USS Tarawa Veterans' Association Official Website
CV-40
LHA-1
President Cliff Garner reported that the Navy has set a deadline of October of this year for a decision on the final location of the USS Saratoga, the hoped-for home for our Tarawa memorabilia.
The latest plan calls for the ship to be moved from her current berth at Newport, Rhode Island, some 3,000 yards southeast to another pier sanctioned by the Navy. Her original pier is being condemned. Plans called for the ship to be towed from Newport to her final home at Quonset Point. The Navy now says this is Saratoga’s ‘last chance’ to be saved from oblivion.
EIGHT LONG YEARS
This has been going on for some eight years as the Saratoga Foundation struggles to raise millions of dollars for the ship’s rescue from the scrap heap. Gardner recommended we hold off on any planning until this latest issue is resolved.
After considerable discussion about complaints that our meetings have been concentrated on the East Coast, the membership voted to hold our 2012 reunion in Nashville, The Tennessee town was recommended by the Board of Directors and received overwhelming support. Two other communities in the running were Pensacola, Florida, and Branson, Missouri. Nashville got 32 votes; Pensacola 5 and none for Branson, which made some wonder who suggested it but didn’t vote for it.
NEXT
YEAR’S DATES
The 2011 meeting (next year) will be held in the Washington area at the Holiday Inn at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, 28 April to 1 May. The Board of Directors will arrive a day early (on the 27th) and others are welcome to do the same. The dates were dictated by Easter on the 24th of April and Mothers’ Day on the 8th of May.
We will hold our Tarawa Plaque Dedication indoors at the Navy Memorial at 11 a.m. on 29 April, followed by the laying of a wreath at the Lonesome Sailor’s Statue outside. It was decided that we would purchase the wreath for $200 and use its flowers at the Saturday banquet Memorial Service.
THREE REELECTED
President
Cliff Gardner, Secretary Doug Harding and Merchandiser Walter Thibodeau we reelected for two-year terms by acclamation.
Their reelection was recommended by the Board and there were no nominees from
the floor.
The
membership voted to give $200 to the Gold Star Mothers Foundation to erect a
memorial on The Mall in Washington, D.C. Gold Star
Mothers are those who have lost sons or daughters fighting in the military. The group also asked that we support their efforts to build the monument by advocating for House Rule #4097 in the Congress that would authorize its construction,
The Navy Memorial sent us a copy of our memorial plaque mounted on a wood base with suggestions that we raffle it ofdf or sell it to a member. Member Richard Remington paid the $150 noting it was going to the Navy Memorial, a worthy cause. Anyone wishing to buy one can get order forms from Cliff Gardner.
HELP TO WIDOW
Jeanne Anderson, the widow of Ensign John C, Hayes, had appealed to Gardner for help in getting information about her husband’s death aboard the Tarawa in 1946. A pilot, Ensign Hayes had been married only a few months when he volunteered to extend his time in the Navy.
When his plane landed on the flight deck, an auxiliary gas tank fell off and exploded, engulfing the plane in flames. Hayes, his clothing afire, ran from the wreck and leaped over the side into the ocean. Efforts to recover his body failed.
Historian Atkinson sent her a copy of the shipboard Tradewinds’ account of the accident the day after it happened, and copies of five sequential pictures of the crash taken by ship’s photographers. She was also urged to contact Shipmate Rudy Marzano who was an eye-witness to the tragedy.
Chaplain
Bob Hutchison reported that since our Buffalo meeting last year he had learned
of the deaths of 25 of our shipmates. Donations in the names of Association members
who passed away were sent to charities designated by the families. The families
of non-members were sent sympathy cards and letters of condolence.
Historian/Editor Atkinson reported that the demand for flight deck planks has practically dried up and he has about 30 six-foot planks stored under cover beside his home. They will be displayed when we find a home for our memorabilia, hopefully the Saratoga. They can be purchased for $20, with checks made out to the Association.
MORIN MAKES CDs
He also reported that Shipmate Roger Morin at his own expense has made copies of Frank Tonino’s CD of his time aboard Tarawa in the late 1950s. More than a dozen have been given away. Morin also is making copies of a shipboard CD made by Roy Estes, also from the ‘50s, and of a copy Tonino made of Leon Coopers’ “Return to Tarawa’ documentary. They will all be available through Atkinson free of charge.
Coopers’ film, narrated by actor Ed Harris, was made to spur action to clean up the garbage-strewn beaches at Tarawa where the Marines landed, and to recover remains of Marines still interred at Tarawa. He is also doing similar work at five other Pacific island battle sites.
Atkinson said that Sam Bornstein has volunteered to be Tradewinds copy editor, giving the editor an extra pair of eyes to catch errors.
Jim Elliott reported that he gave testimony in support of the claim by the late Don Christy’s widow for compensation for his asbestos-related death last year. He said that, as a result, Betty was awarded a settlement. Jim worked with Don aboard the Tarawa and witnessed his contacts with asbestos.
ATTENDANCE DOWN
Attendance at the reunion was one of the smallest in our history. Many regulars did not show up; some 49 crewmen did register along with about an equal number of wives, widows and guests. The slim turnout was attributed to the growing expense of our gatherings and to increasing frailty as our members age.
Larry Eckard, president of Military Locator & Reunion Service, our reunion organizer, responded to a number of complaints. He noted that the membership voted for Philadelphia two years ago and he had selected the Marriott Airport Hotel as the one that best met our needs.
He said that the regular $17 a day hotel parking fee had been negotiated down to $10, noting that the hotel leased the spaces from the city. He said that he had no control over the cost of drinks at our cash bars. Some complained they paid $7 and $8 for a bottle or beer, which prompted some wag to argue this was a ‘blow for sobriety’. It was reported that Philadelphia has very high taxes on just about everything.
The hotel was charging high prices for food also and there was only one restaurant on site and none within a convenient walking distance. There was a report circulating about a $25 hamburger. Except for a single person, the quality of the food was regarded as good. But the banquet dinner of either chicken or fish at $53 a head was not taken happily by those accustomed to steak at those prices. There was also a problem with limited choices of fare at breakfast and what there was was generally cold.
Complaints were also raised about ML&RS’s ‘no refund’ policy. Some said there should be provision for refunds in cases of emergencies. Larry said that he has to pay in advance for rooms and tours ordered and vendors will not reimburse him for last minute cancellations. His registration packet suggests people buy travel insurance, a service he does not offer.
NOT ENOUGH
CHOICES?
Merchandisor Walter Thibodeau said that he wants to bring in new items that will be attractive to both men and the ladies. He was authorized to purchase t-shirts and tote bags with the Tarawa logo. In response to complaints that there were not enough choices in sizes of wearing apparel, Walter said that he tries to carry those items most likely to sell so we do not tie up big sums of money in inventory. He said that anyone who needs something in a special size can order it.
It was
suggested that our Small Stores offer ship’s logos so that they can be
purchased for attachment to other garments not available from our Small Stores.
EAST COAST REUNIONS?
During the discussion on where to go in 2012, a question was raised about why we keep going to the East Coast for our reunions. It was pointed out that although most have been on the Atlantic side of the country, we have also gone to Milwaukee, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Omaha and San Diego, none of which would qualify as being ‘East Coast’. It should also be taken into account that the vast bulk of the Tarawa crews came from East Coast states.
President Cliff Gardner wound up the business session with a challenge to all hands to bring a former shipmate to the reunion in Washington next year.