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USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association
Newsletter July 2013
Jene Cain, Editor – Jim Durough, Assistant Editor
This Newsletter Sent to 1015 Former Crew Members, Families & Guests
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras • WWII • Korea • Vietnam • Copyright © 2002 - 2013
http://www.dd596.com
Sam’s Town, the place to be in
October!
By Carol Blann
Going to Las Vegas can be a great trip regardless of
where you stay, but having our Reunion at Sam’s
Town gives us such variety and built-in fun, you may
never leave the hotel! There is a real attraction to
finding so much to do right outside your hotel room
door, and I want to give you a quick breakdown of
what is awaiting you just a few footsteps away.
Dining It’s great to have choices when it comes to
food. Some of us eat breakfast and some don’t.
Some like to snack, or grab a coffee and find a quiet
place to sit or read. And, we want some place
different for lunch. Variety is not only the spice of
life it is the norm at Sam’s Town. Billy Bob’s
Steak House boasts the West’s biggest and best
steaks. Willy and Jose’s Cantina has all your
favorite South of the border food and drinks. The
Firelight Buffet highlights its rotisserie specialties.
T.G.I. Friday’s has hearty meals in a fun
atmosphere. McDonalds is, well, McDonalds.
SBARRO is Italian with speed. Panda Express
insists it has Gourmet Chinese food. Subway says it
can give you a huge sandwich and still keep you
thin. Calamity Jane’s is an old fashioned ice cream
parlor. Sports Deli serves up fresh deli and
football. And, Dunkin’ Donuts will just be our little
secret.
Shopping For necessities or gifts you have several
choices. Shepler’s Western Wear has the best in
Western clothes and accessories. Bogart’s
Leather has everything from apparel to luggage,
and all of it leather. The Logo Shop is for sundries
(like an aspirin the morning after), and souvenirs .
And Gatsby’s Salon can give you a haircut or sell
you beauty supplies. If all else fails, Walmart is
across the street.
Entertainment For typical Las Vegas shows, visit
Sam’s Town Live. Adjacent to the casino, Roxy’s
has live lounge shows. Century 18 has the latest
hit movies with 18 screens. Bowling The bowling
center has 56 lanes and is open 24 hours. Mystic
Falls is at the heart of Sam’s Town in the Atrium and
has tree-lined paths, babbling brooks, and a
magic water fall. Last but not least, there’s the
Outdoor Pool.
How can you resist? Come join us to see old
friends, and meet new ones, and enjoy this
great resort.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING The Annual Meeting of the USS SHIELDS DD-­‐596 Reunion Association Will be held at 9:00am October 9th, 2013 at Sam’s Town, 5111 Boulder Hwy, Las Vegas, NV For the conduct of business and election of the Board of Directors Room to be announced President’s Column
By Jack Blann
Our association has been fortunate to have shipmates
step forward to serve in various capacities as the
need arises. Most recently Jim Sewell has been our
Vice President and has played a very important role in
our reunion activities starting with our meeting in
Silverdale (2009). Jim has also had valuable input in
other Board matters during his time of service. He
recently has found it necessary to step down. Jim,
we thank you for your service and wish you the best.
The USS SHIELDS Reunion Association cannot
function without the involvement of its members. We
have been fortunate for the commitment and service
of those who have stepped forward over the last 10
years that has allowed us to produce a quarterly
newsletter, maintain a ship’s contact list and hold
annual reunions. We ask for annual contributions
from our shipmates and enough of you step forward
so we can serve all shipmates.
In order to keep functioning, our association needs
more participation from YOU, our members. We need
volunteers to serve on the Board; we need YOU to
make more of an effort to attend our reunion
gatherings and we need you to support our newsletter
by submitting articles and sea stories to Jene.
It’s your association.
Are you willing to help?
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
Page 2
Board Members Contact Info.
