Well Shipmates...the President
is gone; the USS Bataan left port; all parading veterans have
gone home, and all the flags and banners have been stowed...however...one thing
remains. The Intrepid Sea, Air, Space Museum, better known to us as the USS
Intrepid CV11/the Mighty I. With that, a
great honor was bestowed on all of us, by a visit from our
nation's Commander-in-Chief, George
W.Bush.
At about 10:30 AM on Veterans Day 2008 'Marine One'
landed aft on the flight deck. The official greeting party was composed of five
(5) Former WWII Crewmembers - Ed Coyne, Frank Doria, Felix Novelli,
Ray Stone, Lou Valenti and
myself. After greeting the President and Mrs.Bush we then proceeded down to the
pier where approximately 5,000 veterans, active duty personnel and the general
public were waiting. The six of us
were seated with the President and other dignitaries on the dais. Bill White (Museum President) introduced the President
and First Lady to all.
After the singing of the National Anthem, by 13yr old
McLain Rose (what a voice she has) other
speakers were introduced by Bill White, including General
James T Conway USMC (Commandant of the Marine Corps), and NY State Governor
Paterson. John Rich, American country
music artist, sang "The Man" then the President spoke, and saluted all the
veterans and praised the work of the staff on the 'Re-Storing' of the Museum.
After the President's remarks, Messrs Charles de Gunzburg and Richard
Santulli (Co-Chairmen of the Intrepid
Foundation), presented Mr.Bush with the 'Intrepid Freedom Award'. This
presentation complete, Bill White introduced Vince McGowan
(President, United War Veterans of New York), and
myself, for our presentations to the President. Our Association's token to the President, was a piece of
the ships steel, covered with a part of the wooden flight deck with the number
'43' on it.
The President, Buzz Aldrin and
Scott Carpenter then laid a memorial wreath in honor
of American Veterans. Mrs Bush, then, along with Mrs
Sally Hoover Casale (whose grandmother, wife of Admiral John Hoover who
christened the ship in 1943), re-christened the ship...ironically, the
bottle did not break, just like on the original christening in
1943.
Irish
Tenor, Ronan Tynan, sang 'God Bless America' and the US Air
Force did a fly over. That ended the ceremonies at the ship. We then joined the
Veterans Day parade, marching from 'The Mighty I' to 5th Ave. then to the
parades end at 57th Street. It was said that
this was the largest Veterans Day parade ever, with 20,000 marching
veterans.
On Wednesday, November 12th, FCMs, Marino DiLeo, Bob Doe, Bob Dougherty and Art Roffi,
rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. So as you can see we've
had a busy week here, and I thank Bill White (Museum President), Susan Maranoff
(Museum Executive Director) and their Staffs who made all of this
possible.
On a personal note...I wish to
thank all of the Former Crewmembers, living and deceased, who made it possible
for me to represent them to the President Of The United States. To
many of you out there...I am not worthy to polish your buttons...but you gave me
a great honor that I shall not soon forget.
Thanks and God Bless
America.
Mike Hallahan, Association
President
___________________________________________________
Shipmates,
As you know...the soft opening of the
museum, and from all accounts, was very successful. The general public, as
well as FCM's, had a wonderful time participating and viewing the new
exhibits and other additions, especially the aircraft on the hangar deck and the
flight deck.
Kudos to Susan
Maranoff (Museum Executive Director) and her
dedicated staff. However, there are some basic rules and procedures that are in
place that have to be adhered to so that there can be an orderly flow of
business.
As FCM's, we have been extended a
couple of 'perks' from the museum. One of them is being allowed to come aboard
and bring one guest - any additional guests must pay
admission.
All FCM's must enter the museum through
the Museum Admission Area and have either an Updated 'FCM 'Volunteer Member'
Card' (if you are, in fact, a Museum Volunteer) or your ' USS Intrepid
Association Membership Card') handy to show at the desk and - it
must be worn at all times in full view.
