Shipmates,
In January, Tom and I signed the
contract for the reunion in September, so we're locked in for the Sept. 15-19
dates in San Diego.
However, there is not an event
reservation form included in this newsletter as we did not have the
transportation worked out for the dinner cruise or the ship's tour. The
"school" buses are very expensive in San Diego and Tom is still
working out the best deal for us.
So, in our next newsletter (in June)
the finalized registration form will be included. In the interim, we encourage
you to make your hotel reservation at the Holiday Inn - Bayside as soon as
possible. (See schedule of events page 4). No money is required, only a credit
card to hold the room.
Room reservations must be made and
guaranteed (for the 1st night) by August 23rd and individuals must identify
themselves as a member of the USS BROOKE reunion to receive the special room
rate of $99.
Other news is our upcoming Recon
mission to New Orleans in May. It's not too late to join us! We'll be staying
at the Clarion on Canal Street at a special rate of $62.00 May 6-10.
I've been in contact with the rep from
the USS BUCK Association and they've provided some great tips for our 2005
reunion in New Orleans. They recently had their reunion there and stayed at
the Maison St. Charles.
We'll be checking it out, along with
several others for the best price, location, amenities, etc. So if you wish to
join our research party make your hotel reservation and let me know as soon as
possible. We're making advance brunch and dinner reservations at The Court of
Two Sisters, Brennens and other famous restaurants in the Big Easy.
Now, about our membership:
Since February 1st we have gained 14
new members. Please see our membership list for the new additions. The
plankowners on the list I remember the most are Wes Feeler, cook and Brooke
cakemaker, and Jim Looker, famous for his at-sea haircuts!! Almost everyone
aboard had the opportunity to meet these plankowners on a daily basis.
These new additions brings our total
membership to just over 40. We have sent out an associate or honorary
membership to the widows of past crewmembers, Joe (Sena) Fornier, Robert
(Patty) McLaughlin and Ed (Rita)
Giblen.
I've been in continuous contact with
Nick Previti, CO of the RAMSEY Association, and he reports that their ship
membership has now passed the 100 mark. He thinks it's a great indicator for
us, and I agree. they formed their association just a year before us and we'll
soon be at the halfway point. When some of the members who attended the
Seattle Reunion send in their member apps. we should be over 60....(insert
reminder here).
The Ship's Store order form is
included in this issue in a reduced form. We'd like to keep the membership
informed of the BROOKE items available year 'round, not just at reunions. We
now have about 100 Brooke ballcaps, both DEG and FFG, and about 50 Brooke polo
shirts in all sizes. There's also an endless amount of videos available....
Well, that's about all for now....
Next newsletter will be around June 1st. Please call me or send me an e-mail
if you have any Brooke news or information for the next newsletter. Phone
numbers is on the back and my e-mail address is: TheHubbaHubba@aol.com
Steve Hunt
Secretary/Treasurer
**************************************************************************
Shipmates,
The second annual reunion of the USS Brooke DEG/FFG-1 Association is
fast coming upon us. I hope that many of you are making plans to join your
shipmates in San Diego, CA September 15-19, 2004.
We are planning many great events to make your stay in San Diego
memorable. We have a harbor dinner cruise, Hawaiian Luau, golf outing, ship
tour, and a reunion banquet scheduled. In addition there will be plenty of
time to see many of the wonderful sights that San Diego has to offer. For many
folks this will be the first time they have returned to Brookes’ homeport in
many years. I can tell you, as a resident of San Diego for almost 40 years, it
has certainly changed. The most dramatic change is the new city skyline. With
the addition of many new tall buildings and the Padres’ new ballpark, San
Diego looks little like the sleepy “Navy Town” of the sixties. And if you
will allow me just a little nostalgia…
As we pulled into the harbor back then, the QMs would shoot bearings on
local landmarks to navigate us safely through the channel as we proceeded to
32nd St. Naval Station. From Ballast Point, to the aero tower on
North Island we would see the County Administration Building along the
waterfront and “5 Stacks”, the old city power plant. Back then as we
approached Pier 1 or 2, one had a clear view all the way to Mexico. The
tallest building on the skyline was the El Cortez hotel and water taxis moved
about the harbor from the Fleet Landing to Coronado. Today, the power plant
with its five smoke stacks is long gone and the Coronado Bay Bridge has
replaced the water taxis, along with the unobstructed view to “TJ”.