Eldest Living Shipmates
Jack Blann, LTJG, 61-63
President, Memorabilia Keeper
1008 N. Beeline Hwy
Payson, AZ 85541-7312
Ph: 928-308-4850
E-mail: jblann39@hotmail.com
Below is a list prepared by Jim Durough of the 10 eldest living officers
and enlisted shipmates. If Jim missed you, please
contact him with your birth date.
Board Position Open
Looking for Candidates
If you would like to be considered
please submit your request to
Jack Blann. Filling this position will
be taken up at the October Members Meeting.
Bob Carl, RD2, 63-67
Director, Secretary
231 Viewmont Dr.
Henderson, NV 89015-7733
Ph: 702-438-9826
E-mail: bobcarl@cox.net
Roger Brotherton, SO3, 60-62
Director, Treasurer, Resident Agent
PO Box 8023
Reno, NV 89507-8023
Ph: H 775-674-6252 - C 775-250-4818
E-mail: rbroth41@charter.net
Thomas G. Morrow, HA, 70-71
Director
PO Box 165
Basin, MT 59631-0165
Ph: 858-752-0650
E-mail: sirtommorrow71@yahoo.com
Friends to the Board Contact Info.
Jene Cain, ETR2, 61-63
Newsletter Editor
13171 Galleria Pl
Apple Valley, MN 55124-6113
Ph: 952-432-8746
E-mail: jenecain@pclink.com
Jim Durough, ETN2, 62-65
Asst. Newsletter Editor, Shields
Locator & Contact List Keeper
5470 S Shades Crest Rd
Bessemer, AL 35022-4183
Ph: 205-425-9197
E-mail: jimandevelyn@aol.com
Bill Ragan, IC3, 56-59
Ship’s Store
1642 Rambling Rd
Simi Valley, CA 93065-5737
Phone: 805-527-2196
E-mail: raganje@aol.com
Editor's Note: Please keep your contact information up to date by getting
in touch with Jim Durough above. If e-mailing please include DD-596 in
the subject line.
10 ELDEST OFFICERS
New addition in bold face
Hoblitzell, Paul C., LTJG, 44-45 11/24/1916
Teeters, David R., LT, 49-50, 04-11-1918
Metze, George M., LCDR, 52-54, 09/15/1918
Fredell, Erling W., LT, 49, 12/01/1918
Goodell, Trenor F., ENS, 44-45, 12/29/1918
Wessel, Robert L., CPTN, 61-63, 06/20/1919
Dupre, Marcy M., CDR, 45-46, 09/17/1921
Staring, Graydon S., LTJG, 49, 04/09/1923
Billodeau, John D., WO1, 58-59, 11/25/1923
Pinkowski, Dennis S., LT, 51-53, 06/03/1924
10 ELDEST ENLISTED
New addition in bold face
Field, Raymond W., FC3, 44-45, 11/25/1920
Hendrickson, Jack M., MM2, 45-46, 10/11/1921
Purdy, William V., WT1, 45-46, 11/27/1921
Conroy, John J., BM1, 44-46, 04/22/1922
Proetto, Gerald S., BM3, 57, 09/10/1922
Dukett, James E., MM3, 44-46, 01/29/1923
Choromanski, Ray J., GM3, 44-45, 05/27/1923
Bainton, Donald O., TM2, 44-46, 07/18/1923
Caronia, Sam, TM1, 1950, 02/27/1924
Craddock, William V., MM2, 64-65, 03/20/1924
Recently Passed
Shipmates
Editor's Note: Please contact Jim Durough to notify us if a
shipmate has passed away. His contact information is on
page two of this newsletter. If
e-mailing please include DD-596 in the subject line.
The deceased listed below were identified through letters and
phone calls from the family, returned letters marked deceased
and research.
