REEVES Survives Accidental Bombing REEVES Survives Accidental Bombing

12 Pages·2013·0.81 MB·English

U SS REEV ES (DLG- 24 /C G-2 4 ) A SSO C I A TI O N
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The Ironman—A Double Ender’s Newsletter
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Current 61
This story has been deliberately This is the official news release:
Past Due 98
avoided by the Newsletter editorial The pilot of a Navy F/A-18 Hornet
Snail Mail Ad- board (that would be me) for several that dropped a 500-pound bomb on the
264
dresses Only years. It’s not that there is something cruiser USS Reeves in the Indian
Email Address 458 shameful about the bombing of a capi- Ocean "mistook the Reeves for his in-
tal ship, it’s the simple fact that there tended target" during night weapons
Total Shipmates 2,350
are shipmates in the here and now that practice, the Navy said Tuesday.
were shipmates back then, like there
Dues Notice!
when the world went to hell.
Please be sure to check your
We have to consider how it must
mailing label or email nota-
tion. have felt to someone standing in a
If it doesn’t say Current bombed space within minutes of find-
above your name at the top ing an injured shipmate. Many of us
of the label, you should re-
often walked into the areas near the
new your annual dues. To
reach the greatest number of chain lockers, paint lockers and other
shipmates, we will publish utility areas in the forward bow.
the complete Association
newsletter to any valid email
or snail mail address. Your
dues payments make this
possible.
But it was still not clear how the
IIIInnnnssssiiiiddddeeee tttthhhhiiiissss iiiissssssssuuuueeee:::: pilot became so confused that he could
bomb an American warship, Lt. Cmdr.
President’s Message 2 Craig Quigley said, adding that the
Shipmates’ Deck Log 3 cruiser was not towing a target during
USNCSA Membership Assist 4 the weapons practice."Clearly he mis-
Consider Portland 5 took the Reeves for his intended tar-
get," Quigley said. "The best we have
Financials/Objectives 6
View from the forward MG sets. Bow is that there was a floating target about
About When We Were Born 6
anchor chain and port lifelines are missing.
5 miles away" from the cruiser.
Gulf War Syndrome 7
The Navy jet pilot was being de-
Agent Orange Exposed Ships 9
We can see the area is opened like
briefed Tuesday aboard the aircraft
The Volunteers 11 a beer can. That’s what the official
carrier USS Midway, where he re-
Membership Application 12 photos show. This was pretty far for- turned after Monday night's bombing.
ward from the forward missile house.
The Midway's battle group was 32
There is a problem with letting a
miles from Diego Garcia in the Indian
guy who served on board back in the
Ocean when the accident occurred at
early 70’s reconstruct the forward sec-
9:06 p.m. Monday local time (1:06
tion of the ship in his addlepated mind
(Continued on page 8)
in the 2012’s.
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Happy Winter & not include a Presidential election, Sailor Association has been instru-
Season’s Greet- and that alone should represent a mental in adding 166 confirmed
ings to the considerable reduction in back- snail mail addresses to our mem-
Reeves Associa- ground noise. ber database. This provides us
tion Family Now that we’ve summarily with another method to reach po-
avoided the most recent cataclys- tential members to see if they may
By the time this mic threat to the universe, we can be interested in joining our ranks.
edition of the move right along into matters con- You would think that a world
Reeves Association Newsletter is cerning the Reeves Association. filled with internet and Facebook
printed and delivered to everyone, We have a few new items in the links to us would no longer require
we can rightly assume that the de- Ship’s Store that may interest you. snail-mail addresses to find ship-
cision to end the Mayan Calendar The first is the new Reeves Asso- mates. However, it is proven to be
on 12/21/12 was more a matter of ciation Challenge Coins, which a prime method for our recruit-
Mayan convenience than a note to were recently un-veiled at the ment efforts, so we’ll get newslet-
predict the destruction of the plan- 2012 reunion in Charleston. These ters mailed out to them.
