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News from sister-ship J P Kennedy (DD850)
Ships in the picture are Fiske, Rush, Kennedy at 50's ComDESRON8 change of command
Received the following message from our sister-ship USS J P Kennedy (DD850) at Battleship Cove, MA.
May 2011 Field Day Newsletter
The last few months leading into May have accomplished the
prepping of the Motor Generator Room for painting, prepping of the
Port side rails of the Signal Bridge, working on sound powered
phone circuits, painting the blackout area of the 01 passageway
near the ASROC deck, and many other tasks. Yet we always look
forward to the May Major field day aboard DD850 to reunite old
friends and really get some work accomplished.
Our May 2011 Field Day did not disappoint as we had over 54
volunteers report aboard for our 5 day field day. Once again, the
greatest asset we have is our volunteers who represent a mix bag
of ships, stations, and civilian capacities. So let's get into
our people and work projects.
|
Walt Crew (USS Rich) |
Mike Angelini (USS Joseph P. Kennedy
Jr) |
Electrical:
Repaired lighting in compartment A-411A
Repaired Passageway light in the forward officers passage
Repaired coffee brewing machine
Restored ventilation and lighting to Mt 51
Rewired controller and start switch on No #1 air compressor in the
Aft Engineroom.
Repaired and relocated pressure switch on No #1 air compressor in
the Aft Engineroom
Repaired lights in B-4 Aft Engine Room.
Isolated and repaired switchboard grounds in DASH hangar
Fixed wiring on lower level B-3 Aft Fireroom
Mechanical Maintenance:
Removed all vent covers for summer service
Sealed 2" pipe on torpedo deck
Repaired and closed all hinged covers on torpedo mounts
Repaired and sealed optical doors on Mt 51 to prevent water
intrusion into the gun mount.
Installed watertight door mechanism on door (01 level to torpedo
deck, port side)
Fixed door to Burke Museum
Special Projects:
Bow to stern bilge crawl--photo documentation of hull conditions
Bow to stern bilge crawl--ultrasound of hull, selected areas on
main deck
B-4 bilge cleaning of all pockets for debris.
Painting Projects (Major man power efforts was given here)
Prep and priming of interior of Mt 51.
Needle gunning and wire wheeling the overhead and bulkheads of the
starboard side main deck forward of the breakwater.
Use of needle gun, and deck crawler to prep and prime the fantail.
Use of deck crawler to prep and then paint the DASH flight deck.
Prep, prime, and finish coat to 25 feet of overhead on the port
side main deck. This is the last area on the port side main deck
needed to be completed.
Prepped, primed and painted the port side signal deck and bridge
wing. Continued to prep and prime forward rail of Signal Deck as
well.
General Restoration:
Cleaned out ASROC magazine of spare and unwanted material.
Completed upholstery restoration on Messdecks.
Added protective coatings to Bridge wing wooden trim.
Made new Plexiglas panel for wing urinal and changed out mounting
hardware to stainless steel.
Installed and secured both bridge wing voice tube weather covers.
Installed fire wand retainer bracket port side main deck at Frame
80
Installed CO2 Foam canister rack in main passageway that was taken
from HORNE.
Field Day specific:
Manned Galley and Messdecks to provide meals to all hands from
Thursday night to Sunday morning.
Cleaned, sorted, and manned storeroom for field day.
Participated in "Meet the Veterans" program
Tidbits about the Field Day:
1. We had 2 members of the Board of Directors of the museum, 6
family teams, 1 ww2 vet, 4 men over 80 years old, and 7 kids under
the age of 18 working aboard.
2. Appreciation to Ed Zajkowski for coming up early so volunteers
could report for duty by Wednesday. Also special thanks to Dave
Stawicki for all the support getting materials ready and
supporting work efforts throughout the weekend.
3. First time volunteer, Jim Weber, who also works at Bath Iron
Works received permission to allow us the loan of a ultrasonic
thickness tester so we could test our hull and decks for wear.
4. A huge BZ to everyone who came to the field day as their
teamwork and work ethic got us through a thunderstorm and our very
optimistic goals for the weekend. Our manpower was put towards
putting the look of the ship first with preparation and painting
the major goals. As many said, "we never worked this hard in the
Navy but now this ship represents everything to us".
5. All volunteers were given a Green KENNEDY work hat and coffee
mug for their efforts. Yet there is a deep passion and love for
this ship that exists in the hearts of many that gifts could never
replace.
Agent Orange
Received an e-mail from James Rapson suggesting you visit the following link. There is much here for vets and their families as well as links to resosurces for dealing with Agent Orange.