Kowalski, Arthur A., BMC, 52-55 (Was on Eldest Enlisted List)
Langston, Boyce D., GM2, 66
Lechler, Billy E., GM3, 50-54
Mataya, John A., ETR2, 58-60
Morrison, Robert H., S2, 45
Neis, John T., SN, 51
Parr, Harold S., LT, 58-59 (Was on Eldest Officer List)
Pinelli, Phil A., CSB2, 56
Reifsnyder, Robert A., FC3, 44-45 (Was on Eldest Enlisted)
Robb, Harry G., FP2, 52-55
Roberts, Guy A., MM3, 58
Schweizer, Jack R., CDR, 49-50 (Was on Eldest Officer)
Smith, Tom L., MM1, 67
Walker, Roy W., QMG2, 50-52
Williams, Kenneth L, F2, 45
New Found Shipmates
None
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
Page 3
Two Photos of the Shields as Seen From a Carrier
Our thanks go out to Chris Chrisman MU-1 who served on the USS Shangri-La CVA 38
and the USS Lexington CVA 16 in 1958. He was not sure which carrier he was on when
taking these images. In the photos you can see a refueling line and it looks as if they were
managing a highline transfer as well. Chris contacted us from our website.
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
Page 4
Hotel Registration Individually Arranged and Paid Sam’s Town,
5111 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas, NV 89122, PH: 702-­456-­7777 use group name USS SHIELDS REUNION Hotel rates are for Sun. Oct. 6th thru Thursday, Oct. 10th.. Standard (outside room) rate is $26.99, double occupancy, plus 12% room tax, plus $4.50 hotel service fee that covers unlimited local phone calls, voice mail, wake-­‐up calls, paging service, inbound faxing and shuttle service to The Strip and Downtown properties. Totals $34.73 /night. Special Rate for Friday and/or Saturdays prior to, or following, the reunion totals $64.99 plus 12% tax and $4.50 hotel service fee for a total of $77.29/night. RV Park at Sam’s Town Advance reservation required. Full Hook-­‐ups PH:1-­702-­454-­8055 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
SUNDAY OCT. 6TH
4:00pm – 8:00pm: Check-in and reception in Hospitality Suite. Soft drinks, beer and wine
with salty snacks available. Hard liquor is BYOB
MONDAY OCT. 7TH
9:00am – 5:00pm: Tour to Nellis AFB’s Threat Training Facility, lunch at Bob Taylor’s
Ranch House, visit to TV’s Pawn Star’s shop, and visit the Mob Museum.
6:00pm – 10.00pm: Monday Night Football with Beer and pizza provided in Hospitality Ste.
TUESDAY OCT. 8TH
9:00am – ‘till you’re tired: PICK YOUR OWN TOUR DAY
Make your own arrangements in advance by contacting the tour company direct:
Hoover Dam Tour Co. phone 1-888-512-0075. They will pick you up at Sam’s Town
about 10:00am. Tour is 4 – 5 hours. Includes two hour Hoover Dam Power Plant Tour and
a stop at Ethel M. Chocolate Factory and Botanical Gardens. Fee: $59.99 each.
www.hooverdamtourcompany.com/express.html.
Grand CanyonTours (South Rim Tour) phone 1-800-301-7152. They will pick you up
at Sam’s Town about 6:30am. Tour is 14 hours. Includes breakfast, lunch and 3hr. stop at
Bright Angel Lodge. Fee is $89.95 each. On line www.canyontours.net
Vegas See It All Tour phone 1-702-583-7812 Tour is 4 hours.
Tours leave from north side of Bally’s at the Airport Shuttle Entrance
Tours leave at 9:30 and 10:00 daily. Includes 10 stops (5 casinos) $54.99
WEDNESDAY OCT. 9TH
9:00am – 10:30am: All shipmates/ Association Annual Business Meeting in Hospitality Ste.
1:00pm – 3:00pm: USS Shields Bowling Tournament. At Sam’s Town Bowling Alley
6:00pm – 8:00pm: Buff-quet Dinner and Raffle. Sam’s Town Firelight Buffet.
THURSDAY OCT 10TH
12:00 Noon: Hotel Check-out.
