USS BELL
ASSOCIATION (DD587)
JUNE, 2012
IN THIS ISSUE:
Hello to everyone. I am happy to say that I have all the
information about our upcoming reunion almost finished. As printed in the last newsletter our
host hotel is the Crown Plaza located within eight miles of Dulles Airport which
makes it really convenient for those who will be flying in. The Crown Plaza is actually in Herndon
just outside the District. The hotel
rate is $89.00 per day plus tax and you must make your reservation before August
6th to get that rate and after that date any rooms not sold will be returned to
the hotel. The phone number for
reservations is 703-674-0585 and be sure you tell them you are with the USS BELL
Group.
On Friday evening, I have made
arrangements to go into the District to attend the Marine Corps Sunset Parade.
We will leave the hotel between 6:30 and 7:00PM for the Main Barracks located at
8th Street & I for the parade that starts at 8:00PM on the dot.
This performance is absolutely amazing and I have seen it many times and
enjoy it more and more. We must be
timely as we will have to go through security by walking through a metal
detector and all purses, backpacks, and packages will be searched for weapons or
other contraband.
The “Oldest Post of the Corps,” was
established in 1801, and has performed military reviews and ceremonies since its
founding. The present-day Evening Parade was first conducted on July 5, 1957.
The parade grounds are bordered on its long axis by graceful maple trees and
shrubs fronting officer’s row and barracks’ administrative offices, to the north
of the picturesque home of the Commandant, and to the south the Marine Band Hall
made famous by the immortal John Phillip Sousa.
They conceived a balanced pageant that would perfectly match the splendor of its
old fashioned setting. In planning
the parade sequence and format Colonel Leonard Chapman, Jr. the future 24th
Commandant of the Marine Corps insisted that the parade adhere to strict
regulations. The parade drill would be without fancy
theatrics. Since its inception, the
Evening Parade has become a unique patriotic tradition of the “Oldest Post of
the Corps”. The parade’s heritage is
entwined with former military rituals such as tattoo, retread, and lowering of
the colors ceremonies. The Evening
Parade is offered solely to express the dignity and pride that represents more
than two centuries of heritage for all Americans. I think you will be in awe of this
performance and will leave you feeling so much pride in our wonderful military
service men and women.
Our hotel is
only about seven miles from the very new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the
National Air and Space Museum located adjacent to Dulles Airport. This museum is just amazing with all the
displays of air power our country has used in the protection of our great
country. The center was named in
honor of its major donor and features the large Boeing Aviation Hanger in which
aircraft are displayed on three levels.
You can walk among aircraft and small artifacts in display cases located on the
floor and view aircraft hanging from the arched ceiling on elevated skywalks. Many engines, helicopters, ultra-lights,
and experimental flying machines are on display in a museum setting for the
first time. Among the aviation
artifacts on display are the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the
world; the Boeing Dash80, the prototype of the 707; the Boeing B-29
Superfortress Enola Gay, and the deHavilland Chipmunk aerobatic airplane. The James S. McDonnell Space Hangar
opened in November 2004 and displays hundreds of famous spacecraft, rockets,
satellites and space-related small artifacts.
The centerpiece of the space hangar is the Space Shuttle Discovery that has just
arrived at the museum. Other space
artifacts include the Gemini VII space capsule; the Mobile Quarantine Unit used
upon the return of the Apollo 11 crew and a Redstone rocket.
The Center also
offers the Airbus IMAX Theater, flight simulators, food service; a museum store
and educational programs. The Donald
D. Engen Tower at the museum is an observation tower providing a 360 degree
bird’s eye view of Washington Dulles International Airport and the surrounding
area. Visitors can watch planes land and take
off from the nearby airport.
Exhibits in the Tower explain how the U.S. air traffic control system works with
air traffic control workstation, equipment and artifacts.
The Tower is accessible by elevator.
The museum offers wheelchairs for anyone that might need one and there
are many places to stop and rest including a food court.
I have requested
a tour of the Space Center for Saturday morning. The tour lasts between two and three
hours but you can visit any part of the museum that you would like to. There is no charge for either the evening
parade at the Marine Barracks on Friday evening or the Hazy Air & Space Center
but we will have to pay for transportation to and from both events. You will have free time if there are any
other things you would like to do but I have only planned these two events.
It is usually very warm in the DC area that time of year so I have planned them
in the coolest time of the day.
