Cincinnati Airport Hotel Florence Ky

Newport Dealeys 2015 Reunion Review

September 10-13 2015

Cincinnati Ohio, the designated city for our 2015 annual reunion, was another memorable gathering of shipmates and friends.
Our hotel, the Airport Hilton located in the greater Cincinnati area, which includes Florence Kentucky across the Ohio River, provided
us with hospitality from both states. Reunion Chairman, LCDR Ray Hammock USN (Ret), of the USS John Willis, welcomed 71 shipmates
and guests to his home state of Kentucky, with a short address and bags of goodies from the Chamber of Commerce, assembled
by his wife Ginny, assisted by Bud and Sue Harlow also of the USS John Willis. LCDR Hammock then presented the Newport Dealeys
with a welcome to Kentucky letter from the Governor and a US flag that was flown over the US Capitol. Larry Percival, USS Cromwell,
took charge of the sale of Newport Dealeys reunion tee shirts and they went quickly.
Chief Richard Legg provided entertainment Thursday evening with another version of Family Feud games which was followed by a series
of  Navy theme Bingo games created by Beverly Upchurch and her sister Dee Egizi.
The Friday tour took us to Dayton Ohio and the US Air Force Museum, where an extensive display of US military aircraft could be viewed
close up, starting from the Wright Brothers first planes through WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam to the present. An additional tour of the
presidential and experimental planes in a separate hanger on the base added to our experience. We all agreed that the four hour museum
visit didn't do it justice and another complete day or more would be needed to immerse ourselves in the complexity and history of these fine aircraft.   
On return, we held our business meeting. Earlier the reunion committee, after reviewing the list of potential reunion locations, had
selected three cities for our 2017 consideration. Harrisburg PA, Washington DC and Charleston SC. After two votes ended in a tie,
with Washington and Charleston, a flip of a coin decided Charleston SC was the choice.
Marc Arsenault, USS Lester, provided an update of Newport Dealeys related notes of interest that became known over the past year.
Jarliev Boe, the Norwegian sailor that was rescued by the Joseph K Taussig in 1970 off Cape Hatteras NC, acknowledged that he
received Richard Legg's USS Joseph K Taussig hat that he donated and we sent to him after the reunion last year He included photos
of his grandson wearing it. He also researched for us and sent a photo of the Norwegian freighter "Blue Master", the ship that collided
with the USS Hartley in 1965, which I posted on the Hartley Collision page of this site. Joe Banana, aka: James Venanzi RM3 USS Courtney,
who resides in Treasures Island FL, is assembling USS Courtney memorabilia to create a display at city hall where one of the USS Courtney
anchors resides in front of the building. A review of author Rick Campbell's new book, the Empire Rising, followed noting his generous
donation of four copies for our Saturday evening raffle.
Friday evening's entertainment was again hosted by Chief Richard Legg. This time we projected high school pictures of shipmates and
guests to see if they could be identified which resulted in many laughs and memories of the styles in the 50s and 60s. Oh, how young we were!
Our Saturday tour first took us to a river boat dinner cruise on the Ohio River. As we boarded we were escorted to the main dining room
where an elaborate all you could eat buffet style meal was ready for us.  Once underway we explored the outer decks and the river front scenery.
The museum ship LST 325 was docked across the river in downtown Cincinnati and open for visitors. The second part of the trip was a
narrated tour of the City ending at the Cincinnati railroad terminal and museums for a short visit. Some shipmates took the opportunity
to take a quick tour of tower A, a former railroad switch control tower, in the building which provides a commanding view of the railroad yards below.
The 2015 host ship the USS Cromwell honor guard with Chaplain Jerry Skorch in Command, entered and posted the colors to commence
the evening banquet.
After the dinner, Admiral Roy Hoffmann, Commanding Officer of the USS Cromwell 1961-63, addressed the shipmates and commented
on the important tasks the Destroyer Escorts preformed and thanked us for our dedicated US Navy and Coast Guard service in the cold war era.
Our traditional raffle followed with prizes purchased by our remaining 2014 funds and donations by Rich and Lee Legg, Sue and Bud Harlow
along with copies of books donated by Rick Campbell author of the Trident Deception and Empire Rising. Garnet Stum, USS Joseph K Taussig
won the grand prize, the Newport Dealeys reunion port hole clock.
LCDR Hammock and Newport Dealeys Chaplain Jerry Skorch conducted our Sunday morning memorial service with the reading the names
and ship of our recently noted deceased shipmates. Joe Csizmadia USS Cromwell rang the memorial bell for each name.
Upon the conclusion of the service tearful goodbyes and a safe trip home were in abundance.

