MOORE MEMORIES
USS BELL
ASSOCIATION (DD587)
JANUARY,
2003
IN THIS ISSUE:
Ø
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Ø
IN SYMPATHY
Ø
RECIPES
Ø
MAILBAG
Ø
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ø
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Ø
REMEMBERING WORLD WAR II
Ø
SHIP’S STORE
Ø
ANNUAL DUES
HAPPY NEW YEAR
I hope everyone had a safe and
happy New Year. I’m sorry I didn’t get
the newsletter out before the Christmas holidays, but seems
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years came so close together I hardly had time
to recover from the reunion. We had
another wonderful reunion. We had a
great group of people attending and as usual we really had a lot of fun. Shipmates, relatives & friends attending
the Baton Rouge reunion included the following: Jack & Roseann
Ogden, Thomas & Lupe Gutierrez, William (Bill) & Peggy Cavanaugh,
Maurice Moe, Mike & Teresa DiVeronica with 14
family members, Ed Klenka and friend Rita Stasitis, Mario & Marion Capitanio
with Jon & Susan Diulus, Robert (Bob) & Lucia
DeWolf, Richard (Dick) Daniels, Charlie Calkins,
James (Jim) & Louise Faith with daughters Nancy Luckett,
Sherry Chapman, Kathy Nielsen, and Gina Daniel, Al & Pauline Lewis, Jack
Forester and sons Ken and Brian, and Arthur Arbogast
and son Jim, Mrs. Martin (Denise) Corbell with Denny and Sue Corbell,
and Mrs. Lester (Neysa) Blagg
with Lester and Donna Blagg. My friends Barbara Shurling
and Jean Berry attended with me.
On Thursday we went over to New Orleans and visited
the World War II D-day Museum. It was a
really interesting place. There is so
much to see and read that it probably would take much more than a day to really
enjoy all the artifacts. To see the
movies really gives you a feeling of how horrible things really were during
this time. It was so interesting to read
the actual letters written during the various battles and view the personal
objects with their memories. It leaves a
great impression with you when you leave.
After visiting the Museum we ventured into the French Quarter for
lunch. Some of us walked up to the
Mighty Mississippi and checked out the Paddle Wheelers and watched the crowds
meander around Jackson Square where we were
entertained with the Mimes and street musicians. After arriving back at the hotel, we met in
the hospitality room for our annual Pizza Party.
On Friday, we visited the USS KIDD and
held our memorial service there. The
weather didn’t cooperate very well with us, as we had to hold our memorial
service in the theater instead of on the ship.
It was a very nice service. Mr.
Maury Drummond, the Director of the USS KIDD Louisiana Naval War
Memorial welcomed everyone and explained how the service would be conducted
since the rain had caused a few changes in our plans. Afterward, James Faith opened the service
with prayer. Gina Faith Daniel, daughter
of James and Louise Faith, sang a beautiful version of God Bless America. Maurice Moe read the list of deceased
shipmates after which there was a three-gun salute fired from the USS
KIDD. A bagpiper played Amazing Grace
after which a bugler played TAPS. It was
a beautiful and emotional service.
After the memorial service, we boarded
the bus and traveled about fifteen miles out to Rosedale for
lunch. As we left the expressway, a Rosedale policeman
escorted us to the home of Randall (Panco) and Vicki Badeaux. A big tent
had been erected in their backyard and was decorated in red, white and
blue. Our hosts greeted us as we left
the bus and walked to the tent. The
Mayor of Rosedale, who is Randall’s father, was also in attendance. We were seated and the family members
proceeded to serve each of us a wonderful meal.
We had Shrimp Gumbo with Rice, Jambalaya, Potato Salad, Crawfish
Cornbread, Tea, Lemonade, Coffee, Beer and Wine. For dessert, we were served Louisiana Bread
Pudding with Praline Sauce. It was a
real family affair. In addition to Panco and Vicki, Panco’s brother
and parents, Vicki’s parents, their two daughters and one of their friends,
Vicki’s sister Sara and husband Troy, and Vicki’s
brother Randy, all took part in the preparation, cooking and serving of the
food. Also in attendance was one of Rosedale’s
councilmen. He was so gracious and a lot
of fun. A reporter from the local parish
paper was also in attendance and spoke with several of the shipmates and made
pictures for the paper. He prepared a
full-page spread of the day’s activities.
Needless to say, we did enjoy our day.
