USS Des Moines Reunion Association Officers President: Jim Chapman, 63 Daniel E Drive, Newcastle, WY 82701; Phone: 307-746-9188; Cell: 307-746-9188; E-mail: jimc378USMC@rtconnect.net. Vice-President: Barrett Ferguson, 8 Grizzly Bear Path, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-671-9907; befergie1939@aol.com. Secretary: Roy Lammey, Jr., 3093 Ben Davis Avenue, Lower Burrell, PA 15068-3434; Phone 724-335-3441; Cell 412-600-7207; E-mail: royjo@comcast.net. Treasurer: Art Weeks, Jr., 705 White Cedar Boulevard, Portsmouth, NH 03801; Phone 401-439-1660; E-mail: wlagw@icloud.com.

July 2016 Reunion

Shriner’s Hall has all the facilities we need, kitchen and bathroom facilities included. It has a large outside pavilion with plenty of seating. The pavilion may be open to the air or the walls of the pavilion may be lowered in the event we experience bad weather. Parking at the Hall is plentiful.

Directions to the Hall are set forth later in this newsletter, as well as are the camping and hotel facilities. The Hall is approximately 13 miles from the City of Mercer.

This year’s reunion will get underway on Wednesday evening, July 27, 2016, with pizza being served after 5 PM. On Thursday, July 28, 2016, will be registration, mingling and visiting. The normal, breakfast, lunch, and supper will be served. On Friday, July 29, 2016, will be the regular scheduled meeting of the USS Des Moines Reunion Association. The normal, breakfast, lunch, and supper will be served. Unfortunately, we are unable to have our goodbye breakfast on Saturday, July 30, 2016, as we do not have access to the facilities on Saturday. We will have to say our goodbyes for another year on Friday evening. A more comprehensive schedule of events will be in your registration packets.

The USS Des Moines 41ST Annual Reunion will be held on July 27, 28, and 29, 2016. The Reunion will be held at the Mercer County Shrine Club at 4201 Lamor Road, Hermitage, PA 16148. Whether or not the weather cooperates, there is pavilion coverage, inside toileting facilities, the food will, as always, be plentiful and delicious, and the company always great beyond measure.

Since our last USS Des Moines Newsletter, we learned that the following Shipmates passed away:

Alford C. Alfonso; B division; 1954-1957; died 11/04/2015 Nicholas Bohacs; 2nd Division; 1953; died 01/26/2016 Leslie Case; OI Division; 1958-1961; died 02/09/2016

Ronald P. Chervenok; H Division; 1853-1954; died 01/25/2016 Gordon V. Dadey; 5th Division; DOS Unknown; died 04/25/2015

Julian R. Dracon; X Division; 1957-1958; died 08/08/2015 Mario Fontana; DK3 Division; 1959-1961; died 04/18/2014

Melvin Frank; 1st Division; 1956-1959; died 09/04/2015 Richard A. Gabor; X Division; 1959-1961; died 08/06/2015

Darrell Miller; EX Division; 1957; died 03/02/2016 Robert Pierpoint; 3rd Division; 1952-1954; died 07/17/2015 Harold Ratka; FOX Division; 1955-1961; died 10/02/2015 Stanley B. Reed; B Division; 1958-1961; died 01/06/2016

Samuel Taylor; 2nd/OR Division; 1957-1961; died 12/11/2015 Ronnie G. Thompson; 7th Division; 1956-1960; died 01/16/2016

Ship Store Hat: blue with scrambled eggs (summer & winter)………………………….. $15.00 Hat: blue no scrambled eggs (summer & winter) ……………………………. $12.00

Hat: white no scrambled eggs ……………………………………………………. $12.00 Golf shirts with ship name & number (blue or white) ……………………… $20.00

Golf shirts w/pocket & Daisy Mae logo (blue or white) ……………………. $35.00 License Plate Frame (black with blue lettering) ……………………………… $10.00 Photo button (marine or navy) …………………………………………………… $ 2.00 Kneeling/seat pad ………………………………………………………………….. $ 5.00

Coffee mug …………………………………………………………………………… $ 5.00 Shipping as required by USPS

Make checks payable to: USS Des Moines CA-134

Send orders to: Roy Lammey, Jr., 3093 Ben Davis Avenue, Lower Burrell, PA 15068

If you know of an Association member or shipmate who has passed away or is ill,

please advise me via e-mail, phone, or letter so that he may be appropriately honored.

Old Recruiting Posters…

You will note on the reunion registration form in this newsletter that the cost to

attend this year’s reunion has been reduced. This reduction is because we do not

have use of the Shriner’s facilities on Sunday, July 31, 2016. Additionally, this

year we are now unable to provide the fireworks display. Accordingly, the cost to

attend the reunion has been reduced to $195/couple and $135/single.

With regard to the new site for the 41st USS DesMoines Reunion Association

reunion, we hope that all Shipmates, and their families, will consider attending.

