THE  SCUTTLEBUTT

 

The Newsletter of the

USS Buchanan (DDG-14) Association

 

Winter, 2007

 

Vol VIII.  No. 4    http://www.uss-buchanan-ddg14.org    Editor: David B. Malone

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Still no forthcoming details on our next reunion, to be held in February or March, 2008 in San Diego.  Tim Nightingale is planning this one, and as details develop they will appear on the association’s website and will appear here in this newsletter.  The weather is always great in San Diego, and there should be a lot of options available for exploring our old haunting grounds.  Lots of former Buchananeers are retired in San Diego, so we hope to have a big turn out.  Look for details here in The Scuttlebutt, and check the association’s website periodically at

http://us-sailors.com/Reunions/2008R.htm .

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Submitted by Dick Zimmermann, Treasurer.

 

PAID MEMBERS (70)

Acosta, Javier; Alexander, Ted; Andrew, Randy; Backer, Bill; Baile, Bruce; Bartleson, Don; Batterman, Bill; Beinke, Phil; Bomar, Rick; Borg, Gene; Boyle, Tim; Brinley, Bill; Browning, Rob & Marian; Boyle, Tim; Bussey, Robert Cabahug, Jaime; Cadia, John; Casmier, Dave; Clark, Jere; Connell, Dan; Craig, Tom; Crosser, Tom; Daisley, Dick; Doran, Paul; Egge, Dennis; England, Carl; Falkenhan, Marc; Fitzroy, John; Gant, Charlie; George, David; Gilbert, Joe; Glidewell, Mel; Gloyd, Elmer; Gray, Bill; Heffernan, Michael; Henley, Ron; Hubner, Leon; Jones, Bobby; Kane, Ken; Kern, Tom; King, Michael; Kupec, Cole; Larsen, Jerry; Looney, Glenn; Malone, Dave; Marak, Ron; Martelly, Pete; Mezori, George; Myers, Dean; Nightingale, Tim; Norrod, Michael; Parks, Bill; Probus, Ed; Proctor, Lou; Re, Joe; Ridley, Ray; Rivenes, John; Rudisill, Terry; Sena, Pat; Sheridan, Tom; Smeltzer, Steve; Snyder, Tom; Stroud, Mike; Taylor, Jim; Thacher, Phil; Walla, Bob; Walsh, William; Wihera, Victor; Wood, Ken; Yarbrough, Dave; Zimmermann, Dick

 

NEW MEMBERS SINCE DECEMBER 2006

Tom Craig                        GMG1            1988 - 91

John Fitzroy                     E3 (BT, IC)     1965 - 67

Rick Bomar                      BTFN             1988 - 91

 

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

 Balance 1 Dec 2006

$3,802.79

 Dues

56.00

 Ship store sales

191.60

 Ship store expenses

-12.15

 Balance 28 Feb 2007

$4,038.24

 

NOW IT IS "OFFICIAL"
Received from Dave Myerly of the Adams Class Veterans Association, which has been trying to save USS Charles F. Adams (DDG-2) as a museum ship.  Unbeknownst to the ACVA, NAVSEA has been going to prospective cities behind our backs and convincing them that it would not be in their interests to accept the Charles F. Adams as a museum ship in their port.  Now, a month after the fact, they are notifying us of the ship’s removal from donation hold status.  I urge all to either FAX, call, or even e-mail your Congressman and Senators asking NAVSEA place the ship back on donation hold and give us a fighting chance to find a host city.


NAVSEA finally sent ACVA an email confirming the removal of USS Charles F.
Adams from "Donation Hold" status effective immediately. They voted on this on
Feb. 7, 2007 and the letter in the email was dated March 8, 2007. We still have
not received this letter in the mail.

ACVA voted to continue our effort to locate a city for the Adams until they tow her
away.

We are asking everyone we can to contact your US Senators and Congressmen by
Fax (NOT LETTER - It takes weeks by letters) or CALL or Visit their offices) with a personal memo, asking that NAVSEA place the Adams back on Donation Hold to
give us at least another year or more to find a city for her.

Dave Myerly
ACVA Executive Secretary

 

DD-214s ONLINE
 
Its official 
 
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to gain access to their DD-214s online: http://vetrecs.archives.gov/ 
This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for 
employment purposes. NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with 
computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. 
 
Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may 
Now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. Other 
individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 
180, which can be downloaded from the online web site. 
 
Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for 
NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask 
veterans for additional information will be minimized. The new web-based 
application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom processing time. 
 
Please pass this on to former military personnel and their dependents.

 

 

 

 

FORTHCOMING BOOK ON COLD WAR SHIPS

Received from Tom Crosser

 

This guy has a great site that is mostly pre WW2 and WW2 Destroyers. Now he wants to add Post WW2 or what many call the Cold War Ships, DDs, DDGs, DLs, DLGs, etc. He wants inside info like how they handled in rough seas, was there a trick to mooring to a pier, how did they handle in an unrep.  Contact him at

 

http://www.destroyerhistory.org/destroyers/index.html

 

or at

 

 

SHIP’S STORE

Our Ship’s Store operator reminds one and all that we have a supply of USS Buchanan ball caps on hand for sale.  Also, “The Final Mission: USS Buchanan DDG-14” sinkex video is available.  This new version now has a music sound track.  Also available is the Navy Training film from 1964 “Who needs you Buchanan” is on video and is available for sale.  Contact Rob Browning at stg1navy@earthlink.net to make purchases.

