USS Fletcher Reunions
a history
1971 - present
The idea of a reunion was conceived in the summer of 1970 by three WWII Fletcher men who attended a League of Naval Destroyermen meeting in Boston. Former Ensign Basil Bowman and former engineering Yeoman Ray Allen were present with their wives along with Fletcher's first Executive Officer, Admiral J.C. Wylie who was the Commandant of the First Naval District at the time and a guest speaker at the event. Dr. Ray V. Allen, a dentist from West Virginia, was obsessed with the idea of a Fletcher reunion and it was he who announced that the next year, 1971, the USS Fletcher DD-445 would hold it's first reunion in conjunction with the League of Naval Destroyermen event in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. He went to Washington, DC and at the Navy Department he located and photocopied the ship's rosters, starting with the commissioning roster report of 30 June 1942.
Following is a list of all reunions to the present, most of them being held on or near the third week of September.
1971 Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania: The first official reunion of the DD-445 was a success. Of those who attended who were among the crew aboard the night of 13 November 1942, the night, "Lucky 13" became the ship's good luck omen, were most impressed when 13 former crew members of the DD-445 registered at this first reunion. The first order of business of the newly formed reunion group was the election of Officers. The officers elected were Ray Allen "Commodore"; Olon Henderson "Vice Commodore"; and Keith Snyder "Secretary". Millard Blevins accepted the responsibility of "Historian" and immediately began searching the historical files of the ship's activities. Blevins, Ray Allen, and Mary Handley spent hours in the Navy Archives searching for and photocopying Daily Reports, Battle Action Reports, etc. accumulating facts about the DD-445. Dan Davis and his wife, Beverly, volunteered their computer services to program pertinent information.
1972 Point Comfort, Virginia: The second reunion also held in conjunction with the Navy League of Destroyermen. There were 29 Fletchermen with their wives in attendance, which was the largest representation of any WWII destroyer at this event.
1973 Nashville, Tennessee: Olin and Jeanne Henderson and Frank and Judy Harrell, hosts. Forty-three of the crew attended, who, with their wives and guests, totaled over 100 of the Fletcher "Family" enjoying three days in Music City, USA. The highlight of the reunion was Minnie Pearl attending our breakfast and entertaining us for 30 minutes.
1974 Chicago, Illinois: Aenos and Evelyn Rogers and Frank and Minnie Andrews, hosts. The "Early Birds" had dinner at the Willow Grove Ballroom where they listened and danced to Big Band of the 1930's and 1940's. A tour took attendees through a newspaper plant, atop the tallest building in the world, to the museum, and aboard a WWII German submarine. Twenty-nine of the crew plus family and friends attended.
1975 Charleston, South Carolina: Bill and Mildred Ashley, hosts. The tour included going to the Charleston Navy Yard, a cruise of the harbor with a history of Charleston being narrated, and a tour of historical homes. The Saturday night dinner-dance was a gala affair. Admiral William M. Cole, our commissioning Commanding Officer, met with us for his first reunion. He draped the podium with the Battle Flag that was flying the night of November 13, 1942, creating an atmosphere of reverence and pride to those present who were on the ship that unforgettable night during the Battle of Guadalcanal.
1976 Point Comfort, Virginia: Bob and Garnet Yates, and Warren and Delta Broome hosts. Held at the Hotel Chamberlain which overlooks Hampton Roads and provided a feeling of nostalgia to those who remembered sailing through the roads on their way to the South Pacific in 1942. Fifty-seven Fletchermen along with their wives and friends attended. "Plank Owner" certificates were presented to each man present who commissioned the ship in 1942.
