USS BELL
ASSOCIATION (DD587)
JUNE, 2011
IN THIS ISSUE:
From the Veterans Council of Chatham County, Inc.
On behalf of the Veterans Council of Chatham County, Inc., we
acknowledge and sincerely thank you for your donation. Your contribution helped make it possible
for us to construct the World War II Memorial “A World Apart”. As we reflect each day about how lucky we
are to have our freedom, we wish to acknowledge you and your support.
HEROES
By Jared Jenkins (an excerpt)
In war, there are lives risked
and lives taken
Men and women giving their
best to defend what they love
They defend their country,
their honor, and their people
Some call them soldiers
Others call the heroes
Our veterans were more than
soldiers
They were, and still are
heroes
This acknowledgement was received from the BELL donation and an
engraved brick will be placed at the memorial site along the Riverfront in
Savannah for the USS BELL.
MAILBAG
…..It has been my intention to e-mail you for some time now and I am
finally getting around to it. My
name is E.A. Hughes and I am a US Navy retired Master Chief Fire Control
Technician with 24 years Navy service.
After my first hitch in the Navy I attended the University of Denver and as an
assignment for English 102 I wrote a poem and titled it “Once I Was A Navyman” to show how I felt about
the Navy, the Navymen, the ships we sailed on and
other things I felt important about the Navy. I went back into the Navy a few months
later and stayed another 20 years.
About the time I retired from the Navy I revised my work to include more of the Navymen I had served with, places where the Navymen came from, some of the ships that some of these Navymen and I served on and other minor changes I felt I
should make. I still continue making
changes to my work on occasion, like the Destroyer Cole where 17 of our
Shipmates died and 39 were injured.
She is sailing the seas again, and neither Her crew nor
the United States will ever forget what the Cole went through. I had served on Destroyers
USS Turner (DDR 834) and William R. Rush (DDR 714) back in the 1960s so I am
very familiar with what Destroyers such as the USS Bell do to earn their keep. And my Tin Can days will mostly be good
memories.
I noticed that your Feb. 2008 Newsletter carries my work and I am
attaching my latest version of “Once I was a Navyman”
for your inclusion in your Bell Newsletter if that would meet with your
approval.
…..Very Respectfully, E.A. Hughes, FTCM (SS), US Navy (Retired)
Revised copy attached to this newsletter.
…..My dad served on this ship.
His name was James Robert McClintock.
His service date was from Sept. 17, 1942 till Jan 17, 1946. His Rank was Machinist’s Mate Second
Class. He passed away on April 28,
2006. I loved looking at your
website. We used to have a picture
of the ship. If I find any pictures
I will forward them to you. Thank
you for your website.
…..Ginger (McClintock) Lesher, 1519
Bonanza CT, Sachse, TX 75048
…..I am sending you some money for dues to the Bell Association.
I am sorry I forgot when I send my dues last.
If this is not enough to pay through this year would you please let me
know. If this is more than I owe, please keep
the extra for what ever purpose you need it. Thank you for keeping the Newsletter
coming. …..Francis Harpole, 3018 200th Trl, Prole, IA 50229. (Mr. Harpole,
it is always great to hear from you.)
…..Please continue the Newsletter.
I truly look forward to them and San Antonio sounds inviting. My special friend has family there and if
my health improves we may be able to make it.
I just turned 92 and was doing great until a vein in my colon broke and I
became anemic and dehydrated and was allergic to iron tablets. Lost 10 pounds and missed my Birthday
Party of 28 family members. I have
high hopes and June 9th I will have been in my home 70 years and still going
strong! Wishing you the best. Fran
Vershowski, N9169 Hickory Street, East Troy, WI 53120.
(Fran, I hope you are back to good health and would love to see you
at the reunion and give you a great big hug.)
…..I wish to take a moment to thank you for your efforts with the
USS Bell Newsletter. It meant much
to my Father and Mother (George W & Edna Atkinson) and I’ve enjoyed the news,
stories very much over the years. My
youngest son Kody, has a great interest in our family and country’s history,
and I know he thanks you for your efforts also.
On a personal note, it’s nice to be able to fill out some of the stories
I grew up hearing and having a better understanding of some of the photos my Dad
had taken (mostly in the Pacific). I
too, spent time in the US Navy (about 7 years) much of that time interestingly
enough, in Okinawa, Japan. I was an
Orthopedic Technician, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class stationed at the Naval
Hospital at Camp Kawae. I loved the country and people and had
the unusual experience of having a Martial Arts Sensei (teacher) who had been a
very young Kamikaze pilot in the Japanese Navy in WWII. So on one side had my Father, on the
other had a Sensei who was like a 2nd father figure. His history was interesting to say the
least, and fortunate for me. The war
ended before he flew.
Presented a very interesting array of emotions for myself, who loved and
respected both men. We, my
brother Daryl and my sons Kristofer and
Kody again wish to say Thank You for your efforts.
…..Dale A. Atkinson, 1310 Horse Shoe Creek Rd,
Davenport, FL 33837-9561.
All arrangements
have now been made and the contracts signed.
Hope your calendars are marked with the dates of arrival – Sept. 14th and
departure date Sept. 18th. Attached
is the registration form. If you
plan to attend the reunion, please complete the form and return it to my by August 15th as I will have to let the hotel and tour
director know how many of us there will be.
SAN ANTONIO
REUNION REGISTRATION FORM
SEPTEMBER 14 –
18, 2011
Thursday, Sept. 15th: Visit to Gruene with lunch at the Gristmill - $25.00 per person
(Includes charter bus and driver, tour guide,
gratuity.) Everyone will
order from the menu and pay for your own food.
Friday – Sept. 16th: Visit to
Fredericksburg – $55.00 per person. (Includes charter bus,
driver, tour guide, admission to the Nimitz Museum, gratuities.) You will be able to choose the place of
your choice for lunch. The tour
guide will point out places you might like to try.
Saturday, Sept 17th: Farewell
Dinner – Ranchers Buffet - $40.00 per person.
(Includes buffet, tax & service charge.)
Visit to Gruene:
Names attending -
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Amount - ________________________
Visit to Fredericksburg
Names attending -
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Amount - ________________________
Farewell Banquet
Names attending -
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Amount - ________________________
Total Amount Enclosed - _______________________
Make check payable to USS Bell
Association
Mail to Ann Poole, 3978 Ashleywoods
Court, Tucker, GA 30084
Please return by August 15, 2011