Saturday was a free day with the
exception of a brief business meeting in the morning. Mike DiVeronica
thought it would be quite appropriate to have an Honorary Captain for the USS
Bell Association. He nominated Richard
Daniels. It was a unanimous vote and
Richard graciously accepted. I will
again be your Secretary/Treasurer for another term. A list of the sick members
was read and cards signed for them. It
was also agreed that we would make a donation to the Tin Can Sailors
Association. The site for the 2003
reunion was opened for bids. Jack and Roseann Ogden bid to host the 2003 reunion in Las Vegas and received
an overwhelming approval. So, 2003 will
see us in Las Vegas. Plans are already underway. The meeting was then adjourned after which we
held our annual raffle. We also had an
auction, which proved to be a hit and generated a lot of fun and laughs. It not only gives a little action for the
group it helps out the treasury.
Saturday night we had our banquet and dance. James Faith gave the blessing of the
food. Our new Captain delivered the
toast. Several prizes were awarded along
with the 50-50 drawing. After the
banquet, the disc jockey played the Navy Anthem, which got everyone to their
feet for a little march around the dance floor.
The music seemed to set some feet to tapping and I can truly say, I saw a lot of action on that floor.
Sunday morning was filled with
departures and so-longs. It’s always sad
to leave after such a good time, but everyone looks forward to the next reunion
so much and seemed happy to say “We’ll see you in Las Vegas”!
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IN SYMPATHY
…..It is with great regret
that I write to inform you of the death of my mother, Mrs. Charles (Jane) Flowerree on August 5, 2002. Sincerely, Elisabeth I. Flowerree
…..For your records, my wife of 61
years (Patty), passed away July 27, 2002, after 14 years of suffering with
Lupus, Arteriosclerosis, Osteoporosis and Pulmonary Fibrosis. I am very sure she is in the Lord’s hands
now. My son and I hope to see you in Baton Rouge. Yours Sincerely, Arthur Arbogast (Arbo).
…..Another U.S.S. Bell shipmate has
fallen. Russell E. Halberg,
Sr. passed away recently after a 1 year battle with cancer. He had so wanted to attend the reunion in Baton Rouge. Enclosed is the memorial card from his
funeral service. I am his friend that
was at the reunion in Newport with
him. Keep the gang
going.
…..Meryl A. Russell
Russell E. Halberg,
born September 25, 1924, passed away December 9, 2002. Services held at Bartholomew Funeral Home on December 13, 2002. Burial in Memorial Park Cemetery,
Valparaiso, IN.
…..E. A. “Bud” Geneste
passed away September 9,
2002. Bud was diagnosed with
Pancreatic Cancer in July 2002. He
passed away peacefully with no pain medication.
He had looked forward to the Baton Rouge reunion and
he and Helen always enjoyed their time with his shipmates and families. Received by E-mail from
Bud’s daughter-in-law.
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RECIPES
…..Several people asked for recipes
for some of the dishes we had at the luncheon at the home of the Badeaux’s. Here’s a
couple.
SEAFOOD GUMBO
½
cup flour 1
lb. Crabmeat
½
cup oil 1
qt. Oysters (optional)
1
large onion, chopped 2 bayleaves
1
clove garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
¼
cup parsley, chopped 2
Quarts Water
2
lbs. Shrimp or Crawfish Salt,
Pepper, Tobasco & File’ to taste
Make a roux by browning flour in
hot oil until brown. Add water slowly
and smooth to a paste. Add vegetables
and cook for 30 minutes. Add Crabmeat
and all seasoning except parsley and file’.
Cook for 15 minutes. Add shrimp
and oysters and cook till oysters curl (about 5 minutes). Cut head, add file’ and serve over rice. Sprinkle with parsley.
CAJUN CRAWFISH CORNBREAD
2
cups Cornmeal ½
cup chopped jalapeno peppers
1
Tbsp. Salt 16
oz. Cheddar Cheese
1
Tsp. Soda 2/3
cup Oil
6
eggs 2
(16 oz) cream style corn
2
medium Onions 2
lb. Crawfish tails
Combine cornmeal, salt and soda. In a medium bowl beat eggs. Chop onions and peppers. Grate cheese.
Add to beaten eggs the onions, peppers, cheese, oil, corn and crawfish
tails. Combine this with the cornmeal
mixture and mix well. Pour into greased
12x14 baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees
for 55 minutes or until golden brown.
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MAILBAG
…..I
have received your update on the USS Bell.
Thanks. Please keep it up. I won’t be able to come to the reunion
because of health problems. I had two
close friends I haven’t seen on your list dead or alive. I met Ernest C. Alexander from Greenwood, Arkansas in Corpus. We spent the war together. The last I heard of him he was in Detroit, Michigan. Richard L. Baker, no kin, Dayton, Ohio. He moved to Texas for a while. I would like to know if they are alive or
not. If you happen to see a big
Frenchman at the reunion by the name of Mouton ask him
if he remembers a wrestling match we had in Corpus Christie? Sorry to
put you through this mess trying to read.