The following image is part of an e-mail received October 31st from James Rapson. Clicking this image will link you to a web site
where vets seeking VA benefits can get complete listings of ships that were exposed to Agent Orange during Veit Nam.
Veterans Resources
Various Veterans Resources web sites provide topics of interest to veterans. These communications cover actions taken on veterans issues in Congress and highlights of benefit issues. There are several articles, so take your time browsing. There are links to each resource using the red buttons at the right side of this page. Use the browser back button to return to this page.
Dated: March 17, 2015 - The VA Eliminates Net Worth as Health Care Eligibility Factor
Dated: April 23, 2015 - Appeal of Gray v VA Affairs re: Agent Orange
Dated: May 5, 2015 - Blue Water Claims Update re: Agent Orange
Military Exchange & Commissary Announcement
The Department of Defense has announced that it has expanded in-store Military Exchange & Commissary shopping privileges as well as MWR.
The benefits were initiated in January 2017 and became effective on Nov. 11, 2017.
Just a reminder that any honorably-discharged vet may now shop the AAFES exchange system. Simply go to shopmyexchange.com and log in. You'll be asked to provide your SSN and birthdate. The system will quickly research you and log you in.
Those eligible are, Honorably discharged Veterans of all United States Armed Forces, including the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard as well as the Air Force Reserve, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve and National Guard.
RAO Bulletin
Click on this
icon to open the Veterans Resources website where you will find a
link to the most recent RAO bulletin. Thre are many current
and earlier Veterans bulletins available at this web site.
Membership E-mails
Received the following E-mail on 3/31:
Hello,
We are excited to announce the publication of "Tin Can Titans: The Heroic Men and Ships of World War II's Most Decorated Navy Destroyer Squadron" by military expert John Wukovits.
"Tin Can Titans..." is the first book to explore into the lives of the sailors of Destroyer Squadron 21, World War II's most decorated squadron. It is the story of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, told through diaries, interviews with survivors, photographs, and letters. The moving and thrilling tale brings vivid life to the human story of World War II in the Pacific.
John Wukovits specializes in the Pacific theater of World War II. He is the author of many books, including "Hell from the Heavens", "For Crew and Country", "One Square Mile of Hell", and "Pacific Alamo. He has also written numerous articles for such publications as WWII History, Naval History, and World War II.
Early, enthusiastic praise from other history enthusiasts is already rolling in:
"John Wukovits is probably our best living chronicler of the war at sea. No one else writes with the immediacy that he does, or captures the intensity and the courage of those who fought in 'tin cans' in quite the same way. "Tin Can Titans" could very well be his masterpiece."-- Flint Whitlock, Editor, WWII Quarterly magazine.
Sincerely,
Amanda Holman
If you want to contact the sender of this E-mail, here is her address: amanda.holman@hbgusa.com
Received the following E-mail from a membership organization of sailors who served aboard or passed through the Bainbridge Naval Training Center between 1942 and 1976.
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2016 8:13 PM
To: howardvaldobson@verizon.net
Subject: U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge
This e-mail concerns a recruitment effort of the U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge Association. You are receiving this e-mail because your e-mail address is listed as the reunion contact on the Tin Can Sailors web site for your group. The intent is that someone in your group notify its members of this recruitment by distributing the attached three documents to members of your group. If you are not the person who is responsible for distributing information to your members, I request that you forward this e-mail to the individual who is. Hopefully, your organization can distribute the material through a specific mailing or in a newsletter article. Three documents are attached: 1) “Attention on Deck,” a recruitment overview, 2) a brochure about the USNTC Bainbridge Association, and 3) a Membership Application.
Many people served at the Center in numerous capacities during its operation from 1942 till 1976, and your reunion group likely has quite a few. I would like for them to be aware of the USNTC Bainbridge Association. and to join our ranks to provide an additional source of camaraderie and to share their memories about the Center.
I thank you in advance for your help in this effort. Please contact me if you have any related questions or concerns.
Arline Caliger
President, USNTC Bainbridge Assn.
E-Mail: kali8824z@aol.com
USNTC Bainbridge Association web site: http://www.usntcb.org/
U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge - Attention On Deck!