If you have a guest(s), you must get
them a colored 'bracelet-of-the-day', at the Museum's Admissions Desk, so
security can see it - on their wrist - as they walk around
the museum.
As you walk around the ship you will
notice that some areas are roped off. There is a purpose for this - principal
being its off limits - for one reason or another. If any of us
'jumped the fence' as it were, even though you know where your going, a
member of the public might follow you thinking its 'OK' and possibly end up
getting hurt. So please use the right and legal passage ways to your
destination.
Also, our 'Crew's Quarters' is another
one of those 'perks' that we have been given by the museum...to hold our
meetings...as a place for visiting FCMs from out of town, and for invited
guests to sit down, have a cup of coffee, and tell a sea story or
two.
If you are from out of town, it would
help if you please call 800-343-2811 and let us know your coming, so we can
be there when you arrive. If you go to the Visitors Desk ask them if a FCM
volunteer is on board and they'll contact him to escort you around. Please
remember...there will be NO access to the 'Crew's Quarters' if there is no
onboard FCM volunteer available, since it will be locked up.
Finally - those FCMs that conduct tours
- or volunteer - please honor your commitment, since the museum
relies heavily on your participation. The logistics for this 'NEW' Museum is
critical to its everyday operation, and we want to be as helpful and necessary
as possible.
Please accept these comments in the
spirit they are given, and that is - " we are FORMER CREWMEMBERs -
who are proud of our ship and want to insure that we are just as proud
to display our individual courtesy and good will."
Mike Hallahan, Association
President
Reunion Reports :
Ohio-Michigan Reunion Report - Sept 19-21, 2008
The 2008
Ohio-Michigan Reunion started off...with a tour of the Longaberger
Basket Factory...then we toured several small specialty stores in the Homestead
Village...on the Longaberger factory grounds. We then traveled to Newark,
to see the Longaberger office building, which was built to look like a giant
basket...7 stories high.
On Friday we
had a well attended check-in supper...and just set around and got to know each
other.
On Saturday,
we traveled to the USS Radford (DD246) a WWII destroyer, Museum in
Newcommerstown, OH. Museum curator, Vane Scott, is a former crewmember of the
Radford...who also took us on a tour that depicts the 'way of life' back in the
1900's in Newcommerstown.
We
started the banquet with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the invocation,
by FCM John Huizinga and
the ringing of the Memorial Service bell for each FCM who had gone before us and
who had attended our reunions in the past...then one loud ring for all the
crewmembers who had gone before us.
Front Row (L-R) Clay Lindsey, OI Div., '56-'59,
Bruno Palmieri, E Div.,
'58-'60, Jack Unger, OI
Div., '56-'58,
Leo Chruscinske (Plank Owner), B
Div., Billy Metcalf (Plank
Owner), V6 Div., Chas Reidenback, (WWII),V6 Div., '44-'46
Back Row (L-R) Reunion Host,
Bob Hall, B Div., '59-'63,
Dick Gragg Ltjg, 3A Div.,
'59-'61, Ron Bonidie, B
Div., '60-'64,
Bob Pitz, V1 Div., '62-'64, Larry Hoover, B Div., '65-'67,
James Tucker, R Div.,
'59-'64, John Huzinger, S1
Div., '59
We had a
sit-down dinner of Chicken & Ham with all the trimmings, prepared by the
American Legion Post 65, Ladies Auxiliary...attended by 28 people. After
dinner we discussed the future of the Ohio-Michigan Reunion...I reported, as I
get older its gets harder to set-up the reunions. There were several
suggestion on what we could do to get more former crewmbers to attend, and we
will try to implement some of them.
I will be
sending out a questionnaire along with a copy of this Report, that I send to all
attendees. If there is enough interest, I will probably host the
reunion for another year or two.