New officers will be elected during this reunion, and participation is important

for the continuation of the reunions. We hope to see you there!

Special attention is to be given to the Press Release (set forth above) on the 50th

anniversary celebration in Ville France of ships leaving for Naples, Italy, ending a

long standing relationship with the people of France. This celebration is to honor

those Shipmates who were aboard the flagships of the 6th fleet from 1950 to 1967.

It has been requested that all who wish to attend will consider making the trip in

January 2017. All information and future updates can be found on our website at

ussdesmoines.com.

Insignia of USS Des Moines (CA-134) Plaque received in 1984, featuring an insignia used prior to 1961.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage

Command Photograph.

Catalog #: NH 102709-KN

If you plan to attend the U.S.S. Des Moines reunion this year, please complete the registration form below

and return the form to Roy Lammey, Jr. at 3093 Ben Davis Avenue, Lower Burrell, PA 15068 ON OR BEFORE JUNE 1ST. Food and drinks must be ordered and purchased in advance; therefore, an accurate attendance count is imperative. Accordingly, if you plan to attend, please complete the reservation form and send it to Roy. Our policy is that if you prepay and then are unable to attend the reunion, you payment will be refunded.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY! AREA HOTELS FILL UP QUICKLY!

HOTELS/MOTELS -- MERCER HOTELS/MOTELS -- HERMITAGE HOTELS/MOTELS – GROVE CITY

Mercer Motel 724-662-4250 Overnight Inn 724-981-3100 Ameri-House Inn 724-748-5836 Colonial Inn 724-662-5600 Fairway Inn 724-981-4421 Park Motel 724-458-8850 Comfort Inn 724-748-3030 Royal Inn 724-347-5546 Comfort Inn 724-748-1005

Collins Motel 724-981-6150 Super 8 Motel 724-748-3000

Holiday Inn Express 724-748-5514

AIRPORTS CAMPGROUNDS

Erie, PA Youngstown, OH RV Village, Mercer 724-662-4560

Cleveland, OH Pittsburgh, PA Rocky Springs, Mercer 724-662-4415

Mercer Grove City KOA 724-748-3160

USS Des Moines Reunion Reservation Form Please print all information requested below so that we may accurately document your attendance. Payment must be received by Roy Lammey on or before June 1st.

Make checks payable to: “U.S.S. Des Moines Reunion Association.”

Please mail this completed form with your check on or before June 1st to:

Roy Lammey, Jr., 3093 Ben Davis Avenue, Lower Burrell, PA 15068-3434 # of

persons

Total

Name: $195 per couple X couples = $

Address: $135 per single X singles = $

$25 per child under 18 X children = $

City: Children under 12 FREE children = $ FREE

State: Zip Code: Total number attending:

Phone: $25 Annual dues (if not yet paid): $

Area Code Phone Number Total amount due: $

e-mail:

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Name of Spouse: Reunion Amount Paid: $

Name of Guest #1: Check Number:

Name of Guest #2: Date Reunion Fee Paid:

Name of Guest #3: Amount of Dues Paid ($25/year): $

Name of Guest #4: Date Yearly Dues Paid:

Check Number:

U.S.S. DES MOINES REUNION INFORMATION 41st Reunion, July 27, 28, and 29, 2016

Below is a map from the Comfort Inn on Rt. 19 in Mercer to the

Mercer County Shrine Club.

From the Comfort Inn at Mercer, head north on US-19N/S Erie Street

toward Steingrabe Road (approx. 2.1 miles).

Turn left onto US-62 S/W Market Street and continue to follow US-62

S (approx. 8.8 miles).

Turn right onto North Neshannock Road (approx. 1 mile).

Turn left onto Lamor Road (approx. 1.9 miles). The Mercer County

Shrine Club will be on the right.

Mercer County Shrine Club, 4201 Lamor Road, Hermitage, PA 16148.

Know When To Change Course

Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days.

The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an

eye on all activities.

Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.”

“Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out.

The lookout replied, “Steady, captain.” Which meant it was on a dangerous collision course with their ship.

The captain then shouted to the signalman, “Signal the ship: We are on a collision course. Advise you to change your course 20 degrees.”

Back came a signal, “Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.”

In reply, the captain said, “Send: I’m a ship’s captain. Change your course 20 degrees now!”

“I’m a seaman second class,” came the reply. “You had better change your course 20 degrees, now!”

By that time, the captain was furious. He spit out a command. “Send: This is a battleship. Change your course immediately.”

Back came the flashing light’s reply. “This is a lighthouse! You change your course.”

The battleship changed course…

U.S

.S

. D

es M

oin

es

CA

-13

4

USS DES MOINES, VENICE, ITALY (Late 1950s)

May you always have fair winds and following seas!

Roy Lammey, Jr., Secretary

U.S.S. Des Moines Reunion Association

3093 Ben Davis Avenue Lower Burrell, PA 15068-3434