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March 1, 2000
Vol. II, No. 1
Editor: David B. Malone
This is our third issue of The Scuttlebutt, and the Buchanan Association looks like it's growing. We, indeed, do appear to be a success. Being in this from the beginning, I can assure you that we've come a long way in just eight months from some very humble beginnings.
To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure about how successful we would be. The idea for starting an association had it's birth when Dino and I discovered each other on the internet last June. That happened because another Buchanan sailor, Marc Falkenhan, linked us up. Dino and I corresponded, and it soon became pretty evident that we both wanted to see an association for the Buchanan. In late June we sent out a letter by e-mail to every known e-mail address of a Buchanan sailor, which at that point was somewhere around 25. Some of those letters ended up in dead e-mail boxes and bounced right back to us, and some we never heard from. But in that first effort we received six responses, and so the Buchanan Association was born with eight 8 members. Since that time the word has been getting out. We've received lots of outstanding advice from Len Gordon of the Conyngham Association and Bart Bartholomew of the Joseph Strauss Association, two guys who have been down this road before and helped us by pointing out the potholes that they've come across. Dino is now receiving new members, frequently, at the rate of three or four a week. We currently have over 70 members who have declared an interest in the USS Buchanan (DDG-14) Association. That's a long way in just eight short months, but we have lots to do to make this a truly successful organization.
The biggest step towards a having a successful, gratifying organization will occur this year when we have our first reunion. It is scheduled for June 1st through June 4th in Timonium, MD, which is just outside of Baltimore. This is a wonderful place for our first reunion because of (A) the large number of former Buchanan Sailors that live within a few hundred miles of the location, and (B) the great attractions that this wonderful city has for us to explore while we are there. If you haven't signed up yet, most of the info is in the last newsletter which you hopefully have received. It can also be found on our web site. There is also some information on the reunion in this newsletter, including a toll free number to reserve your hotel room. There will also be a copy of the reunion form attached to it. If you're going to the reunion, you will need to fill this form out and send it to our interim treasurer, Dick Zimmerman, along with a check for your banquet and breakfast bill. Remember that you must call and reserve your hotel room by May 1st , and also get your form and check for the banquet and departure breakfast to Dick by May 1st.
I'm hoping that we see as many of you at the reunion as possible, because there is a ton of work ahead of us. It's not going to get accomplished unless we can all get together, formalize ourselves into an association, and then start dividing the work up into committees. The more people we can get involved who are willing to contribute some of their time and their great ideas, the easier the work will be.
The hospitality room should be manned and ready by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 1st. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. Please bring your cruise books, photo albums, patches, ball caps, and any other momentos from your time aboard to share with us all.
See you at the reunion! The Editor
Treasury Report
The following is a report on the Buchanan Association Treasury from Dick Zimmerman. He has been kind enough to fill in as a temporary Treasurer until elections are held at the reunion in June.
RECEIPTS
Date From Amount
11/17/1999 Dave Malone $50.00
11/29/1999 Mark Falade $50.00
12/3/1999 Rob Browning $50.00
12/8/1999 Dean Myers
$50.00
12/9/1999 Al Ursich $50.00
12/9/1999 Dick Zimmermann
$50.00
1/14/2000 Dick Zimmermann $11.75
Reunion Meals
12/8/1999 Dean Myers $74.00
1/7/2000 Rob Browning $74.00
1/27/2000 Dave Malone $37.00
1/28/2000 Dick Zimmermann $37.00
Jacket sale
12/22/99 Michael King $4.68
TOTAL RECEIPT $538.43
EXPENDITURES
12/30/1999S Printing of checks $11.75
1/28/2000S Reunion Down Payment $200.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $211.75
BALANCE $326.68
Reunion Info
Points of Information
 | The reunion will take place June 1 - 4.|
| Takes place at the Holiday Inn Select in Timonium, MD
| The hospitality room will open at 3:00 p.m., June 1.
| Make your hotel reservation and arraign for payment by May 1st.
| Toll free number for hotel reservations: 1-800-289-4499. Make sure you tell them you are with the Buchanan Reunion to receive the group discount. Point of contact with the hotel is Barbara Schofield, or her assistant Michele if not available.
| Send your reunion form with a check for banquet and breakfast to Dick Zimmerman by May 1st.
The Address is:
Dick Zimmerman
2000 S. Eads #329
Arlington, VA 22202
DIRECTIONS TODIRECTIONS TO
THE HOLIDAY INN SELECT-BALTIMORE NORTH
From New York:
Interstate 95 South to Interstate 695 West toward Towson.
