USS Providence Association

Newsletter (Volume 1, Issue 2, May 2008)

Hello again from the USS Providence Reunion Association. 

We are still working on contacting as many people as we can to try to increase our membership, and some of you may have already been contacted.  We hope you are contacting your shipmates and talking them into joining the association.  The dues are nominal and go toward covering the cost of the newsletter, the upkeep of the web site, and preparatory expenses for the reunions. 
 
I am currently on vacation in Texas and the other day I visited the USS Lexington Museum in Corpus Christi.  If you ever get there it is truly an awesome sight.  You come over a high bridge over the ship canal and there she sits in all her majesty.  She is beautiful and the maintenance people work hard at keeping her "shipshape."  She never sailed with the USS Providence, they were in different oceans at different times, but she played a major part in the Pacific campaign in WWII.  When the Providence was in Viet Nam, the Lexington was stationed in the Atlantic, so their paths never crossed. 
 
Speaking about the USS Providence, I had a little bit if trivia in my last communication that someone was able to answer and they received the calendar.  I don't have the gentleman's name with me, and I hope he will forgive me.  This is the question, and the particulars.
 
The question was, the Providence was once designated as a CG-6.  Who can give me the particulars?  The answer is, after decommissioning following her service in Viet Nam in August 1973, she was reclassified as a CG-6 on July 1, 1975.  As that designation, she never sailed, and never had a crew.  She was later stricken and scraped. 
 
We are also looking at a new logo for the USS Providence Reunion Association, one that will include the sloop, the cruiser and the submarine.  I have one in hand, but would like to ask if anyone else wants to submit a drawing for consideration we would love to see what you can come up with.  You can send them to anyone of us via email or snail mail.  Our contact information is at the end of this newsletter.
 
For those of you with a computer, there's a wonderful website that has quite a few pictures of the
CL-82/CLG-6/CG-6 at http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/082/04082.htm. 
That's about all I have for now.  Hope this finds you all hale and hearty. 
 
John Reighley - Secretary, USS Providence Reunion Association.
Jack Reighley - Secretary / jack.reighley@gmail.com
401 NW Springwood Dr. Blue Springs, MO 64015 – Tel: (816) 228-5885

Message from your Webmaster:

Shipmates:
It is always very sad for me to hear of the passing of another shipmate or a shipmate’s wife.   But each time I pay respect to a wife in the editor’s log or a shipmate in the Memorial, I regain my composure as I am reminded that they are patriots that have chosen to serve and protect this country with honor and sacrifice.

The wives have paid a great price to this country and let us not forget their contribution to the United States.   

Here is passage that pays tribute to the Navy wife.  To often we forget the sacrifice that our wives and family have paid throughout the years. This tribute applies equally to all military wives of all branches.  We thank you for your patriotism, your love, and your support.

Sam Villa…. Webmaster  

The Navy Wife

A Navy Wife is no ordinary woman. Operating for months at a time without the companionship or assistance of her husband, she routinely overcomes challenges that would give the average person a nervous breakdown.

Part Doctor, part Teacher and part Handyman, she can lavish loving care on a sick toddler, help a teenager with his Algebra homework, and track down a faulty circuit breaker -- all while holding down a full time job.

With thirty minutes notice, she can serve breakfast, lunch, or dinner to fourteen hungry Sailors, and still somehow balance her family's meager grocery budget.

She can press a set of dress whites to inspection standards, tie a perfect square knot in a military neckerchief, and pack a sea bag in the cold hours before dawn.

For months at a time, she must settle for letters instead of kisses, emails in place of hugs, and long-distance phone calls in lieu of her husband's touch.  She manages a smile when her Sailor is at sea for the second Anniversary in a row, and accepts the fact that there's a one-in-three chance that he will have to stand Duty on her Birthday. She has learned to stand on a pier and wave goodbye without tears, even when her heart is breaking.

To her children, she is Chauffeur, Umpire, Psychologist, Spiritual Advisor, Financial Consultant, part-time Father, Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, and the Easter Bunny. To her husband, she is Friend, Lover, Partner, Confidant, and Soul Mate.

She is a patriot. She is the sort of citizen that all of us should be, but so few of us are. She lives with sacrifice, because she believes in the rights and ideals that her husband defends. Although she wears no uniform, she is a part of that defense -- a vital link in the chain of Freedom. Although she wears no medals and will reap no glory on the field of battle, she is a hero in the truest sense of the word.

She is a Navy Wife.