It’s going to be
a wonderful time to visit again and a little bird told me that Dick & Barbara
Daniels plan to attend. Their
daughter is planning to drive them down since Dick can not fly.
I am enclosing
the registration form and would like to receive your reservations for the
activities no later than July 15th in order to guarantee the number attending
the tours and the transportation.
MAILBAG
…..Enjoy the paper but do not remember too
many. I am 92.
…..Mrs. Chad Hope
…..Please be advised that
Clement E. Hacunda passed away April 11, 2011.
Our sympathy goes out to his family.
[In going through some of my paper work I found a document that I thought
was interesting and will print for your information. Following is a status order/request
written by Shipmate Kniel on July 3, 1944.]
WE HAVE BEEN SIGHTED X CONSIDER YOU HAVE FIGHTER SWEEP THIS
AFTERNOON OTHERWISE WE MAY HAVE TROUBLE TONIGHT
(ANSWER)
CONSIDER PROPOSITION FAVORABLE X PLAN TO RUN IN AT 25 KNOTS WHEN FUELING IS COMPLETED
AT FOURTEEN HUNDRED LAUNCH FIGHTER SWEEP TO IWO JIMA X HORNET
TWENTY FOUR FIGHTERS HALF LOADED WITH FIVE HUNDRED POUND BOMBS X
YORKTOWNS TWELVE FIGHTERS X BATAANS TWELVE FIGHTERS WITH FIVE HUNDRED POUND BOMBS X RENDEVOUS FIVE THOUSAND FEET COMMANDER STREAN FLIGHT LEADER X FIGHTER BOMBERS RENDEVOUS THREE THOUSAND/PROCEED TARGET ARRIVING TWENTY MINUTES AFTER FIGHTER COMMANDER DEAN STRIKE LEADER X TARGET PRIORITY FOR FIGHTERS AIRCRAFT AIRBORNE AND GROUNDED X FOR BOMBERS PARKED PLANES AND RUNWAYS X INSURE ALL PARKED PLANES STRAFED OR BOMBED X BATAAN CATAPULT ANTI SUB PATROL TO STRIKE LAUNCH AND LAUNCH CAP WITH STRIKE OBTAIN ALL POSSIBLE VERTICAL AND OBLIQUE PHOTOGRAPHS X RESCUE CALLS SAME AS FOR TOMORROW BT X PRELIMINARY REPORT TARGET GROUP TWO----FOLLOWING DETAILS X MANY APPARENTLY UNDAMAGED PLANES PARKED WING TO WING ALONG AIR STRIP WITH OTHERS DISPERSED BUT CLEARLY SEEN FROM SHIP X BELIEVE MORE PLANES INCLUDING MEDIUM BOMBERS PRESENT THAN QUOTA INDICATED X FEW IF ANY PLANES LEFT UNDAMAGED AND MANY DESTROYED X ONE SURE SEVERAL PROBABLE AMMUNITION DUMPS HIT JUDGING BY A VIOLENT EXPLOSION X AREAS ASSIGNED THOROUGHLY COVERED X SANTA FE KINGFISHER DOWNED BY THREE ZEROS WHICH WERE SEEN TO TAKE OFF FROM SOUTH FIELD JUST AS BOMBARDMENT STARTED PERSONNEL RESCUED UNHARMED X SANTA FE IN TURN SHOT DOWN ONE ZEKE X NO DAMAGE THIS GROUPX NO EVIDENCE COAST DEFENSE GUNS x A THOROUGHLY SUCCESSFUL 4TH OF JULY
ANSWER FROM CTG 58.1 -----WELL DONE I SAY AGAIN WELL DONE
And now a page from history
– Over 500 U.S. Navy Warships were sunk or destroyed during WWII. Here is the first in a series of those
famous ships.
Key: Light Cruiser (CL) – Heavy
Cruiser (CA) – Destroyer (DD)
USS Astoria (CA-34) – Sunk by gunfire of Japanese warships off Savo Island.on 9th August, 1942 with loss of 238 crew and wounded 142. Sank at 1215 August 9th.
USS Atlanta (CL-51) – Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese warships during Battle of Guadalcanal, 13th November 1942 with a loss of 172 of crew and 79 wounded.
USS Chicago (CA-29) – Torpedoed by Japanese aircraft 29 January off Rennel Island, Soloman Island and again 30th January 1943, when she sank with a loss of 65 crew and 52 wounded.
USS Helena (CL-50) – Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese warships during Battle of Kula Gulf, 6th July 1943 with loss of 168 crew.
