Merry Christmas Sterett Shipmates, Family and Friends

  DD 27                              DD 407                    DLG/ CG 31                 DDG 104   

 

Seasons Greetings

Hope all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  2008 was quite a busy year with many ups and downs - but it was a very good one for the new USS Sterett now that DDG 104 has proudly assumed her role in joining the fleet, and for the Sterett Association,  which came forward in a great way to be there in support of the continuation of the "Ships Named Sterett"  legacy.

San Diego Reunion On the Horizon 

Last month, President Wayne McBrian met with Reunion Committee member (former DLG 31 CO) H.E. Reichert in San Diego to scout out the hotel selected for our gathering -  now scheduled for the weekend of September 25-27, 2009. The Town and Country is a large convention hotel situated right off Interstate 8 near Hotel Circle in Mission Valley. It looks like it will be a fun place to hold our get together and offers good value.

Specific plans are now taking shape. As decisions are made and details are firmed up,  they will be communicated to the membership through e-mail updates and on the web site over the next few months. The key steps for those who want to attend next Fall will be:  completing their reunion registration for the Association and making the discounted reservation at the selected reunion hotel (if you plan to be staying there). Setup for easy registration and instructions for making the discounted hotel reservation will be made available once the contract is agreed upon.    

How about organizing a few groups to patrol the delights of nearby Old Town market? Sea World is right there, too. Maybe hijack a harbor cruise 'round Coronado? Older San Diego vets will probably see the town in a different light these days, especially if they haven't been back in a while.

We hope to be soon rolling out a Reunion POD that will accommodate all levels of San Diego "steaming orders" you can conjur up. Of course,  we'll  be keeping a close eye on the possiblity of joining up some reunion activities with new Sterett DDG 104 crew,  now homeported at the 32nd Street Naval Base ( as ship's operations schedule permit !)

As was done as in planning for the recent DDG 104 Commissioning in Baltimore, we expect to send out a quick turnaround "Show of Hands" e-mail survey just after the New Year. This should give us a sense of the membership on reunion plans.  We hope to talley the results by mid-January.  In your response, feel free to pipe in with any suggestions the Reunion Committee can use to make this "Return to the West Coast" gathering of Sterett salts a banner event.   

Reunion Hotel

(After visiting links, click the close (x) button on the upper right of your browaer to return to this newsletter)

Holiday Mail Call: Send a Thank You Card to Those Now Serving.     

 

Shipmate Evan Mickel patched us in on this new circuit for thanking the troops:

Send Thanks

President signs proclamation designating new WWII monument and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 2008 

Former CG 31 CO George Sullivan in attendance. 

 

 
 

President George W. Bush signs the Presidential Proclamation Designating the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument and the Presidential Proclamation in Honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 2008, Friday, Dec. 5, 2008, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. From left are, George Sullivan, Chairman of the Arizona Memorial Museum Association; Navy Secretary Donald Winter; Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright; the president; Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake; and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.
 
To find out more of the story about this important tribute, follow this link:
 
New WWII Monument Proclamation Story
 
Homeported In San Diego: DDG Now Active in the Fleet
 
Many inquiries have come in about how the new ship has fared since it sailed away from the August Commissioning in Baltimore. Here a few items we have been able to put together:
 
DDG 104 Out of San Diego
 
 
DLG/CG 31 Vets! Call For Photos of the Ship (for a clean sweep fore and aft)
 
Recently, I conducted an inspection of the "below deck compartments" of our website. This included a walk through the heralded "Ship Layout - Top View" quarters. This exhibit enables shipmates and other site visitors to take a cyber tour of  'ol 31 - the way she was! 
 
This fine section of the site was meticulously built by our pioneer webmaster and Association co-founder Elden Miller a few years back. At that time, he was able to assemble many excellent photos and images contributed by shipmates and other sources to cover key sections on the ship, from a weapons and equipment systems perspective. This included system upgrades and retrofits made during her 27 years of sea service, such as the Harpoon missile outfitting in 1975. 
 