Sam Villa -- Webmaster / sam@star77.com

PO Box 161182, San Diego, CA 92176 – Tel: (619) 446-8462

A little humor from shipmate Bob Becker MM3 / CLG-6 1971-73
M Division Gen. Gang (After Fire Room) budda.bob1@gmail.com

NEW RETIREMENT PLAN

If you had purchased $1,000.00 of Delta Air Lines stock one year ago, you would have $49.00 left.

With Enron, you would have had $16.50 left of the original $1,000.00.

With WorldCom, you would have had less than $5.00 left.

But, if you had purchased $1,000.00 worth of beer one year ago, drank all of the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling refund, you would have had $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle. It's called the
401-Keg plan.

NAVAL TERMS QUIZ
by shipmate Carl Dustin FC 2/c CL-82
What is the original meaning of the following navy terms?

1. Brass monkey
2. Scuttlebutt
3. Toe the line

(Answers on back page)

SAN DIEGO NAVAL TRAINING CENTER – USS RECRUIT

 Commissioned by Rear Adm. Wilder D. Baker on July 27, 1949, the USS Recruit was the Navy’s only non-sailing ship that was officially commissioned. It was the first of three similar structures built by the Navy following World War II and is the sole survivor.

It was originally built as a two-thirds scale mock up of a training destroyer escort with standard Navy fittings obtained from salvaged and mothballed ships. Operating as a standard Navy ship, sailors learned marlinspike seamanship skills and observed traditional Naval shipboard procedures on its decks.

Decommissioned in 1967, when it could not be classified in a Naval inventory, the USS Recruit nevertheless continued to train recruits and was reconditioned in 1982, as a training guided missile frigate.

On August 13, 2005, the USS Recruit was designated as a California state historic landmark.

Sailors who went to San Diego NTC can share their boot camp experience as Sam Villa, Red Stephens, Al Pilger and others did at
 http://www.libertystation.com/yourstories.html
Here are a few:

Life at NTC San Diego, 1957
As so many others, I began my navy career at NTC. I was called to active duty from the Reserves in October 1957. I had a bit of an edge on the others in my company as I had been through a 2 week version in the reserves in the summer of 1956 so I knew what to expect.
After an all night train trip from San Francisco to San Diego, we were herded onto busses bound for NTC. We arrived at about 2 a.m. and from that point the transformation began from "Civvie" to Sailor. For those who had never experienced anything like this, I know it came as a real cultural shock.
After attending Aviation Prep School (AN/P) in Norman, OK, it was on to NATTC Memphis at Millington. After schooling it was on to the USS YORKTOWN CVS-10. Like Sam Villa, I too ended up on the USS PROVIDENCE CLG-6 with Com7thFlt Staff. Even though Sam was “Ships Company” and I was Flag, we developed a close friendship during our time on "Prov.". I went on to serve at several Weather Centrals and ultimately retired from the Navy at NAS Fallon, NV.
The lessons learned in "boot camp" are still with me today. They were valuable lessons in coping with the rigors of daily life. If NOTHING else, the lesson taught us RESPECT for ourselves, RESPECT for others, and great RESPECT for our country.
Al Pilger
Catonsville, MD
NTC 1942
It was late October 1942 when I arrived at USNTC San Diego. Company 42-649. As best as I can remember the training period was 21 days. Long enough for us to get a haircut, shots and uniforms. I was 17 years old. Three weeks later I started Radio School.
In April 1943 I graduated from Radio School as 6th in the class of 128 and advanced to Radioman 3/c. I still have a picture of my Boot Company class and my class at Radio School.
There is one other shipmate, still living, that I went to Radio School with. We had duty again in San Diego at Imperial Beach, Calif., in 1955.
We last met at a reunion in September 2002.
We are both USN retired now and have many "Sea Stories" to talk about. I have many memories of San Diego.
Take care.
C.R. (Red) Stephens
Tampa, Florida

Email Message of the Quarter:  Leland Eagleson (formermonk1@comcast.net)

Aboard Providence from 1963 to 1966
Email dated 10/03/07

Sam- I served onboard the Providence from October-November 1963 to July 1966. My 1st memories on board include President Kennedy's assassination and the chaos after; the State visit to Saigon Jan. 1964, while going through the Delta, we had orders to stay below decks because of snipers and where a Green Beret led a few shipmates and I on a tour of Saigon-"at night you can cross this bridge ok but the next bridge you are in Charlies country"; several other State visits of which Taiwan was memorable-Chung Kai Shek came on board for maneuvers, and I got to see his private army setting up security in town and his state room corridor was guarded by the Marines. I have proud (and painful) memories of becoming a Shellback on the way to Sydney in the summer of '64. I also have very strong memories of Capt. La Roque when he first came on board-he was a true leader-he went to the crews mess to eat and contracted the 'Providence trots' He put the entire Supply div. on restriction and determined that several of the galley crew had dysentery and had the galley sterilized and the sick ones transferred; I really remember the Filet Mignon and Lobster dinner he put on afterwards for all hands and their dependents!! After he left, there were halfhearted attempts to repeat these dinners but the quality was not there. I left the Providence in July '66 in Long Beach upon being discharged.
 