1977 Alexandria, Virginia: Warren and Delta Broome, hosts. The highlight of this reunion was a VIP trip through the White House. Each guest was greeted individually in the Rose Garden by Mrs. Jimmie (Rosalyn) Carter. Mrs. Carter accepted a beautiful quilt made by Mrs. Ruth Callahan, who presented it to the First Lady and President Carter as a gift from the Fletcher Reunion. There were 57 shipmates, plus their families and friends at this reunion, which included "13" new "Plank-Owners" attending their first reunion. Each received his certificate from Captain Cole. (Link: Photos)
1978 St. Louis, Missouri: Basil and Ginny Bowman, hosts. Activities included a tour of St. Louis that included learning how beer is made and sampling the finished product. There was also the dinner and melodrama on an authentic Mississippi River "Show Boat". A total of 128 attended reunion with 55 being crewmembers. A feature of this reunion was the launching of the six foot (radio-controlled) model of the DD-445, built by Fred Campos of Wichita, Kansas. Television and newspapers covered this activity.
1979 San Diego, California: Waldo and Faynette Dickenson, hosts. The Fletcher Family went West for the first time. 59 of the crew along with their wives, families, and friends making a total of 139 attended this reunion spending several days together and a tour of the San Diego Zoo. Many West Coast shipmates attended their first reunion, one being Adm. Frank L Johnson, the DD-445's second Commanding Officer. Historian, Millard Blevins, displayed Adm. Johnson's USS Fletcher War Diary, and the radio-controlled model of the DD-445.
1980 Biloxi, Mississippi: Joe and Mary Howell, hosts. This reunion was held in Biloxi for a very special reason. The new USS Fletcher DD-992 was being completed in the Ingalls Ship Building Yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi and the 165 Fletchermen, their wives, and others were honored guests for the commissioning ceremonies on 12 July 1980. Admiral Cole, the DD-445's first Commanding Officer, participated in the commissioning and said: "It is with great pride that the Fletcher Reunion Group of the DD-445 helped send the new Fletcher on its way to join the operating forces of the United States of America." "We come to transfer to you our Fletcher's most powerful weapon--the Fletcher Spirit." "It comes to you free, but each of you will have to pay your dues from here on." It was with great pride that the reunion group of DD-445 helped send the new Fletcher on it's way to join the operating forces of the United States Navy. Going with the DD-992 was the DD-445's ship's bell and ship's wheel. The Fletcher Reunion Group also donated a color television set for the crew's mess deck.
1981 Kansas City, Missouri: Andy and Pat Kryworuchenko, hosts. Andy, a DDE-445 crew member, and his wife, Pat were the first post WWII members to host a reunion. They attended their first reunion the year before in Biloxi and caught the disease known as "Fletcheritis:, then returned to Kansas City and planned the next reunion. A tour took members to historical and interesting places, including the Truman Library. The spacious and comfortable Hospitality Room provided a place for much conversation, laughter, and good fellowship. Millard Blevins' exhibit in the adjacent History Room provided much interesting reading for many.
1982 Jacksonville Beach, Florida: John and Elizabeth Grisham, hosts. This was the 40th commissioning anniversary reunion. Those attending were privileged to be guests of the Navy again. Admiral Train, CinC Atlantic Fleet, assigned the USS Samuel Eliot Morrison (FFG 13) to host the Fletcher Reunion on a day's cruise out of the Mayport Naval Base. Captain Andrews, his officers and men made this the highlight of the reunion. A welcome ceremony on the fantail, escorted tours of the ship, picnic lunch on the fantail, and sincere hospitality made this another memorable experience for members of the Fletcher Family. Present were 68 of the crew plus wives and friends totaling 149 in attendance at this reunion. The event included a tour of St. Augustine and Marineland, WWII movies of the South Pacific Campaign, and much fellowship.
1983 Reno, Nevada: Max and Ester Ewing and Jim and Daibe Fallis, hosts. Other members of the California group gave them a hand. "The Biggest Little City" in the world had much to offer. Activities included an MGM Stage Show "Hello Hollywood Hello," a bus tour to Lake Tahoe and a lunch cruise on the lake. This was a scenic trip to be remembered. The tour guide narrated a little bit of history of the lake and some folklore of former residents of the area. Several members of the group took side tours of Carson City and Virginia City. And as always there were the casinos. Seventy-four shipmates plus wives and friends were in attendance.