Like many great works, this remains a "work in progress".  If you take the tour, you will notice that there are still a few pages with "placeholders" waiting for a photo that will fit he bill. It may be that one of these pages are crying out for that photo you took in your watch area right after you returned from liberty in Yokusaka with that newly purchased Nikon. It may be that just the one we need is  sitting there in that dusty shoe box under your cellar stairs!
 
If you think you can fill one of these "gaps" with the right photo, how about sending it along? If you believe an important item was overlooked (sonar dome?), send your photo of it, along with a description.  If you are able to scan it or have it scanned, send it along the digital copy to me as an  e-mail attachment. Alternatively, you can send me the original photo via US Mail. I'll scan it and return it to you pronto.
 
For this,  you can count on being photo credited and will earn the solid gratitude of your shipmates (I am sure)
 
Thanks to the previous and future contributors to this section.
 
DLG/CG 31 Ship Tour
Best Regards, 
 
Mike Garrity    mailto:webmaster@sterett.net
Sterett Association Web Site Administrator 
PO Box 1554
Pocasset, MA 02559  

 

Reported by Dennis Dean - Secretary/Treasurer

 

 

 

Members in Good Standing - (as of December 4, 2008)

 

 
  Last Name First Name Dues Paid Year
1   Acton Richard 2008
2   Alexander Leonard 2008-2010
3   Anders Joseph E. 2007-2009
4   Anton Stephen 2006-2010
5   Appledorn Pat 2006-2011
6   Ashmore William 2007-2008
7   Avery Joel 2008
8   Bailey Eugene 2008
9   Baker Daniel 2006-2010
10   Baumgartner Lane 2007-2010
11   Begeal Christopher 2008
12   Bernson Zachary 2008
13   Bettner Donald 2008-2009
14   Bilak David 2006-2010
15   Blankenship James 2007-2008
16   Blount Thomas E. Jr. 2006-2011
17   Bond Charles 2006-2011
18   Botkin James DD 407 Shipmate
19   Brehio Edward DD 407 Shipmate
20   Breitenstein Darryl S. 2007-2011
21   Bridges Kenneth A. 2008
22   Britton R.M. Mike 2006-2008
23   Buchanan Michael 2008
24   Bucher Gene 2008-2012
25   Bulkley Peter 2007-2009
26   Butterfield Michael 2006-2008
27   Calhoun Cal DD 407 Shipmate
28   Camp Ralph 2008-2010
29   Campbell Jim 2008-2009
30   Caravella Anthony 2008
31   Caro Jeremias 2007-2008
32   Carroll Francis M. 2008-2010
33   Cline George A. 2006-2008
34   Cook Donald 2006-2009
35   Cornforth Mike 2006-2009
36   Cowan Van 2007-2008
37   Crocker Kelly 2006-2009
38   Cross Fred 2006-2008
39   Curtis Greg 2008
40   Darveau John 2008
41   Dean Dennis 2006-2015
42   Dietz Burton 2006-2009
43   Dimmick Rodney 2007-2009
44   DuPerry Richard H. 2006-2010
45   Eakin Oscar D. 2006-2010
46   Earney Jerald D. 2005-2010
47   Elder George 2006-2008
48   Emerson Robert 2006-2009
49   Farnham Charles G. 2006-2010
50   Fox Edward J. 2006-2010
51   Fuerst John 2006-2008
52   Garrison Merton 2007-2011
53   Garrity Michael 2006-2009
54   Gemmill Lonnie 2006-2008
55   Goodson William DD 407 Shipmate
56   Glowacki Ray 2008
57   Griffey Dale 2007-2008
58   Groener Robert Duffy 2006-2010
59   Hada Wilford 2006-2009
60   Hageman Donald 2008-2009
61   Hager Kenneth 2006-2010
62   Harmon Betty 2008