et. Most academics and Maya very impressive mementos are You can also be of assistance
scholars acknowledge that while available for $12.00 a copy (plus to the effort by contacting old
the Mayan Long Count Calendar shipping) and can be ordered by shipmates that you may not have
does indeed have an end-date that contacting Mike Robertson. They seen for years. If nothing else, tell
correlates to December 21, the make greats gifts for you to give them about the challenge coins and
Maya never mentioned an apoca- yourself, and for anyone who was send them a copy of the newslet-
lypse associated with the date. proud to have been associated with ter. We’d be happy to add them to
Picture a cartoon with a Mayan a Reeves Sailor. There’s more in- our mailings and provide them
scribe, chisel in hand, who runs formation and pictures of the chal- with an opportunity to re-join a
out of space on the tablet and says, lenge coins on the website. piece of their past. We are also
"That'll freak somebody out some Mike has also recently had our trying to bolster member interest
day." reunion ball cap logo (ships sil- in the organization by adding
Given the fact that we are all houette) converted for embroidery member articles and stories to the
still here to read the newsletter, onto t-shirts and polo shirts. The newsletter. While we’re not all
we’ll also advance the assumption pictures are posted on the web-site writers, we all have favorite stories
that we all have lived through a along with instructions on how to from our time aboard the Reeves.
very Merry Christmas and are order one of these fine articles. They can be historic, informative,
looking forward to a Happy and Keep in mind that we do not nor- sad, or just plain funny. We don’t
Prosperous New Year in 2013. I mally maintain an inventory of care, as there are plenty of ship-
hope all of our extended Reeves sizes and colors, so we would be mates out there who would love to
Family had a great opportunity to assembling orders for a limited hear and relate to your stories.
spend time with family and friends production run. Don’t let the “I’m not much of a
over the holidays, and that 2013 We have also recently had writer” complex slow you down.
looks to be more promising than some assistance with our ever- Scratch out the story and we’ll be
the year we just completed. If ongoing effort to find and contact happy to re-write it into something
nothing else, the New Year does Reeves Shipmates. The Cruiser printable for you – and even give
you the credit. Your shipmates
would like to hear those stories, so
give it a try.
Here’s wishing you a mild
winter, fair winds, and following
seas
//tom
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Hi Mr Robertson, reserves - with a BMU-2 DET after a you how much all your hard work is
I am sad to report that Billy M. seabee tour with NMCB-74 as S1 appreciated. You and your sweet wife
Jones went to be with the Lord on which took me to 2MEF and the first have been the spark plug that made
August 27, 2012. He had kidney can- gulf war on the kuwait border. the reunions so enjoyable. Our hats
cer. After a very successful surgery, Dang cold war ending made me are off to both of you! My bride of
sloppy nursing care allowed him to be leave the navy and have a successful over 62 years joins me wholehearted-
found on the floor by his bed not IT career in business intelligence. I ly in these words of thanks.
breathing, no heartbeat at can help with some website stuff as Unfortunately, we were unable to
0100. Mind you Bill was on Fall that’s’ my business...if you ever need attend the Charleston reunion and I
watch restrictions. It is sad when a hand. somehow doubt that we will be able
someone dies, but worse when they Life is complex enough...I think I to attend in the future. Our thoughts
died from nursing neglect. He was a still have my old Reeves cap...proud and affection for the Reeves remains
fighter and ready to go all the way of my time there even if I wasn’t the full strength however. I suppose that
with the kidney cancer treatment. I greatest JO...sometimes you just have some slowing down might be ex-
have read that kidney cancer can be to learn later. pected by the age of 85. I suspect that
directly linked to service in Viet Regards, the ranks of the original (DLG-24)
Nam. HIs widow should be able to plank owners is thinning considera-
Dave Samuels (1986-1989)
get disability or back disabil- bly.

ity. Would you know anything about
Once again, thanks for all the
that or who I could contact? Hi Mike
hard work and fun knowing you!
Bill , who was my step father or Sorry to hear of Chief Jones'

bonus dad as I called him, was proud passing.
Woodie (Stegall) (1963-1965)
of his many years in the Navy. A If I may, I believe REEVES visit-

finer more honorable man I have nev- ed Australia in the summer of 1968,
er met. He was buried at Ft Sam not in 1967. I remember that in 1965 This is a
Houston with full military honors as on the initial WESTPAC deployment ship’s crest
befitting a patriot. REEVES conducted operations in the that Woodie
Regards, southern operating areas near Saigon gave to the
and the Delta in the South China Sea. Association
Kathy Jones
I want to say probably May thru July when we
Bonus daughter
of 1965. The remainder of the de- first started
ployment was spent operating off of the associa-
Hi Mike - Danang and North Vietnam in the tion. It was
I will hook up on facebook, Gulf of Tonkin. given to Woodie as a member of the
though I finally shook my addiction 1966 thru 1968 was almost al- commissioning wardroom in Bremer-
this year,,,lol. ways assignment to South SAR Sta- ton, WA, back on May 15, 1964, by
I remember some other friends tion with an occasional two or three Bremerton Naval Shipyard. Woodie
inhabiting your old stateroom - I lived week duty of plane guard which I was the commissioning Navigator.
