Summer 2005

THE SCUTTLEBUTT

The Newsletter of the

USS Buchanan (DDG-14) Association

Summer, 2005

Vol VII. No. 2 http://www.uss-buchanan-ddg14.org Editor: David B. Malone

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Mark your calendars for the next reunion, to be held next year in Branson, MO. The dates are Wednesday, May 17 with a departure date of Sunday, May, 21. The location will be the Grand Plaza Hotel in Branson. The rooms are a Standard Queen for $76.00 + tax or a Mini Suite for $89.00 + tax per night. The taxes are 11.475%. The hotel will retain 20 rooms for the membership until 30 days before the reunion.

Our event organizer, Tim Nightingale is still working on the details for the banquet and events. Details will be forthcoming through the newsletter and through our website at

http://us-sailors.com/Reunions/index2006.htm .

The website for the hotel is at http://www.bransongrandplaza.com

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TREASURER’S REPORT

PAID MEMBERS (52)

Acosta, Javier; Alexander, Ted; Andrew, Randy; Baile, Bruce; Beinke, Phil; Borg, Gene; Botti, Bill; Browning, Rob & Marian; Boyle, Tim; Cabahug, Jaime; Casmier, Dave; Clark, Jere; Connell, Dan; Cotant, Mike; Crisp, George; Daisley, Dick; Doran, Paul; Egge, Dennis; England, Carl; Falkenhan, Marc; George, David; George, Ken; Heffernan, Michael; Heisler, Tim; Kern, Tom; King, Michael; Kupec, Cole; Larsen, Jerry; Looney, Glenn; MacAdam, Mac; Malone, Dave; Marak, Ron; Martelly, Pete; Myers, Dean; Nightingale, Tim; Norrod, Michael; Parks, Bill; Probus, Ed; Proctor, Lou; Rudisill, Terry; Sample, Eric; Sena, Pat; Sheridan, Tom; Smeltzer, Steve; Taylor, Jim; Tom, Phillip; Ursich, Al; Wallace, Jim; Wihera, Victor; Yow, Tom; Ziesmer, Jim; Zimmermann, Dick

NEW MEMBERS SINCE MARCH 2005

Jaime Cabahug EN2(SW) 84 - 87

TREASURER’S REPORT

Balance 1 Apr 2005 $3,850.45

Dues 84.00

Ship store sales 193.20

Ship store expenses -7.70

Balance 30 June 2005 $4,119.95

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ADAMS CLASS VETERAN’S ASSOCIATION

By Tom Crosser

Just about 3 1/2 years ago I first heard about efforts to save the USS ADAMS DDG-2 while at out Buchanan Reunion in San Diego. If memory serves me correctly, I think we voted to send them $250 in support of that effort. The group at that time was the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum of Bay City, MI. That group threw in the towel on the Adams back in October of 2003. They are now directing their efforts to getting the USS EDSON DD-946 which was returned to NAVSEA by the Intrepid Museum in New York City. In January of 2004 the Adams Class Veterans Association Inc. was formed to pick up where SVNSM left off. There was a second group, the Barney Association trying to save the USS BARNEY DDG-6. This group wanted NAVSEA to remove Adams from Donation Hold Status and replace her with Barney. This group wanted to place Barney in Miami, Fl. at a yet to be built museum. Time ran out for Barney in May 2004 when the Navy decided to keep Adams on Donation Hold and leave Barney "available for disposal." That is where we stand today.

1.Recently NAVSEA inform the ACVA that we had two months (until October 1, 2005) to submit a letter detailing our plans and progress on finding a home for Adams. The following is an up date of where we stand on August 1, 2005, with only 60 days before that deadline.

The ACVA has two men in the Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area of Florida. One is Jim Aldrich a former Adams Class Officer. The second is a retired sub Admiral named Leroy Collins. Both are working to gain support in that area from groups like the Navy League, Propeller Club (Coast Guard), Naval Academy Alumni, Port Authority, Office of the Mayor and others. About two months ago contact was made with a college whose primary focus is marine science. That college has a seawall that would hold Adams very nicely. Talks are underway on using space aboard Adams for some grant work related to homeland security. If the required amount of space can be authorized by NAVSEA and we can still have most of the ship open for visitors it looks very promising at this point in time.

Once space for the college is set aside, we plan to have as much of the ship open to visitors as time and funds allow for restoration and preservation. Along this line, we may ask each Adams Class ship to adopt a space and bring volunteer work crews aboard to help. Who better knows, what color the tile was, what color the bulkheads were, what was painted on top of the Asroc Launcher or the side of Mt. 51 than we Adams Class Sailors?

Why are we doing this? Ask anyone who served on one of the 23 ships in our class? Do you look twice at the guy in Wal Mart who has a Navy ball cap on? Do you think it might be an old shipmate you served with? Many of us are years past the recall age but I am sure many of you would like to take your children or grandchildren and show them where Dad or Granddad help win the Cold War. There is also the fact the Adams was the lead ship of her class. A new class of Destroyer designed from the beginning to bring the US Navy into the Missile Age. Think about it, we were a "can do" bunch of ships. The Adams Class could take on subs, aircraft, shore targets, and duke it out with the best any other navy had to offer. Now they are all gone, except Adams and Barney. Barney will go next and may already be signed over to a scrapper or slated for sinking as a target. This is why time and money are so important. If we can get an OK on sharing space with the college and get the necessary letter of agreement submitted to NAVSEA then we will have time to actually start a campaign to raise the funds needed for cleanup, towing, and preparing Adams to receive her visitors.