You are the only person I have tried to write to in years. Thanks again for the update.
…..R.
T. Baker, Corsicana, Texas
Note:
I am still looking for your friends Richard Baker and Ernest Alexander.
…..We wish to inform you that we will
not be attending activities as planned.
I was looking forward to going but Steve’s health is failing
drastically. Darlene and I will stay
here to look after him. Keep in
touch. We look forward to your
newsletters of what’s going on the with the group. Take care.
We also cancelled the hotel rooms.
Enclosed is a picture of us taken in March 2002. Send us a photo is you have one
available. Thanks again for all of your
letters and information regarding the USS Bell.
I wish we were as healthy as we look.
…..Steve
& Dorothy Stack, St. Petersburg, FL
….. Just a note.
I am enclosing dues for my wife and I. Thank you for all the effort you use keeping
everyone informed about the U.S.S. Bell. We are retired but haven’t been able
to make any of the reunions. We enjoy
the newsletters.
…..Bob
& Elinor Ludwig, LaJose, PA
…..Although Loren doesn’t recognize
any names, he really enjoys having the newsletter read to him. It’s wonderful of you to continue this
project.
…..Norma
Jean Brock, Overland Park, KS
…..I did not think I would be able to
make the reunion. I had open-heart
surgery in May but I am doing fine now.
See you in Baton Rouge.
…..Mario
Capitanio, Brookpark, OH
…..Enclosed find check for 2 years
dues. I don’t know if I have sent
anything this far. I am sorry I could
not go to Newport, RI last
year. I am not going to be able to go to
Baton Rouge either. Reason being I have arthritis in lower
back. I had to cancel my vacation this
year for the same reason. The previous
four years I have gone sailing on a 47-foot sailboat up to Maine or Nantucket as 1st Mate. That’s not bad since the owner and Captain is
a lady friend of mine. I enjoy Moore
Memories and loved that story about “Old Geezers”. My wife passed away in 1996, but we had 55
happy years together. I have 3 children,
9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
With that support and the fact that I’ll be 86 in January, can I be an
“old Geezer” too? I was in the
Commissioning Crew at Charleston, SSC in the
spring of 1943, then Atlantic Merchant Ship Convoys, and then to the
Pacific. I was transferred from the Bell about January
or February 1945 to go to Radio Material School in Washington so that I
could proceed from First Class Radioman (& Technician) and upon graduation,
to go Chief Radio/Radar Technician.
After the 2 bombs in Japan, I was able
to be discharged on points and went home to my wife and first son who was one year old.
From one of your “old Geezers”,
…..Alfred
L. Henchcliffe, Southbury, CT
…..Sorry Nita & I
will not be able to get to any more reunions.
Her memory has gone bad and my water works isn’t the best. Thanks for the Memories. Enclosed check for dues. …..Bob
Turner, Cocoa, FL
…..Happy
Thanksgiving to you and all the wonderful USS Bell People.
Thanks very much for the card from the USS Bell. That was very nice. You can put my thanks in the newsletter. …..Jim Humbert, Aurora, IL
…..Please
extend my thanks to association members and friends for the “Get Well
Wishes”! It was nice of them to think of
us and to send us that nice card. Teri
& I are disappointed that we were not able to come to Baton Rouge.
We had also planned to go to Columbus, Ohio to see my sister but had to cancel
those plans also. All in all, 2002 has been
a bad year for us almost from the start of the year. Looking forward to much better year in
2003! Thanks again and best wishes to
all.
…..Doug
& Teri Wetherby
You meet the
nicest people …
In my search for
shipmates, I have met some really nice people.
Here are a few.
…..Received
your letter of December 4, 2002 and I have checked with the US Post Office here
in Jackson, Ohio and I am sorry no one seems to know this person. I am sorry I cannot be any more help to
you. With kindest regards, John E.
Morgan, Jackson, Ohio.
…..This Richard
P. Williams moved to Wooster, Ohio.
I am not a shipmate of that Unit.
My middle name is Paul. I am a
Navy Veteran, having served in the Pacific during World War II. Standard Landing Craft Unit No. 36 at Okinawa and later aboard LST 599. Good Luck.