When we went on liberty we would go out the front gate of the NAVSTA
and catch a bus or cab downtown. Most of us kept our “civvies” at places
like the Seven Seas or E-Street locker clubs. If we weren’t old enough to
grab a beer we spent many liberty hours going to the movies at such theatres
like the Balboa, California, or Spreckles. Back then most movie theatres had
balconies and each seat had an ashtray in the arm. When it was time to head
back to the ship we would catch a bus (by that time we didn’t have enough
money left to catch a cab) at Horton Plaza and be dropped off at the gate of
32nd St. After showing our ID and “Liberty Card” to the guard
in the shack (and how we hated digging that wallet out of our dress whites
because it made the pocket dirty as heck) we walked (staggered/stumbled?) back
to the brow to hit our racks. How we made it to quarters in the morning is
still a mystery to me. It had to be the resilience of youth because, at
quarters, we were already planning the evenings’ liberty. Just try to
imagine doing that today…
Well, it’s all gone now. The theatres, locker clubs and tattoo
parlors no longer exist, as we knew them. Horton Plaza is now a multi-level
shopping mall and what was once a “seedy” area of town is now the very
lively “Gaslamp District”, filled with restaurants, open air cafes and
shops, and of course, the new ballpark.
Yes, San Diego has changed but in a very positive way. It is a
beautiful, vibrant city and I believe you will enjoy the change. I hope all of
you will consider coming here in September and sharing the memories and
camaraderie that were made possible by our time on USS Brooke.
Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Tom Adametz
President
USS Brooke DEG/FFG-1 Association
**************************************************************************
U.S.S. Brooke DEG/FFG-1
2nd Association Reunion
September 15-19, 2004
Holiday Inn, San Diego
Bayside
Schedule of Events
Wednesday:
Hospitality Room: 1200-2200
Check-in for Reunion
Holiday Inn Hosted Reception: Poolside 1700-1800
Thursday:
Hospitality Room: 0800-1730
Dinner Cruise: Board 1900 at "Harbor Excursion"
downtown, foot of
Broadway at 1050 N. Harbor Drive.
Buses depart Holiday Inn at 1800
Underway at 1900. Debark 2200 and return to hotel
Friday:
Hospitality Room: 0800-1730
Golf: Admiral Baker Golf Course
Tee Times: 0800-0815 (subject to change)
FREE TIME DAY - Tour downtown waterfront. Hotel
provides courtesy
shuttle.....or Taxi it to the Zoo or
Balboa Park, Enjoy the day!
Luau, Poolside: 1800-2200 Hawaiian Food and
Entertainment
Saturday:
Hospitality Room: 0800-1730
Navy Ship Tour: One of our newest FFG's. Buses
depart Holiday Inn 0930
Return to hotel approximately 1200
Annual Meeting 1500-1600 (Hospitality Room)
Banquet: Cocktails 1800
Dinner 1900
Program follows
Sunday:
Hospitality Room: 0800-1200 Juice and pastries
Memorial Service 0900
Check-out and departures
Next year - New Orleans!
***********************************************************************************
January Meeting with
Holiday Inn Bayside
Items Discussed/Agreed Upon
1. Reunion will be held
September 15-19, 2004
2. Room rates will be $99
+tax
3. With 30 rooms we receive
the Bay Room as our Hospitality Room
4. With 35 rooms we receive a
suite for the president
5. One (1) hour complimentary
reception with goodies, beer, wine, well drinks (Wed. night)
6. Free 24 hour airport
shuttle
7. "Flex" shuttle
(when there are enough people wanting to go to Seaport Village, Old Town, and
Horton Plaza
8. Hospitality room is ours
for the four days, hotel opens and locks it for us, we can bring in our own
goodies, including beverages, and they will provide ice. (We will probably
need some volunteers to man the room while open)
9. We can bring in our own
cake at the banquet and they will cut it at no charge. The cake will be
considered "desert" and replace what they would have normally served
(hence, the no charge)
10. The hotel will provide a
military color guard for our banquet at no charge. We have the option to
invite the color guard for dinner on our dime but it is not required
11. All meals bought at the
hotel restaurant receive a "senior" discount for those over 55 (do
we have anyone under 55??) Maybe a few....