Submitted by: FCM Bob Hall, Ohio-Michigan Chapters Representative
__________________________________________
West Coast
Reunion Report - Oct 2008, San Diego, CA
Gene and Jean Mohler, and Wayne Erven, Co-Chapter Reps for the West Coast report that there were 117
attendees in San Diego. The winner of the longest distance traveled was
Jack and Margaret Standish of Stoughton, MA. We
were happy to have five members of the Board from NYC, along with three of
the Chapter Reps. They all enjoyed the West Coast
hospitality.
Bill
Elliott, and William
Brown, both from WWII, were looking at a picture
of the ship's laundry crew. One said: "That's me" and the other
replied: "Well, there I am too!" They had not seen each other since
1945. Another pair met after some 47 years were FCMs Chuck Coppess (R) and Norm Trancrator.
...and another...Larry Lewis (L) and
Bill Roseberry, from CR Div,
'58-'61(below)...
also met each other
also after many years. Wayne Erven,
Roy Hale, and Jim Zbikowski, all from X Div, '68-'71
greeted each other, but only since the National Reunion in Washington DC.
Seven Fox Division crew members from the mid '50s were united as well.
Folks, that is what these reunions are all about. Meeting and greeting
old shipmates!!
We were honored
to have the only surviving pilot from VT-6, WWII, AOl(AP) Mark Hardisty. Mark was involved in the
sinking of the Japanese Battleship, YAMATO by putting a torpedo into her hull.
Mark was also on board 2 other carriers during WWII, including ENTERPRISE when
she was the only carrier out there right after Pearl Harbor. Talking with him is
like having a conversation with a history book.
The magnificent
hospitality room was on the 9th floor of the Hilton Harbor Island Hotel, with a
view of the harbor, and the San Diego skyline. We could also see Naval Air
Station, North Island, with 2 of the HUGE nuclear carriers at the piers.
In the background was the USS MIDWAY, now a museum ship.
Tours of the city, the MIDWAY, and Old Town, along with a harbor cruise,
were enjoyed by all. We had full buses for all of the tours, and had a
very touching Memorial Service at the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La
Jolla, were we remembered all of our departed shipmates, from WWII, to the
present. We also enjoyed a tour of the USS NIMITZ, CVN 68, even
though they were undergoing a restricted availability work period. When
compared to the INTREPID, she is enormous.
We were also
honored to have RADM Lee Levenson, the last Commanding Officer of the INTREPID as a guest speaker
at our banquet. RADM Levenson also attended our Memorial Service, and
spent time in the hospitality room , meeting and talking with everyone.
There were several former crew members in attendance who served with him during
his tour on board as Navigator, Executive Officer, and Commanding
Officer.
A survey was taken, and
the majority who responded chose a cruise to Hawaii for our 2010 reunion, in
lieu of another land locked reunion. We plan to invite any and all members
across the US to join us. Gene, Jean and Wayne promise it will be a great
cruise. Hope to see many of you there.
Our thanks go out
to Richard Coates, a FCM,
who is also a docent on board the MIDWAY for all his help in obtaining tickets
for the MIDWAY and Bay Cruise, and also for helping in many ways to make the
reunion a success. Special thanks go to RADM Levenson who helped immensely
in getting us on board the USS NIMITZ for a tour, and arranged for a
color guard from the U.S. Naval Regional Medical Center in San
Diego.
Gene
Mohler/Wayne Erven,
Co-West Coast Chapter Representatives
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Intrepid
Flag Program : The
Birth of the Flag - to be
continued
__________________________________________________
USS Intrepid
"Fly a Piece of History in Your Town" Flag Program
Contact Flag Program
Chairman, FCM Jack C. Hurff at
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Intrepid
Museum : - Commitment to the Intrepid -
The Intrepid Sea, Air
& Space Museum is a monument to all who have served,
and will
continue to serve our nation in uniform.
______________________________________________
A Great Day
for New York City and for the Intrepid Museum
Intrepid Museum Executive
Director, Susan Marenoff presides at the opening
ceremony
of the NEW Intrepid
Sea-Air-Space Museum
_____________________________________
Proud addition to the Intrepid Museum...especially for FCMs
and Intrepid Helo Air Crewmen Marino DiLeo, Board
Member/NY State Chapter Representative (L) and Mike
Hallahan, Association President.
