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FINCH U.S.S. U.S.C.G.C.
Twenty-Fifth Year No. 2 February 2012
DE 328 – WDE 428 – DER 328 Distinguished Service Through Three Decades and Three Wars
World War II, Korea, and Vietnam
Welcome to Branson! By Gerald Gardner, RM1, DER’60
This years host, Gerald (Jerry) Gardner and his wife Glenda have arranged for a return visit to Bran-son after 15 years. There has been many changes since that time so you need to come back!
This year’s reunion will be held 12-16 September. This is a great time to be in Branson because it is not peak season so the crowds will be manageable and the weather should be great. Branson is located in the northern edge of the Ozark Moun-tains, so we should hopefully get some beautiful fall foliage.
A new local airport has been built serving Branson and is now in op-eration. At last count three differ-ent carriers were providing service there so before scheduling a flight to Springfield, MO check out the Branson airport. The website for carriers and airline flight specials is http://flybranson.com/airlines.php
There are many new attractions, plus a few old ones that have gone by the wayside. Prices for shows have increased since your last visit but not as much as inflation. The most expensive show tickets are $52.00. There will be special dis-count coupons available in the hotel lobby but probably not for the popular shows. I noticed several offers for $20.00. This website lists the shows currently playing and the box o f f i ce t i c ke t p r i c e s : www.bransontourismcenter.com.
The reunion will be held at the Camden Hotel, located on Country
Music Boulevard (route 76) and is close to most of the shows and at-tractions. There is also a very large discount shopping mall about three blocks from the hotel. The hotel is providing us with a hos-pitality room complete with kitchen. Our banquet and spaghetti dinners will be served in the hospitality room and catered by the local Golden Corral Restaurant. The hotel has a very large indoor heated swimming pool with pool side tables for lounging so be sure to bring your swimming suits. Park-ing at the hotel is free as it is at most other places and attractions in the area.
The hotel provides a very good breakfast, to mention just a few items, scrambled eggs, sausage, ce-reals, waffles (make your own), donuts, and and a variety of drinks. In the evening they have what I call an “ice cream social”. All this is in-cluded in the room rate at no addi-tional cost. I have asked to reserve our block of rooms in the building adjoining our hospitality room which is also the same building in which breakfast and
the social are held. If handicapped accommodations are required or desired, rooms on the same level as the hospitality room they should be requested when making your room reservations.
The cutoff date for reservations is 45 days prior to the reunion with no penalty if cancelled prior to 24 hours of the reunion. Please get your res-ervations in early as this will help in planning the activities for the reun-ion. Hotel rates are $75.00 plus tax. Make reservations directly with the hotel 800-335-2555 be sure to mention that you are part of the USS Finch reunion. Make your res-ervations TODAY - don’t delay.
Since the reunion will be held during the off-season, driving is not a real big problem, in addition the reces-sion has really slowed things down. If driving, getting around is much easier with colored routes marked for different destinations. Maps are available at most locations including the hotel lobby.
Some of the activities being consid-ered for the reunion are, visiting the Wilson Creek Civil War Battlefield and Museum and the Missouri Vet-erans Cemetery. If we take this tour we will make our final stop at the famous Lambert’s café - Home of the “Throwed Rolls.”
Riding the Ducks is another item of
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Register Today - 800 335 2555
interest. Most of the other events men-tioned are local everyday scheduled ac-tivities such as: a lake tour on the Bran-son Belle, Dixie Stampede, the Ozark Scenic Railway, and the Titanic.
Other items of interest are; Fantastic Caverns, a mile long cave located just North of Springfield and Passion Play held in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, about 30 minutes away. Silver Dollar City, is an all day event and is located just West of Branson. I can get discount tickets if given enough advance notice.
Also being considered is visiting College of the Ozarks (formerly School of the Ozarks), Ralph Foster Museum (located on campus), and Table Rock fish hatch-ery, then returning to the hotel for the spaghetti dinner.
How this comes together depends upon the number of attendees participating, it would not be practical to lease a 57 pas-senger bus for 25 participants. Another idea is to use car pooling but we will reserve that as a last resort.
The hospitality room will be the center attraction for the reunion. We plan to keep it well supplied with snacks, and drinks (all kinds). It will be open every day from approximately 8 am until 11 pm, later or earlier if desired. We will need someone responsible to be in at-
TAPS Frank Spindler died peacefully on November 5, 2011. Frank served on the Finch DE328 in 45-46. His rat-ing was Electronic Technician's Mate First Class. Frank and his wife Mar-garet attended Finch reunions in Branson, San Francisco and San An-tonio and always enjoyed them.