under the ASROC launcher between hated. Always trying to keep on sta- This plaque is present at all of our
OPS and WEPS...I kinda liked it for tion while chasing the birdfarm. Give reunions.
the most part. The CCTV studio was me South SAR any day. I know it Woodie’s Navy career extends
pretty small - my 2nd class assistant drove the Bridge watch batty staying from World War II (and I don’t have
was always getting me yelled at for within the five mile circle but at least all the particulars). Woodie is a
switching the 3rd channel into the we had a valid and important purpose Mustang, something of which I know
main feed...of course he wasnt watch- on South SAR. a little bit here and there.
ing a kid friendly program when he Regards I’ve been tracing Woodie’s histo-
did that.
Don Carunchio ry backward. So far, this is what I’ve
I still haven’t been to Hawaii. come up with:
My highest rank onboard was
Hi Mike,
LTJG. I left the Navy as a LT in the
I just wanted to drop a note and tell (Continued on page 4)
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UUUUSSSSNNNNCCCCSSSSAAAA HHHHeeeellllppppssss wwwwiiiitttthhhh MMMMeeeemmmmbbbbeeeerrrr DDDDaaaattttaaaabbbbaaaasssseeee
Before the Charleston reunion, we had at least a state. This includ- emailed newsletters costs about
the Association (that would be me) ed those with everything from just $100 each year. So, our online
provided a copy of our membership a state to a complete snail mail ad- costs are about $200 each year.
list to the United States Navy dress. We didn’t provide any email
It costs us about $2.00 per copy
Cruiser Sailor Association addresses.
(printing and postage) to snail mail
(USNCSA) in an effort to help both
Jim and Robert were able to fill a newsletter. We send about 360
organizations to find more ship-
in snail mail addresses for 166 hard copies every year at a cost of
mates. Two USNCSA officers
more shipmates. What a boon to $720 each year.
spent many hours researching and
us!
So, the cost of keeping opera-
locating cruiser sailors from the
Last year, our association re- tions going at our current rate is
1940’s to the present.
ceived about $2,000 in dues and about $1,000 each year.
Jim Cozine and Robert Kaplan
donations from more than 60 ship-
If we do an annual mailing to
from the USNCSA have now
mates. That money has been used
all shipmates with a snail mail ad-
worked for two months to help us
to maintain the website and distrib-
dress, if would cost about $528.
fill out our membership database.
ute quarterly newsletters. Nothing
(Your database guy is no slouch, if For the remaining three quar-
else.
I do say so myself. These guys terly mailings, we can limit those to
So now the association has a
smacked me down.) USNCSA has current and past members, less than
big problem. And, of course, it
access to locating resources that we 60. That would keep us within our
means dollars and cents:
can’t afford or access. budgeted annual income but allow
Our website costs about $100 us to contact everyone possible at
We provided USNCSA with
each year. Our bulk mailer for least once a year.
848 names for shipmates for which
MMMMaaaaiiiillll////eeeeMMMMaaaaiiiillll////DDDDeeeecccckkkkllllooooggggssss ((((ccccoooonnnnttttiiiinnnnuuuueeeedddd))))
ET1 Woodie Stegall, ET1, USS Hi Mike, first day, Sunday afternoon we ar-
William Henry Hudson (DDR-743), rive in Vietnam 1966. It is very hard
I am sorry to learn of Steve Kel-
1946-1951 to find any information on the
ler’s condition with cancer. Sorry I
Reeves tour of duties in Vietnam .
LT Woodie Stegall, Navigator, am just getting back regarding this
My second ship most of the infor-
USS REEVES (DLG-24), 1963-1965 email. I am looking forward to join-
mation is on the Internet. If anyone
ing this letter regarding the Reeves
LCDR Woodie Stegall, CO, USS
have or know how to obtain in re-
Shipmates of the past.
Neuces (APB-40), 1969
garding the Reeves I would love to
Please send me the info on the
As Woodie says, the ranks of hear from you.
letter or having contact with previous
plank owner is thinning—as are the
Have a great Holiday and a hap-
shipmates.
ranks of other crew members. How-
py new year. Love to hear form any-
ever, we have a good half dozen My is Eugene Willingham Sr., I
one who might know any one from
plank owner show up or check-in for am very sorry I didn't get the info in
my time period aboard the Reeves.
our reunions. time for the Charleston reunion.