63   Harper Thomas J. 2007-2008
64   Harrell Jerry D. 2008-2009
65   Hayes Stephen 2006-2008
66   Henry W. David 2008-2009
67   Hensley Edward 2006-2008
68   Herron William 2006-2009
69   Hill Jesse 2008-2009
70   Hilliard Dale 2006-2010
71   Houston Aaron 2006-2009
72   Hulce Terry 2006-2008
73   Hull John 2007-2009
74   Hutchins Jacque DD 407 Shipmate
75   Hye James 2007-2008
76   Jacobsmeyer Thomas 2006-2009
77   Johnston James 2008
78   Joplin Craig 2009
79   Kane Thomas 2007-2008
80   Kelsey Sterett-Gittings 2009
81   Kincaid Homer 2006-2008
82   King John E. 2006-2008
83   Kirk Jeffery 2008-2010
84   Knight Bob 2008-2009
85   Kolby James J. 2006-2009
86   Kriwanek Stephen 2008
87   Krummick Robert 2006-2011
88   Lamm Theodore 2008
89   Layton Stephen DD 407 Shipmate
90   LaCrosse Denis 2007-2008
91   Lefebvre Chuck (Frenchy) DD 407 Shipmate
92   Lockett Joseph 2008
93   Long William DD 407 Shipmate
94   Malcolm Ronald 2006-2008
95   Mallow William 2006-2009
96   Marcus Richard B. 2004-2010
97   Mares Carl R. 2006-2010
98   Marrs Art DD 407 Shipmate
99   Martin Richard 2006-2010
100   Marusa Mike 2009-2010
101   Mattingly Jessica 2008
102   McBrian Wayne 2007-2008
103   McCoy Katherine 2007-2008
104   McCullough Henry DD 407 Shipmate
105   McGinnis Daniel 2007-2008
106   McGuire Robert V. 2006-2008
107   McKee Clovis 2007-2008
108   Mickel Evan 2008
109   Miller Elden Member Emeritus
110   Moe Jerry 2006-2008
111   Monnier Lynn L. 2008
112   Montgomery Gary 2006-2009
113   Montry Gerald 2006-2009
114   Motz Lawrence 2006-2011
115   Nace Wilbert 2008-2012
116   Nicholson Darrell G. "Nick" 2008-2009
117   Norris, Jr. Pearse 2008
118   Norton Randy 2007-2010
119   OConnor Thomas 2006-2008
120   O'Neill Michael 2008
121   O'Riley Daniel C. 2007-2008
122   Parsons ML "Lee" 2008
123   Patrick Emery 2006-2010
124   Peters Richard 2008
125   Pererson Allen 2008
126   Pirolozzi Douglas 2008
127   Phung Le T 2008-2009
128   Rains David 2006-2008
129   Read Dennis 2007-2008
130   Reichert Herbert E. 2006-2008
131   Reilly Robert 2006-2010
132   Ritzen Jacob 2006-2009
133   Robinson James E. Robbie 2008
134   Robles Nick 2007-2008
135   Rupp Earl W. 2005-2008
136   Santos Robert M. 2004-2008
137   Schultz Danny 2008
138   Seider Carl 2006-2008
139   Sherman Fredrick DD 407 Shipmate
140   Shope Robert K. :"Bob" 2008
141   Smith William 2008
142   Smusz John 2008
143   Snopel Paul 2006-2008
144   Stella William DD 407 Shipmate
145   Sterett Bill & Glenna 2008
146   Sterett Deborah A. "Debbie" 2008-2009
147   Sterett Greg 2009
148   Sterett Jack 2008
149   Sterett Jeffery A. 2009
150   Sterett John 2008
151   Sterett Justin 2009
152   Sterett Malcolm F. 2007-2008
153   Sterett Ryan 2008-2009
154   Sterett William K. 2009
155   Stevens Richard 2006-2015
156   Stinson Ruth 2006-2008
157   Sullivan George E. 2006-2008
158   Thoman Rex 2008
159   Thompson Tommy DD 407 Shipmate
160   Trimble Monte 2007-2008
161   Wasinger Phil 2008
162   Werring Brian 2008
163   West Steven 2008
164   Wheeler John 2008-2009
165   Winters Daniel 2007-2008
166   Wood Mathew L "Matt" 2008-2009
167   Wright James N "Pappy" 2008-2009
168   Wright Wayne 2007-2008
169   Zakalowski Richard 2006-2008

         Total  169