Vol. XIV Issue 31 Official Newsletter of the USS
Charles S. Sperry DD 697 Association
January 2011
PRESIDENTS'S MESSAGE
A
Happy New Year to all our members!
As
we begin the New Year, I want to mention two important issues that our
association needs to address.
First,
there has been a slow but steady decline in our membership during the past few
years. Reasons for this include loss of
interest, economic conditions, health issues, and deaths. Second, there has been no formal, consistent
campaign for maintaining or growing our membership, or for recruiting former
shipmates who fail to submit applications.
Although
we have made a few individual efforts through the years to keep in touch with
former shipmates, it has become necessary to develop a more effective program
if we are to keep the association from slowly fading into the sunset.
Since
being elected Vice President at the 2010 reunion in
Recruiting
efforts will continue in 2011. We will be using mail-outs, e-mails, telephone
contacts and other methods so that we not only stay in touch with current
members but also will reach out to other shipmates who, for whatever reason,
have failed to renew their membership.
Every
member may join in this campaign by keeping in touch with those shipmates they
served with. Please help the recruiting
efforts by staying in contact with former shipmates and encouraging them to
maintain their membership in the Sperry association. Your efforts will be
rewarded.
The results of recruiting
efforts will be published in the SIX GUN newsletters.
B. W. Jennings
Vice President: Jess Mayberry reports he has made several
contacts but at this time, the shipmates are not interested in joining. He
continues to call, write, and email members who are have not joined or renewed
their membership. He asked that each member contact a shipmate and encourage
them to join.
Treasurer's Report:
U.S.S CHARLES S. SPERRY DD697
ASSOCIATION
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT & BANK
ACCOUNT ACTIVITY
JANUARY 7, 2011
OCTOBER 1, 2010 BEGINNING BALANCE $122.98
ACTIVITY FROM OCTOBER 1, 2010 UP TO DECEMBER 31 2010: _________
OCTOBER INCOME: MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS $370.00
INCOME: SHIP’S STORE $38.86
NOVEMBER INCOME: MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS $405.00
EXPENSE: B. W. JENNINGS -
REIMBURSEMENT
FOR SHIP’S STORE $-38.86
DECEMBER INCOME: MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS $100.00
EXPENSE: B. W. JENNINGS TO REPAY
LOAN TO
OPEN NEW CHECKING ACCT. $-100.00
EXPENSE: INVOICE-EYRE BUS TOUR
DEPOSIT
FOR 2011
EXPENSE:
GROUP
SERV. FOR OUTSTANDING BAL.
ON 2010
============================================================================
DECEMBER 31, 2010 ENDING BALANCE $496.28
A full report of the findings
of the investigation into the Association’s financial records will be provided
at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the USS Charles S. Sperry DD697 Association in
Gary Chaser
Treasurer,
USS Charles S. Sperry DD697
Association
Mike
Schlomas is inquiring about his father, Albert Schlomas. Mike thinks his father served as a
Torpedo-Man 1st Class...perhaps during the early 1950's. If you remember Albert
Schlomas please contact Mike at: 773-343-8443 cell, or 773-445-8443 home
.
We
Proudly Remember
MORLAND, JOHN
B.
John Benjamin Morland was born to George and Hattie Morland on July 15, 1911.
He died on November 9, 2010. He was born on a farm near Haven,
He is survived by his darling wife MaryGrayce Cheves Morland; daughter,
Michelle, and son-in-law, Roger Shaul,
of Charlotte, NC; sister, Mary Neill, of San Bernardino, CA; step daughter,
Denise Standiford, of Gainesville, FL; brother and sister-in-law, Vice Admiral
Denis-James and Gloria Downey, of McLean, Va.;
nephew, Denis Downey, of Fairfax, VA; granddaughter, Lisa Thompson and her
husband David, of Alexandria, Va.; grandsons, Ben Shaul and Robby Shaul, of
Charlotte, NC. Captain Morland taught electronics, vocational education and
physics for four years at
========================================================
Alma Rougeux, 80, passed away Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010.