Eugene Willingham 1965-1968:
We need to convince Woodie and I am looking to contact any of
BT3, #1 Boiler Room with BT1
Claire to plan for our 2016 reunion the shipmates who serve on
Brown from Kentucky
in San Antonio. It’s going to be the Reeves from 1965 - 1968. I was
(This may be BT1 George R.
close to home. transferred to the Tower January
Brown [deceased 2005] who was
1968.

also a member of the original com-
I am looking for any infor-
missioning crew.)
mation on the pilot we rescued the
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In preparation for Portland as our spend time in or way to see the Columbia River.
next reunion city, Lorri and I will be outside a great Portland is the home to some 30
attending a Military Reunion city, Portland’s different breweries. There are pub
Planner’s Conference next July at the it. and brewery tours aplenty.
Red Lion on the River Motel. And so says No itinerary would be complete
Portland has been described as the Portland without considering the Portland
America’s most European city. If that Travel Site. Spirit Dinner Cruise.
means a great walking city with tons USS Reeves Fresh Northwest cuisine, live
of public transportation, a progressive was no stranger entertainment and grand scenery are
to the Rose City. She made a few all the ingredients you need for a
cruises to join in the Portland Rose memorable evening.
Festival. On the Portland Spirit Dinner
Heeding the call of the “Women’s
Auxiliary” at the 2012 reunion,
Portland is a perfect base for wine and
vineyard tours west of Portland.
There are river tours on both the
Willamette and Columbia. Some
tours use a jet boat, others use a stern
wheeler.
atmosphere that
Of course, there are day trips to
celebrates the arts, a
Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens.
culture of great food,
The Heart of the Gorge Land &
artisan coffee, beer
Sea Excursion is a fully narrated tour
and wine and covering 60 miles of the Columbia Cruise, this flagship yacht combines a
neighborhoods chock River aboard a jet boat and a classic nautical experience with a fine
full of shops selling dining atmosphere, while the Captain
sightseeing motorcoach.
handmade clothes, provides entertaining narration on the
crafts and furniture, outside deck. Major sights on the
then we’d have to cruise include Memorial Coliseum,
agree. the Rose Garden Arena, Oregon
As fantastic as Convention Center, Spaghetti Factory
Portland is to spend and Willamette Park.
time in, it’s one of the These are only some of the
easiest cities to spend
time outside. The mountains,
waterfalls, wine country and other
assorted outdoor goodies Oregon is so
famous for are all a short drive away.
One half of the trip is done by jet
So whether you’re looking to
boat and the other half by motorcoach.
There is no guarantee which half of
the tour will be conducted on the boat
and which half will be on the
motorcoach. That decision is made on
the day of the tour.
options to be considered. Finding a
This cruise portion has the added
hotel for the reunion is the first item
excitement of taking place on a high-
of business. Stay tuned for
speed jet boat - an experience just as
developments.
breathtaking as the scenery. Fast and
comfortable, the jet boat is a great
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FFFFiiiinnnnaaaannnncccciiiiaaaallllssss AAAAbbbboooouuuutttt WWWWhhhheeeennnn WWWWeeee WWWWeeeerrrreeee BBBBoooorrrrnnnn............
USS Reeves Association It's hard today to envision -- "In fact, at that moment Washing-
FY 2012 Income Statement or, for the dwindling few, to re- ton was the entire U.S. Pacific
Income member--what the world looked Fleet. She was the only barrier be-
like on 26 Oct 1942.The U.S. Na- tween Admiral Kondo's ships and
Dues $1,480
vy was not the most powerful Guadalcanal. If this one ship did
Donations $446
fighting force in the Pacific. Not not stop 14 Japanese ships right
Reunion $10,592
by a long shot. So the Navy basi- then and there, America might lose
Ship’s Store $1,160 cally dumped a few thousand lone- the Pacific war. .."
Cost of Goods -$905 ly American Marines on the beach On Washington's bridge, Lieu-
Total Income $12,773 at Guadalcanal and high-tailed it tenant Ray Hunter had the conn.
out of there.
He had just seen the destroyers
Expense
Nimitz, Fletcher and Halsey Walker and Preston blown sky
Advertising $148
had to ration what few ships they high. Dead ahead lay their burning

Newsletters $894 had. wreckage. Hundreds of men were

Postage $715 I've written separately about swimming in the water and the

Japanese ships racing in.
