| USS Vreeland Log, December 2004 |
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| Name : Gerard (Jerry) P. Arel |
12 Dec 2004
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| Rate/Rank : RD2 |
| Years Onboard : 69-72 |
| e-mail : gparel@earthlink.net |
| Comments : They say the 1st ship is always the best and this one
certainly was. I retired after 23years (Lt. LDO) and still have fond memories
of the Vreeland. I am now a V.P. with General Dynamics AIS in Dahlgren
VA. Many of you may remember RD1 Jerry Slaten; he retired in 1972 and
we continued to communicate for many years until his passing in 1998.
For those of you who knew him if there every was a sea daddy it was him.
I think of him often when I remember my days on the Vreeland.
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| Name : James Krentz |
20 Dec 2004
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| Rate/Rank : STG2 (SW) |
| Years Onboard : 84-85 |
| e-mail : jkrentz@rgv.rr.com |
Comments : I served on board from February 1984 to December 1985.
Twenty-two months without leave!! Wow! What was I thinking? As many of
you have stated, who could possibly forget "MONGO". I don't remember
which ship we hit pulling into Mayport (there were so many) and
manuvering to complete the infamous Friday "Mayport Shuffle", but after the
collision alarms sounded, I remember Senior Chief Livengood screaming at
one of the ComGruDesGru visiting chiefs about the incident. Med cruise
84 was the greatest six months of my life. I will never forget it.
Remember when MONGO "volunteered" the Vreeland to baby sit Cuba Christmas
85, not even two months after we came back from the Med! Remembering
Senior Chief Bounds, Ben "Obi Wan Kenobi" Hebert, John "the bean farmer"
Shaeffner, James "Spej" Verespi, Eddie Messner, Todd Galandry, Bob
Campbell, Don from New England and Scott "scooter" Monahan. Trying to
forget Ocean Safari (I actually thought both the forward and aft gun!
mounts were going to snap off from the rolls).
My very best regards to
all of my shipmates and good luck to all in all your future endeavors.
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| Name : Jerry Carrillo |
25 Dec 2004
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| Rate/Rank : IC2 (SW) |
| Years Onboard : 90-92 |
| e-mail : carrilloj@naskef.navy.mil |
Comments : There are so many fond memories I have of the Vreeland. I
remember when we were preparing her for De-commissioning and turn over
to the Greeks. We had to paint the entire ship inside and out. We had to
cover all the years of grim and smoke. Just a few months earlier the
Navy made a big push to stop smoking through the ship and restrict it to
designated areas.
The crew was not thrilled to have to paint a ship we were giving away.
I remember the day after the Greeks arrived and turn over training had
begun. They started to light up all around the ship and we would be
trying to stop them. Our officers would be telling us to stop them and
their Officers would tell them it was O.K.!
We figured it was a losing battle after they came back from raiding the
exchange for pallet loads of cigarettes and electronic stuff.
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| Name : Tim Cronin |
27 Dec 2004
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| Rate/Rank : BT2 |
| Years Onboard : 70-73 |
| e-mail : TCRONIN@DAKOTACOM.NET
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Comments : I Joined the ship the day it arrived in Charleston, they gave me a bunk with the rest of the BT’s, only thing was it belonged to Ken Cunningham boy was he pissed, I kept the bunk until they sent me to the hospital from an oil spill, never came back. I found Jim Garland in Maine and looking for Soliday in Ohio but no luck. Can’t find Cunningham either. The last I saw he got drunk and was a third class again.
Any snipes reading this get your butts to the VA and get checked for asbestosis, they found it in me. Too many hours standing Fire watch in the ship yard.
I’m still alive though and enjoying the nice weather in AZ.
I can’t make it to the reunion so get the word out on the asbestosis.
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| Name : Mike Silvey |
31 Dec 2004
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| Rate/Rank : MM |
| Years Onboard : 72-74 |
| e-mail : tbbaot@earthlink.net
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Comments : Came aboard in Charleston the spring of 1972 and sailed to
Athens, Greece as part of the forward deployment program. Spent the next
two years sailing the med. I remember operation "endless chain" the
NATO exercise with several ships from foreign navies.
Looking for MM
Stephen Spicer from Indiana, if anyone knows how to reach him please let me
know.
Hoping to get to the reunion next summer.
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