It's back to Newport RI next year. "2016" 

Marc Arsenault 
USS Lester / USS Hartley

 

Reunion Chairman LCDR Ray Hammock USS John Willis
Bob Cordner USS Courtney with Sandy and Jerry USS JK Taussig	Tom and Mike Hennessy USS Hartley	Garnet Stum and herb Mann USS JK Taussig with Steve Kittle USS Lester
Bill and Marcia Price with Carl Albrittron USS Dealey	Joe and Evelyn Csizmadia USS Cromwell	Jim and Joann Deyo USS Cromwell
Francis (Skip) and Martha Urbati USS Lester	Phil and Gail Passler USS Dealey	Phil Passler, with Joe and Mary Disabella USS Dealey
Jim and Loretta Cunningham USS John Willis	John and Cathy Hagan USS Lester	Steve and Jean Owens USS Cromwell
Rich and Reah Marian USS Van Voorhis	Bruce and Ruth Whitney USS JK Taussig	Bud and Sue Harlow USS John Willis
David and Nancy Gondak with Ray Hammock USS John Willis	Hospitality Room	Charles and Juanita Lawing USS Lester
Larry Percival with Ron and Linda Bauer USS Cromwell	Skip and Martha Urbati USS Lester	Cecile Gorham and Christine Carnahan Admiral Hoffmann's Daughters USS Cromwell
Jerry Skorch with Admiral Hoffmann	Phil Passler's model of the USS Dealey	Ronald Guthrie USS Cromwell
Marc Arsenault USS Lester  with Harry and Karen Davis USS Van Voorhis	Charlie (Shoe) and Norma Holzschuh USS Hartley	Don Shields and Bridget Hack USS Lester
Chairman Ray Hammock and Marc Arsenault	Rich Legg USS JK Taussig Hosting the evening Family Fued game	Beverly Upchurch with her sister Dee Egizi hosting the Navy Bingo game
Nina Percival holding her bingo winnings	Marc and Kathy Arsenault USS Hartley / USS Lester
Marc Arsenault with the B 29 'Bockscar"	The Missile Room	Beverly Upchurch
Mike and Tom Hennessy looking over and A 10	Planes, planes and more planes	Kathy Arsenault exits John Kennedy's Air Force One
Al Albritton USS Dealey and Jerry Skorch USS JK Taussig		Ray and Ginny Hammock USS John Willis
Tom and Dee Egizi US Coast Guard	Dinner aboard	LST 325 welcomes visitors across the river in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Railroad Terminal	Terminal Rotunda	Railroad yard view from former control Tower A
Rich and Lee Legg USS Joseph K Taussig	Hospitality Room	Breakfast
Tom Egizi, Tony Zeoli and Mike Hennessy	Admiral Roy Hoffmann and Mary Linn USS Cromwell	Admiral Hoffmann speaking to the crew

Jerry Skorch, Wilbert McCartney, Rich Legg and Marc Arsenault	Tom Egizi and Mike Upchurch	Mike and Bevery Upchurch
Chief Richard and Lee Legg with family	Jerry Skorch USS J K Taussig and Ray Hammock USS John Willis conducting our Memorial Service	Joseph Csizmidia USS Cromwell Rings the Memorial Bell twice for each deceased shipmate reported in the past year

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