Website Updates A reminder that updates to your email address on the USS Finch web-site need to be made through the webmaster (Richard Resnick). Sim-ply send him a short message de-scribing the change to your email address and Richard will make the change for you.
Volunteers Needed We are still looking for a volunteer to help Richard Resnick with main-taining the website and our mem-bership roster. Richard has been doing this task for several years and would appreciate some help! You can reach him at the address in the Association listing on page 3. Thanks for your consideration.
tendance at all times for security rea-sons, volunteers needed.
I urge everyone to get their reserva-tions in early so that I can make the necessary planning. The transporta-tion companies require, in most cases, a 60 day advance notice in or-der to guarantee availability.
As usual we will have a business meeting. We are looking for volun-teers to host the 2013 reunion, per-haps back on the West coast. Also think about 2014. It is nice to have a two year plan for the reunions - think about it!
Overall we are putting together a very budget minded reunion/vacation while still holding quality to a very high standard. I think the membership will be pleased with the offering, if not communicate directly with me of your concerns. Telephone (417) 548 7428, email [email protected]
Here is a partial list of the approximately 75 shows now playing playing in Branson. Checkout this website for more information and show pricing! http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/shows
�� Baldknobbers Jamboree Show
�� Shoji Tabuchi Show
�� Joseph - an Original Production
�� Kirby VanBurch Magic Show
�� Acrobats of China Show featuring the New Shanghai Circus
�� Ozark Mountain Dinner Cruise
�� Dutton Family Show
�� The Haygoods Show
�� Dolly Partons Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show
�� The Oak Ridge Boys Show
�� #1 Hits of the 60's Show
�� Yakov Smirnoff Show
�� Twelve Irish Tenors Show
�� Jim Stafford Show
�� Oh What A Night Four Seasons Tribute Show
�� Behind the Scenes Sight & Sound Theatre Tour
�� Legends in Concert Show
�� Motown Downtown Show
�� The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama
�� Clay Cooper's Country Music Express Show
Editor’s Corner
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A Sailor Once ( Continued from back cover) The work was hard and dangerous; the going rough at times; the parting from loved ones painful, but the com-panionship of robust Navy laughter, the "all for one and one for all" phi-losophy of the sea was ever present.
I liked the serenity of the sea after a day of hard ship's work, as flying fish flitted across the wave tops and sunset gave way to night.
I liked the feel of the Navy in darkness - the masthead and range lights, the red and green navigation lights and stern light, the pulsating phosphores-cence of radar repeaters - they cut through the dusk and joined with the mirror of stars overhead. And I liked drifting off to sleep lulled by the myr-iad noises large and small that told me that my ship was alive and well, and that my shipmates on watch would keep me safe.
I liked quiet mid watches with the aroma of strong coffee – the lifeblood of the Navy permeating everywhere. And I liked hectic watches when the exacting minuet of haze-gray shapes racing at flank speed kept all hands on a razor edge of alertness.
I liked the sudden electricity of "General quarters, general quarters, all hands man your battle stations," fol-lowed by the hurried clamor of run-ning feet on ladders and the resound-ing thump of watertight doors as the ship transformed herself in a few brief seconds from a peaceful workplace to a weapon of war - ready for anything.
And I liked the sight of space-age equipment manned by youngsters clad in dungarees and sound-powered phones that their grandfathers would still recognize.
I liked the traditions of the Navy and the men and women who made them. I liked the proud names of Navy he-roes: Halsey, Nimitz, Perry, Farragut, John Paul Jones and Burke. A sailor could find much in the Navy: Com-rades-in-arms, pride in self and coun-
try, mastery of the seaman's trade. An adolescent could find adulthood.
In years to come, when sailors are home from the sea, they will still remember with fondness and re-spect the ocean in all its moods – the impossible shimmering mirror calm and the storm-tossed green water surging over the bow. And then there will come again a faint whiff of stack gas, a faint echo of engine and rudder orders, a vision of the bright bunting of signal flags snapping at the yardarm, a refrain of hearty laughter in the wardroom and Chief's quarters and mess decks.
Gone ashore for good they will grow wistful about their Navy days, when the seas belonged to them and a new port of call was ever over the horizon.
