S.D. Registration Continues
Ahoy There!,
We're fast approaching our August deadline for the September reunion in San Diego. I know we'll have some stragglers in late August, but I hope it won't be more than two or three hundred. We have bus, cruise, dinner and tour reservations for all hands, and, as you know, it's difficult to figure if very many wait until the deadline
So, if you can't send in your reservation and deposits right away, then please make your hotel reservations in the next week or two. Reserving your room will help us with the head count and won't cost you a dime. Just a little time. thanks, in advance.
We'll be sending out one more newsletter, sometime late in August with the latest reunion updates and/or changes.
As Tom mentioned, we may be able to include the USS Midway in our schedule, if possible. their museum will have a Brooke model displayed, which I provided to our first XO, Richard Blackington, a few years ago. I didn't build it personally, but had a TMC build it for a nominal fee. By coincidence, his name was Tim Brookes and it took him about 100 hours to complete it. The model has great detail and even includes the aft torpedo tube hatches, which the original model did not.
This last week I finally got the Brooke mugs ordered. I had ordered them back in May, but found out last week that they never received the art work I sent. Works out even better for us now, as they were having a cup sale and we saved about a buck per mug. Also, I included our ship's emblem on one side and the name and ship's silhouette on the other. They'll be haze gray (what else) with black letters. In comparison, the Ramsey is selling their mugs at $10.00 each, with the same image on both sides, while ours will be in the $6 to $8 range with our emblem on one side.
Instead of our membership list in this newsletter, I'm supplying a little more nostalgia for all you who made our first Westpac. It's the POD from 22 April 1968 when Capt. Bruce Stone left and XO Barnes assumed command. If space permits in future newsletters, then I'll pass some more along. I've got lots.
Our membership is now at 47. Welcome aboard Gunners Mate Jose Broccomonte, ICMan Tony Precie and Sonar Tech Michael Garoutte. They've all indicated an affirmative for the San Diego reunion.
There are still a few, who helped organize our association, who have not officially joined. (You know who you are). So, we should be approaching the 75 mark by this coming reunion. I expect by then we'll be more solvent as an organization and the dues will be reduced. It's one of the items to be voted on at the First Anniversary of our Brooke Association.
Finally, a note about our annual raffle; Tom and I thought the raffle items should come from all parts of the country, to make it really interesting, eg: Alligator jerky from the South, Maple syrup from the Northeast, Big Butt beer from Wisconsin, etc. (Yes, there really is a Big Butt beer and also Moose Drool). So--let's make the raffle interesting and bring those unique items to the Reunion!
Lastly, I have just received some news on our ship's visit. The coordinator for San Diego, Clint Duncan, has scheduled our visit for Saturday at 1000, on the Aegis equipped Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS DECAUTER (DDG-73). The Saturday visit will move our annual association meeting from Saturday to Friday, Sept. 17th, at 0900 to 1200.
Guess that about does it for now. Please make your hotel reservations ASAP and plan on sending in your intentions/deposits sometime this month. After all, you really don't want to be one of the two or three hundred stragglers. Do You?
See you in 'Dago!
Steve Hunt
Secretary/Treasurer
USS BROOKE Association
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Shipmates,
I hope this finds all of you enjoying your summer and looking forward to our September reunion in San Diego. Our Association is growing daily and we are looking for a fine turnout at the annual gathering of Brooke crewmembers. We certainly have some fine events scheduled for the enjoyment of all those coming aboard. As of next week I will be able to find out what ship we are going to tour. Hopefully it will be a current FFG. There’s nothing like going aboard the current edition of our namesake. And, as if you were not aware of how old we are getting, many of the crew of the ship we will be touring weren’t even born when we put Brooke into commission. I think I just added a few more gray hairs!
I am awaiting word from the U.S.S. Midway Museum regarding bringing our folks aboard as a group. As soon as I find out I will get together with Steve Hunt and see where we can slip it into our schedule of events.
If you will allow me a few moments to recall the events that have brought us, crewmembers of Brooke, to this point as an Association and some of the more subtle “side effects” of being involved with such a fine organization.
It’s hard to believe that a simple lunch with two other crewmembers discussing the idea of getting together with a few other members of the “Brooke Gang” would grow into the organization we have today. We have grown remarkably in the past couple of years and hopefully many of you have experienced the “side benefits” of our Association.
