USS SPROSTON (DD/DDE-577)
New Year greetings to shipmates, family and friends. Hopefully, all had a festive holiday season and will have a good 2009. Len Doran and J.J. Goodwin are the co-chairmen for the Milwaukee reunion planned for 16-20 September 2009. We are looking forward to a great turnout. You can help to make the Milwaukee reunion a memorable one by contacting at least three of your shipmates and encouraging them to attend. A lot of planning is going into this reunion and it’s one not to be missed!
THE BOSTON REUNION IN REVIEW Reunion chairman, Ken Landry and co-chairman, Paul Morsewich recommended to the Reunion Committee the choice of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Natick MA which was selected by unanimous vote as our headquarters. The Crowne Plaza proved to be an elegant and excellent facility with a very attentive staff. Our Hospitality Suite was set up in the large Hawthorn Ballroom on the main floor. Daily breakfast buffet was available at moderate cost in the Lobby Café. This reunion was attended by 79 registrants, seven of whom were first-timers.
Thursday morning we toured the historic USS Constitution and the destroyer, USS Cassin Young (DD-793). Lunch was at the Shipyard Galley Restaurant. The afternoon was spent touring architecturally creative Boston with a stopover at the Harvard University campus.
Friday we were bussed to Battleship Cove in Fall River for our fantail memorial service aboard the destroyer, USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850) conducted by our new President, RF Johnson. Nineteen deceased shipmates were remembered. Lunch was served aboard the battleship, USS Massachusetts (BB-59). Many excellent eateries were available within range of the Crowne Plaza comp shuttle serving a variety of dinning choices including that famous and delicious Boston seafood. Saturday evening we partied at the banquet dinner, raffle and dance, entertained by the music of the John Salerno Trio. Sunday morning we said good-bye at our usual farewell buffet breakfast.
BUSINESS MEETING The business meeting was called to order Saturday at 1400 by RF Johnson. RF was officially installed as President at that time. Treasurer’s report was read by Orville Amos and deemed to be correct by Auditor, Tony Filosa. Orville Amos was reelected Treasurer and Michael Bereskin was reelected Secretary. The distribution of Sproston Reunion Group assets upon the eventual dissolution of the Group was discussed. Further discussion and ideas will be entertained in Milwaukee. San Diego was selected as the location of our 2010 reunion, Jim Marlatt, Reunion Chairman. Subsequent to the Boston reunion, Ken Landry resigned as Director and Carol Landry resigned as Webmaster, relieved by Geoff LaPlace, an Army veteran talented in the fine art of web maintenance who now wishes he had joined the Navy.
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 Diabetes Association. Their mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by this disease.
RAFFLE DONATIONS We thank the following people for their generous raffle gift contributions and apologize for any donations omitted:
Orville Amos: Ceramic Navy figurines
Tony Filosa: Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailor
Tom & Linda: Johnson Book & CD
Wayne & Darlene Kluth: Digital pen holder
Bobby Nazerenus: Two wooden plaques
Cornelius Carroll: U.S. Navy calendar
Leon & Sally Muellner: Navy mug
Robert & Patricia Medeiros: The Way it Was
We appreciate subscription donations from Tin Can Sailors. Michael Roff, son of Nancy Roff, won the “Traveling Sailor” which will return for the 2009 reunion.
TAPS Since our Boston reunion we have been notified of the passing of the following shipmate:
MAX WAYNE HILTON, SN, COLD WAR, DECEMBER 2008
May he rest in peace. Our sincere condolences to his family. He will be remembered at our memorial service in Milwaukee.
THANK YOU! Thank you to all our shipmates, family and friends who attended the Boston 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. 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 Idoran@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 e-mail, 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,
sproston577@yahoo.com
Orville Amos, Treasurer, 816-483-2710
Michael Bereskin, Secretary, sproston@sbcglobal.net
Geoff LaPlace, Webmaster, bluesky_openroad@hotmail.com