Remembering this, they will stand taller and say:
"I WAS A SAILOR ONCE. I WAS A PART OF THE NAVY, AND THE NAVY WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF ME." Editors Note: Thank you to Ivan Kerr LTjg, DER’63 for sending me this arti-cle. Brings back some nice memories. 2012 Dues are Due You 2012 dues are now payable. Please take a minute and send a check to our Treasurer Bob Craig at 17 Sunrise Lane, Algonquin, IL 60102 for $10 to cover this years dues. If you are uncertain about your dues status, simply check the mailing label on this issue and if you
Finch Reunion Association 2012 Reunion Chairman Gerald (Jerry) Gardiner (DER’60) [email protected] (417) 548-7428
Executive Board Chairmen Myron Skubinna (DER ‘66) [email protected]
Robert Bumbulucz (DER ’60) [email protected]
Executive Board Members
Gene Somann (DER ‘57) Portland, Oregon
Thomas Tabor (DER’61) Email: [email protected]
Membership Chairman Richard S. Resnick (WDE ‘52) 3175 Coolidge Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90066 [email protected]
Treasurer Bob Craig (DER’57) 17 Sunrise Lane Algonquin, IL 60102 [email protected]
Assistant Treasurer Dave Stidham (DER ‘60) [email protected]
Secretary/Editor Robert Bumbulucz (DER ’60) 1443 Porch Swing Lane Matthews, NC 28104 [email protected]
DESA Representative/Publicity Mike Sandberg (DER ‘60) (541) 739-2343
Chaplain Gordon Shilling (DER ‘60) (440) 946-7760 [email protected]
have a $ sign beside your name, you are current with your dues. If not, you are in arrears!!
Talking about our Treasurer, Bob Cragg had a heart attack on New Year’s day and had a rather exciting adventure. After having a couple of stents inserted and a pacemaker he is up and running, good as new. I’m sure he would appreciate a get well card along with your dues!
Let
We’re on the web! ussfinch.com
FINCH REUNION “2011” Richard S. Resnick (WDE ’51) 3175 Coolidge Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90066 Return Service Requested
Scuttlebutt One of the most ask questions I get is how is Chuck Poreda getting along. He included a note in his Christmas card this year re-porting that he has been struggling the past couple of years with leg problems and that his one good eye has also been giving him problems. He was hospitalized last year and they “Installed” a pacemaker. He states and I quote “I am juiced up and feeling like the Energizer Bunny!”
He also talked about how much he misses the WWII Veter-ans and how much they meant to him. We need to keep Chuck in our prayers and never forget how much we owe him for his early leadership in building the “Finch Associa-tion”. We also need to keep our WWII shipmates in our prayers.
I’m sure Chuck would appreciate hearing from you, espe-cially the WWII shipmates. You can mail him at: Chuck Poreda 5510 Southampton Dr Springfield, VA 22151-1431
A Sailor Once Anonymous
I liked standing on the bridge wing at sun-rise with salt spray in my face and clean ocean winds whipping in from the four quarters of the globe. The ship beneath me feeling like a living thing as her engines drove her swiftly through the sea.
I liked the sounds of the Navy - the pierc-ing thrill of the boatswains pipe, the synco-pated clangor of the ship's bell on the quarterdeck, the harsh squawk of the 1MC, and the strong language and laughter of sailors at work.
I liked Navy vessels -- nervous darting destroyers, plod-ding fleet auxiliaries and amphibs, sleek submarines and steady solid aircraft carriers.
I liked the proud names of Navy ships: Midway, Lexington, Saratoga, Coral Sea, Antietam, Valley Forge - memorials of great battles won and tribulations overcome. I liked the lean angular names of Navy "tin-cans" and es-corts - Barney, Dahlgren, Mullinix, McCloy, Damato, Left-wich, Mills - mementos of heroes who went before us and the others - San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Chicago - named for our cities.
I liked the tempo of a Navy band blaring through the topside speakers as we pulled away from the oiler after refueling at sea.
I liked Liberty Call and the spicy scent of a foreign port. I even liked the never-ending paperwork and all-hands working parties as my ship filled herself with the multitude of supplies, both critical and mundane in order to cut ties to the land and carry out her mis-sion anywhere on the globe where there was water to float her.
I liked sailors, officers and enlisted men from all parts of the land, farms of the Midwest,
small towns of New England, from the cities, the moun-tains and the prairies, from all walks of life. I trusted and depended on them as they trusted and depended on me - for professional competence, for comradeship, for strength and courage. In a word, they were "shipmates"; then and forever.
I liked the surge of adventure in my heart, when the word was passed: "Now set the special sea and anchor detail - all hands to quarters for leaving port," and I liked the in-fectious thrill of sighting home again, with the waving hands of welcome from family and friends waiting pier side. (Continued on page3)
Someone you love is always playing in Branson!
