USS Willard Keith Reunion News Letter 2011
The gathering of USS Willard Keith excrewmen and spouses or guests began Wednesday morning May 18th, 2011 in Albuquerque, NM at the Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown Hotel.
Our presences were known to everyone entering the hotel and those driving by the front entrance. Our Keith banner was hanging over the front entrance of the hotel and the sales people had our reunion place on the front street marquee. Attendees came from coast to coast, but there were only a few compared to other years. There are advantages with smaller groups and we had a great cohesive time. Three first time men attended and immediately found shipmates who served on the Keith with them. The "First Timers" were Abel Barboza GM3 and wife Iris from California, Ray Burbidge SN- and wife Jeanfrom Ufiih, and John Simone FN and daughter Dina from New York. Ken Kangas drove from Northern Minnesota in his recently acquired 1991 Corvette which he is currently restoring. He had planned to arrive on Tuesday, but he set his speed to high and arrived on Monday. His own body radar sensor helped him avoid any speeding citations. Ask him about it! Another driver was Roger Eberhardy coming from Sheboygan, WI. Art and Joyce Hall ventured to Albuquerque from New Jersey on the train. Sightseeing from the train car was beautiful and interesting, plus they met many people on the trip.
Even thou our attendance was low for the reunion ticket sales for the Chinese Auction were great. It was a generous group by gosh! Phil Zipp, with his humor, did his usual great job of auctioning the items.
Each morning we enjoyed a buffet breakfast served in a private-room which gave us energy to start the day of activities. Our activities included the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, the National Museum of Nuclear Science, Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, the Pueblo Cultural Center, and Albuquerque Old Town Plaza. Each museum had docents to escort us and explain the history and
features of the displayed items. At the top of Sandia Peak the temperature was twenty degrees with two inches of snow. What a treat in the middle of May! Luckily no one was wearing shorts that day.
Thursday lunch was held at the authentic Route 66 Diner. Almost all us are at the age to remember Route 66 architecture, but maybe some Easterners never had the privilege of driving on this highway(also known as Will Rogers Highway, and colloquially known as the "Main Street of America" or the "Mother Road"). There were six participants in the traditional uniform contest and only one, Ken Kangas, wore a uniform. The rest of entrants had items that fit regardless of body size. Cliff"Red" Stanbrough entertained us following the uniform event singing songs that he has written and accompanying himself with guitar and harmonica. His repertoire includes a song about the USS Willard Keith. Martha Conway started our final banquet dinner with God Bless America, followed with the Pledge of Allegiance and the meal was blessed by Chaplain Earl Shields. Friday night was special as we were blessed to help Phil and Carline Zipp celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. A special bottle of Cognac that had been in the Zipp family for many years was divide among all of the attendees by Phil and a toast was made. The Cognac was so old the cork was brittle, but it was smooth! Martha sang love songs to Phil and Caroline. Caroline said, "The bottle of cognac was given to Phil's Grandfather after WWII by a logging millionaire as a Christmas gift. It had been hidden from the Germans during the war and was bottled in 1945 by which time it was 70 years old. Grandpa thought it was wine and gave it to Phil about Christmas 1966 when he went downstairs to get wine for our dinner. It was Phil's intention to save the bottle for our 50th anniversary if I'd keep him around that long. Actually that worked both ways. If our math is correct, that made the cognac about 135 years old".
Another treat for this evening was Joe Mitchell's ceremony story when the USS Willard Keith was transferred to Columbia. Joe was reluctantly transferred to another ship in Charleston in July 1971. The following July 1972 he took leave to return to the Keith to attend the decommissioning ceremony on the fantail where our flag was hauled down and the Columbia flag was hoisted. The next morning, Bob Saunders, the last Engineering Officer of the Keith, and he sailed Bob's boat from Newport News to the D & S Piers and watched the Keith get underway from the United States for the last time- with her new Columbian crew. The Columbian's had a pallet of liquor on hand for their celebration. Well, the affects of the liquor showed up as they got underway with black smoke billowing from the stacks. During the celebration the day before the Columbian Chief Engineering Officer keeled over backwards on the deck out cold. We were honored to have Plank Owner Edward White in attendance representing the beginning of the USS Willard Keith history. With Ed and Joe we had the Beginning and the End and each decade represented in between.
