USS SPROSTON (DD/DDE-577)
2010 SAN DIEGO REUNION
Plans for our 22-26 September 2010 San Diego reunion are
well underway. Reunion chairman, Jim
Marlatt secured the Hilton Harbor Island Hotel for our use.
Tentatively, we will be visiting the NTC site,
conducting our Memorial Service at the old North Chapel. A
tour of the new NTC including the USS
Neversail is planned. Scheduled are visits to the museum
ship, USS Midway (CV-41); an active duty
destroyer; and a harbor lunch cruise. We had a very
successful, well-attended 2004 reunion in San Diego
and I expect this reunion to be even better.
THE MILWAUKEE REUNION IN REVIEW
Reunion co-chairmen, J.J. Goodwin and Len Doran selected the
Best Western Milwaukee Hotel and
Conference Center as our headquarters. This proved to be an
excellent facility with an attractive room
rate, very attentive staff, swimming pool, and gym. Our
hospitality suite was set up on the main floor; an
included daily breakfast buffet was available in the Flight
Room. Our banquet was attended by 81
registrants, eight of whom were first-timers.
We kicked off the first evening with a poolside buffet
dinner party where everyone got their fill of
sausage, beer, potato salad, and an assortment of famous
Wisconsin cheese.
Thursday, our president, RF Johnson led the Memorial Service
at the modern Milwaukee County
Memorial Center where fifteen fallen shipmates were
remembered. We then enjoyed a guided tour of
Milwaukee, lunch at Joey Buona’s restaurant, and visit to
the Mitchell Park Domes Botanical Gardens.
Friday we were bussed to the Harley-Davidson Museum to learn
the history of the company and see
motorcycles from each production year. After a fish-fry
lunch at the historic Turner Hall we toured the
Lakefront Micro Brewery and were treated to samples of the
product by a very motivated staff.
As usual, the highlight of our reunion was the Saturday
evening buffet, raffle, and dance. We thank Dan
Suchy for arranging entertainment by the Milwaukee CFU
Tamburitzans, a young Croatian dance,
instrumental, and vocal troupe. Their costumes, skill, and
enthusiasm was enjoyed by all. And who can
forget the cameo appearance of Mr. Cheesehead! Sunday
morning we said good-bye at our farewell
buffet breakfast. Thanks to Mike Holmes, Al Fitz, Michael
Bereskin, Geoff Laplace, Wayne Kluth, and
RF Johnson for sharing their photographs.
2 BUSINESS MEETING
The business meeting was called to order Saturday at 1500 by president, RF
Johnson. Treasurer’s report
was read by Orville Amos and deemed to be correct by
auditor, Tony Filosa. RF Johnson was reelected
president, Orville Amos was reelected treasurer and Michael
Bereskin was reelected secretary. Three
new directors were elected: Keith Yahn to serve a three-year
term, Leon Muellner to serve a two-year
term, and Bobby Nazarenus to serve a one-year term. DONATION
As has been our custom, treasury money has been added to the
bar proceeds to total a donation of $500.
This year that amount was sent to The American Cancer
Society.
RAFFLE DONATIONS
We thank the following people for their generous raffle gift
contributions and apologize for any
donations omitted:
Orville Amos Dan Suchy Burt & Betty Jo Alexander
Tony Filosa The Holland Family Barry & Peggy Georges
Tom & Linda Johnson Len & Mary Doran Robert & Patricia
Medeiros
Wayne & Darlene Kluth John Sullivan Kenneth Black
Bobby Nazerenus Charles Krik Leon & Sally Muellner
Cornelius Carroll Mike Holmes Robert & Arlene Johnson
Best Western Milwaukee Hotel.
TAPS
Since our reunion we have been notified of the passing of
the following shipmate:
Lloyd C. Black BT3 Korea May 2009
May he rest in peace. Our sincere condolences to his family.
He will be remembered at our memorial
service in San Diego.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to all our shipmates, family and friends who
attended the Milwaukee reunion and
participated in the tours, tasks, and activities, especially
those who were with us for the first time. There
wouldn’t be a Sproston Reunion Group without those of you
who attend and give willingly of your time.
SHIP’S STORE
Len Doran, manager of the Ship’s Store, has many new items
for sale including a line of Zippo lighters.
Especially attractive are the high quality embroidered items
which are of considerably higher quality
than the silk screened items. Merchandise such as caps,
patches, golf shirts and the book,
History of the
USS Sproston by George
Ress can be viewed and ordered by going to the Sproston website,
http://sproston.com and clicking on “Ship’s Store.” Len can
also be contacted directly at
Ldoran@new.rr.com or by snail mail: Len Doran, 820 Bengal
Rd., Neenah WI 54956. You may also
order by printing the order form from our online website.
Make checks payable to Len Doran. All prices
include shipping. Again, we have been advised that a rogue
dealer has been contacting shipmates by email,
selling “Sproston” merchandise. He is not representing your
Reunion Group or our ship’s store.
Only buy items from Len.
WWW.SPROSTON.COM
Our Sproston website is very user-friendly and is the place
to get reunion information, shipmate e-mail
addresses, access photographs, join the Sproston Reunion
Group and see ship’s store items. Please
contact Geoff Laplace, Webmaster or Michael Bereskin,
Secretary if your address or e-mail changes.
GOD BLESS AMERICA “Fair Winds and Following Seas”
Robert Johnson, President robert.johnson22@mchsi.com
An amendment to our constitution and by-laws proposed by
J.J. Goodwin providing for the distribution
of Sproston Reunion Group assets upon dissolution was
unanimously accepted as amended by Jim Sagerholm. Pittsburgh was selected as the location of the
2011 reunion, chaired by Dan Suchy.
A resolution drafted by Jim Sagerholm to name a future
destroyer, USS Sproston
was unanimously
accepted and submitted to the Secretary of the Navy. Each
member of the Reunion Group is encouraged
to petition his congressperson to help make this namesake
ship a reality.
Business meeting adjourned at 1545.
Michael Bereskin, Secretary Sproston@sbcglobal.net
Orville Amos, Treasurer 816-483-2710
Geoff LaPlace Webmaster bluesky_openroad@hotmail.com
Previous Reunion Reports
January 2010 Report
January 2009 Report
April 2008 Report
November 2007 Report
July 2007 Report
May 2007 Report
January 2007 Report
July 2006 Report
May 2006 Report
December 2005 Report
July 2005 Report
May 2005 Report
January 2005 Report
May 2004 Report
January 2004
Report
Archived
Reunion Reports from December 1999-July 2003