Newport RI Mid 1960's
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.Newport Dealeys 2013 Annual Reunion September 5-8,
New London Ct.
For additional information contact our reunion coordinators
Premier Reunion Services LLC P. O. Box 11438 Hickory NC 28603
Web site: www.mlrs.com
Tel (828) 256 6008
email: Dina@mlrsinc.com
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2012 Annual Reunion
The Hilton Double Tree Hotel located in South Portland ME was the home port for our 14th Newport Dealeys annual reunion. On September 6-9, with an excellent fall
weather forecast, 90 shipmates and guests arrived and engaged with friendly greetings for the four day event. The welcome
reception included the Pledge of Allegiance, general announcements, the naming of the host ship, the USS Van Voorhis and a
short list of historical facts of the Portland ME area. Following the evening dinner, Chairman Richard Legg
hosted a performance of the Oldie, Newly Wed game in the hospitality room. Joe and Evelyn Csizmadia, USS Cromwell achieved
the high score.
Friday’s tour began shortly after breakfast and took
the group to Bath ME for a visit to the Maritime Museum and a tour of the
Bath Iron Works which was the birth place of three of our ships, the USS Dealey, USS Cromwell, and USS Hammerberg. A box lunch
and a cruise on the Kennebec River, completed the tour of the area. For those that didn’t take the tour,
the hospitality room was the general gathering location. Jim Hunt, USS Courtney displayed a model he built of the USS Courtney
for all of us to enjoy. At our business meeting, the attendees voted for New London CT as the location for our 2014 reunion. Our post dinner evening
saw more Newport Dealeys generated entertainment, which included Jerry Skorch and Bill McColl comparing notes between the
“Old Navy” and the “New Navy”, then followed by Richard Legg’s presentation of Newport Dealey
Sailors “Then and Now”. This photo presentation included projecting old shipmate Navy photos to a screen where
we tried to guess who they were today, followed by the now photos for comparison which provided us with many chuckles and
laughs. Saturday’s tour took us to the
city of Portland, the areas along the Maine Coast to Portland Head Light House, Kennebunkport and the Trolley Museum.
The Saturday evening events began with the attendee’s photo taking, posting of our Flag by a
USS Van Voorhis Color Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance and the remembrance table ceremony by Jerry Skorch. As an added touch Andrew Antonucci BMSN, USS Dealey was solicited to piped dinner. Following
dinner, Ray Hammock and Bud Harlow of the USS John Willis offered a tribute to our recently deceased shipmate and friend Richard
Soltis. Marc Arsenault presented Larry and Brenda Eckard, our reunion coordinators, with
memorial silver dollar coins as a token of our appreciation to our working friendship over the last 14 years. Jerry Skorch
then presented Barbara Soltis with a personalized framed pastel etching of her and Richard, which he rendered. This evening entertainment consisted of a photo projected shellback presentation, where the ceremony
was described in detail and photos of Newport Dealeys Shipmates (Pollywogs) meeting King Neptune, the Royal Court and achieving Shellback status, brought many laughs. There were several
shipmates at the podium including Admiral Roy Hoffmann providing comments as the photo sequence advanced. Our attendance raffle followed with Al Bardsley, USS Van Voorhis winning the first prize a Newport Dealeys porthole
clock.
Our Chaplain Jerry Skorch and shipmates from the USS Van Voorhis hosted our traditional Sunday morning
memorial service where reported deceased shipmates names were read and the bell rung for each. After the service Richard Legg
announced that he volunteered to chair our Burlington
VT reunion next year. As with past reunions, good bys were difficult and everyone wondered how
quickly the four days went by. We all did agree that our 2012 reunion in Portland Maine was up there with
one of the best.
Marc Arsenault
Newport Dealeys