USS Houston (CA-30) – Sunk by gunfire and torpedoes of Japanese warships in Sunda Strait, N.E.I., 1st March 1942 and sank at 0030.
USS Indianapolis (CA-35) – Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-58 in Philippine Sea, 29th July, 1945 with loss of 1583 crew.
USS Juneau (CL-52) –Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-26 after being torpedoed during the Battle of Guadalcanal, 13th November 1942 with only 10 survivors.
USS Northampton (CA-26) – Torpedoed by Japanese destroyer Oyashio during Battle of Tassafaronga, 30th November and sank 1st December, 1942.with only 10 survivors.
USS Quincy (CA-39) – Sunk by torpedoes and gunfire of Japanese warships off Savo Island, 9th August 1942 with the loss of 370 crew.
USS Vincennes (CA-44) – Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese warships off Savo Island, 9th August, 1942. Sank at 0250, hit over 57 times by 8 & 5 inch shells. 322 crew killed and 258 survivors.
USS Aaron Ward (DD483) – Bombed and sunk in Lunga Roads, Guadalcanal, 7th April 1943 with a loss of 27 crew and 59 wounded.
USS Abner Read (DD-526) – Sunk by Kamikaze attack, 1st November, 1944 with loss of 23 crew off Samar Philippine Island.
USS Bartow (DD-599) – Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese warships during Battle of Guadalcanal, 13th November 1942 with only 42 survivors.
USS Beatty (DD-640) – Torpedoed and sunk by German aircraft off Philippeville, Algeria, 6th November 1943 with loss of 11 crew and 8 wounded.
USS Benham (DD-397) – Torpedoed and sunk by U.S. Shellfire at 1938 when unable to save. Battle of Guadalcanal, 15th November 1942. 12 men wounded.
USS Blue (DD-387) – Torpedoed by Japanese destroyer Kamikaze off Guadalcanal, 22 August 1943 with loss of 9 crew and 21 wounded. Scuttled at Tulagi at 2221.
USS Borie (DD-215) – Sank as a result of damage received 1st November by ramming German submarine U-405 north of Azores, 2nd November 1943 with loss of 27 crew and sank by USS Barry DD-248 when unable to save.
USS Bristol (DD-453) – Torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-371 off Algiers, 12 October 1943 with loss of 52 crew and sank 0430 October 13, 1943.
USS Brownson (DD-518) – Sunk by Japanese aircraft off Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26 December 1943 with loss of 108 crew and sank at 1459 December 25, 1943.
USS Buck (DD-420) – Torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-616 off Salerno, 9 October 1943 with only 97 survivors.
USS Bush (DD-529) –Hit by 3 Kamikaze planes off Okinawa and sunk 6th April 1945 with 227 survivors and sank at 1745 April 6 1945.
USS Callghan (DD792) – Sunk by Kamikaze attack of Okinawa, 28 July 1945 with loss of 47 crew and sank at 0235.
USS Chevalier (DD-451) – Torpedoed by Japanese destroyer Yugumo in action off Vella Lavelia, Solomon Islands, 7 October 1943. Loss of 54 of crew and sank by friendly DD when unable to save.
USS Colhoun (DD801) – Hit by 4 Kamikaze planes off Okinawa and sunk 6th April 1945 with loss of 32 crew and 28 wounded. Couldn’t tow and sank by the Cassin Young.
(To be continued.)
Let’s never forget why we pay tribute to our veterans of all wars on
Memorial Day as well as all the occasions we have to say “Thank you.” We are so blessed for their service and I
am so thankful that I am speaking English and can enjoy the many wonderful
opportunities because of their sacrifices.
God Bless.
I’m looking forward to our reunion and hope to see you all again. Don’t forget to send in your registration by July 15th.
USS BELL DD587 REUNION REGISTRATION FORM
AUGUST, 2012
MARINE CORPS
SUNSET PARADE - $20.00 PER PERSON
NAMES ATTENDING
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TOUR OF THE AIR
& SPACE MUSEUM - $20.00 PER PERSON
NAMES ATTENDING
____________________________________________________
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FAREWELL
BANQUET - $45.00 PER PERSON
NAMES ATTENDING
____________________________________________________
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PLEASE MAIL
REGISTRATION FORM AND CHECK TO:
Ann Poole
3978
Ashleywoods Court
Tucker, Georgia
30084-4305
See you there!