By side benefits I mean making contact with fellow crewmembers and learning how there lives have faired over the years. I, for one, have had the pleasure of making contact and renewing friendships from years past. One prime example is Ed “Buddy” Harris (STG), who now resides in Vero Beach, Fla. Buddy and I spent many an hour on the fantail discussing our hopes and aspirations for the future. I had lost contact with him for almost 35 years when the Association brought us back together. It was absolutely wonderful to catch up on those missing years and find that our lives had been fairly successful. Over the past year or so I have been fortunate to talk with Richard Witt (RM) down in Georgia, Joe Broccomonte (GMG) in Arizona, and most recently, Mike Garoutte in Northern Calif.
At our last reunion in Seattle I had the pleasure of seeing John Limbaugh, Dave Kalaf, and Bill Johnson, all STGs from the original crew. And where we once talked about what we were going to do on liberty in Sasebo or Subic, we now shared stories about our children (and yes, grandchildren).
This is some of what our Association brings to us, a chance to renew old friendships and share in the camaraderie that was ours aboard Brooke.
I believe you will enjoy your time in San Diego beyond expectations. And I, along with other crewmembers who live in the San Diego area, will do our best to host a great event.
May the remainder of your summer be safe and I look forward to sharing a “sea story” with you in September.
Tom Adametz
President
USS Brooke DEG/FFG-1 Association
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Hotel Information Guide
Hotel Facilities:
Restaurant-
Point Loma Cafe
Transportation-
Complimentary Airport, Amtrak & Bus Terminal shuttle service
Parking-
Free open parking
Bottle Shop-
Gifts, Souvenirs, Sundries
Laundry Facilities
Complementary Daily Newspaper
Lounge- Bayside Bar
Open Daily 1400 to close
Sat. & Sun. 0900 to close
Business Center - 24 hours
Room Facilities:
Air Conditioning
Telephones (dataport)
Cable/HBO
Clock/Radio
refrigerators
Hairdryers
Irons & Ironing Boards
Coffee/Tea makers
Daily Maid Service
Room Service-
0600-2200 Sun.-Thurs.
0600-2300 Fri.-Sat.
Movies on Demand and Nintendo
Web TV
High-Speed Internet Access
Recreation:
On Premises-
Heated Pool & Jacuzzi
Exercise Room
9 Hole Putting Course
Shuffleboard
Outdoor Pool Table
Free Bike Rentals Available
Near By-
Waterfront Restaurant/Lounge (Complimentary Shuttle)
Beaches (2 miles)
Golf Courses (2 miles)
Tennis Courts (2 miles)
Walking/Jogging Paths and Sport Fishing (adjacent)
Area Restaurants
On Property:
Point Loma Cafe
Bayside Bar
Nearby:
Humphrey's on Shelter Island (Seafood, Continental) See Bellman for Complimentary Transportation
Within One Mile Walking:
Bali Hai (Polynesian)
Boll Weevil (Hamburgers)
Brigantine (Seafood)
Ciao Amore (Italian)
Hudson Bay Seafood (Seafood)
La Scala (Italian)
Miguel's (Mexican)
North China (Chinese)
Old Venice (Italian)
Pizza Nova (Gourmet Pizza)
Point Loma Seafood (Pasta)
Red Sails Inn (Seafood, Continental)
Umi Sushi (Japanese Cusine)
Within Three Miles:
Anthony's (Seafood)
Boat House (Seafood)
Ruben E. Lee (Seafood)
Ruth Chris' Steak House (Dinner Only)
Tom Ham's Light House (Steak, Seafood)
Within Five Miles:
Bandar (Persian)
Casa de Bandini (Mexican)
Fairouz Cafe & Gallery (Greek & Persian)
Filippi's (Pizza, Italian)
Harbor House (Seafood)
Kitima (Thai)
Peohe's (Pacific Rim)
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Holiday Inn Reservations
Payment and Cut-off date
An advance deposit or credit card guarantee for the first night's room and tax is due by August 23, 2004. Individuals must identify themselves as part of USS BROOKE at the time of making reservations in order to be eligible for the special group rate.
The hotel understands all reservations will be held on an individual basis. The block of rooms will continue to be held until the cut-off date of august 23, 2004. reservations received after August 23, 2004 will be provided on a space available basis. If the Group Rate is not available after the cut-off date, the prevailing rack rates will apply for reservations confirmed.
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POD from First Westpac
More to follow....