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
USS SHIELDS DD-­‐596
2013 REUNION REGISTRATION FORM
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA; OCTOBER 6TH – 10TH Name: __________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________ Tel #: ________________________ E-­‐mail:___________________________ Guest(s): ______________________________________________________ Arrival Date: ___________________Departure Date: __________________ REGISTRATION AND WEDNESDAY OCT 9TH BUFF-­‐QUET $ 55.00 x ____ = $ ___________ MONDAY OCT 7TH NELLIS AFB, PAWN SHOP, MOB MUSEUM & LUNCH TOUR $ 65.00x ____ = $ ____________ (Please select lunch choice) •
•
Chicken Philly Cheese Steak on Toasted French Roll: _______ Grilled Ribeye Cheese Steak on Toasted Roll: _______ Sandwiches come with saute’ed onions, green peppers, mushrooms & jack cheese. On either entrée; No cheese:___, No mushrooms:___, No onions:___, No peppers:___ WEDNESDAY OCT 9TH BOWLING TOURNAMENT $ 7.00x____=$ ___________ WEDNESDAY OCT 9TH BUFF-­‐QUET INCLUDED IN REGISTRATION FEE Check # :_______________ Total $ _____________ Make checks payable to: USS SHIELDS REUNION ASSOCIATION Send registration and payments to: Robert N. Carl, 231 Viewmont Dr., Henderson, NV 89015-­‐7733 PLEASE REGISTER AND SEND PAYMENT BY SEPTEMBER 6TH Page 5
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
Page 6
USS SHIELDS DD-596 ALL ERAS REUNION ASSOCIATION
2013 Membership Dues Application and Renewal Form
Name:______________________________________________________
Wife’s first name:_________________
Mailing address:______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
City
State
(9 digits ZIP Code Please)
Telephone:_____________________ E-Mail:_______________________
Years served aboard SHIELDS:________ Rank/rate on SHIELDS_____
Date of birth:____________________
Make your check out to: USS SHIELDS REUNION ASSOCIATION.
Please mail this form with a check in the amount of $25.00 to cover your dues for the calendar year of
2013. Mail to:
USS SHIELDS DD-596 ALL ERAS REUNION ASSOCIATION
℅ Robert N. Carl, Secretary
231 Viewmont Dr.
Henderson, NV 89015-7733
Photo Courtesy of John Truesdale RMSN 64-67
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
Association 2013 Dues are Due
Your $25.00 annual dues support the printing and
postage for newsletters, currently about $900 for
each issue. They cover the expenses of locating
shipmates and maintaining the master contact list.
Please complete the dues form on the page
opposite and mail with your check to Bob Carl. His
address is on the contact list page 2. Your dues
start new at the beginning of each year. No unpaid
dues are carried forward.
Your dues do not support reunion activities; these
activities are self-sustaining. All board members
and friends of the board volunteer; no one receives
compensation in the Association.
Bob Carl, Secretary, has received duplicate and
multiyear dues payments from shipmates. Bob
applies duplicate dues payments to the future
year(s).
Thanks to those who have paid in advance.
The association currently mails the newsletter to all
located shipmates, regardless of dues status.
Korean 2013 Shipmate’s Reunion
This year’s reunion will be held Wednesday
September 18 through Friday September 20, 2013
at the Embassy Suites Blue Ash located Northeast
of Cincinnati, Ohio. The cutoff date for making hotel
reservations is August 25, 2013
For more information contact Brenda R. Sanz, who
is the daughter of Jake and Jean Rutledge.
Brenda’s phone 513-616-5801 or e-mail:
bsanz@cinci.rr.com
This reunion is limited to Shields shipmates who
served aboard during the Korean War and their
family and guests. If in doubt about your dates of
service please contact Brenda for clarification.
Refueling from an Oiler
This photo was probably taken in the South China
Sea during the 1961 cruise.
Page 7
Richard M. Wright CDR, 57-58,
Shields Captain
Additional information about CDR Wright
Date of Birth: March 14, 1918
Date of Death: March 18, 2004
Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis,
Class of 1941. He retired as a U.S. Navy Captain
31 August 1969.
Upon graduation in February of 1941 from the
Academy he was assigned to the USS Tennessee
BB43. The Tennessee was at Pearl Harbor during
the Japanese attack. It moored inboard of the West
Virginia BB48 and not accessible to the Japanese
torpedoes.