Reunions/Other $10,441 the way Bull Halsey rolled the

dice on the night of Nov. 13, 1942, Hunter had to do something.
Total Expense $12,199

violating the stern War College The course he took now could de-
Net Income $574
edict against committing capital cide the war, Lippman writes.
FY 2012 (YTD) Assets ships in restricted waters and in- ''Come left, he said.
stead dispatching into the Slot his
Cash Assets $3,789 ...Washington's rudder change
last two remaining fast battleships,
put the burning destroyers between
Liabilities $658
the South Dakota and the Wash-
Washington and the enemy, thus
Net Equity $3,131
ington, escorted by the only four
preventing her from being silhou-
destroyers with enough fuel in
etted by their fires.
Charitable/Educational Objectives their bunkers to get them there and
The move made the Japanese
The USS Reeves Association is an edu- back.
momentarily cease fire. Lacking
cational, non-profit 501(c)(3) organiza- Those American destroyer
radar, they could not spot Wash-
tion registered with the Internal Reve-
captains need not have worried
ington behind the fires.
nue Service, FEIN 86-1163983. For
about carrying enough fuel to get
that purpose at the 2010 business meet- ...Washington raced through
home. By 11 p.m., outnumbered
ing, it was recommended that future
burning seas. Dozens of destroyer
excess funds be used for donations and better than three- to-one by a mas-
men were in the water clinging to
scholarships as determined at business sive Japanese task force driving
floating wreckage. Get after them,
meetings starting in 2012. down from the northwest, every
Washington! one shouted
one of those four American de-
stroyers had been shot up, sunk, or Sacrificing their ships by ma-
This newsletter is published by:
The USS Reeves Association set aflame. And while the South neuvering into the path of torpe-
15709 N Sycamore St Dakota -- known throughout the does intended for the Washington,
Mead, WA 99021 fleet as a jinx ship -- had damaged the captains of the American de-
Newsletter Editor - some lesser Japanese vessels, she stroyers had given [ADM]
Michael Robertson continued to be plagued with elec- “China" Lee one final chance.
Phone: [phone] trical and fire control problems. Blinded by the smoke and
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected] "Washington was now the only flames, the Japanese battleship
All comments, suggestions, submissions intact ship left in the force," writes Kirishima turned on her search-
and criticism are welcome. My email is
naval historian David Lippman. (Continued on page 10)
always open...
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GGGGuuuullllffff WWWWaaaarrrr SSSSyyyynnnnddddrrrroooommmmeeee
Gulf War illness, the series of several studies, and then built a the- the next several weeks will include
symptoms ranging from headaches ory based on the results of that theories as to what caused the syn-
to memory loss to chronic fatigue work. The doctors had funding dromes. The study should encour-
that plagues one of four veterans of from Congress until 2010, when age Congress to devote more mon-
the 1991 Persian Gulf war, is due to they were dropped by the Depart- ey for Gulf War illness research,
damage to the autonomic nervous ment of Veterans Affairs after be- Sullivan said. The disease affects
system, a study released 26 NOV ing accused of wasting millions of up to 250,000 veterans, according
shows. "This is the linchpin," said dollars in research money. That to the Institute of Medicine.
the study's lead author, Robert Ha- came directly after a 2009 study "Knowing the medical basis for a
ley, chief of epidemiology at the from Haley showed that neurotox- disease focuses the search for spe-
University of Texas Southwestern ins such as anti-nerve agent pills, cific treatments and makes it possi-
Medical Center in Dallas. "The dis- insect repellent and the nerve agent ble to test them in clinical trials,"
ease itself is so difficult to express sarin caused neurological changes Sullivan said. "If VA continues to
and to understand," Haley said, ex- to the brain, and that the changes be reluctant to fund research, then
plaining that veterans described seem to correlate with different Congress should hold hearings that
simply that they "don't feel well" or symptoms. prompt VA to do the right thing for
"can't function," without being able our veterans." [Source: USA TO-
After they lost funding, Haley
to further explain a disease that af- DAY | Kelly Kennedy | 26 Nov
and the other researchers continued
fects the automatic functions of 2012 ++]
their work on their own time. "This
their bodies, such as heat regula-
is the most important study of all," The article is highlighted be-
tion, sleep or even their heartbeats.
Haley said. "The veterans want to cause there are many Reeves ship-
"Docs don't know what the disease
know what's wrong with them. mates who were part of the first
is, so they can't help," Haley said.
