assn. to help with the upkeep of same, the only Sumner Class ship left in the
U.S. Also we donated a like amount to the VFW for the Unmet Needs Program, which
helps families of our deployed troops with necessary items they cannot afford.
Saturday evening was another great
banquet. To start the evenings' events, Chris Walz of the Ramada, unveiled a
beautiful picture of the Sumner, to be mounted in Tin Can Alley at the Ramada.
All shipmates present, signed it. Thank you Chris. The guest speaker was the
C.O. of the Weapons Station Charleston, Captain Bob Bennett. He was well
received, and he & Mrs. Bennett seemed to enjoy being with us. Thank you
Captain. Our awards ceremony was a great time as always. Dr. Eugene Frame
received his Patriotic American Award from the Skipper, with his shipmates
around him. Then, lo & behold, Elvis (in the person of Danny Sterling &
Co.) entertained us the rest of the evening. A superb job they did.
You missed a humdinger of a reunion. Don't let another one
slip by; join us next spring in San Antonio. Be there or be sorry!
Joe Gall
Thursday, Friday &
Saturday, May 1-3, 2008
Registration and the Hospitality Suite
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| I don't
think Dottie wants to be recognized! |
Free food, who said Free Food ! | Mary Moore taking a break | Some of the
gang were not allowed inside the hotel ! |
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| Our incoming
President, Charley McManus, celebrates another Birthday ! |
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| George
Aichele leads us in ceremony while Dave Robson and Dale Surber attend to
our flag |
The Honor Guard takes their places | Richard Blunt places the Asiatic-Pacific Streamer | Ed Eidt places the China Service Streamer |
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| Keith Van Doren places the Korean Service streamer | Bobby Moore
and Bruce Fulbright place the Armed Forces Expeditionary streamer |
Maurice Warren places the Vietnam Service streamer | Bob Haderer and Bob Kelly place the Meritorious Service streamer |
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| Presentation
Ceremony of the Sumner's Battle Streamers (Glen Burdett placed the American Theater streamer but we don't have a photo) A transcript of the ceremony appears at the bottom of this page |
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Thursday & Friday,
May 1-2, 2008
Touring the City and reliving Memories
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| A carriage
ride through old Charleston |
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| A boat ride
and tour of Fort Sumter |
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| The CSS Hunley | ||
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| Terry and Kiyoko attempt to get the Hunley underway | ||
0900 Saturday, May 3, 2008 -
The Memorial Service
Patriot's Point, Charleston, SC
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| The scene of
our Memorial Service, the USS Yorktown (CV-10) |
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| The Senior
Chief leads us in the Pledge of Allegiance |
"Long Winded" President Surber addresses the crew. | Chaplain Moore leads us in prayer | The Muster of the Fallen is taken |
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| Charles
Hardison's sister addresses the crew |
The "Skipper", Captain Laighton, addresses the crew | Remarks by
the Senior Chief on the meaning of the ceremony |
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| The Sumner
memorial wreath is passed by the crew accompanied by the playing of "Eternal
Father" |
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| Charley
Blackburn & Roy Beasley with Charles Preston Hardison's sisters |
Charles
Preston Hardison, F1c, USN USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) |
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| The memorial
wreath
is thrown into the ocean by Rebecca Smith, Margaret Bishop and Horace
Hardison in memory of their brother Charles Preston Hardison (F1c 44-45) who was
killed on January 6, 1945 when a kamikaze struck the Sumner |
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| Some of the crew enjoy the exhibits
aboard the Yorktown. Note that "Robby" crashed on takeoff. |
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| The USS Laffey (DD-724) The last Sumner Class "Can" left in the United States |
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| The President
in After Diesel |
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Robby enjoying a return to the Merry-Go-Round |
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| Some of the
"Snipes" remember the After Engine Room |
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| The After Crew's Head | The Ship's
Store - smokes for a buck ! |
The Barbershop | The Supply Office |
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| The Ship's Office is now a Chapel | Sick Bay | The Galley | Taking a