Wright left the Tennessee in 1943 and attended
submarine school. Upon graduation he was
assigned to the USS Pogy SS266. Transferred this
time to the USS Parche SS384 and on to the USS
Spadefish SS411 in April 1945. Next he became
the XO of the USS Blower SS325.
In 1947 he went to the University of Southern
California as an instructor in the ROTC program. In
July of 1949 he was assigned as the XO of the
USS Cochino SS345 out of New London. With two
or three other submarines they sailed on a training
and research mission in the Barents Sea.
Submerged at sixty feet there was an explosion
and fire aboard due to a defective switch in the
battery compartment. Wright was severely burned.
He got off of the Cochino just prior to its sinking. He
spent the next 15 months in the hospital.
After a post-graduate course for prospective
commanding officers he commanded the USS
Scabbardfish SS397 home ported in Pearl Harbor.
In 1952 he went to the Bureau of Naval Personnel
for two and a half years. To broaden his knowledge
of the Navy he asked to be given a destroyer
command and was assigned to the USS Knapp
DD653 from 1955 until 1956 at which time she was
put in a program for being decommissioned. He
requested a second destroyer and was assigned to
the USS Shields DD596 until 1958.
He went back into submarines and was
Commander Submarine Division 51 based in San
Diego. In 1961 he go orders to go to Holland as
Naval Attaché until 1964. Next returning to the
states he took command of the troop transport USS
Monrovia APA31. From there he was assigned to
command of Submarine Squadron 2 in New
London for a year. In 1966 he went to Washington
for duty on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in
the planning division, his last duty as he retired in
1969 as Captain.
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
From Yancy Odom, BT2, 54-59 Letters from CDR Wright
Continued from the April Newsletter
Below is a continuation of one of the three original
letters to the crew written in 1957 and signed by CDR
Richard M. Wright. These letters were written so as to
be forwarded on to friends and family of the crew
members. The additional letters will be published in
future issues.
Yokosuka, Japan
4 September 1957
Writing about Hong Kong and beyond
In many of the narrow lanes, stalls are set up for
business and the lanes are thus further narrowed
to a width of only four or five feet or less. In the
food marketing lanes, the venders sit beside their
vegetables or meat or fish, selling their produce
from baskets or off of newspapers spread on the
ground. They measure their weights by an
ancient hand-balance scales, and the customers
carry away their purchases dangling in little
bundles at the end of a piece of string.
The population density throughout all this area is
unbelievably great, with a never-ending stream of
people moving and eddying about, some with
purpose and many seemingly without any aim
whatsoever. They are of every age, from the
newest infants to the seemingly oldest ancients.
The most usual clothing, for men and women
both, is a suit of shiny, black polished cotton. It
looks hot but they say it is cool.
An inseparable part of the Chinese street scene
is the din. A constant clamor, of voices, tinny
music, blaring radios, clanging tools, rattling
printing presses, and clacking mahjong tiles, is
always in the air. Another part of the scene is the
smells, only sometimes unpleasant but very often
intriguing and exotic - of spices, and cooking, and
teakwood and incense.
It is both captivating and frustrating for the person
who wants to take pictures. Certainly there are a
thousand things to photograph. But it is
frustrating in the impossibility of any picture to
capture the breadth, and scope of the vital,
surging, swirling humanity that is Hong Kong,
with all its noises, smells and ways of life.
After a week in port, we sailed from Hong Kong at
8:00 A.M. on 15 August, bound for Kobe, Japan.
We went first to Kaohsiung to get fuel, intending
to go in and get out of there in only about three
hours time. But by that time, a new typhoon,
which started on the 13th in the southern
Philippine Sea, had moved up toward our route.