Bob and I met
Although the glow of her bright smile is absent from us her spirit shall
remain. It is the glow of her spirit
that will guide us. She will be
remembered for her loyalty, loving heart, brilliant smile and her dedication to
her family and the USS Charles S. Sperry DD 697 Association. She was a faithful
and true friend, a diamond among the finest of jewels whose heart had no
boundaries.
Her lesson in life was to love and forgive, talk to each other often, treasure special moments that life gives, and strive to always improve as a friend. Her life was a generous one and her unselfish deeds are now precious memories.
=============================================================================================
Elaine Smaleck passed on September 27, 2010. When we see the beautiful shining sun as we look to heaven we know it is our friend smiling down on us. She had courage, vision, humility and love. Her memory will survive the years that will come and go and her love is everlasting. She was and she is our friend. The association could always count on Elaine to provide beautiful door prizes not only from her and Bill but from her family. Her smile could light up a room and she will be missed.
You
Could Win!!!
The officers are donating one
"free" night at the DoubleTree Hotel
during
the reunion. Tickets for a chance to win the free night
will
be available to purchase when you pick up your registration
packet
in the Hospitality Room.
Visit the website to purchase: Sperry caps for $9.75 plus shipping, Sperry
jackets lined at a cost of $22 and unlined for $20, Sperry Car Tag Border for
just $2, Sperry Logo Portfolio for $5, and Sperry Cookbooks, for only $7.
Shipping cost will vary for each item.
WEBSITE
ADDRESS: http//usscharlessperrydd697.com
Nominating Committee
The nominating
committee members for election of officers are Jim Callahan, chair,
732.240.6204, Frank Padellaro, 732.240.7627, and Bob Henk, 651.429.0347.
If you are willing
to serve the association as an officer, or one of the two appointed positions, please
contact one of the committee members. Nominations will also be accepted from
the floor.
WEBMASTER’S
REPORT
Gary Chesser is in the process of
updating the web site now.
CREW'S NEWS:
Roy Tosten reported that
Casey Case has cancer from asbestosis and had chemo for 6 months. Casey's
address is
Lewis
Sweezy enjoys hearing from shipmates and says his legs just will not carry
him where he wants to go.
Capt.
Murland Searight and wife Ginny had a very nice Christmas and
New Year. Capt. Searight is happy since
he can go skiing. They are planning to attend the reunion in
B. W. and Barbara Jennings send a huge "Thank You" to the many shipmates who have
written and called checking on their daughter, Tami after her double lung transplant. Unfortunately, a microorganism from her blood
stream has invaded the new lungs. She is now back on two antibiotics. Please
continue to pray for Tami.
Richard Perkins had the trip of a life time he said when he, along with 35 other veterans
from the Brookshire's World War II Heroes Flight, traveled to Washington, DC to
visit a memorial erected to honor their service. Richard served from 1943 to 1945. He served
aboard the Sperry from1950 - 1951. During his service, he was awarded five
battle stars. The best part of the trip was seeing his great grandchildren.
Thomas Hill
reported they would not be able to attend the reunion due to having their first
great-grandchild. Congratulations to Tom and Dorothy.
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Directions to the Reunion Hotel
From South and
From North:
Take I-95 to I-895 South to I-895 Spur South. Exit onto I-97 South, continue on
Route 50 East to Exit
From East:
From West: Take
I-70 East to I-695 South, Exit onto I-97 South, continue to Route 50 East to
Exit 22 Riva Rd. Follow signs to
*******************************************************************************
210 Holiday Court,
Tel: 1-410-224-3150 Fax: 1-410-224-3413
For your comfort and convenience
Enterprise
Rental will give a 5% discount to Sperry members when they rent a vehicle at
the
Please be sure to
bring an item to donate for the silent auction!