Exit at #24 onto Interstate 83 North (sign indicates to York, PA). Take first exit, #16A, Timonium Road. Turn right at the light and right at the fourth driveway.
From BWI Airport:
Interstate 295 North to Interstate 695 North toward Towson. Exit at #24 onto Interstate 83 North (sign indicates to York, PA). Take first exit, #16A, Timonium Road. Turn right at the light and right at the fourth driveway.
From Washington, DC:
Interstate 95 North to Interstate 695 West toward Towson. At #24 onto Interstate 83 North (sign indicates to York, PA). Take first exit, #16A, Timonium Road. Turn right at the light and right at the fourth driveway.
From York, PA:
Interstate 83 South to Exit #16-Timonium Road.
At Timonium Road, turn left and follow to ramp at the first traffic light.
Bear to the right onto Greenspring Drive and continue to the Holiday Inn at the fourth driveway on the right.
From York Road South:
Follow York Road North to Timonium Road. (Fairgrounds will be just past Timonium Road).
Look for Timonium Crossing, the contemporary style shopping center on the left before the traffic light. Turn left onto Timonium Road and proceed through one traffic light and turn left at the second light (Greenspring Drive). Follow Greenspring Drive to the fourth entrance on the right where you will find the Holiday Inn Select-Baltimore North.
AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICE
The Super Shuttle runs from the airport to all surrounding hotels. You can find the shuttle on the baggage claim level of BWI. Cost is $21.00per person each way and a second person traveling costs $5.00 each way. So, in other words, a couple traveling together costs $26.00 each way. The light rail also runs from BWI to our hotel. It is a very inexpensive option at $l.35 per person, but it has some drawbacks. Once you get off at the Timonium Business Park stop, the hotel is about a three block walk from the station. If you have bags, it can be a little too much for some people. Light rail is a good way to go into Baltimore to see the sights, but the hotel doesn't recommend it for people who are hauling baggage, unless they are very robust.
Itinerary for the
USS Buchanan (DDG-14) Reunion
Holiday Inn Select, Timonium, MD
June 1 through June 4, 2000
Uniform of the Day:
Casual Attire. Shirt and Tie for the banquet.
Thursday, June 1
3:00 p.m.
Check in: Hospitality room, Holiday Inn Select. Timonium, MD.
Friday, June 2
10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Rendezvous in the hotel lobby for an exploration of the Baltimore waterfront, reached via light rail. Possible sites include the Aquarium, USS Constellation, Liberty Ship John W. Brown, and Fort McHenry.
This is pay your own way.
6:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.
USS Buchanan Association Reunion Banquet at the hotel.
Saturday, June 3
9:00 a.m. -12:00 noon
USS Buchanan Association annual meeting in the hotel.
(Note: This meeting is for Buchanan Association members only)
12:00 Noon - 6:00 p.m.
Break up into groups for further explorations of Baltimore.
6:00 p.m. - ?
Bull session in the hotel lounge.
Sunday, June 4
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Departure breakfast at the hotel.
USS Buchanan Association
Business Meeting Itinerary
Note: This meeting is for members of the
USS Buchanan (DDG-14) Association only.
- Meeting called to order by David Malone, acting chairman.
- The Chair welcomes Bart Bartholomew from the USS Joseph Strauss Association., and Len Gordon from the USS Conyngham Association.
- Chair is turned over to Bart Bartholomew for the purpose of elections.
- Chair entertains nominations for President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
- Elections by ballot, tabulated by Bart Bartholomew and Len Gordon.
- Election results announced. The chair is turned over to the newly elected President.
- New Business
Suggested items for discussion
 | By-laws for the Association.
| Suggestion of forming a committee to draft such.
| Establishment of annual dues.
| Forming a committee to plan San Diego 2002 reunion.
| Other business?
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BANQUET MENU
Tossed Garden
Entrees
Roast Top Sirloin of Beef with Burgundy Mushroom Sauce
OR
Grilled Herbed Breast of Chicken with Butter Sauce
(Choose one)
Entree will include Chef's Signature Vegetable and Potato/or Rice
Warm Crusty French Rolls and Butter.
Coffee and Tea
KID'S MENU
(12 or under)
Fried Chicken and French Fries
Dessert
Sinful Chocolate Cake
Price: $25.00 per person Inclusive, except where noted.
Kid's menu: $12.50 per person.
Breakfast Buffet Menu
ALL AMERICAN BREAKFAST
Orange and Tomato Juice
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs and Country Sausage Links
Assorted Dry Cereals and Seasoned Breakfast Potatoes
Breakfast Bakery Basket
Coffee and Tea
The buffets above are priced as $12.00 per person, inclusive. $6.00 for children under 12.
