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August 2002

USS ENGLAND DE-635 REUNION AND YOU ARE INVITED!

This year the USS England DE-625 is having their reunion in San Francisco, California on  September 25, 26 and 27, 2002 at the Cathedral Hill Hotel.  They would very much like to meet some of the second USS England's officers and crew and I know a lot of you would like to meet these men and their families. In late May of 1944 the USS England DE-635 sunk six enemy submarines, a feat unsurpassed to this day. This is your chance to learn more from these men, see each other and enjoy San Francisco, the city where the first USS England was built and a port the second USS England visited many times. As i get more information, I will pass it on to all of you! For now this is all I know.

To attend the reunion you must do two things.

  1. You must make you own hotel arrangements at the Cathedral Hill Hotel by calling 800-622-0855. Ask for the "England Special Rate." Cathedral Hill Hotel offers 400 elegantly remodeled guest rooms each with balconies or city views overlooking the San Francisco skyline.

  2. Second, you must fill out a registration form and return it with payment for the banquet. The form can be opened by clicking here. You'll print this from, fill it out and return it with the appropriate funds to Mr. Dwight G. DeHaven, 9650 Davona Drive, San Ramon, CA 94583-3745.

Please also e-mail me if you'll be there (dennis@obriens.net). This would be a great Northern California Mini-Reunion! This would be a great chance for all of you to see San Francisco!

More Information:

  • Cathedral Hill Hotel, 1101 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94109, 888-LODGING

  • Airport Shuttles From San Francisco Airport

  • Airport Shuttles From Oakland Airport

    • Bay Shuttle 415-564-3400

  • Taxi

    • Yellow Cab 415-626-2345

    • Luxor Cab Co. 415-282-4141

    • Desoto Cab Co. 415-970-1399

    • Veteran's Cab 415-552-1300

  • Driving

    • From Marin County: Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, exit at Lombard. Follow Lombard to Van Ness Avenue, turn right. Proceed to the hotel, approximately 15 blocks, the hotel in between Post and Geary on the right.

    •  From the South: Take 101 North and follow the signs to toward the Civic Center. Take the Mission Street exit (after 9th Avenue Exit) and turn right at the end of the ramp on Mission. At the first traffic light turn left onto Van Ness Avenue. At Geary turn left and enter the first drive on the right.

    • From East Bay:  From the Bay Bridge (I-80), exit on the right side at 9th Street/Civic Center exit. At the signal, go straight ahead onto Harrison Street. Go one block on Harrison Street and turn right on 9th Street. Be in the left hand lanes of 9th Street. At Market Street, the left lanes will turn into Hayes Street. From Hayes, make a right onto Franklin Street, go up to Post Street and turn right. Turn Right into the ramp just before Van Ness Avenue and proceed to the front door of the hotel.

  • Map

ODDS AND ENDS
Al Di Pasquale writes, "Great job on the web site!  I regret having missed the last reunion, hopefully I'll be making the next one. One thing regarding the items that were just added to the web from Ray Smid.  The patches, the very first one at the top of the page was designed by me. I hand drew the idea on a piece of paper and had the patches made in the Philippines.  I then sold them on the mess deck.  Even money, I didn't profit from it. Thanks again for keeping the USS ENGLAND alive!!"

Bernie Morosco wrote to point out that in the September 26, 1985 POD recently placed on the site, he  was the sailor of the year and the Calligraphy on the top of the POD was his handiwork.

REUNION SURVEY
Last month I announced that a  survey about the San Diego Reunion and possible options for our reunion. To 90% of you this will not be mailed!! You'll have to download the survey here!!! The last page has a few easy questions and instructions for returning the survey. Print and mail today! The information will help ensure your input is considered as we make final plans for the reunion.

Click Here For the Survey!

The survey is in Portable Document Format (PDF). To view, download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. It is FREE!

PROJECT EASTER EGG UPDATE
Dennis O'Brien
As you know I am currently working to clean up our On Line Crew data. The USS England effort is not funded, there are no dues and the only way we can keep it manageable it to ensure the data, especially e-mail addresses we have, are all current.  We were missing about 170 e-mail addresses that have became invalid over the past year or two. We found a lot of these shipmates but we need to find them all! If you are getting e-mail updates, then it is very likely your data is up to date but you might know of a shipmate for whom we have incorrect data.  This is where you can help!

I have called nearly 100 of these people, spoke to some, left messages for many and had no luck with a few. Those free night and weekend cell phone minutes sure come in handy! The trouble is that some of our shipmates have moved or have not yet responded to my request. Please assist if you can by contacting your shipmates and getting them signed up for On-Line Crew today!!! We simply must find all over those who served on our ship! We do not want to lose anyone.

For more information, please go to:

  http://www.ussengland.net/cg22/urgent_news.htm

What should you do if you do not know anyone on that list? Find a shipmate! You served with hundreds, find one. Give him the ship’s web site, e-mail and my contact information. Get him on board!

HISTORY CORNER
Recently Ms. United States, Rachel Gage, opened the SS United States exhibit aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The Queen Mary and United States were ocean-going rivals. On July 7th 1952 United States took the speed record from the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary had held the north Atlantic speed record for 17 years, but with 170,000 horsepower she was no match for the United States’ 268,000 horsepower. After nearly 50 years, the SS United States still holds the north Atlantic westbound speed record!

SS United States is currently berthed at Pier 82 in Philadelphia. She is dying. As she rusts, on and off she has had her appointments auctioned off and her interior stripped for asbestos removal. The SS United States Foundation is working to save this ship and return her to New York. A worthy effort! Complete details can be found at: http://www.ssunitedstates.org and one can join the foundation for as little as $25.00 a year! You can also assist by writing a letter or two. Anything helps!