1984 Nashville, Tennessee: Jeanne Henderson, host. Approximately 80 shipmates along with wives and friends attended this second reunion in this country music city. The Vice Mayor presented Admiral Cole with a key to the city. A bus tour took included a drive by some of the homes of country music stars, a visit to Twitty City, and on Friday night everyone attended a show at the Grand Ole Opry. During the Saturday morning meeting, Captain.Monroe presented a slide show of the USS Fletcher. Several people attending the reunion spent a day at Opryland. The Saturday night banquet and dance included dancing to the big band music of the 30's and 40's. Coming all too soon was Sunday morning when everyone said their goodbyes until next year.
1985 Alexandria, Virginia: Capt. R.R. Green and Millard Blevins, hosts. This city is a favorite for history and sightseeing. The group visited the museum at the United States Navy Shipyard in Washington, D.C. Admiral William M. Cole presented the American flag which was flown on Fletcher during the Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942. Mrs. Verna Perry presented the Congressional Medal of Honor to the museum which belonged to her son, Elmer C. Bigelow who was killed by Japanese gunfire on Fletcher in February 1945 during the retaking of Corregidor. Later there was lunch at the Officers Club and a banquet and dancing. This reunion received national TV coverage. Mrs.Keith Snyder (Jane) sent a Fletcher cap and information regarding the reunion to Willard Scott, weatherman for NBC's Today Show. The group learned its way around the area on the Metro System making it possible for them to visit many historical sites in and around Washington, D.C.
1986 Portland, Oregon: Don and Martha Dahlke and Bill and Helen Muchow, hosts. Fun and adventure on the West Coast, salmon fishing, golf, along with special treats from the State of Oregon made this a memorable reunion. Tour buses took the group to beautiful Mt. Hood where they enjoyed the scenery, snow, and skiers during the latter part of the month of August. Everyone seemed to want to dance or tap their feet to the orchestra on Saturday night as the band played music that brought back so many memories of the big band era. At the banquet Ray Allen and Walter Claassen made a toast to the distinguished and revered guest of honor, Adm. William M. Cole. "To one of the truly great people of the United States Navy, due to his skill we were able to come through the days of the Pacific War unscratched and few casualties." Gifts were given to Ray and Lil Allen in appreciation of their efforts throughout the years for making the reunion bigger and better.
1987 Charleston, South Carolina: Bill and Mildred Ashley, hosts. The 17th annual reunion was a return to Historic Charleston where there were many first-timers who enjoyed the beautiful old homes and the tour of the ships in Charleston harbor and the southern hospitality of the area. The hospitality and history rooms were great gathering places. 51 Fletchermen attended along with their wives and friends.
1988 San Antonio, Texas: Arnie and Ellie Reiner, hosts. Deep in the Heart of Texas a warm glow came not only from the special San Antonio food at the Lone Star Brewery, but also from the great fellowship of all shipmates and friends. Everyone enjoyed a tour to the Alamo and the Riverwalk. The most rewarding time came when a Friendship Quilt was presented to our Commodore and his wife, Dr. & Mrs. Ray Allen. All blocks of the quilt were made by members of our Fletcher Family. A total of 174 Fletchermen and guests attended.
1989 Sacramento, California: Jim and Daibe Fallis, and Tim and Marcella Elder hosts. The hotel was located in the downtown area of Old Sacramento and there were a lot of interesting places to visit and shop within walking distance. The group enjoyed a luncheon cruise on the Sacramento River. 152 attended our banquet and dance on Saturday night, which was the highlight of the reunion. Fred Ward joined the band by singing a few songs including "I left my heart in San Francisco" and "I'll See You in My Dreams".
1990 Minneapolis, Minnesota: Don and Hazel Holmes and Pat and Warren Seim, hosts. 137 attended including 53 shipmates. Tours included a Fort Snelling, downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis, and the Stroh brewery where there was lunch and a free beer. There was also a tour of a frontier museum and lunch at a historical home next to the Governor's Mansion. The Saturday night banquet was exceptional as usual.