Now, for the first time, all the doc- Gulf War effort in 1989.
"But if you can figure out what the
tors in the country can say, 'Oh,
disease is, the other problems will
maybe these are autonomic symp-
fall in line."
toms.' If you're not thinking auto-
Researchers spent 15 years re- nomic, the symptoms can sound
searching a hypothesis, and then kind of flaky." For years Gulf War RRRReeeemmmmeeeemmmmbbbbrrrraaaannnncccceeee WWWWeeeebbbb PPPPaaaaggggeeee
"we planned the ultimate study that veterans have been told the symp-
proved that hypothesis," Haley said. toms were all in their heads, which If you have access to the inter-
Along with Steven Vernino, chief Haley and other researchers say is- net, a new web page was added to
of the neuromuscular division at n't true. There is no known treat- the web site over a year ago. On
Southwestern, Haley sent 97 veter- ment for Gulf War illness, Haley the index column, it’s called Re-
ans through 25 tests, including said, but a diagnosis can lead to membrance. It’s purpose is to re-
brain imaging, in seven days. The clinical trials and a possible solu- mind us of shipmates that have
group had been drawn from a sam- tion. Veterans of suffering from passed and are no longer with us.
ple of 8,000 Gulf War veterans. Gulf War illness tend to fall in three With the update of our database
"Veterans have high faith in Dr. categories: from the Cruiser Sailors Associa-
Haley's dedicated and informative S Syndrome 1, or cognitive and tion, we have been able to update
research," said Paul Sullivan of depression problems. the information.
Veterans for Common Sense and a
S Syndrome 2, or confusion There are now 29 names for
Gulf War veteran."This finding is
ataxia, which is similar to early former shipmates. If you are able
important because for the first time
Alzheimer's disease. to view the page, and notice some-
physicians who care for Gulf War
one is not listed, please let me
veterans now have a medical expla- S Syndrome 3, or severe chron-
know. I am able to do some re-
nation for many of the unusual ic body pain.
search to gather important dates.
symptoms." The team conducted Haley said studies released in
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RRRREEEEEEEEVVVVEEEESSSS SSSSuuuurrrrvvvviiiivvvveeeessss AAAAcccccccciiiiddddeeeennnnttttaaaallll BBBBoooommmmbbbbiiiinnnngggg ((((ccccoooonnnnttttiiiinnnnuuuueeeedddd))))
p.m. Monday EST). how the fuse was set on this partic- spent the night fighting the fire.
ular bomb or whether the pilot Luckily no one was killed but the
Five sailors aboard the Reeves
who dropped the bomb was a vet- damage was extensive and there
were slightly injured from flying
eran or rookie. were several injured sailors. In a
glass and the force of the blast, but
Navy officials were relieved the End of the official news re- lucky twist of fate the accident
happened just after dusk when the
500-pound Mark 82 "general pur- lease.
ship called in all sailors for lights
pose bomb" caused no serious in-
out operations.
juries or damage to the ship.
And then this from the USS
For anyone who ever worked
"It appears in this particular Cochrane website:
the line pulling back in the towed
case that the explosive force of the
During the 89 IO cruise the
target I thought this story would
bomb did not occur in the interior
Cochrane handed over the towed
bring back some memories.
of the ship but stayed on the exte- target used by the USS Midway
rior," Quigley said. "It does not
appear that the damage was major
at all."
A 5-foot circular hole was re-
ported on the main deck near the
bow. The Reeves, based at Yoko-
suka, Japan, with the Midway, was
in port at Diego Garcia Tuesday so
Navy officials could assess the
damage.
Quigley said the angle at
Where was that target when
planes to the USS Reeves before
which the bomb hit the ship and
the bomb was dropped? Astern?
making a port call inside the
how it was "fused" to explode Close-hauled? And, did that pilot
“footprint of freedom” for the
would determine how much pene- have communications with CIC
night. That night while dusk was
tration and damage it would do to and realize that targeting exercises
falling the USS Reeves took a
a target. had been ended? (Photos from the
500lb bomb to the bullnose and
Quigley said he did not know internet.)