 

NOW ON THE BUCHANAN...

Moments in the life of USS Buchanan (DDG-14), taken from the ship’s annual reports.

                                                        

Forty years ago... 1967

In March of 1967 BUCHANAN proceeded to Long Beach Naval Shipyard for a five-month regular overhaul. On completion of overhaul, BUCHANAN again underwent Ship's Qualification Trials and Refresher Training, then proceeded to Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard for shipboard alterations, at which time Commander Robert N. Congdon relieved Commander Spencer as Commanding Officer; then back to San Diego for the holidays.

 

Thirty six years ago... 1971

On 9 February, BUCHANAN returned to port in San Diego to prepare for participation in the fleet exercise (ADVENTURE). The ship operated with the "ORANGE FORCES" from 23 February to 3 March and carried out its mission with outstanding results. The ship was under the command of Lt. Cdr. E.E. Alexander, USN, for this exercise as the ship's Commanding Officer had been admitted to Balboa Naval Hospital for medical examination.

 

Thirty years ago... 1977

On 12 April, BUCHANAN departed on schedule for a Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment. The transit west was made in company with a task group composed of COMDESRON 31 embarked in USS BAGLEY (FF 1069), USS BROOKE (FFG 1), USS ROARK (FF 1053), USS JOHN S. MCCAIN (DDG 36) and USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64), and was characterized by high-tempo training exercises. These served to increase significantly the abilities and experience of BUCHANAN personnel each department.

 

Twenty five years ago... 1982

January 6 ended a much deserved six-day port visit in Hong Kong for the Warship. Considering that the ship was at the half-way point of the cruise, another three months of vigorous, demanding exercises still lingered ahead. January 7, found BUCHANAN underway once again for the tropical port of Subic Bay, R.P. After two short days inport to onload ammunition, all lines were cast off as the Buchaneers set sail for Tabones firing range to participate in NGFEX TABONES 82-4. Three more days were spent in the South China Sea for ASW and MISSILE EX 82-7A with another one-day visit to Subic Bay for maintenance and upkeep on January 15.

 

Eighteen years ago... 1982

After a brief stay in Pearl Harbor, BUCHANAN sailed in company with the RANGER Battle Group to Subic Bay, RP. From 27 March to 02 April the ship was in port Subic Bay for a brief upkeep. Enroute to the North Arabian Sea BUCHANAN enjoyed a four-day visit to Singapore. After Singapore the ship transited the Malaccan Straits, completed a freedom of navigation mission of the northeast coast of the Maldives and arrived on station in the North Arabian Sea on 21 April.

 

SEA STORY OF THE QUARTER

 

Player Piano in the Wardroom

By John "Jake" Jacobsen CAPT USNR (Ret)

 

Anyone who lived in San Diego has heard of the Thearle Music Stores.  They sold all sorts of musical instruments and other musical accouterments. Our Commanding Officer, CDR James Thearle was a member of that family. As such he was able to get good deals on various musical instruments.  And he did...a player piano.  He wanted it for the wardroom so that the officers could be entertained while at dinner and other occasions. 

 

When the piano arrived he learned getting it in the wardroom was not quite as easy as he planned.  It seems that the builders of the good ship Buchanan had not foreseen a player piano in the wardroom.  Thus the WT door leading from the main deck, being standard issue, was not wide enough to allow access into the wardroom. 

 

As DCA I turned to my ship fitters and asked what to do. They scratched their heads and tried to figure out what to do.  Enter the new Chief Engineering Officer, LT Richard Beal.  He was fresh from a year plus duty in-country Vietnam.  He was an officer who had learned from that experience how to think outside the box...way outside the box. 

 

Looking over the situation he figured that "if you can't raise the bridge, lower the river."  If the WT door wasn't big enough then take off the whole door section .  As most of you recall the doors are a sectioned part of the bulkhead that are riveted into place where required.  So that is what the ship fitters did.  They unriveted the door section and the piano was moved into to the wardroom.  It took up residence on the aft bulkhead on the port side of the wardroom. 

 

During various times of the day it was not unusual to hear "My Wild Irish Rose" and other hits of the 20's and 30's coming from the wardroom.  To play the piano you loaded a perforated music paper roll and then pumped the foot treadles to get the piano to play.  I must admit that it was a bit surreal during our times on the Gunline to hear the after mount firing and the piano pumping out a golden hit from the past.

 

I transferred off Buchanan in August of 1972 and shortly thereafter Buchanan became part of the "Mod Squad."  Captain Thearle was relieved and first act of the new CO was to have the piano removed.  Or at least that was the story I was told.