1991 Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Jim and Charlotte Setter, Charles and Helen Bender, Millard and June Blevins and Warren and Delta Broome, hosts. Tours included a visit to Nottoway Plantation built in 1859 and a tour aboard the USS Kidd DD-661, a Fletcher-class destroyer in WWII configuration. A memorial service was held in front of mount 51. There was also a tour of Baton Rouge and a visit to the grounds of Louisiana State University, the State Capitol, and a walking tour of a pre-Civil War plantation. At the Saturday night banquet, Tom Chesnutt gave the invocation and Frank Harrell a recitation on the meaning of the American flag. Dinner and dancing followed. Everyone was looking forward to the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of the Fletcher the following year. Seventy-eight members with wives and guests brought the attendance total to 172.
1992 Norfolk, Virginia: Fred and Betty Ward, hosts. A total of 183 guests attended this reunion with 88 of these being Fletchermen. There were quite a few early arrivals on Wednesday and the hospitality room and history room were open for them. On Thursday everyone enjoyed a wine and cheese welcome party put on by the hotel. On Friday after a group breakfast there was a tour through the scenic Virginia countryside to Colonial Williamsburg where everyone had lunch and shopped. On the way back to the hotel the group visited the quaint village of Yorktown. On Saturday there was a trip to the naval base and a lunch in the galley with active duty military personnel.
1993 Bellevue, Washington: Jack and Lil Mills, Don and Martha Dahlke, Tim Elder and the Howard Peterson family hosts. Howard (Pete) passed away shortly before the reunion but his family attended en masse. Brian, his son, spoke at the reunion and told of his father's love for the Fletcher and the reunions. There were 56 Fletchermen attending this reunion and 133 total in attendance. An area tour included the Space Needle from which there is a spectacular view. The hospitality room was well stocked and the history room keeps getting more material and was visited by many.
1994 Dayton, Ohio: Norb and Lois Bender and Babe Allison and daughters Sandy & Marylin, hosts, assisted by the Knipp & Seibel families. The CO of the DD-992 honored this reunion by sending one of his of the ship's crew, Trent Keffer, as a reward for some of his accomplishments. There were 58 Fletchermen and with wives and friends, a total of 126 enjoyed this reunion. The Early Bird tour Thursday included a stop at Carillon Park which included seeing the third airplane built by the Wright brothers, the beautiful Bell Tower and historical displays. There was also a narrated tour of the area and a visit to the Esther Price candy factory. Friday, after a breakfast and talk the group visited the Air Force Museum. the oldest and largest Air Force Museum in the world.) At the Saturday evening banquet the group was honored to have Vane Scott, President of the USS Radford Reunion Association, as a speaker. Vane is cofounder and retired general manager of the Colonial Flag Company. The dance band was great and Vane Scott and John Wall entertained us with a song.
1995 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Jerome and Norma Koch and Stan and Mary Cebulewski, hosts. This was the group's 25th annual reunion so it was appropriate to hold it in the City of Brotherly Love and the nation's capitol from 1781 to 1804. With the Koch family manning the hors d'oeuvres for the hospitality room, there wasn't anyone who didn't sample some of the tasty food. Tom & Betty Chesnutt donated pecan rolls which they have done for many years. Philadelphia's Mayor welcomed the group to the reunion and also spoke at the banquet. There was a trolley tour of the city with stops at all the historical places. Some members visited the Veterans Hospital where stamps and stationery were donated. Walter Sullivan authored and brought along copies of an article titled; "The Ship Ahead Just Disappeared." In attendance were 127 including 50 Fletchermen. The Captain of the USS Fletcher DD-992 sent two young men to represent his ship, Aurelio Sanchez and Chad. Elliot who also gave a talk at the banquet. The days seemed to be entirely too short for this reunion and everyone left with a better understanding of this city full of history.