VVVV oooollll uuuu mmmmeeee 5555,,,, IIII ssss ssss uuuu eeee 4444 PPPPaaaaggggeeee 9999
AAAAggggeeeennnntttt OOOOrrrraaaannnnggggeeee EEEExxxxppppoooosssseeeedddd SSSShhhhiiiippppssss
To submit a claim to the VA for an Refer to shipmates who have contracted ill-
Agent Orange related medical con- http://www.publichealth.va.gov/ex nesses from Agent Orange even
dition you must be able meet the posures/agentorange/shiplist/not- though Reeves is not listed as a
prerequisites of the feet on the on-list.asp for instructions on how combatant that sailed in Vietnam-
ground policy or prove that you to add a ship to this list. For ques- ese inland waters and was exposed
were aboard a ship that had expo- tions about your eligibility for disa- to Agent Orange.
sure. To assist you, the VA pro- bility compensation refer to
Considering all the times between
vides a list of naval vessels that http://www.publichealth.va.gov/ex
1965 and 1975 when Reeves was
have been confirmed as having posures/agentorange/disability-
deployed into the Tonkin Gulf and
been exposed to Agent Orange. If compensation.asp. For contact in-
the SAR positions, the probability
your vessel is not included in the formation on your nearest VA ben-
of the ship encountering the effects
Mobile Riverine Force, ISF Divi- efits office refer to
of Agent Orange just 50-100 miles
sion 93 or listed designations at http://www2.va.gov/directory/guid
offshore are very high.
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/ex e/division.asp?dnum=3. [Source:
We have already seen shipmates
posures/agentorange/shiplist/index. http://www.publichealth.va.gov/ex
fatally effected in the last 20 years
asp#find, check the alphabetized posures/agentorange/shiplist/list.as
by Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
list of ships at either p#B Nov 2012 ++]
There are shipmates who are cur-
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/ex
**********************
rently undergoing classification
posures/agentorange/shiplist/list.as
USS Reeves was definitely one of and qualification issues with the
p#B or the attachment to this Bulle-
the many ships that were exposed Veterans Administration for their
tin titled, “Agent Orange Exposed
to Agent Orange in the 10 year pe- afflictions. We need to be mindful
Ships Nov 2012”. Ships will be
riod of the Vietnam War. Many of of our own generational casualties,
regularly added to the list based on
our shipmates remember entering and those of the current generation
information confirmed in official
into the inland waters of Vietnam who are experiencing injuries un-
records of ship operations. Current-
for various operations. We have heard of in our time.
ly there are 244 ships on this list.
SSSShhhhiiiifffftttt CCCCoooolllloooorrrrssss IIIInnnn RRRReeeemmmmeeeemmmmbbbbrrrraaaannnncccceeee
To receive the Navy‘s Shift Colors Shipmate Jack Stewart has reported Frank went from RM1 to RMC while
newsletter via email send the follow- the passing of Association Charter Mem- attached to Reeves from 1965 thru 1968.
ing information to ber RMCM Frank Feeser on Tuesday, He was close friends with BM1 Coward,
[email protected] -- First September 18, 2012 in San Diego, CA GM1 Anderson, MM1 Stewart, BT1
name; Last name; E-mail address; Frank was born on August 29, 1937, Charlie Brown and numerous other Ship-
Title (Mr., Mrs., rank, etc.); and Mili- to C. Guy and Mary (Walter) Feeser on mates from that era. He will be missed...
their farm, 1 mile west and 3/4 mile south Survivors include his wife, Connie,
tary affiliation (retiree, surviving
of Gresham, NE. He attended Fairview and her family of San Diego, Calif.; sons,
spouse, veteran, other). There is no
grade school and graduated from Shelby Phillip and James Feeser, and their fami-
longer any funding for hard copies to
High School in 1954. He joined the Unit- lies of the Philippines; brother, Hollis
be printed and mailed. To receive
ed States Navy that same year. (Pat) Feeser, of Rochester, Minn.; sister,
Shift Colors it does not matter wheth-
He proudly served his country in vari- Joanne (Feeser) Nekl, of Shelby; and
er or not you‘re retired, active duty, a
ous posts including the Philippines, Vi- brother, Dennis (Cindy) Feeser, of Ser-
veteran, a surviving spouse, or just etnam, Japan, Hawaii and aboard many geant Bluff, Iowa; numerous nieces and
someone who‘s interested in receiv- ships. Upon retiring, Frank worked 25 nephews; along with extended family and
ing the newsletter years as an electrical engineer in San Die- friends.
go. He enjoyed meeting his family and Frank was preceded in death by his
friends in Las Vegas yearly. Frank was a parents, Guy and Mary Feeser; his first
member of the American Legion, V.F.W. wife, Carmen; and his brother-in-law Eu-
and the Naval Reserve Club in Imperial gene (Nick) Nekl.