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USS BROOKE (DEG-1)
FPO SAN FRANCISCO 96601
PLAN OF THE DAY FOR MONDAY, 22 APRIL 1968
Carry out the daily routine underway as prescribed by Article 4402 of the Ship's Organization and Regulation Manual, except as modified below:
Sunrise: 0510 Duty MAA: FTM1 SNELL
Sunset: 1805 Duty Division: OC
0615 Sweepers. Cooks, mess cooks, compartment cleaners lay aft and dump trash.
0745 All hands to Quarters for muster and instruction.
0750 Officers Call.
0800 Turn to. Commence ship's work.
1115 Sweepers. Knock off ship's work.
1300 Turn to. Continue ship's work.
1630 Knock off ship's work.
1830 Cooks, mess cooks, compartment cleaners lay aft and dump trash.
1900 Eight o'clock reports.
NOTES:
1. To the men of USS BROOKE (DEG-1):
I pass command of the first and finest man o 'war afloat to an uncommonly able officer, a skilled seaman, a gentleman in the nicest sense and a trusted and valued friend. I relinquish my command of BROOKE and her company with unshakeable confidence that you will meet every challenge with purpose and resolve and that you will continue to merit the regard of excellence. My command of you in BROOKE has been the finest experience of my career. I am privileged to have been shipmates with the Navy's best. May God grant you a safe voyage home and speed you on with fair winds and a following sea.
B.G. STONE
2. All ship's standing orders, instructions and notices and all policies in effect during CDR B.G. STONE's tenure in command will remain in effect unless specifically modified or cancelled by Captain WILLIAMS.
3. BROOKE is enroute Hong Kong. Distance from Yokosuka to Hong Kong is 1663 nautical miles. Arrival in Hong Kong will be 0800, 25 April 1968.
F.J. BARNES, III
Executive Officer
* Note: All the crewmembers' beards left with Capt. Stone
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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
Golf: Admiral Baker Field
Tee Times: 0930. $28 fee includes Cart.
Dinner Cruise: The Hornblower at "Harbor Excursion" downtown, foot of
Broadway at 1050 N. Harbor Drive. Live Entertainment!
Buses depart Holiday Inn at 1800
Buses return to Hotel at 2200
Friday: Hospitality Room: 0800-1730
Annual Meeting 0900-1200 (Approx.)
Afternoon FREE TIME - Tour downtown and/or the
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 DDG's. Buses
depart Holiday Inn @ 0930. Possible lunch stop.
Return to hotel approximately 1300
Banquet: Cocktails 1800
Dinner 1900
Program follows
Sunday: Hospitality Room: 0800-1200 Juice and pastries
Memorial Service 0900
Check-out and departures
August 2005 - New Orleans!
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Menu Choices
Dinner Cruise
Dinner #1
Duet: Grilled Top Sirloin and Roasted Chicken Breast (sirloin in a Veal Demi Glace & Chicken in a white wine veloute)
Dinner #2
Portbello Mushroom En Croute finished in a Lemon Butter Sauce.
All entrees served with a Classic Caesar Salad, Fresh Baked Warm Rolls, Colorful Jasmine Rice Blend with Indian Grains and Fresh Seasonal Vegetables. White Chocolate and Rasberry New York Style cheesecake for dessert. Complimentary boarding glass of Champagne
Hawaiian Luau Buffet
Watermelon Boat with Fresh Tropical Fruit, Pineapple Coleslaw, Sliced Roast Pork Loin in Papaya Sauce, Stir Fried Cashew Chicken or Teriyaki Chicken, Mahi Mahi with toasted Coconut and Kiwi Sauce, Steamed white rice, Fried Rice, Stir Fried Vegetables, Hawaiian Sweet Bread, Pineapple Upside down Cake and Lemon Coconut Cake, Coffee, Tea, Passion Fruit Iced Tea and milk. Dessert - Kahulua Nut Krunch and more............
Saturday Night Banqauet
Selection of one each
FRESH SALMON
with one of the below sauces:
Cucumber Dill Sauce or Lemon Butter Sauce or Scampi Sauce (TBD)
BEEF BOURGUIGNON
Top Sirloin sautéed with Mushrooms, topped with a Burgundy Sauce and served over a bed of Fettuccini
CHICKEN CAPELLINI
Tender pieces of Breast of Chicken cooked with Sun-dried tomatoes. Capers, Wild Mushrooms and Peas over Angel Hair Pasta and a light wine sauce
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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 HuntUSS Brooke DEG/FFG-1
P.O. Box 1692
Tacoma, WA 98401
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For more information please visit our website @
