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May 2000

Operation Reunion - July 26-29, 2001 San Diego
The dates for the reunion have been finalized. We will all be getting together July 26,27,28 and 29 July, 2001 in beautiful San Diego, California! We did not get enough volunteers to plan everything ourselves so the event has been turned over to a reunion coordinator. Military Locator & Reunion Service, Inc of Hickory, NC will be taking care of the event including arranging for an excellent hotel, tours, a banquet and much more. We hope to have one or more of the Captains come to speak and some of the DE-635 crew in attendance - they are all invited!  Military Locator & Reunion Service has done many reunions and comes to us with ten years experience planning reunions. All you will need to do is arrange your own air transportation. Everything is going to be great!  However, there is one thing we need from all of you - your attendance. Please maker you calendars now and make plan to be there! 

In the very near future all those who've registered as on-line crew members will be receiving a letter and questionnaire from Military Locator & Reunion Service. Please complete the questionnaire and return it. If you have not registered, please go fill in the on line crew member form. You are not going to want to miss the USS England reunion!

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MARAD Fleet Reserve Visit
Dennis O'Brien
On May 25, 2000 I was invited to go with the Military Heritage Foundation, the group trying to save the USS Sterett as a museum for Eureka, Ca, to go to the Fleet Reserve in Suisun Bay, near Benicia, Ca. Of course I jumped at the chance! The folks from Military Heritage Foundation are some of the nicest people I've met and their interest and devotion to the USS Sterett project is wonderful. I cannot thank them enough for the opportunity to go to the Fleet Reserve. Theirs is an effort we can all support. the USS Sterett museum can also become the home for the history of all the CGs.

The CGs including USS England are all together in the Bay in row E but for USS Sterett who is in row K. I feared that I would not get close to England. Remarkably the boat mistakenly took us to the row E rrather than row K. The last time I had stood on USS England was on May 30, 1983. On May 25, 2000 I returned. Our ship is remarkably good condition but for some rust on her decks. The Navy has had her disabled so there is damage from the hammers and much of her equipment has been removed. She still has all of her beauty, sleek lines and grand stature.  The picture above shows the CGs in Suisun Bay while the picture at left shows me, Dennis O'Brien, on the port side door that is just forward of the amidships break. The door leads to the wardroom, wardroom galley and the ladder down to the mess deck.

I'll have more on this story after the pictures come back! I have video as well. Stand by! In the mean time please go to the USS Sterett CG-31 web site and learn more about the important project to save her.


USS England Forward Launcher on May 25, 2000


My flag flies on USS Sterett, May 25 2000

 

Operation Remember
Since the last newsletter a number of items and changes have taken place. Most of these can be seen on the USS England DE-635 site which was redesigned a bit. I was able to contact the late Lennie Bemmis' husband. She passed on in 1995. Her husband provided me with a large number of items only some of which have made it onto the web site.  We are a little behind on DLG/CG-22 additions as well so a lot of things are going to be added.  Look for much more to be placed on the web site in June.