'Chopper' is similar to aircraft they both 'manned' while
serving aboard the Intrepid
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Mail
Bag :
"...thanks...to all who made it possible for me to be honored as one of
the FCMs to take "The Intrepid Ride" on Thursday October 2,
2008. I shall cherish that day for the rest of my
life.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
In Search Of... :
Ms Jessica
Williams, Museum Curator of History, has requested this editor to post
the following request that the Museum received from the daughter
of Intrepid's WWII Chief Surgeon (no name provided). She is trying to
corroborate a story her father told her and would appreciate any information
that could be presented.
" To any former WWII
crewmembers, I am seeking corroboration, to the following story that my
father told me.
While on one of the Pacific Islands, during the
war, he noticed a make-shift vehicle, which he learned was put together by a
crew from a submarine anchored off shore. The crew stored away parts of a
jeep aboard the submarine, which they then assembled when they were on shore,
giving them mobility. It was remarkable, considering the limited space aboard
the submarine. Anyone having knowledge of such details, or a referral
to someone who might, is asked to please contact J.
Robinson at 562 B Lombard St., San Francisco, CA
94133."
To anyone who responses, please include a copy of
your reply, to this editor at onlnreport@aol.com so all KETCHER
OnLine Report readers can enjoy learning of the outcome of this
request. Thank you - Editor
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Please direct
all inquires to:
USS
Intrepid Association, Inc., PO Box 140471, Staten Island, NY 10314, Attn:
Membership...
call
1-800-343-CV11(2811)
___________________________________________________
Please be reminded that you must
keep your Membership Committee informed of any address changes if you don't
want
to miss out on receiving your
KETCHER or any other info that your Board of Directors send out. Also keep
in mind that
it is a waste of your dues, when
mailings to FCMs are returned to us with "Not at this Address"
affixed.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
USS
Intrepid Auxiliary :
The USS Intrepid Association
has formed an 'Auxiliary' for the purpose of providing additional support to the
Association's membership by including the relatives of former crewmembers who
will help to keep the memory and stories of the Intrepid and her former
crewmembers alive.
The Auxiliary's goal is
similar to the goal of the Intrepid Museum, and that is "to inform and
educate the public and inspire our youth." Members of the Auxiliary
will be telling future generations about their beloved family members who served
with pride, honor and dedication on this gallant ship. "There is no better
way to ensure that future benerations will apprecdiate the freedom they
inherited."
For information, please
contact Auxiliary President, Maud Gaines Tarrant at 17 N. Chatsworth Avenue,
Apt. 1D, Larchmont, NY 10538-2124, (H) 914-630-1295, (C) 914-439-4630 or by
email at modmaud@optonline.net
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Board Meeting: December 20,
2008
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IF YOU ARE A FORMER
INTREPID CREWMEMBER...
please 'sign-in' at our
Association 'Guest Book' at...
http:www.ussintrepid.com/cgi-bin/ibood/ibook.cgi and
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments,
articles, pictures (.jpeg files) or letters to...
FCM John Simonetti,
KETCHER OnLine Report Publisher/Editor
_________________________________________________
"Any articles, pictures, letters,
comments, etc. submitted for possible use for publication are subject to
acceptance for
publication by review; value of
content; value of use to our Association; Association Members; the Intrepid
Museum;
timing of article submission;
editing, etc., at editor's discretion"...which should not be taken as an affront
to the sender.
All submissions become the
property of the KETCHER OnLine Report.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
"The information contained in
this KETCHER OnLine Report is provided as a service to former USS
Intrepid
(CV, CVS, CVA-11)
crewmembers. Since some information posted is presented to this editor by
readers, this editor makes no claims, promises or guaranties about the accuracy
or completeness of the information contained in those submissions. Items
or comments specifically posted by this editor in an 'Editorial' are solely
the comments of this editor and are authentic and factual, to the best of this
editor's knowledge"