Price includes private room, all taxes and gratuities.
Note: If we have less than 30 at the breakfast, the meal will be plated rather than a buffet.
Editor: This comes to us from the Charles F. Adams Class Association's Newsletter.
The Most Dangerous Things In The Navy
- A warrant Officer saying "Watch this S**t.
- A Lieutenant saying "based on my experience".
- A CDR saying "I was just thinking".
- A Chief saying "Trust me sir".
- An Ensign with any kind of weapon (including a butter knife).
- A bootcamp deck seaman with a degree.
New Members
The following are new members of the USS Buchanan (DDG-14) Association who have joined us since our last newsletter was published. I'm sure that you will join me in welcoming them all aboard.
Bruce Baile, SH3, 1970-73
Roger W. Barnett, CDR (C0), 1977-79
David J. Carmody, LT, 1985-87
David Casmier, EM2, 1962-66
Jim Cassell, OSSN, 1975-77
William J. Curnow, FC2(SW), 1986-90
Don Erhart, RD, 1971-72
Robert Fouste (Smoke Wade), STG2, 1964-68
John D. Gallagher, GMG2, 1987-91
Ed Huntington
Tom Kern, FTMC, 1961-68
Tim Nightingale, SN, 1969-71
John Norden, OS2, 1976-78
Patrick G. O'Hagan, EM1 (SW), 1984-86
George Perkins, LT, 1974-76
Jim Pryor, FTM1, 1967-72
Richard Robbins, LT, 1976-78
Alan Schmitz, ET2 (SW), 1984-88
Karl Smith, EN1, 1984-89
Bill Starkey, BT3, 1970-73
Jim Thearle, CDR (CO), 1971-72
Michael Tool, EN3, 1985-89
Tom Turpin, CDR (CO), 1975-77
Jim Wallace, MR2, 1968-69
Web sites to check out
http://members.tripod.com/DDG-14/
This is actually our web site. It's a photo gallery that Tim Nightingale began, and it should be linked to our association web site soon (it has since been linked). In the mean time, go ahead a take a look. I sent him some of my photos from WestPac 77 and 79. There are some nice shots in there of the shell back ceremony. If nothing else, it's worth the trip just to see the Captain and XO covered in raw eggs. Just joking Captain!. ;-)
If anyone has photos to contribute, you can e-mail them to Tim at
Tim Nightingale. No scanner? You can also send them to Tim along with a self addressed, stamped envelope. Make sure that you put your name and what the caption should read on the back of the photo. Tim promises to get those photos right back to you. His address is:
Tim Nightingale
23239 Whitby
Flat Rock, MI 48134-1421
Buchanan Association
This, of course, is our association web site. It's always being updated, and also receives new web pages from time to time. Some recent additions are the ship's annual histories, thanks to Dick Zimmerman who was kind enough to get from the curators in the Washington Navy Yard and Marc Falkenhan who converted them to html. So, keep checking in on this site. You'll never know what you might find there next!
Waddell Association
It looks like the Waddle is starting up an association. Let's give them all the support we can.
Strauss Association
This is their new site.
Gurke Association
This one is for a Gearing class destroyer, but they have a neat site. Also, the nephew of the guy the ship was named after was a Buchanan CO in the late 80s.
This was received from Mike Kegley of the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum in Bay City, MI. This is the future home of USS Charles F. Adams (DDG-2), our ship's class namesake. They could use a financial helping hand, so anything you can send their way would be greatly appreciated.
Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum
Bay City, Michigan
Under the guidance of president Mike Kegley, plans are underway to bring the Guided Missile Destroyer USS Charles F. Adams DDG-2 from Philadelphia to an old shipbuilding town on the Great Lakes. This is a planned living museum dedicated to youth, history and education and an affiliation with a major state university. Many activities such as spaghetti dinners, pancake suppers, billboard ads and bringing in the original "African Queen" from the famous Humphry Bogart and Katherine Hepburn movie of the same name have been some of the fund raisers. This summer, the "Queen" returns to Bay City. The famous River Roar brings in nationally televised speed boat racing. Bay City is an active port city with many vessels using the St. Lawrence Seaway, with major corporations exporting and importing grain, chemicals, silicone sand, iron ore, salt and gravel. The materials are used for food, plastic products, the auto industry and building highways. The port supports activities of two of the world's largest corporations, General Motors and Dow Chemicals. In season, you can see freighters passing or unloading. There are public dinner cruises and pleasure boats for hire, as well. The U.S. Coast Guard is very active and Bay City is the home of one of the largest pleasure boat dealers on the Great Lakes. There is a River Walk, Rowing Club, tennis courts, ball fields, beautiful Veterans Park, several indoor skating rinks, golfing, kids amusement parks and major shopping malls. There are many places to stay, such as bed and breakfasts, as well as major motels and dining.