break on the pier |
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| Some of the
Ladies take a break while Captain Laighton contemplates taking us to sea |
A Snipe on the Signal Bridge! | The
DASH (Drone Anti Submarine Helicopter) QH-50c and it's hangar |
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| The "crew" who have been maintaining the Laffey deserve a big Bravo Zulu ! | Colonel Randolph remembers May 25, 1967 | The Signal Bridge and the MK25 Fire Control Radar | |
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| Out
on deck, what memories! |
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| The Captain's Sea Cabin | Interior passageways | Mounts
51 and 52 (Don't remember the bench?) |
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| The
famous Mess Decks and the Steam Line |
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| The hatch to the forward berthing compartment | Entrance to the Scullery | Sumner's version of Dinner China | IC Room and Gyro |
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| Ron Stair's home, the Galley | The steam kettles | The windlass | "M"
Division Berthing |
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| Inside a
5"/38 Mount |
Don't know
what that big round thing is? |
Bridge communications center | CIC |
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| Bob
trying to get the Ship's Store to open |
Amazing, they still fit into those tables! | The torpedo deck | Waiting for the Captain |
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| The Radio Room | The Webmaster's lounge | Captain
Willshaw and Captain Kelly take command............. |
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| Memories ! | The Oil King | Snipes on their first visit to the Main Deck | ||||||||||||||||
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| A few minutes aboard with the "Bubbleheads" | ||||||||||||||||||
1400 Saturday May 3, 2008 - The Annual
Business Meeting
Ramada North Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
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The Association had a smooth and
successful meeting this year! |
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| The Plank Owners | The 1940's Crew | The 1950's Crew | The early 1960's Crew |
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| The later 1960's Crew | The 1970's Crew | ||
1800 Saturday May 3, 2008 - The
Banquet/Awards Ceremony
Ramada North Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
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| The Sumner photograph signed by all the crew is
presented to Chris Walz for inclusion in Ramada's Hall of Fame "Tin Can
Alley." |
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All dressed up and ready for some
good food and a great Speaker. |
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| Dan Coli
presents Joe with the "Jesse Marney Award" for his 20 years of
service to our Association Bravo Zulu Joe ! |
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| President Surber brings us to order with another long winded speech | Captain
Bob Bennett, Commanding Officer of the Naval Weapons Station at
Charleston, held everyone's attention with his talk on what faces sailors
in today's Navy not only at the Weapons Station but in their deployments
to the Middle East. Many of us tried to sign up again but he had
forgotten to bring the enlistment forms, guess we will have to wait
until next year! |
Joe presents Captain Bennett and his wife with a token of our appreciation for his talk and friendship. May the Captain always have smooth seas and fair winds. | |||||
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| The "Skipper" introduces Captain Bennett | Dr. Gene
Frame tells us about a great new diet plan |
John Barry models the new Navy Dress Blue uniform | George Aichele wins the "Long Distance" award |
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| Maurice
& Tricia Warren receive the "First to Register" award I have no idea where Sugar was???? |
Gene Frame receives his "Patriotic American Medal," presented by the Skipper | Our Master-at-Arms and permanent Shore Patrol, John Barry, explains the Theory of Relativity | |
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| Dale receives an well earned award for his year of service as our President | The
ladies receive recognition for all their hard work |
The Plank Owners with the Ramada Plaque | |
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| A fun raffle
and then, you are not going to believe this....................... |
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ELVIS was in the room !!!! |
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Many thanks to Bernie & Vickie Armstrong, Chris Walz, and Maurice, Trish & Sugar Warren, Don & Jane Hayden, Jose & Faith Garcia, George Aichele, Bob & Gloria Kelly and David & Lee Robson for sharing their photos with us.