1996 San Diego, California: Walter and Terry Smudzin, hosts. Many in attendance visited Old Town and the famous San Diego Zoo. The hospitality room was well stocked and well attended, and the history room was filled with browsers most of the time. The weather was also great as it usually is in this fine navy city. On Saturday morning there was a trolley tour of San Diego and that evening the banquet and dance.
1997 Mobile, Alabama: Tom and Betty Chesnutt, hosts. Many in attendance visited local casinos and grayhound racing. There was also a city tour of Mobile and other optional tours of Bellingrath Gardens or a Mobile Harbor cruise. Also visited was the battleship USS Alabama and the adjacent aircraft pavilion and WWII submarine, USS Drum. The Saturday evening banquet had a Mardi Gras theme with festive decorations and a narration of Mardi Gras history by costumed entertainers. Jim and Charlotte Setter were honored as King and Queen of the Ball.
1998 Colorado Springs, Colorado: John & Dorothy Rust hosts. More new members showed up for this reunion in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains. An optional tour was a dinner and show at the Flying "W" Ranch on Thursday evening and a Friday tour of the Air Force Academy, the Garden of the Gods and lunch at the NCO Club.
1999 Jacksonville Beach, Florida Eddie and Sherry Baker, hosts. On Thursday there was a welcome dinner and on Friday a breakfast buffet in the hotel ballroom. Later there was a tour of the submarine base in nearby Kings Bay, Georgia and lunch or an alternate tour of St. Augustine and lunch.
2000 Davenport, Iowa: J. Norb and Lois Bender, hosts. A first visit for many to the Quad Cities, held at the rustic Blackhawk Hotel in downtown Davenport the reunion was once again blessed with good weather on Thursday when a fine lunch cruise was held on board the paddle wheeler Delta Queen on the Mississippi River and a tour of the John Deere factory showroom across the river in Moline, Illinois. As always the hospitality and history rooms that were located in hotel suites were a huge success.
2001 Virginia Beach, Virginia: Bob and Susan Foss, hosts. Held the first week of October, attendance and planned tours of the naval base were affected by the terrorist attacks of 9-11 only days earlier however this did not dampen the Fletcher sprit and the renewal of old friendships. Everyone loved the spaciousness of the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center where many enjoyed the large hospitality room where drinks and snacks were provided. A tour of nearby Norfolk and the MacArthur Museum was a hit with those who made it and, as usual, the banquet was a tremendous success
2002 San Antonio, Texas: Robert and Delores McCurley, hosts. September 25 to 29. Over 100 people attended during typical sunny and hot weather. The Woodfield Suites provided a spacious setting for our hospitality and history rooms which were almost always crowded. One of the optional tours was to the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredricksburg where was held the annual memorial service and a wonderful self guided tour of the museum. Some also enjoyed lunch in one of the many German restaurants in this popular hill country town. An historical tour of San Antonio including the Alamo, the San Antonio Shoe Store, a Chinese tea garden and one of the many old Spanish missions in town was also popular. Especially popular was an evening at the 7A Cattle Ranch near Hondo where everyone enjoyed a BBQ dinner, live country music and for some, a hayride around the ranch. The Saturday evening banquet and a live band were enjoyed at the Fort Sam Houston NCO Club. Link: Group Photo
2003 Great Falls, Montana: John and Dorothy Rust, hosts. The Holiday Inn was our location for this very successful reunion from September 10 to 13. On Wednesday most guests checked in and enjoyed the snacks and drinks in the hospitality room and browsed the displays in the history room. On Thursday there was a tour of Great Falls including a spectacular view of the famous falls on the Missouri River which gave this city its name. The Friday tour was to Ulm Pishkun State Park in the morning and an eye opening visit to the Fairview Hutterite Colony in the afternoon. On Saturday morning the men had their annual business meeting and discussed details about next year's reunion site and that evening the group enjoyed a fine catered meal at the hotel and a dance.