The most notable enlisted man I remember was a BM3 (2?) Named Fribley-he was a survivor of the Bataan death march and as I remember, his service jacket had orders that no matter what he did, he was not to be busted lower than E-4.  I also remember Adm. Moorer who was the 1st MOH recipient I ever saw.
 
I have only seen one shipmate that I knew and that was 40 years ago in Elmira NY. The memories shaped my life in ways I am still discovering.  Regards, Leland Eagleson

“From the Bridge”

Many thanks to Sam for the article about Navy Wives.   The many sacrifices, not only by Navy Wives, but the normal, hard working, everyday housewives are a badge to be worn proudly.    Many times they are required to function as chief, admiral, mother, father, shoulder to cry on, and the person who keeps things together.    Well done.

I am in the process of finalizing the next reunion, which will be held in Providence, Rhode Island, Wednesday, May 6 through Sunday, May 10, 2009.   The hotel accommodations have proved to be somewhat difficult, relative to price:  attempting to keep the price below $130 per night.  We have a day at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Mass, which will include a Memorial service and lunch in the Wardroom on the USS MASSACHUSETTS (BB-59).  Another day in Newport, Rhode Island, touring mansions, and a lunch at the Naval War College.   Full details will be in the next newsletter. Should be very exciting, especially the ship tours.

I still need to get additional mementos, pictures, Naval gear, etc. for the display case in Buffalo (USS LITTLE ROCK CLG-4).   Within the next two months I will travel to Buffalo to install the display case in the "Cruiser Room".    Please call me at 717-284-6996 if you have a donation of memorabilia.

We have experience a slight upturn in subscriptions to the Providence Association, however, it is somewhat less than expected.  I recently observed, in the Cruiser Sailor Newsletter, 222 new members were enrolled during the last quarter, only 2 from Providence, and 71 from the USS BALTIMORE CA-68.  If the BALTIMORE can get 71 new members to the Cruiser Sailor Organization, we should have the potential to get a quantum increase this year for the PROVIDENCE Association.   The Regional Coordinators now have a complete listing of all past, and present members, and will commence a phone solicitation over the next 6 months. In addition, we need each member to call a former shipmate or 2 and get them involved in our organization.   

Recently I had a discussion with the folks at the "Museum of the Pacific" in Austin, Texas.  It seems the Providence Bridge is in storage and unavailable for view.   They are awaiting additional funding for construction of more space, so they can increase the display room, which includes our bridge (pilot house).    Mike Joyner, who is from the local area, visited the museum, and was somewhat disappointed that the bridge was not on display.   Mike, Thanks for the input.

I have been in contact with Jim Martell (CLG-6), who has constructed a 3-foot model of CL-82.   He lives a few miles from me in York, Penna, and I will visit him during May and have Sam put pictures on the website.  Additionally, he will attend the Providence Reunion, and bring the ship for display.

We need additional sea stories for the upcoming newsletters.   If you have an article that you would like to publish I encourage you to share with Sam, Jack, Bill or me.  The Executive Board wishes to expand the newsletter to include 2 or 3 stores each time.

That's all for now.   Fair winds and calm seas.

Jim Chryst

Treasurer Report
Bill McCubbin

Checking Account:
Our checking Account is looking very stable right now. Many members sent in their 2008 dues and we picked up quite a few new shipmates due to the Newsletter that Jim, Jack, & Sam sent out.
Why pay dues? Your dues help support the website that shipmate Sam Villa has designed and kept up, professionally, I must say. He spends a lot of time and energy with it. The Association gives Sam a small stipend for doing this fine work. Also, we the directors are going to put out a newsletter quarterly to keep you abreast of what’s happening. These mailings cost around $600.00. So please believe me your dues are an important factor.
 
Last Reunion:
Beverly and I were very proud to have had the reunion here in Northern Kentucky. We always enjoy good friends stopping in for a stay. Our thanks to Admiral Haynes for addressing the reunion shipmates and ladies. If you enjoyed it has much as we did having you here, then we are satisfied.
 
Reunion Booklet:
Glory be, we just received our booklet and very happy with it. Sorry it took so long to get it produced. Hopefully the wait is worth it. Along with the DVD that shipmate Larry Brown and wife Sheri put together, it will give you hours of remembrance.
  
Hope to see you all in Providence, RI,

Bill McCubbin

Table A – Membership List

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