Historically, around the time of the Civil War, Bay City was a lumber town. Lumber started the shipbuilding industry with first the Eddy Ship Yard, building the ships of its day to transport lumber over 125 years ago. Later, the Davison Ship Yards continued building wooden ships and the USS Charles F. Adams DDG2's permanent berth is being constructed from an abandoned slip left for this purpose in Veterans Park on the Saginaw River. During WWII, Defoe Shipbuilding launched many ships for the US Navy and navies of our allies, such as Australia. Seven ships of the Adams Class were built in Bay City and shipbuilding continued through the Vietnam War. Many recent restorations and renovations have turned the old historic town area into a planned destination and a major tourist attraction. Contact Mike Kegley on our web site for a schedule of activities at www.cfadams.org or e-mail him at Mike Kegley or call (888) 820-SHIP.
Sea Story of the Quarter
This sea story is mine. I swear on a stack of bibles clear to the ceiling that every bit of it is true. Well, OK... it is a sea story. But, about 90% of it actually did happen.
The Editor.
I'm pretty sure this happened on WestPac 79. I was an OS, standing my watches in CIC on a port and starboard watch schedule. Six hours on and six hours off. These were long watches and it seemed like time dragged on forever. I swear to God that as the watch dragged on, the hands on the clock would start to move backwards.
This particular watch was a pretty routine mid watch, and I was on the surface stat board. The surface stat board was used for keeping track of all the gathered data on surface contacts. The guy manning this board was on an SP circuit with the surface radar repeater and the DRT in CIC, a bridge talker, the port, starboard and after lookouts, and sonar. The surface stat board was kind of looked upon as a place where a guy to take it easy for an hour or so during the hourly rotations through the various stations in CIC.
I was kicked back trying to ease my eyes from all that cigarette smoke. Cigarettes were not yet banned on navy ships. The place looked like a bar room, with a cloud of cigarette smoke hanging just below the red lights. If I peered long enough, I could catch a glimpse of the guy on the surface repeater every once in a while. My head was back against the stat board when I heard the very quiet, but pleasant sound of music coming through my phones. It was Pink Flloyd's "Dark Side of the Moon". I couldn't believe it...music coming through the SP phones! I leaned back again and enjoyed the music, and was pleasantly surprised when another song followed it. Where ever the music was coming from, they were obviously playing the whole album. It was great! It really passed the time too! Those hands on the clock started to move in the other direction again. After two or three cuts on the album a voice broke in..."You're listening to the cool, soothing sounds of radio free sonar".
It was coming from sonar! As soon as I got off watch, I found out from A/S division what was going on. They had a stereo in sonar, and decided to share it with some other guys on watch. What an incredible idea! As long as the brass doesn't find out about it, that is. Keep this quiet and this could go on forever.
Yeah, right! Keep this quiet. Dream on! Radio Free Sonar aired night after night. They even started taking requests. Eventually, the sonar guys who were acting as DJ's began to gain celebrity status throughout the ship. Word had gotten around to a lot of the crew about what was going on. The sonar DJ's got to cut ahead in the chow line, got the best seating on the mess deck and got extra portions of what they wanted. They got head of the line privileges at the ships store too. I swear, one night I even heard an advertisement on radio free sonar for candy bars from the ship's store. Must have been taking payola.
This went on for maybe two weeks. Radio free sonar aired only at night, generally during the mid watch. Everyone thought it was great, and now the most coveted positions in CIC were the repeater, DRT, and stat board where you got to wear SP phones. No one wanted to work the radio nets anymore, which was traditionally the goof off area.
Then one night it all ended. I was listening to my favorite SP phone station play Styx's "Grand Illusion", when all of a sudden the music ended abruptly. The next thing I heard was a very rushed voice quietly saying "radio free sonar is going off the air". I then heard a click and some commotion, and then complete silence. Some later investigation turned up what had knocked radio free sonar off the air. The A/S division officer (whose stateroom was pretty close to sonar) had gotten up and visited the sonar room in the middle of the night. What he discovered was one guy fiddling with the stereo, one guy in the corner working out with a piece of exercise equipment, and there was no one on the sonar stack. And man did that officer blow his stack! That was the end of radio free sonar. I'll bet those guys are still restricted to the ship.
Got a good sea story you want to share? Send it along to me at Malonedave@aol.com, and I'll see that it gets published. The Editor.
Final Reminder!
Reserve your room
and get your form to Dick by May 1st!
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