Another year has passed and again we are looking forward to 2007. I hope that this finds all in good health.

As usual the main topic of the newsletter is the latest reunion, held in San Diego in September of 06.

In my view it turned out great. My congratulations to Dick Hallowell and his wife for putting it all together. I'm sure that each and everyone had a great time. I know myself it was great to get back to San Diego where we spent so much time while aboard the DLG-11. It was really hard to believe how much the city had changed since we were there in 1994 for the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the DD-364, and really how much it had changed since I left there in 1964.

I don't have a head count of the new attendees but I'm sure there were about a dozen.

The tours that Dick had arranged were great, especially to the USS Midway. A harbor cruise around the bay to see what all has been done in San Diego. We had a fine lunch at Tom Ham's Lighthouse. Then the Stephen Birch Aquarium. We also visited the Mt Soledad Veterans Memorial, which was quite emotional. I don't know if everyone has heard about the Soledad Cross that one or two atheists are trying to have removed. I don't know how far it has gone but the city is trying to turn it over to the government so they can keep the cross up. It is really a neat Memorial where one can buy a plaque with a serviceman’s name on it and have it installed.

The banquet at the hotel was nice with a guest speaker, Command Master Chief Ted Verscheren from the USS McCampbell FFG-85, giving us a lowdown on what they went through on their last deployment to the Persian Gulf.

Sunday morning brunch at the hotel was nice and saying goodbye to all our shipmates as usual makes one look forward to the next reunion.

Again, the 2007 reunion will be in Charleston, SC and we are looking for someone to volunteer to host.

OK, all you residents of the Charleston area, hands up and volunteer!

A message from our president:

Greetings:

All the best

Jeff

As far as the goings on aboard the DDG-72 I have nothing really to report.

It seems that after a change of command and a change in the Ships' Master Chief they are not interested in corresponding with us.

Also, as many of you know the association sponsored monetary awards to sailors on the ship, such as Sailor of the Year, and Sailor of the Quarter, Blue Jacket of the Year and Blue Jacket of the Quarter. After discussing this project in the Board of Trustees meeting in San Diego, it was decided that we would no longer do this as there had been no correspondence with the ship or with the people it was awarded to. For some reason it seems that we have lost touch.

As you know, the last couple of newsletters I tried to get a biography of some of the ship's crew so that we would have some idea who was manning the 72 and some of their personalities. Seems that they are not really interested in that either.

On a sad note we have to report the loss of some of our shipmates:

Bradley M Reed. BT1 DDG-42 Sept 3 2006

LLoyd Frahm MM3 DD-364 Aug 29 2006

Autry Z Partain TM3 DD-364 Aug 26 2006

Jackie Carr, wife of Franklin Carr PhM 2 DD-364 Sept 2006

We would love to be there with you today, if only for a while,

We would love to hug and kiss you and maybe see you smile,

But since that is impossible, we will do the next best thing,

We will visit you in heart and thought, by just remembering,

We are a family forever.

May they rest in Peace and may god bless.

Our Treasurer, Bill Sumner, who has done a great job for who knows how long, decided that he was getting too old to carry on, so he resigned his post. Many thanks, Bill, for your great service. Nominated and approved at the reunion to take his place was Gary White. Gary will now be the Secretary-Treasurer.

All donations to the Association should be mailed to him at 10534 Rippling Fields Dr. Houston, TX. 77064-7823.

Thanks a million Bill for the service and best of luck Gary.

The ship’s store is up and running great under the management of Russ Owens.

New to the inventory this year was some fine looking Polo Shirts with the Association logo.   One of them is pictured here

Back when the polo shirt idea was started quite a few people indicated they were interested. Most of these people received their shirts at the San Diego reunion. However Russ has some shirts left that people asked him to order. Most of the shirts in stock are Large and Extra large although there is a limited supply of 2x and 3x. Please contact Russ to confirm that he has your size in stock.

Russ also states that he has the following in inventory:

Light blue T shirts in Large and XL with a DLG-11 version of the 4 ship artwork.

Grey sweatshirts with the DDG-42 version of the 4 ship artwork.

Navy blue Polo shirts with DLG-11/DDG-42 silhouette in most sizes except small and medium.

There are a few Yellow Polo shirts with DD-364 or DLG-11/DDG-42 artwork but limited supply.

There are 2 association Zippo Lighters left.

Plenty of ships hats of all vintage and both DLG-11 and DDG-42 ship’s patches.

I got Christmas cards from both Gilda and Phyllis and they are both recovering from their surgeries which caused them to miss the San Diego reunion.

I also received an e-mail from Lloyd Frahm's daughter Gretchen that anyone who wanted to make a memorial to Lloyd should do so to the Mahan Scholarship Fund.

It was mentioned last time in the newsletter about putting out an address book for the Association. I have not heard any objection to this so I am going to go ahead and start to process one. If anyone has any objection to having his name and address published to our members please let me know.

I would also like to stress that if anyone has anything of interest to the members to help make the newsletter a little more interesting to everyone please let me know. It would be a shame to have something missed for lack of communication.

In closing let me again stress that we are a non-profit organization and do not charge dues, however we do ask for donations no matter how large or small, so please open your wallets and give what you can.

Also remember after drinking never walk up stream.

Take care and best wishes to all.

Jerry Emmett FTM2 DLG-11 Plankowner

6832 Shepherd Rd.

Shepherd, Mt. 59079