Sailing List
Joe & Dottie Gall (EM3 61-63)
George Aichele (SK2 66-69)
Richard & Elizabeth Blunt w/Pam & Lisa Hardy (EM2 44-45)
Larry Conely (TM2 61-63)
Bruce & Earlean Fulbright (SN 60-64)
Jose & Faith Garcia (BT2 65-68)
Bob & Karen Haderer (BT2 63-68)
Chuck Kaake (MM2 66-68)
Wes & Reigh Ritchie (MM3 59-63)
Dave & Lee Robson (SH3 66-70)
Len & Phoebe Skowron (F1c(EM) 44-46)
Keith & Lynne Van Doren (BT1 52-56)
Charles & Aleta Walters (MM2 61)
Maurice & Tricia Warren (EN3 66-68)
Ed Williams (MM3 58-61)
Ed & Joan Stephens (GMSN 62-64)
Bob & Gloria Kelly (EM3 68-71)
John Reader and Sue Claeys (SN 69-70)
Bobby & Mary Moore (MMC 61-69)
Pete & Rita Hart (BT3 65-67)
Don & Jane Hayden (TM3 61-62)
Darrell & Shirley Sigmon (BT2 52-56)
Earle & Elizabeth Hedenberg (EM1 68-71)
John & Judy Barry (DC2 65-69)
Steve Dzuranin, Sr. and Naomi Lucaric (S1c 45-46)
Don & Diane Valentine (SOG2 58-61)
Warren & Ginni Bagnatori (DC2 66-68)
Steve & Ellen Bishop (BT3 66-68)
Glen & Wanda Burdett (S2c 45-46)
Ted & Kandy Cooper (BT2 63-66)
Frank & Connie DiBello (RM3 66-68)
Frank Embrey (RM2 65-68)
Wayne & Wilma Fisher (MM2 59-62)
Jim & Karen Frederickson (ETN2 66-67)
Bill & Jocelyn Juzwiakowski (TM3 61-63)
Harold & Betty King (MMC 65)
Bob & Theda Laighton (CDR (CO) 70-71)
Mitchell & Margaret Malpass (MM2 63-67)
Charles Blackburn w/Tim Blackburn (SM2c 44-46)
Ed & Mary Eidt (FCSN 47-49)
Merlin Fenelon and Marian Miller (SM3c 45-46)
Howard & Judy Good (MM3 61-63)
Chris & Becky Johnson (SFP3 61-63)
Charley & Dicksie McManus (Y2 46-47)
John & Suzanne Barrett w/Shannon Barrett (BT2 65-68)
Roy & Edna Beasley (S1c 44-46)
Dennis Carroll w/Chris Carroll (LTJG 65-66)
Dan Coli (SN 66-69)
Dale Surber (EN2 68-71)
Paul & Meryl Delasco (IC2 61-63)
Earl & Jan Taylor (TM3 66-69)
Jack & Ann McCormack (FTA3 56-57)
Terry & Kiyoko Conaway (BT1 65-70)
Bernie & Vickie Armstrong with Jim & Elaine Armstrong (FN 68-70)
Paul & Lee Rosskamp (BT3 68-71)
Gerald Williamson (FN 69-71)
Frank Goetz (SHL3 66-68)
Bob Hibbert and Betty Garard (DK3 64-66)
Ronnie & Tommie Carol Randolph (1stLT/USAF 67)
Jim Poston with Brenda Stanley (SOG2 61-63)
Eugene Frame w/sons Gene & Tim (LT(MC) 44-45)
Vinnie Sodano and Elizabeth Mazurek (WT2c 44-46)
Barbara Stairs w/daughters Beverly Fowler & Debra
Landrum (Ron's wife - CS1 66-70)
Armand & Juanette Gumpert (IC3 59-61)
Joe Prichett (RM3 60-63)
Rebecca Smith, Margaret (& David) Bishop and Horace Hardison siblings of
Charles Hardison (F1c 44-45)
Fred Willshaw (SK1 67-69)
Transcript of the "Battle Streamer" Ceremony as presented by George Aichele
In January 1971 the United States Navy joined the other military services
in the use of battle streamers. Commenting on the meaning of the new streamers
displayed with the Navy flag, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, the Chief of Naval
Operations, said that "ships and men who performed so gallantly in the
American Revolution, at Tripoli, Lake Champlain, Manila Bay, on Atlantic convoy,
at Midway, Leyte, in Korea and in Vietnam will be honored and esteemed through
succeeding generations."