Reunion 2012 is scheduled for May 9-11, 2012 in Chattanooga, TN.
Our hosts will be Paul and "Snookie" Goldberg.
Honor Roll 2011
The following ex-Keith crewmen were honored during our Memorial Service
Marvin Berhrends, Stuart C. Bowen, Chester Broussard, Wallace Bruce, Timothy Bums, John Davis, Steve Dedianko, Robert Hunter, Max Kirkman, William Lang, Albert Larson, Robert Mac George, Max Mann, Max McClain, Bruce McVey, Richmond Mutchler, James Pierce, Max Suther, Duane VanWynen, Edward Verbal.
MINUTES of the Annual Meeting of the USS WILLARD KEITH (00775) REUNION ASSOCIATION
May 20,2011
Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown Hotel Albuquerque, New Mexico
Chaired by board member Don Hempstead, the meeting was called to order at 1610.
Motion was made, seconded and carried, to accept the minutes of the 2010 annual meeting.
In the absence of the treasurer, Louis Carlson, the chairman presented a detailed breakdown of the financial status of the Association, which is sound. Yearend balance is $11530.77
Carried over from last year was the unresolved question of distribution of assets, should the Association be dissolved.
Suggestions included the United States Navy Memorial, homeless veterans' organizations, VA hospitals and Navy Relief Society. The issue remained unresolved.
The desire to clean up the roster of members was addressed. A survey of members was suggested, but deemed unduly complicated.
A discussion ensued recalling earlier reunions, and the past concept of a designated host who resided in proximity to the reunion venue. He then was largely responsible for planning and follow-through of the arrangements. More recent reliance on the chairman has unfairly burdened the Hempstead's.
A suggestion was made that a date earlier in May would preclude conflict with a number of graduations scheduled in mid to late May.
Locations for future reunions were discussed. For 2012, Chattanooga, Tennessee is planned.
The consensus was that the Eastern US is more convenient for a majority of members
Jay O'Connell will do preliminary liaison with Jacksonville, Florida, which is a candidate for 2013.
Other suggestions made were Las Vegas and Colorado Springs. The suggestion that a cruise might be scheduled was dismissed because the activities on a cruise are not organization - specific.
It being the practice to make annual donations to --appropriate organizations, suggestions was solicited for this year. The decision was made to continue as in the past, donating to Tin Can Sailors, US Navy memorial, phone cards for active duty troops, and Honor Flights.
The chairman noted that Louis Carlson, who had been treasurer for seven years, desired relief. Cliff Stanbrough graciously volunteered to assume the office.
After a final request that an attempt be made by all hands to locate former crewmen, motion was made, seconded and carried, to adjourn. The chairman so ruled at 1657.
Jay O'Connell, Secretary
BOD Report. May 20, 2011
A memorial plaque was designed and placed on the MEMORIAL WALL IN THE United States Navy Memorial Washington, DC. Thanks to all of the shipmates that made this possible with their donations to this project. Attended one ConFam in Albuquerque and one WorkFam in Waterloo, IA. Had sight inspections in Rapid City SO, the Grand Plaza Hotel in Melbourne, FL, and at several hotels in the New Orleans area.
The association joined with American Military Reunion Foundation for purposes of getting a Federal ID account for non-profit organizations. AMRF keeps the books and prepares our tax report. We are privileged to use bulk mail rates thru AMRF which allowed us to send 600+ reunion invitations @ seventeen cents each. Work is in progress to revise our RFP (request for proposal) form and guide for reunion hosts to prevent signing a rigid hotel contract. If we want to continue to have reunions more hosts are needed. Traveling to different areas is fun but now too expensive ... Suggest more members attend a RFN ConFam. It is a cheap vacation and an excellent way to learn how to host a reunion. The roster has been updated deleting out the names according to the returned invitations. Need someone to find the missing. Membership Dues in the USS Willard Keith Reunion Association is $25 per year, January thru December. Dues is our only means of supporting the association mailings, our outstanding web site, this newsletter, and contributions to non¬profit military organizations. Mail your dues checks ($25) to: Cliff "Red" Stanbrough, 3 Glen Ave., Alamogordo, NM 88310. We appreciate the continued support from you that have helped keep the reunion association alive. Many Shipmates have logged in on the website that have not contributed... we encourage you to do so. Thank you.
ALBUQUERQUE REUNION ACTIVITIES