Beach, California.
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AAAAbbbboooouuuutttt WWWWhhhheeeennnn WWWWeeee WWWWeeeerrrreeee BBBBoooorrrrnnnn………… ((((ccccoooonnnnttttiiiinnnnuuuueeeedddd))))
lights, illuminating the helpless own. Japanese forces down the hill that
South Dakota, and opened fire. the positions were still manned.
As Platoon Sgt. Mitchell Paige
Finally, as her own muzzle blasts
and his 33 riflemen set about care- The citation for Paige's Con-
illuminated her in the darkness, Ad-
fully emplacing their four water- gressional Medal of Honor picks up
miral Lee and Captain Glenn Davis
cooled .30-caliber Brownings, man- the tale: When the enemy broke
could positively identify an enemy
ning their section of the thin khaki through the line directly in front of
target. The Washington's main bat-
line which was expected to defend his position, P/Sgt. Paige, com-
teries opened fire at 12 midnight
Henderson Field against the assault manding a machine gun section
precisely.
of the night of 25 Oct 1942, it's un- with fearless determination, contin-
Her radar fire control system likely anyone thought they were ued to direct the fire of his gunners
functioned perfectly. During the about to provide the definitive an- until all his men were either killed
first seven minutes of 14 Nov 1942, swer to that most desperate of ques- or wounded. Alone, against the
the "last ship in the U.S. Pacific tions: How many able-bodied U.S. deadly hail of Japanese shells, he
Fleet" fired 75 of her 16-inch shells Marines does it take to hold a hill fought with his gun and when it
at the battleship Kirishima. against 2,000 desperate and moti- was destroyed, took over another,
vated Japanese attackers? moving from gun to gun, never
Aboard Kirishima, it rained
ceasing his withering fire."
steel. At 3:25 a.m., her burning Nor did the commanders of the
hulk officially became the first ene- mighty Japanese Army, who had In the end, Sgt. Paige picked up
my sunk by an American battleship swept all before them for decades, the last of the 40-pound, belt-fed
since the Spanish-American War. expect their advance to be halted on Brownings -- the same design
Stunned, the Japanese withdrew. some jungle ridge manned by one which John Moses Browning fa-
Within days, Japanese commander thin line of Yanks in khaki in Octo- mously fired for a continuous 25
Istook Yamamoto recommended ber of 1942. But by the time the minutes until it ran out of ammuni-
the unthinkable to the Emperor -- night was over, the Japanese 29th tion, glowing cherry red, at its first
withdrawal from Guadalcanal. Infantry Regiment had lost 553 U.S. Army trial -- and did some-
killed or missing and 479 wounded thing for which the weapon was
But that was still weeks in the
among its 2,554 men, historian never designed. Sgt. Paige walked
future. We are still with Mitchell
Lippman reports. The Japanese down the hill toward the place
Paige back on the malaria jungle
16th Regiment's losses are uncount- where he could hear the last Japa-
island of Guadalcanal, placed like a
ed, but the [US] 164th's burial par- nese survivors rallying to move
speed bump at the end of the long
ties handled 975 Japanese bodies. around his flank, the belt-fed gun
blue-water slot between New Guin-
... The American estimate of 2,200 cradled under his arm, firing as he
ea and the Bismarck Archipelago ...
Japanese dead is probably too low. went. And the weapon did not fail.
The very route the Japanese Navy
would have to take to reach Aus- You've already figured out Coming up at dawn, battalion
tralia. where the Japanese focused their executive officer Major Odell M.
attack, haven't you? Among the 90 Conoley was first to discover the
On Guadalcanal, the Marines
American dead and seriously answer to our question: How many
struggled to complete an airfield.
wounded that night were all the able-bodied Marines does it take to
Yamamoto knew what that meant.
men in Mitchell Paige's platoon; hold a hill against two regiments of
No effort would be spared to dis-
every one. As the night of endless motivated, combat-hardened infan-
lodge these upstart Yanks from a
attacks wore on, Paige moved up trymen who have never known de-
position that could endanger his
and down his line, pulling his dead feat?
ships. Before long, relentless Japa-
and wounded comrades back into
nese counterattacks had driven sup- On a hill where the bodies were
their foxholes and firing a few
porting U.S. Navy from inshore piled like cordwood, Mitchell Paige
bursts from each of the four
waters. The Marines were on their alone sat upright behind his 30-
Brownings in turn, convincing the
(Continued on page 11)