The Navy's 28 battle streamers span the period from the Revolutionary War to
Desert Storm. The Navy flies a single streamer for each campaign, war, or
theater of operations, with embroidered stars used for multiple campaigns or
operations. There are also three Unit Commendation streamers used by the Navy.
They carry a number rather than stars with the numeral indicating the number of
times that the respective award has been conferred upon the unit.
These battle streamers affixed to the flag of the United States are colorful
symbols and reminders of sacrifice, service and a proud heritage -- a tribute to
the men and women of the Navy, past and present, who have responded in America's
times of need.
The Navy therefore has 31 Streamers that honor service from the Revolution until this very day. Each service decides what it will honor and how, that is why you will see so many more streamers on the other armed forces branches such as the Army, who display more than 175. Let us begin now to honor the USS Allen M. Sumner.
Shipmate Burdett would you please place the first Sumner streamer to our Association Flag. It is the AMERICAN THEATER streamer which represents Sumner’s participation in convoy and antisubmarine operations in American coastal waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean areas during 1944 and 1945.
Shipmate Blunt would you please place the second Sumner streamer to our Association Flag. It is the ASIATIC PACIFIC THEATER streamer which represents Sumner’s participation in combat operations in the Philippine Islands during 1944 and 1945. There are two bronze stars on the streamer, the first indicating service in the liberation of Leyte which included the actions in Ormoc Bay. The second star indicates service in the liberation of Luzon which included the landings in Lingayen Gulf.
Shipmate Eidt would you please place the third Sumner streamer to our Association Flag. It is the CHINA SERVICE streamer and represents Sumner’s participation in operations around Tsingtao, China in an American show of force as Chinese Communists were attempting the overthrow of the Nationalist government.
Shipmate Van Doren would you please place the fourth Sumner streamer to our Association Flag. It is the KOREAN SERVICE streamer which represents Sumner’s participation in the United Nations attempts to control aggression by the forces of North Korea and the People’s Republic of China. The star represents service in the 1953 Summer-Fall campaign.
Shipmate Fulbright and Shipmate Moore would you please place the fifth Sumner streamer to our Association Flag. It is the ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY SERVICE streamer which represents peace keeping duties in which foreign armed opposition is encountered or hostile action is imminent. The first star represents Sumner’s participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The second star represents participation in the Dominican Republic Crisis of 1965.
Shipmate Warren would you please place the sixth Sumner streamer to our Association Flag. It is the VIETNAM SERVICE streamer which represents Sumner’s service during the United States assistance to the Republic of South Vietnam in order to control communist aggression by North Vietnam. The first star represents Sumner’s participation in Counteroffensive Operations Phase II from March to May 1967 including Operations Sea Dragon and Beau Charger, the second star for participation in Counteroffensive Operations Phase III from June to August 1967 including Operations Sea Dragon, Beacon Guide and Pershing.
Shipmate Haderer and Shipmate Kelly would you please place the seventh streamer to our Association Flag. This streamer indicates the awarding of the MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION to the USS Allen M. Sumner. The numeral two indicates that she won this award on two occasions. The first for Combat Operations during the Vietnam War from March 24 to August 1 1967. The second for the Sixth Fleet’s show of strength in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Jordanian Crisis.
Before you now is our Association Flag in “full dress,” a tribute to and memory of the over 5,000 men who served aboard our ship, the USS Allen M. Sumner. May God Bless America and the humble sailors before you.
Thank you.