12. The Friday night Hawaiian
luau requires 25 minimum
13. A $400 banquet deposit
was required, which was paid at the meeting
***********************************************************************************
Our Membership is
growing!
Current Membership List:
Tom Adametz - STG 1965-1968
Steve Hunt - STG 1965-1968
Richard Witt - RM 1965-1967
Duane Schinn - BM 1965-1967
Jimmy Hanna - PN 1965-1968
Ron Roszkowski - OS
1984-1988
Ken Clayton - BT 1965-1967
B.J. Bjelland - SK
1971-1973
Jerry Wilkerson - GMM
1965-1968
E.J. "Buddy"
Harris - STG 1965-1968
John Limbaugh - STG
1965-1968
John Anamosa - Chief Eng.
1981-1983
Gene Shuttleworth - GMM
1964-1969
Roy Cook - Missile Off.
1965-1967
Bill Johnson - STG
1964-1970
Foster G. Dunlap - STG
1964-1967
Ed Wilson - HM 1982-1986
Larry Whitaker - STG
1966-1970
Terry Wolfe - Lt. 1964-1967
Del Turner - ASW Off.
1965-1967
David Allen - BM 1976-1978
Brian McQuillan - FTM
1981-1985
Ed (Rita) Giblen - SM
1965-1968
Donald (Gene) Franck - RM
1976-1979
Billy Morrow - Ops Off.
1964-1967
Scott Youngren - ET
1966-1968
Richard Blackington - First
XO 1964-1967
NEW MEMBERS SINCE FEB.
2004
Joe (Sina) Fornier
1964-1967
Robert (Patty) McLaughlin
STG 1964-1968
Wes Feeler CS 1965-1966
LeRoy Schultz RD 1967-1970
Bob Veach BM 1968-1970
James Walters GMM 1964-1967
David Kalaf STG 1965-1968
Jerry Hamling STG 1964-1967
John Burrows MM 1980-1981
Gary Banks EW 1977-1979
Jim Looker SH 1967-1969
Jerry Beckius FTM 1969-1971
George Columbo ET 1982-1985
Steve Vickers FTM 1964-1969
************************************************************************************
Membership List To Be
Published
Hopefully
by the next reunion we will publish an updated membership list with the snail
mail and e-mail addresses (if available) and phone numbers. Anyone not wishing
to share this information with Brooke members only then please drop a
line to our P.O. Box or call me at 1 (253) 471-7766. We will not pass along
our mailing list to ANYONE other than former Brooke members.
************************************************************************************
Sea Stories
Wanted..............
Have a favorite Sea Story
from the Brooke or other ship? We'd like to hear from you!
The
crew of a fast frigate (could've been the Brooke) was practicing the man
overboard drill with "Oscar". The captain watched as young
lieutenant nervously stopped the ship, turned it and maneuvered into place.
Unfortunately, he ran right over Oscar. Surveying the remains of Oscar
scattered around the ship, the captain told the lieutenant, "Son, do me a
favor. If I ever fall overboard, just drop anchor and I'll swim to you."
************************************************************************************
Holiday Inn Bayside
Reservations now being accepted!
*****
Call now for the special
reunion rate of $99 per night (+ tax)
Phone 1-800-662-8899
or
fax @ 1-619-224-3629
***
Just mention the Brooke
Reunion
Rates are good before and
after the reunion so come early and stay late!
************************************************************************************
************************************************************************************
************************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************************
Regular Membership dues to the Association
are $25 per year. Associate membership (no fee) is available for all surviving
spouses of Brooke Crewmembers.
Your current membership
expiration date is to the right of your name on the address label on the
newsletter. To continue "Port & Starboard" please remit your
dues payment in accordance with published dues schedule, payable to the USS
Brooke Association and mail to our Treasurer at the address below:
Steve Hunt
USS Brooke DEG/FFG-1
P.O. Box 1692
Tacoma, WA 98401
******************************************************
For more information please
visit our website @
www.USSBROOKE.org