U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge - Brochure
U. S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge - Membership Application
Received the following e-mail from shipmate Sandie Siciliano on August 27, 2015:
I received a beautiful hand written note dated 6 August. I was wondering if you might want to post this on the website. It reads: "Dear Sandra, Betty Sweeny, wife of James B. Sweeny (Jim), Capt USN Ret, passed away nearly a year ago - September 20, 2014. Your newsletter reminded me of the stories she told about how kind everyone was to her at the USS Fiske reunions. She very much enjoyed staying in contact with the "crew". For my part, I recall visits aboard when Dad was commanding officer, stationed in Providence RI.. Dad was pround and protective of DD 842. Some of my first memories (I was four or five years old) were os the ship and traveling out by launch to climb the great ladder. Please remove Mother from your distribution. May the reunion Gettysburg be everything you hope it wil be, Enjoy. Blessings, Sara Baldwin +-(formerly Sally Sweeny)"
Thanks, Sandie
Our Sister-ship USS Joseph P. Kennedy (DD/DDR 850) has produced a Youtube video showing the ship as it looked some years ago and how it has been restored to its former glory. A handful of volunteers have labored for years to make the Kennedy look as it did when you and I were on the Fiske.
To view this video, just click on the link below. When done,
close the video window and you'll be returned here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jin97QbrjA
The Ship's Historian, Gil Beyer is preparing the Fiske Tales book of stories. He is stilll in need of pictures from some of the crew. Following is a listing of shipmates for which he has no picture. If you name is here, please locate a picture taken of you aboard the Fiske and e-mail it to him.
Bill Loerning BMSN
Charlie Thompson, QM2
Daniel Gilroy SM3
David Taylor, LT USNR
Dennis Stead EM3
Douglas Bracken
Edward Barncord
Frank Nicastro SOG3
George Hilt ETR3
George W. Post Ens/Lt(jg)
Herb Foy FCT3
James Hanner RD3/RD2
Jeff Kovite SOG2
Jerry Moseley, YN3
John Degnan Jr. SOG3
John Frazer EM3/ EM2
Joseph Fenick Lt(jg)/Lt
Leyland East, EN3
Lou Palermo FT2
Mike Petro SK3
Millard Wagnon, FTSN
Milt Kramer
Paul Shipe, TM3
Robert Johnson
Sandie Siciliano ETN2
Warren D. LaVille, HM3
William Chandler RDM1
William Loerning BMSN
On July 2, 2013 we received an email from Frank Boffi.
Hi Steve:
Are you aware of any one that has served on the USS Fiske that might
have served at the (now closed) Orlando, Florida “Recruit
Training Center”. If you are, please let me know their name and
time of service. We (The Navy League) are in the process of
establishing a “Lone Sailor Memorial” here on the grounds of the
former training center.
Looking forward to Charlston for our reunion.
Have a GREAT NAVY DAY!
Frank Boffi
Today, November 29, 2011, Gil Beyer, the Ship's Historian, E-mailed us the following:
...asking our Shipmates if they have a cruise book for a specific
cruise? I recently had a request from Shipmate Barrett Clisby
looking for a copy of the 1970 Cruise. I don't have one and
neither does the Navy Historical Center.
If we could find one it would be a great addition to
our archives and, eventually, the Navy Historical Center.
VietNam Era Shipmates -- Important Information Regarding Agent Orange
The following E-mail's were sent to us in mid-January 2010. Please open and read these documents. They are both in PDF format so everyone should be able to open and read them. You need not have a specific word processing program.
Denny
Steinberger sent this E-mail to us on 1/22/2010
Don Valentine sent this along to us on 1/23/2010
More information about this important topic will be posted here and covered in greater detail in the next scheduled Fiske Newsletter.
The following e-mail on the same topic was received on 1/27. Please read:
From:
Robert Mitchell [mailto:rmitchell@saratogacountyny.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 14:05
To: don\diane valentine
Cc: james rapson
Subject: Fw: Veterans Corner February 2010
Please notify all USS Fiske shipmates that served on board during the vietnam cruise June 16-21 1966 that they may be entitled compensation if they have any of the AGENT ORANGE presumed disease's.
THE
BELOW 4 WAS JUST ADDED:
B cell leukemias
Hairy cell leukmia
Parkinsons disease
Ischemic heart disease
Acute subacute transient peripheral
ALS
Chloracne
CLL
Diabetes (type 2)
Hodgkins desease
Multiple myeloma
Non-hodgkins lymphoma
Porphyria
Prostatr
Respiratory cancers, and
Soft tissue sarcoma (other thanosteosarcoma,chondrosarcoma,
kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothlioma)
Also, if any of these shipmates died of any of the these disease's the WIDOW can filed a DIC clam with the VA. These WIDOWS should make contact with American Legion, VFW service officers, or any county/state veterans service agencies in their area. Never file a claim on your own. Always use a professional ADVOCATE. Filing on youe own mat delay your claim. If you need help call me.
Bob
MItchell, Dir
Sartoga County
Veterans Service Agency
518-884-4115
NOTE: E-mails earlier than 2010 have been removed.