2004 Madison, Wisconsin: J. Norb and Lois Bender, hosts. Beautiful weather blessed this reunion held from September 20 to 23 at the Radisson in Madison (yes, it rhymes) which was the first mid-week reunion. On Monday everyone registered, socialized and enjoyed time in both of the very comfortable hospitality and history rooms. On Tuesday there was a half day tour of Madison including a stop on the University of Wisconsin campus for fresh ice cream. The next day a day long tour to nearby Mount Horeb and Little Norway was enjoyed by many. On Thursday morning the men attended the annual business meeting and that evening was another very successful banquet and dance at the hotel, marked by a moving poem read by Buck Lock about the Group's matriarch, Lil Allen who was in attendance.
2005 New London, Connecticut: Craig and Ivy-Lynn Patapas hosts, at the Radisson Hotel in downtown New London, Connecticut on October 3rd through the 6th. Our hosts put a tremendous amount of work into making this reunion a success. On Monday, October 3rd guests arrived, registered and socialized in the hospitality room and browsed documents in the history room. Tuesday morning we toured the very impressive Mashantucket Pequot Museum and some of us spent an hour or two at the nearby Foxwoods Casino which is said to be the largest casino in the world. That afternoon we visited Clyde’s Cider Mill and Olde Mystic Village. On Wednesday we toured the USS Nautilus & Museum and that afternoon we spent several hours at the very scenic Mystic Seaport. That evening David McComb stopped by to show us his very detailed model of Fletcher and a slide show of his recent historical trip to the South Pacific. On Thursday morning we held our annual business meeting and that afternoon everyone rested and prepared for the evening banquet which featured a Navy color guard and door prizes.
2006 Carson City, Nevada: John and Dorothy Rust hosted another very successful reunion from September 17 to 20 at the Piñon Plaza Casino & Hotel, made all the more better by near perfect weather. On Sunday, Sept. 17, the reunion went into high gear as guests registered and congregated in the Hospitality and History rooms and renewed friendships. On Monday evening many of us enjoyed a wonderful dinner cruise on the Tahoe Queen on the California side of Lake Tahoe. On Tuesday some of us enjoyed a very informative tour to Virginia City in the morning and to downtown Carson City in the afternoon. On Wednesday morning our annual business meeting was held. Eli Bourgeois was elected as our new Commodore, replacing Robert McCurley who did a fine job for us the previous two years. Eli resigned his post as Secretary to take the Reunion Group’s highest position and Buck Locke was elected to become our new Secretary. Norb Bender was re-elected as Treasurer and all the other positions remained the same. Our banquet dinner and dance on Wednesday evening was a huge success, and somewhat emotional at times. Some members endured hardships the previous year and it was hard to say goodbyes when you didn’t know if you’d be seeing some of them again. It was with great sadness that the evening came to an end with many of us vowing to meet again next year in Oklahoma City.
2007 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Hosted by first time hosts Earl and Charlotte Faubion at the Best Western Saddleback Inn, approximately 75 former crew and their families attended. Among those were seven World War Two veterans including two plankowners. Early registration began on Sunday, September 23rd. On Monday most guests enjoyed a city wide tour that included stops at Stockyards City, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Center and Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Tuesday evening many guests enjoyed a special presentation of the Oklahoma Centennial play at the Yellow Rose Dinner Theater in Moore, OK. Those of us who were there know that “Liza Jane” and our Commodore, Eli “woof woof” Bourgeois, will certainly remember the evening! Wednesday morning the annual members’ meeting was held and the usual Reunion Group business was taken care of. In addition, possible locations for the 2009 Reunion were discussed as well as the possibility of making the quarterly newsletters available to members in electronic format. Tuesday evening our banquet and dance was held in the hotel’s conference center and some walked away with interesting door prizes including unassembled Fletcher models and gift certificates or memberships to Tin Can Sailors. Thursday morning we said our goodbye’s and vowed to meet in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky next year.
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