DECEMBER 2000
REUNION GROUP REPORT
Holiday Greetings to all Sproston Shipmates, Families and Friends. We extend best wishes to you all for a pleasant and joyful Holiday Season and we look forward to seeing many of you in Nashville.
REUNION 2001 NASHVILLE....SEPTEMBER 19-23
“In the year 2001, Nashville here we come”. Music City is our destination for the next Sproston Reunion. Jake Vaden, has once again volunteered to serve as Reunion Chairman. Jake was our Chairman in Portland and those who were there remember what a great time we had. Planning is well underway. We have selected the Clarion Hotel as our Reunion Headquarters. It is located in the airport/opryland area at 733 Briley Parkway. Final arrangements are being completed. We look forward to seeing Y'all there. Registration and tour information will be sent to you in late February. Mark your calendars for September 19-23 2001.
Thanks to Chairman Burt Alexander and his wife Betty Jo, the Rapid City Reunion was a great success. The doors of the Hospitality room were opened at noon on Wednesday and Registration was underway. We had a spacious Hospitality Room that easily accommodated all hands. We had 116 people in attendance over the course of the Reunion. There were 63 crewmembers on board. These included 22 WWII crewmen, 23 Korean crewmen and 18 Vietnam crewmen. Each era of the ships History was well represented. We began our tours on Thursday with a short trip to Mt. Rushmore where the annual Memorial Service was held in the Amphitheater lead by Charles Holland and John Halase. It was truly an inspiring experience. Then on to lunch at The State Game Lodge, followed by a trip through Custer State Park where we observed large herds of buffalo. We concluded the day with a fun evening at the Flying T Ranch with a Chuckwagon supper and western show. Friday saw the crew head out for a visit to the almost overwhelming Crazy Horse Memorial that is an amazing work in progress. In the afternoon we journeyed to Deadwood City and a drive through beautiful Spearfish Canyon. On our final tour on Saturday, we visited a quaint Norwegian Chapel and learned more about the fascinating history of the area. Our final stop was at Bear Country where we observed elk, wolves, mountain lions and a whole bunch of bears wandering in the open. Each year there is a “Reunion Hero” This year's hero was Richard Taylor. As we were attempting to depart Bear country in our tour bus a very LARGE mean looking bear blocked our way. Richard volunteered to challenge the bear so we could depart. The driver opened the bus door. Richard looked at the bear. The bear took one look at Richard and turned and walked away. Another exciting Sproston adventure. The Reunion concluded with our annual Dinner/Dance and Breakfast on Sunday Morning.
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Once again all hands turned-to to make the Reunion a success. Thanks again to our world famous bartender Ralph “Yogi” Forsythe and his team of volunteers. Each Reunion is a team effort and that's part of the fun, shipmates family and friends pitch in and help out with tasks that need to be done. Particularly, thanks to The Halases, The Marlatts, The Fitzs, Charles Holland (chaplain), The Everidges, The Vadens, The Clarks, Jim Poe, Richard Taylor, Lola Vega and all of you who lent a hand when needed.
The following people donated gifts:
DONOR--------------------------------GIFT
Orville Amos-------------------------Sun Catcher
Ruth and Dutch Bliss---------------Hand Mirror
Bill and Patricia Clark---------------Bird House
Joe and Barbara Coker--------------Coat Hanger Christmas Tree
Elmer and Fay Everidge-------------Painting by Fay Everidge
Tony and Irene Filosa---------------Video, “The Fighting Sullivans”
Barry and Peggy Georges-----------Travel Bag
John and Betty Halase---------------Plaque and Beer Stein
Lyle and Susan Jensen---------------Kona Coffee from Hawaii
James and Helen LaRoche-----------Afghan made by Helen
Donald and Lucile Kelly-------------Afghan made by Lucile
Frank and Margaret Tenore----------3 Swinging Sailors made by Frank
Ike Winner-----------------------------2 Quilts
BUSINESS MEETING SUMMARY
At 1500, Saturday 16 September, The Annual Business Meeting of the USS Sproston Reunion Group was called to order by Treasurer John Halase and Secretary, Jim Marlatt. The financial report, indicating a sound financial position, was presented by Treasurer John Halase and was accepted unanimously. In accordance with The Group bylaws the annual election of officers was conducted. The following officers were nominated and elected: Jim Marlatt, President; John Halase, Jr., Treasurer; Al Fitz, Secretary/Webmaster and Burt Alexander, Board Member. A RECOUNT WAS NOT NECESSARY! The next item on the agenda was site selection for Reunion 2001. Nashville Tennessee was selected and Jake Vaden volunteered to host the Reunion.
/MESSAGE FROM THE WEBMASTER
Electronic Mail/ Email
We keep finding Sproston shipmates who are actually finding us
via our reunion group web site. We try to update the email
address list on the WEB site within a day or two whenever
possible when we receive an addition or a change to an existing
address. The email list is emailed monthly to everyone on it if
we receive any changes or additions to the list from the previous
month. This is a good way for us to verify the address is correct
and hasn't been changed. IF you change your email address and
don't inform us, we have to drop you from the email list. If you
have email access and want to be included on the address list
onthe WEB site or the list we email out every month please let us
know and we will include you. We do have shipmates with email who
prefer not to be on the email list and this is ok. We can also
just include your email address on the monthly email list but not
the web site if you prefer.
Photos/Miscellaneous items
We recently added pictures from the Rapid City reunion and from a few shipmates to the WEB site. We have also added a new picture/photo category that includes ship photos, logos, patches, and other memorabilia. We would like to thank Tom Mosher, Buddy Moore, Orville Amos, Elmer Everidge, Frank Tenore and Adm. Jim Fitzgerald who provided pictures. If you have a photo (or slide) of something from the ship you would like to add to the WEB site, let us know and we will add it. We can scan them and return the originals to you or we can accept them in electronic form. We prefer to scan them and obtain the highest quality at minimum size so down load times aren't excessive.
SHIPS STORE
We have a supply of shirts (large & x-large), and hats available for our shipmates. Hats are $6.00, and shirts are $11.00 (price includes mailing). Please send check or money order to John Halase Jr., 747 Oakridge Drive, Youngstown, OH, 44512 and your item will be mailed to you.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve as President of the USS Sproston Reunion Group. I will do my best to continue the efforts initiated by our friend and shipmate George Ress, and many others, to preserve and carry on the legacy of a proud ship of The US Navy. In my opinion, the destroyers were, and are, the backbone of the Navy. `Real Sailors' served on board tin cans. The Sproston proudly served and sailed in harms way in three wars. Those of us who had the opportunity to serve on 577 share a unique experience. With your help we will carry on the tradition. If you have any comments or suggestions concerning our organization, I would welcome an opportunity to hear from you. We want to continue our efforts to locate Sproston Shipmates and we need your help. Particularly those of you who have internet access, we would appreciate your spending a little time helping locate sailors who were on board when you were and we'll add them on our mailing list. Thanks. Jim”
Best wishes to you and your families for a pleasant holiday season.
God Bless you and God Bless America.
Jim Marlatt, President
1115 Leonard Ave.
Pasadena CA 91107
email jrmarlatt@earthlink.net
John Halase, Jr. Treasurer
email john.halasejr@gte.net
Al Fitz, Secretary/Webmaster
email afitz@erols.com
email afitz10368@aol.com
email alfitz@inter-analog.com