Richard Paul Williams, Wooster, OH
…..I am in
receipt of your letter of October 10, and must advise that I am not the William
F. Harris about whom you are inquiring.
I do hope your search is successful and with you all the best in your
worthwhile endeavors. Most Sincerely,
Bill Harris
…..Sorry but I
am the wrong Joseph B. Stokes. I was in
the Navy but attached to Marine Corp and I am from Florida.
Good Luck. JBS
…..In reply to
your letter of October 6th I am sorry I can’t help you. Although I spent the war years in the Charlestown, Mass. Naval Shipyard as a civilian employee,
I never served in the Navy. I wish you
good luck in your continuing search.
Sincerely, John Francis Leonard, Lynnfield, MA
…..Unfortunately,
I am not the James Albert McRae you are trying to contact. My name is James Alexander McRae and I did
serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
I lived in Massachusetts and enlisted at Boston.
While in the Navy, I was a crewmember on three ships; The USS Nitro, USS
Euryale and USS Clytie. The first was an ammunition ship and the
latter two were submarine tenders.
Hopefully you will be successful locating the correct person.
…I hope you
have found Mr. Wells III. My husband is
John Crawford Wells and he was on the USS Lauderdale. He thinks he remembers seeing the USS Bell
when he was in the Pacific but never knew anyone from the ship. Good luck on your search. Margaret Wells.
****************************************
I received a Christmas Card that had the most beautiful poem in it that I wanted to
pass it along to each of you.
THE WAY
TO A HAPPY NEW YEAR
To
leave the old with a burst of song;
To
recall the right and forgive the wrong;
To
forget the things that bind you fast;
To the
vain regrets of the year that’s past;
To have
the strength to let go your hold;
Of the
not worthwhile of the days grown old;
To dare
go forth with a purpose true;
To the
unknown task of the year that’s new;
To help
your brother along the road;
To do
his work and lift his load;
To add
your gift to the world’s good cheer;
Is to
have and to give a Happy New Year.
Author
Unknown
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
…..The Board of Directors of the Medical Guild of Friday
Harbor, WA gratefully acknowledges and thanks you for your contribution in
memory of Bud Geneste.
…..Thank you
for remembering our mother and dear friend with a donation in her memory to the
Winchendon EMT Ambulance Fund. Our
mother only attended two Bell reunions. The first with our father
in Warren, OH before he died in
1982. She also attended the 2001 Newport, RI reunion with our brother Marc. We were able to join them at the
banquet. Sons Marc
& Paul Brouillette, daughter Lisa M. Holland and
friend Charles (Pete) Chapman.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
…..In the August newsletter, I
printed some information on Remembering World War II. My calendar could have
had a misprint on 1/2/42. I received from Edgar Glenn an article that
differs to the information in the calendar.
Here is the statement.
CORREGIDOR, rocky island, N Philippines, in Cavite Province, at the entrance to Manila Bay. It divides the bay into two channels, the
Boca Chica, 5 km (3 mi) wide, and the Boca Grande,
10.5 km (6.5 mi) wide. Corregidor has a maximum length from E to W of 6 km (4 mi),
and average width of 1.6 km (1 mi), and a total area of 5 sq. km (2 sq.
mi). A Spanish stronghold, Corregidor was acquired by the U.S. after the Spanish-American War in 1898 and was further
fortified. During World War II the
island was the scene of the last organized resistance by American and
Philippine troops against the Japanese invaders in the Philippines. After the surrender
at Bataan, more than 10,000 Americans and Filipinos under the
American General Jonathan Wainwright withdrew to Corregidor and defended it for nearly a month before surrendering to
the Japanese in May 1942. U.S. forces recaptured in March 1945, and in 1947 the island
became a part of the republic of the Philippines. It is now a
national shrine.
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REMEMBERING WORLD WAR II (Continued
from August 2002 Newsletter)
2/1/41 – Secretary of
the Navy, Frank Knox, warns Congress that the U.S. fleet will
require six years of preparation and buildup before it will be ready to fight
in a war.
2/2-3/43 – A German sub sinks the U.S. troop carrier Dorchester. A rabbi, a priest, and two ministers give up
their life jackets to four soldiers and go down with the ship.
2/4/38 – Joachim von Ribbentrop, whom his fellow Nazi Joseph Goebbels
once said “bought his name, married his money, and swindled his way into
office,” is rewarded for faithful service to the party by being named German
minister of foreign affairs.
2/5/44 – The U.S.
Twenty-seventh Army opens up a route to the Mariana Islands by mopping up
the last of the Japanese resistance on Kwajalein in the Marshall
Islands.
2/6/43 – General Dwight
D. Eisenhower is put in command of the allied expeditionary force in North Africa. The experience would later prove invaluable
to Eisenhower when it came time to command the allied invasion of France the following
year.
