| USS Vreeland Log, July 2005 |
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| Name :Donald G. Owen, Capt, USN RET |
4 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : LT (SWO) |
| Years Onboard : 71-73 |
| e-mail : dgowen10@cox.net |
| Alt e-mail : owen@ebrinc.com |
Comments : Operations Officer Aug 71 - Jul 73.
Sorry I missed the 2005 reunion.
I note in your Greek years photos that you have a picture of LCDR
Snyder and another officer with the caption unidentified. That officer is
the former Executive Officer, LCDR Lewis Glenn.
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Notes of Interest : Operations Officer Aug 71 - Jul 73. Made the
homeport shift from Charleston to Athens.
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| Name :Douglas G. Kearns |
8 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : STG3 |
| Years Onboard : 85-89 |
| e-mail : amy.kearns@xerox.com |
Comments : This is a great site.
My experience an the Vree. was a
mixture of emotions. Looking back it changed my life. Some of the crew that
I remember are, Bob Campbell, who told me everything I needed to know
about the sonar dome, Myron Long, and Jeff Marshall.
Does anyone
remember the crewman’s name that fell overboard and was never recovered?
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| Name : George Russell |
20 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : STG2 |
| Years Onboard : 86-87 |
| e-mail : soalp@aol.com |
Comments : Great Website!!! Amazing to see all of the names. Some
that I can't find...anyone know what happened to Harol Dixon (big man) or
RM Matt (TW) Hicks? Hope to see Brad Stallings in the near future.
Living back in Rhode Island with a wife (10 years) and 2 children. I
own a company called Referral Mortgage and haven't seen a sonar dome in
18 years.
My dad's illness forced me to miss the reunion but would love to hear
from and hook up with any of the guys.
Take care.
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| Name : Thomas Ronayne |
22 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : STG2 |
| Years Onboard : 82-83 |
| e-mail : LINYHuntington@aol.com |
Comments : Wow, was I happy to find this site. I have not seen anything
referring to Vree in a long time. I have read some of the postings and
it feels good to see some old familiar names.
The memories are amazing (most of them) ...the pleasure cruise to the
med in 82. Nothing like evacuating a city at war to kill the mood, huh.
The trip home that year on the angry Atlantic...first time I ever
walked on a wall.
Panama....mere words cannot describe...right guys.
I would love to hear from the old WA Division guys....catch up on life
a little.
Tom Ronayne
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| Name : Louie Kooistra |
23 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : RD3 |
| Years Onboard : 70-72 |
| e-mail : lou.patk@verizon.net |
| Comments : Coming to the reunion was a breath of fresh air. Old
friendships rejoined and new friendships made. The fun and smiles were
continous, the sea tales overflowing (If not somewhat edited to protect the
innocent). It was good to see that the Vreeland spirit goes on.
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| Name : Ron Doble |
28 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : OSSN |
| Years Onboard : 76-77 |
| e-mail : hrdoble111@yahoo.com |
| Alt e-mail : ron@appnet.com |
Comments : I joined the Vreeland while in drydock in Philly. Lord, what change of pace THAT was!I went from a long WesPak tour then OS "A"
school and then...drydock! Met a lot of great guys on board the Vree but I
sometimes get the names mixed up with those of the guys on my first
ship, the USS San Jose AFS-7. I DO remember John Sheppard in the Post
Office from Hickory,NC. We've spoken on the phone not too long ago but,
even though we live an hour and a half away, we haven't met face to face
in the intervening years.
I have spoken and corresponded with John Driscoll who was a Yeoman on
the Vree. He is now in the ARMY!! He used to be nicknamed "Drifty" but
there's nothing drifty about him now. He's a top Seargent who out does
his twenty something troops in field exercises. He's actually been kind
enough to send me some pictures of me he took all those years ago. Damn
I was young then!! Hell of a nice guy John Driscoll.
I also remember a "hippie" named Mark (something)from St. Louis who
actually QUIT Uncle Sam's Canoe Club while in dry dock. He simply chose
not to participate anymore and hung out in the crew lounge all day. Too
funny.
I remember going down on the docks and getting stoned as a monkey while
in drydock. I remember the long trek up the St. Lawrence seaway getting
back to sea.
Does anyone remember a little Petty Officer named (i believe) Kurt
Kuntze? What a hoot that guy was. He spent his life trying to give someone
grief.
We visited Haiti, San Juan and a couple of other places on our way to
or from Gitmo for gunfire drills but I can't remember a lot of details.
Seems like our crew go into a brawl at the E club and wasn't allowed to
go back ashore.
I recall a LT. named Buerline or some such...he was a piece of work. He
used to search our lockers for pot and finally got a few of us for
residue in our shirt pockets. $400.00 fine and thirty days restricted to
ship. Ouch!
Anyone remember a guy named Nick Delaplane (or some such). He was from
Delaware I believe and was funny as hell. He used to do a great
swashbuckling routine ala Errol Flynn. I bought a Kawasaki 250 off him and
then went AWOL!!(a whole other story involving a woman who put something
on me that Greased Lightning couldn't take off!)
Does anyone remember "Mac" McCarthy? That guy was hillarious.
Boy..I wish I could remember them all...we had a blast back in the day!
Well, here's to all us old dudes who vaguely and vividly recall a ship,
a crew and a time that helped make us who we are today. For better or
worse...those were the days!
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| Name : Scott "Scooter" Clemens |
31 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : FC1(SW) |
| Years Onboard : 87-92 |
| e-mail : snmustang@verizon.net |
Comments : Great page, thanks for putting this together. Wish I could have made the reunion.
My years on the "Mighty Vern" were full throttle and I had a blast
thanks to my shippies. I wont go into names 'cause I'll forget someone, but
you know who you are. Thanks for looking out for me and keeping me
alive.
Things that stand out in my mind: The world famous Stabbin' Cabin,
fightin' the Mount Whitney on the pier in Rosey, the dive we crawled into
on Mayport Rd (can't remember the name), the USS GUTTER SLUT, throwing
traffic signs into the pool at the hotel on the beach, the crazy
one-legged girl I woke up next to during our yard period in Norfolk.
Currently full-time DAPA at Pre-com San Antonio (LPD-17) in Pascagoula.
There's a fox in the hen house.
Been up for FCCS the last 4 years and passed over despite nothing but
EPs, so I'm done. Put my retirement request in a month ago and waiting
for approval.
Dude, sorry about our last get together.
Take care and drop me a line.
Scooter
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| Name : Paul Marchyok |
31 July 2005
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| Rate/Rank : FC2 |
| Years Onboard : ? |
| e-mail : p-march@sbcglobal.net |
Comments : Hi, Randy
Thanks for the thanks. I’m glad to see you are doing well and that you
made the navy a career. Have you heard from any of the other guys from
the ship. an for anyone else that sees this I think we all did alot of
growing up those on the Vreeland. she was a good ship that gave me alot
of memories along with the people I served with.
Paul
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