Vietnam 72 - 73 Radio Archive

RE: GUNFIRE SUPPORT MISSIONS ON RADIO - RECORDED
I just went back and looked and listened again myself. Been a few years since I listened.
Had one of those "flashback" episodes from the severe deprivation we had onboard USS O'Callahan in the Tonkin Gulf. www.ussocallahan.org .

I recall a Marine telling me about his time in the 'nam and how he had such bad food and how bad the heat was. It just reinforced my severe bad experience with the Navy and the 'nam. War is, as General Sherman said, "heck".

Once, for SEV-er-al hours we lost our air conditioning (can a Marine imagine this kind of heat?) and there was a time when the crew's mess ran out of lobster for week, the crew having to subsist on only steak (no lobster and steak). As an officer who weighed about 130 pounds, I often made it my duty to sample the crew's mess to "be sure" the food prepared for the crew was up to "Navy standards". (The wardroom usually had something like tuna on toast because we officers were too cheap to allot all our food allowance to the officer's mess). For crying out loud! Some of the JO's had expensive car payments on sports cars that sat in a garage back home!

I recall that week when the crew did not have it's usual surf and turf to be a terrible disappointment to me - the psychological effects staying with me to this day. And the cooling system gong down like that! A Marine just would not understand! I know the Marines had it bad, but they just don't realize what it is like to have such great food and then lose it for a several very long days!
(above is reply to Rob Gagnon - below)
Vic Campbell http://www.eggzono.tv http://www.buzzcreek.com
From: Robert J. Gagnon (Marine) To: Vic Campbell Subject: Emailing:
yes, puts you right there!

2004 Reunion Report

From Tom Morrison:

U.S.S. O'CALLAHAN DE / FF 1051

" Faithful and Brave "

" HIGH-LINE NEWS"

Date: October 10, 2004
Subject: Reunion Association UpDate
Dear Shipmate's and Friend's;
For those who attended our ship's third reunion in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee a grand time seemed to be had by all - renewing old friendships, swapping sea stories and sharing personal memorabilia items. Activities over the weekend included: a tour of the Great Smokie Mountains National Park and the 1800's settlement known as Cade's Cove along with jaunts to local amusement parks and unlimited opportunities for shopping.

On Friday night, we all met in the hotel's hospitality room for a few hours and then adjourned to the hotel's restaurant for a delicious buffet of shrimps, teriyaki chicken and other great dishes.

On Saturday morning, most of the crew and their families met for a breakfast and a very entertaining Gospel music show at the Black Bear that featured the Blackwood Bros. Quartet and Gospel Singers. After breakfast, the tours and shopping events took place after we had all agreed to meet for a banquet at the Rocky River Grill and Brewery.

We had another great dinner that night with good conversations and we raffled off some caps, shirts and an author signed book - won by (who else?) the Commissioning Commanding Officer Cdr. Robert L. Brown. Following the banquet we returned down the road to the hotel to convene a ship's meeting and discuss our future plans and arrangements for our next reunion in 2006. It was agreed, after some discussion, that new officers should be elected to guide our association through the term of 2004 through 2006 and that additional subjects should be voted on. The results of the meeting are as follows:

1. Richard E. "Andy" Anderson was nominated, seconded and voted in as President and Chairman for the 2004 through 2006 reunion activities. Home Phone # (619) 276-4250 Email: None at this time.
2. Joseph H. "Joe" Allen was nominated, seconded and voted in as Vice-President and Treasurer for the 2004 through 2006 reunion . Home Phone # (608) 868-3235 Cell # 608-346-3235 Email: jha218@charter.net
3. Andy Anderson and Joe Allen appointed Thomas L. "Tom" Morrison as Ship's Historian and Storekeeper responsible for memorabilia and items to be available for purchase such as ship's patches, caps, shirts, etc.
   (Home Phone# (310) 575-0061 Email : 86buggy@comcast.net
4. General discussions about where to hold the next reunion in 2006 resulted in a vote being taken and the crew unanimously agreeing that Las Vegas, Nevada would be the place. It was decided to determine the specific dates for the reunion at a later time. And a Updated news Letter will be sent to paid up members.
5. Following a lively discussion on the subject of the www.ussocallahan.org website status, Chairman Anderson and Vice-President Allen agreed to contact the previous reunion committee members about taking over the operation of the
   website. Details of the transfer and person/persons who will be responsible will be published when negotiations are completed.
6. It was also unanimously agreed that yearly dues would be set at $10.00 per person per year ($20.00 for 2004 through 2006) and that a PAID receipt would be issued by the Treasurer.
   
   Please make your check payable to: IRISH SONG Reunion Association
   and mail it to: c/o: Joseph H. Allen
   6007 N. Greenvale Dr.
   Milton, WI 53563-9489

Treasurer’s Note:

"Shipmates, REMEMBER that dues keep this association afloat and if we don’t receive dues we'll have to "Abandon ship!". But also, if you are having a financial problem and you can't afford to pay your dues, please contact me and let me know. Our Association will carry you on the books until you can get back on your feet. One last point; please provide your phone number and current email address so we can keep our records up to date. Thank you; Joe".

7. The following shipmates and guests attended the reunion banquet and ship’s meeting:

• Andy Anderson
• Aubry Sharp
• Cdr. Robert L. Brown
• Joe Allen and Wife: Bernie
• Dwight Ledbetter and Wife: Linda
• Tom Morrison
• David "Yogi" Reynolds and Daughter: Kim
• Mike Ponsack
• Ron Kobeluch and Wife: Mary
• Cdr. Paul Viscovich and Wife: Christine
• Ed Boruff and Wife: Jerrie

Please take a few moments to keep our Crew's Roster up to date by printing out, completing the attached flyer and mailing/returning it to our Treasurer.

CREW'S ROSTER UPDATE : " PLEASE PRINT INFORMATION "
Your First Name
Your Last Name
Spouse’s Name
Your Former Rank or Rate
Years you served on The O'Callahan:
Active Duty Dates : 19_____ through 19_____
Current Mailing Address:
StreetAddress
City , State Zip Code:
Home Phone Number : Area Code __Phone #__
Cell/Mobile Phone Number : Area Code___Phone #__

Current Email Address:
PLANKOWNER ? Yes / No ______________
Retired Military ? Yes / No ______________
Can we share your information with our other shipmates? Yes / NO_____
May You Have Fair Winds and Following Seas till we meet again;
YOUR TREASURE & VICE PRESIDENT : JOSEPH H. ALLEN

This is the first post for our blog. Anyone can respond to a post, but only selected members of the association will be able to make initial entries, add photos or video. All crew members are encouraged to offer material for posting through one of the blog team members. The intial set of posts on this blog contain material from association email in the past year. It is a good way to catch up on news of the association. Current news will be added after that! Our main website at www.ussocallahan.org remains the "go to" point for all other material or links to useful resources.