The first step along this route is to bring in a Marine Surveyor to conduct a site survey of the proposed berthing area for water depth and shore facilities like power, water, steam and sewage hook ups. We have this person ready and willing to do the job but it is not something he does for free. If you are asking, the price is in the neighborhood of $5,200. The second step would be a guided tour of the Adams for the college personnel given by our Marine Surveyor. Again if you are asking, the cost is in the neighborhood of $2,500. The third step is the actual preparing of the formal "Ship Donation Application" and the submitting of this application to NAVSEA. Again if you are asking, this cost is in the neighborhood of $68,500 (not including expenses). In this area we are in luck because this same Marine Surveyor has a copy of the application submitted by SVNSM back in 2003. The application needs reworking to change the final berthing location, new towing route, new weather conditions in FL. vs MI, etc. The good thing is that reworking is better than starting from scratch. The real money for prepping the Adams for towing, berthing and setting up for visitors will come from the ACVA and the college applying for grants on the state and federal level and donations from interested local businesses and the local public. At some point in the process, a new group may need to be formed to manage the actual day to day operations of the Adams as a Memorial and Museum Ship.

What the ACVA needs now is support from those who served on the Buchanan and all other Adams Class Ships. Time is short and getting shorter. Anyone wishing to help can send donations to our secretary Dave Myerly at the address below. Anyone wishing to join the ACVA should contact Dave at the same address.

We are incorporated in the state of California where our treasurer lives but we are still in the process of obtaining our nonprofit status with the IRS.

ACVA Executive Secretary

c/o Dave Myerly

5 Bush Road

Denville, New Jersey, 07834-2906

Other things planned for the Adams include but are not limited to:

A platform for use by Sea Scouts, Sea Cadets, NJROTC, NROTC, Primary and Secondary Educational Visits, A Filming Location for Movies and TV, Youth Sleepover Programs.

Anyone having questions, comments, concerns, or wishing to help with fundraising, legal advice, or public relations can contact me at the address, numbers and email address below.

Tom Crosser (EM2, R-Div, USS BUCHANAN DDG-14, 1966-1968)

8520 West Clarendon

Phoenix, Arizona, 85037-2723

Home..623-849-9526 (please try home # first)

Cell.....623-215-5951

tecrosserbsausnr@aol.com

For information on the Adams Class Veterans Association, see these websites

USS CHARLES F. ADAMS DDG-2 http://www.bozair.com/adamsmen/DDG2.html

ADAMS CLASS VETERANS ASSOCIATION http://www.bozair.com/adamsmen/DDG2.html

HISTORICAL NAVAL SHIPS ASSOCIATION http://hnsa.org/index.htm

OLD SITE FOR CHARLES F. ADAMS CLASS DDG CONFEDERATION http://www.charlesfadams.com/ This is an older group but the site contains a lot of valuable information. Our thanks to Rick Bennett of the USS WADDELL DDG-24 and Len Gordon of the USS CONYNGHAM DDG-17 for their efforts.

ORIGINAL SITE FOR ACVA BEFORE THE DEATH OF OUR FIRST PRESIDENT, FRANK MANIS http://www.charlesfadams.com/

YAHOO SITE FOR ACVA http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Adams_Class_DDG_Veterans_Association/

EZ BOARD SITE FOR ACVA http://b8.ezboard.com/badamsclassveteransassociation

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TO THE BUCHANAN CREW

My name is Anthony Mills. My father was Gordon Mills. I would like to thank you for this website. It has been very interesting to learn more about it. I don't know very much about my dad and this has helped a bit. I would like to ask if you could change my dad name please. If you have any information on my dad I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,

Anthony Mills

Editor’s note: MM3 Gordon Miller served aboard Buchanan 1983 - 84. If anyone knew Gordon and would like to communicate with his son, Anthony’s e-mail address is beelzabub99@yahoo.com .

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NOW ON THE BUCHANAN...

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

Forty years ago... 1965

In August 1965, BUCHANAN returned to San Diego and was dispatched to Long Beach Naval Shipyard for a three-month restricted availability.

Thirty five years ago...1970

On the morning of 13 July, in company with the USS GURKE (DD-783), BUCHANAN departed San Diego enroute to Western Pacific to support the Allied Forces in Vietnam. Extensive training exercises were conducted during the transit.

Thirty years ago...1975

On 28 June, Commander Thomas J. TURPIN, JR., became the eleventh Commanding Officer of BUCHANAN. Commander TURPIN relieved Lieutenant Commander James G. ROCHE in a formal change of command ceremony in which COMDESRON THIRTY-ONE, Captain Paul A. LAUTERMILCH was the principal speaker.

Twenty five years ago...1980

On August 23, BUCHANAN's officers and crew were able to move back on board after completion of messing and berthing renovation during routine overhaul in Long Beach Naval Shipyard.

Twenty years ago...1985

BUCHANAN was underway 10 July, enroute to Seal Beach, on 11 July BUCHANAN conducted the last weapons offload before going into Regular Overhaul (ROH). BUCHANAN returned to San Diego for-upkeep (13-31 July), and entered Intermediate Maintenance Availability with SIMA Long Beach (13 July-30 September).