2/7/43 – Rationing hits the soles of all
Americans as they are now restricted to buying only three pairs of shoes per
year under the administration’s new shoe rationing policy.
2/8/41 – Hitler gives
the newly acquired country of Luxembourg the catchy new
name of Mosselland.
2/9-10/42 – The United States goes on wartime,
as clocks are moved ahead one hour to conserve electricity.
2/11/43 – Former
Bulgarian minister of war, General Christo Loukov is assassinated while attending a movie in Sofia, Bulgaria. German agents are suspected as Loukov was known to oppose the Nazi regime.
2/12/38 – Germany presents
Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg with a list
of demands, which he refuses, fearing that Austria would be reduced
to a vassal state. Von Schuschnigg eventually bows to the pressure he is under
from both Germany and Austria’s own Nazi Party
and resigns, only to be proven correct about Austria’s vassal
condition.
2/13/45 – German forces
surrender the city of Budapest, Hungary, after losing
over 50,000 men in defense of the city.
2/14/43 – German panzers
commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel break through
the U.S. First Armored Division at the Kasserine Pass
in Tunisia. The breakthrough temporarily halts plans for
an allied offensive.
2/15/41 – President
Roosevelt warns the Japanese foreign minister that any attack on British forces
in Singapore would result in
the United States declaring war on
Japan.
2/16-17/40 – HMS Cossack sails into the
neutral Norwegian port of Jossing Fiord and sends a
boarding party onto the German ship Altmark. The raid frees nearly 300 imprisoned British
sailors, but causes tension with Norway.
2/18/43 – The U.S.
Congress votes against a proposal by President Roosevelt that would have
limited American workers’ wages to $25,000 per year per person or $50,000 per
year per household. Instead, Congress
voted to freeze wages at prewar levels.
2/19/42 – Japanese
forces attack Australia for the first
time, bombing the city of Darwin. The bombs inflict heavy damage on the city’s
port facilities and put them out of action for much of the war.
2/20/42 – The carrier Lexington comes under
attack from nine Japanese planes, with only one fighter plane available for
defense. Pilot Edward O’Hare downs five
Japanese planes in as many minutes to save the ship. O’Hare would later be killed in action and
honored by having Chicago’s O’Hare Airport
named for him.
2/21/44 – Lieutenant
General James Doolittle orders airstrikes on aircraft
factories throughout Germany and the occupied
territories in an attempt to cut off the Luftwaffe supply of new planes and
parts.
2/22/44 – U.S. Marines
capture Parry Island, the last
Japanese-held island in the Marshall
Islands.
2/23-24/45 – Associated Press
photographer Joe Rosenthal takes one of the most famous pictures of the war
when he records the raising of the U.S. flagon Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.
2/25/45 – Hitler grants
Hanna Reitsch, the only woman to ever have won the
Nazi Iron Cross, permission to fly the new V-1 rocket. Reitsch becomes the
first person to fly and safely land the V-1, which had previously only flown
unmanned missions.
2/26/41 – British
general Alan Cunningham captures the Italian’s fuel station at Mogadishu and forces the
duke of Aosta, an Italian general and nobleman, along
with his troops to retreat from Somaliland.
2/27/33 – The Reichstag
building in Germany burns to the
ground. Hitler blames communists for the
fire and uses the resulting public outrage to win the upcoming election. It is believed the fire was actually set by
members of the Nazi Party.
2/28/42 – Japanese
planes locate the eight fleeing allied ships that survived their attack in the Java Sea. Five of the eight are sunk immediately, and
the other three are sunk the following day, leaving no survivors. This would be the Allies’ worst naval defeat
of the war in the Pacific.
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SHIP’S STORE
USS Bell caps - screen printed caps are
$5.00 and the embroidered caps are $10.00.
Postage - $2.00
each.
We still have a few golf shirts for men.
We have 2 size XL and 3 size L. In women’s we have 2 L and 5 XL. Postage $2.00 each.
We now have T-shirts with the Moore
Memories logo on the front. These shirts
are $10.00 each and we have them in sizes L and XL. Postage $2.00 each.
We have decals for windows. They are $5.00 each and look really nice.
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ANNUAL DUES ARE STILL $10.00 PER YEAR AND
DUES ARE DUE.
Just a note
to all of you who have made such generous donations to the treasury. It is gratefully
appreciated.
Top
Especially for Grandmothers –
“Grandmothers are older than they look. I
heard many of them go back to World War II”
– Susan, age 9 when asked about her grandmother.
