Reunion 1988

The U.S.S. Nassau Reunion for 1988 was held at the Master's Inn Hotel in Charleston, S.C. Our banquet was catered on the hanger deck of the U.S.S. Yorktown which is docked permanently at Patriots Point, S.C., and is just across the river from Charleston. Jerry Gerity, who was in charge of the museum and ships at Patriots Point, was the speaker at the banquet.

We were able to take a tour of downtown Charleston, as well as some nearby plantations. We also toured Ft. Sumter, where the first shot was fired to start the Civil War.

There were 66 in attendance at our second reunion, including wives. The following shipmates were present: Harold Baker, Charles Ross, J.P. Binion, Lester Novotny, Paul Walker, Frank Crow, Alfred Bragstad, Joe Coe, Lester Brock, Glenn Brown, Tom Hennessy, Rich Rose, Ralph Kleinspehn, Roy Rouse, Martin Gegg, George Oberst, Darrell Christensen, Eugene Norwinski, Jim Creedon, Jim Hartzheim, Ray Morris, Walter Neyer, Ed Kennedy, Walter Alerich, John Duncan, Stan Zabinski, Sid Rowland, Max Gunn, Toby Grassi, Harold Hansen, Sam Moore, Stan Sumara, Jim Rappenecker and Frank Workman.

At the Invocation, the Nassau Chaplain, Wilbur Zink remembered those who had passed on since the last reunion. They were Harold Anderson, Ray Anderson, Don Heald, S. Homing, John Kozak, John Rhoads, J.P. Ring, James Rotsart, F. Roubik, Greg Sacho, John Slegl, William Vincent and Morris Weber.

I went back to Charleston on Saturday, October 8, 1994 for the dedication of the Memorial Plaque for the U.S.S. Nassau (CVE-16) honoring those who made the supreme sacrifice while flying from the U.S.S. Nassau. The following names appeared on the plaque: 1st Lt. Waldo Breeden, LCDR Lloyd Greenamyer, Lt. Douglas Henderson, Ens. Ernest Jackson, John Ray (S2C), Ens. John Titcomb, LTJG William Bennett, Edward Hebert (AMM2C), and Martin Lavin (ARM3C). Shipmates Martin Gegg, Walter Fry, Frank Hanson, Laddie Svoboda and Pat Liebert also attended the ceremony. The present members of the U.S.S. Nassau (CVE-16) Association purchased the plaque at a cost of $1400. It is now displayed on the hanger deck of the U.S.S. Yorktown.