So we stayed in Kaohsiung an extra day and a
half to let the typhoon pass to the northward so
Page 8
we could pass behind it. We sailed at 6:00 P.M.
on the 1l7th. We carefully plotted the movement
and predicted movement of the typhoon
(receiving reports on it every six hours by radio),
and skirted around it keeping about 300 to 400
miles away. The seas were pretty rough, but
never dangerous, for three days and then on the
afternoon of the 21st, with the storm well off to
the north, we entered Kobe, Japan.
We were in Kobe for six days. We moored
alongside a large Navy repair ship, the JASON, in
order to get work done that required doing but
was too big for us to handle ourselves, with our
more limited tools, shop space, equipment , and
materials. Besides the work the JASON did for
us, we did a great deal of the work for ourselves.
The time was very well used.
There was liberty, too, after working hours and in
the evenings. Kobe is one of Japan’s busiest and
oldest seaports and the country’s sixth largest
city, with over 1,000,000 people. It is modern and
clean, with many fine new buildings replacing the
damage sustained in World War II. It has a large
shopping district with excellent merchandise. It is
also a large manufacturing center for textiles,
rubber, chemicals, metals, flour milling, ship
building, and sake brewing. There are many
interesting places for sight see-ers and many
good theaters and restaurants, and many clubs.
We sailed from Kobe at noon on 27 August and
joined a large operating force for some training
exercises. These were terminated on the 30th.
On the 31st we re-entered Yokosuka which we
had left just eight weeks earlier.
We thought we had arrived for a six day stay but
were disappointed. A typhoon, which had started
up two days earlier, near Guam, appeared to be
headed our way. Since it is always safer to evade
a typhoon at sea than to be run over by it in port,
we got underway at noon on September 1st. With
the typhoon curving off to the west, and
apparently blowing itself out over the Philippine
Sea, we returned to Yokosuka yesterday
morning. We expect now to remain here until the
6th when we will sail out for more exercises and
training.
In closing, let me again urge you to write often to
your sailor in the SHILEDS. For us, letters from
home are the staff of life.
All hands are in good health. Be assured that we
will continue in good health and in safety.
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
Page 9
The WWW.DD596.COM Website Experience
On the back page of every newsletter is a short notice about the Association website. On this page I wish to
explore in detail more of what you will find there. Those shipmates who do not use a computer or browse
the web your local library will let you do both. I expect you will even have help should you need it getting
around the internet. Our thanks goes out to Trevor Crafts for the design and upkeep on the site.
Clicking on the categories under the banner, except Shipmates and Visitors Log, will open a window to
allow you to explore more. For example clicking on the first “The Shields” will open to the history of the ship
with several photos. Shown below is the beginning of that page.
The “Newsletter” tab will allow you to access all the Association’s newsletters starting with January 2007.
These issues can be downloaded and printed if you care to do so. The “Photo Book” tab shown below
opens to a series of six categories, that contain approximately 80 different images.
The “Reunions” tab provides information on the current upcoming annual reunion. Also there are links to
past reunions which include many photos taken at those events.
Take time to visit our website it will be well worth your while.
USS SHIELDS DD-596 ALL ERAS REUNION ASSOCIATION
C
/O ROBERT N. CARL (SECRETARY)
231 VIEWMONT DR.
HENDERSON, NV 89015-7733
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter July 2013
Visit the Association Website
At the website you can view the history,
photos and prior issues of the newsletter. It
is a great place to renew memories of your
time aboard.
Page 10
Keep Your Contact Info Updated
Check your address on this newsletter and if
not 100% correct, including Apartment,
Condo, Mobile Home, Space number and
the zip code + 4 digits, please notify Jim
Durough listed in the contact information. If
e-mailing please include DD-596 in the
subject line.
If you move do not forget to notify Jim
Durough of your new address, phone
number and any change in your E-mail
address. Put a change of address in with the
Post Office. The change of address stays on
file with the post office for about 18 months.
http://www.dd596.com
These actions will insure you continue to
receive the newsletter and will reduce
expenses from returned mail and the cost of
re-mailing newsletters.