China Gunboatman

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Why Forgotten? - Speech from Reunion Dinner

by Vic Campbell (continued in the "comments section under this post)
I am pleased to be here in such august company. I promise you a good talk, because I placed third in the FFA speech competition at Chumuckla High school in 1965 and later graduated in the top ten of my class of 17 students in 1967. My dad was a Navy chief. He was an airdale, having crewed in PBY's in the war. In the early 1950's he was able to get transferred back to Pensacola, near his family's roots. In that way, my brother and sister and I were consigned to the dual roles of Navy Brats and Farm Kids. His duty stations were either at sea or in Jacksonville or Pensacola, so the farm scenario worked out well for a family. As we kids slaved among aunts, uncles, cousins and ourselves to clear land, plant and harvest crops, and herd cattle, we thought we were in a special hell created by Navy chiefs. Little did we know, we were in Chief's heaven.
Sometimes I was fortunate enough to go to work with dad at the VT-4 hangar in Pensacola where so many student aviators earned their wings. The Blue Angels were based there as well. I reached the pinnacle of awe once when I had my shoes shined by the man who shined the shoes for the Blue Angels. Could life ever get better than that? I later joined the Navy and went to OCS at Newport. My mom and dad came to Newport to be at my commissioning and dad gave me my first salute (though by then he was retired). My naval service was in a destroyer, in Vietnam.
My brother became a Navy corpsman and remained in the reserves after his active tour. Thirty Five years later, and before dad passed away, his captains eagles were pinned on his collar by the old chief. I am proud of my Navy heritage; My Navy family.
Now, I want to talk on the topic of the FORGOTTEN FLEET. (SEE THE COMMENT link BELOW)

Monday, February 27, 2006

Please Read

Another hoax (Dobson Report on God in TV Programs)
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/fcc.asp
Mark Lewin

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Asheville,NC - USS Asheville

When the Asheville was launched in 1918 the sponsoring party consisted of Edith Vanderbilt and her daughter along with all the city rulers at that time. This is what has drawn Bill Cecil into our reunion sponsorship and further has brought one sponsorship from the Rotary Club and should be a reason for the whole city to sponsor it. Secondly: Some time before 1918 Dr. Green from the Rotary Club suggested naming a warship after our city. They aroused the city fathers and politicians and went to the Secretary of the Navy Joseph Daniels and he awarded the gunboat being built at Charleston Navy Yard to be named USS ASHEVILLE-PG21.
The reunion is based on the Memorial to the former Asiatic Fleet for which the USS ASHEVILLE PG21 was a part and the heroic stand they made following the disaster at Pearl Harbor. They were the only U.S.Navy force available to delay the hoardes of modern overwhelming navy from their rush to obtain the oil rich Dutch East Indies. Even though they consisted mostly WWI vintage ships they put up a courages fight in spite of their complete lack of air cover and it is well known now that they were EXPENDABLE without ANY PROMISED REINfORCEMENTS. The lack of any recognition was due to the fact that their outcome was a complete failure, as expected, and due to the Pearl Harbor disaster the navy did not want to throw another blow to the country already reeling from the surprse attack death roll.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

SHOWING THE FLAG

Gunboats of the Asiatic Fleet by Aaron Anderson. Originally posted July, 2005.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

E MAIL ADDRESS

In case I have told you differently I am back on wfashe3@bellsouth.net for my E Mail address. I flirted with Charter for a few days but gave up when they told me that they would put me on the Internet and after that they could not help me....at least Bellsouth helps me when i am in trouble which is OFTEN. Happy New Year...walter

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

May 2006 Memorial Program

Pay attention to the registration information in the prior posts. This information is to give you some idea of how the Memorial Service will go. READ THE FULL POST IN COMMENTS section below.

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Reunion Registration Information

see Reunion Info in the COMMENTS Section below

Reunion Information

Best Western Reservations and more. SEE COMMENTS link under this post.

Reunion Schedule

SpecialSchedule notes: See Comments link under this post.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Put Congress on Social Security

DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE
A Republican or a Democrat
KEEP IT GOING!!!!
2008 Election Issue!!
SOCIAL SECURITY AND CONGRESS
Check out the facts at SNOPES --

http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Traitor Is About to Be Honored

RE: JANE FONDA....PLEASE HELP BY SENDING THIS TO EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK. IF ENOUGH PEOPLE SEE THIS MAYBE HER STATUS WILL CHANGEIts important to read the whole story. Its not exactly all true. http://www.snopes.com/military/fonda.asp SEE THIS LINK FOR THE FULL STORY.