A Tribute to Veterans
Submitted by: Iris Davis, Widow of Virgil Davis
Remember ...
It is the veteran, not the preacher who has given us freedom of
religion.
It is the veteran, not the lawyer who has given us the right to a
fair trial.
It is the veteran, not the politician who has given us the right to
vote.
It's the veteran, not the reporter, who gave us our freedom of the
press.
It's the veteran, not the poet, who gave us our freedom of speech.
It's the veteran, not the campus organizer, who gave us our freedom
to demonstrate.
It's the Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine, who salutes the flag,
who serves others with respect for the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the
flag, who allows protesters to burn the flag.
And who is the veteran?
He is the POW...
She is the nurse...
He is the drill instructor... the parade-riding...the career Quartermaster...
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb of the Unknown...
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket who helped
liberate a Nazi death camp.
He is the bathroom loudmouth whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is
outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite
bravery near the 38th parallel.
He is your quick-to-anger golf buddy with a Simper FI bumper sticker
on his truck...
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being, a person who
offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and
who sacrificed his ambitions so other would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he
is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest,
greatest nation ever known.
So remember each time you see someone who has served our country,
just lean over and say "thank you."
That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than
any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.
Two little words that mean a lot, "Thank you."
Author Unknown
*******************************************************************
How
much does a Navy Sailor make per Year? Average Annual Seaman/Recruit Salary
Range 2010 by Rachel Bassett on Thu, 03/04/2010 from
the Internet
The
average salary of a new Navy recruit is $30,700 per year in 2010. A Navy sailor
with two years of experience can make a total salary of $63,500 per year,
including service allowance, base salary, uniform maintenance allowance, and
seagoing allowance. A naval seaman’s salary is primarily determined by their
rank and position, and enhanced by special training and skills. A medical officer can make upwards of $50,000 per year as a
base salary even with only a few years of experience. A vocational trainee
makes between $35,000 and $40,000 per year
as a base salary.
NAVY
CHIEF'S COMMENTS
(Submitted by Manfred Hilberer, ('68-'71)
One day a Navy Chief was invited
by his Captain to eat lunch at the Officer's Club. When they entered the main dining room, they
found the place was quite crowded. They
noticed three Lieutenants who were sitting at table with two empty chairs, so
the Captain asked them if they could join them.
They promptly invited them to
join them. They ordered lunch and joined
them in converstion as they ate. At one
point, the Chief mentioned that he had observed characteristics about many
officers from which he could determine the source of their commissioning. The Lieutenants were eager to hear about this
and asked if he could tell how each of them had been commissioned.
The Chief turned to the
Lieutenant on his left and said he went through ROTC. The Lieutenant confirmed that was correct
and asked how he had determined this.
The Chief replied that the Lieutenant, through his conversation, seemed
to have a strong academic background but limited military experience.
The Chief then told the
Lieutenant on his right that he had gone through OCS with previous enlisted
service. The Lieutenant confirmed that
this was correct and also asked how he had determined this. The Chief said, through his conversation,
that the Lieutenant seemed to have a firm military background and a lot of
common sense.
The Lieutenant across the table
from the Chief asked if he had determined his source of commission The Chief replied that the Lieutenant had
graduated from the
The Chief replied that it was
none of these that led him to his determination. He had simply observed the Lieutenant's
class ring while he was picking his nose.
Now you know why Chiefs are no
longer invited to the Officers Club.
******************************************************************************************
OFFICERS
President
B. W. Jennings
2018
281-479-4844
Vice President
Jess Mayberry
636-332-3260
Treasurer
Gary Chesser
662-323-5059
Secretary
Barbara Jennings
2018
281-479-4844
Appointed Positions
Web Master
Gary Chesser
662-323-5059
Chaplain
Roy Welch
931-484-0375
WEBSITE
ADDRESS: http//usscharlessperrydd697.com