REPORT ON:
2009 SHIP'S REUNION, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
APRIL 16-19
THE REUNION WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH AND WE HAD ABOUT 50 FORMER CREW MEMBERS SHOW UP. SOME CAME WITH WIVES, FRIENDS, PARENTS, GRANDCHILDREN, GIRLFRIENDS, FIANCES. ALL TOGETHER WE HAD BETWEEN 85 AND 90 FOLKS AT THIS EVENT.
THURSDAY MORNING, TREASURER JIM ANGELICA AND SECRETARY BILL BADALUCCA SET UP THE HOSPITALITY ROOM AND SOON AFTER, THE GUYS CAME POURING IN ALL DAY LONG
BOB
EDGE MADE UP A P.O.D TO HANG HANGING OUT FRIDAY MORNING UP
FOR ALL TO SEE
FRIDAY MORNING A BUNCH OF US GOT TOGETHER FOR A GROUP SHOT BEFORE GOING ON THE TOUR OF THE USS MIDWAY
THE USS MIDWAY WAS QUITE THE TOUR. SOME OF THE COLLECTION OF SHOTS ARE BELOW
GREAT VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE OF THE MIDWAY ANOTHER
GREAT VIEW ON MIDWAY
LATER THAT FRIDAY AFTERNOON, THE REQUIRED ASSOCIATION MEETING WAS HELD AND THE NEW SLATE OF OFFICERS WERE PUT IN PLACE.
BOB EDGE TOOK OVER AS THE NEW COMMANDER AND MIKE FLAMMIA WAS NOMINATED AND VOTED IN AS THE NEW VICE COMMANDER. AT THE NEXT REUNION HE WILL MOVE UP TO COMMANDER
TREASURER, JIM ANGELICA AND SECRETARY , BILL BADALUCCA WERE BOTH REINSTATED TO THEIR
POSITIONS SINCE NO NEW NAMES WERE PRESENTED FOR CONSIDERATION .
GO TO THE "MEET THE OFFICERS" PAGE FOR A RUNDOWN ON ALL THE OFFICERS IN THE ORGANIZATION.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, WE HAD A "BURGER AND HOTDOGS" SOCIAL HOUR, MEET & GREET GATHERING WITH A CASH BAR AND LOTS OF "SEA STORIES"
SATURDAY MORNING: APRIL 18th:
THE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ALL BANCROFT SAILORS WHO HAVE DEPARTED ON "ETERNAL PATROL"
WAS HELD. ALL THEIR NAMES WERE READ OFF AND THE SHIP'S BELL WAS TOLLED FOR EACH SAILOR
SATURDAY AFTERNOON:
A BUNCH OF US GOT INTO CAR
POOLS AND MADE OUR WAY DOWNTOWN TO TOUR THE RUSSION "FOXTROT" SUBMARINE;
THIS SOVIET DIESEL BOAT WAS BUILT AROUND THE SAME TIME AS THE BANCROFT WAS BUILT BUT WITH WWII COMPONENTS AND TECHNOLOGY. WE NOTICED THAT CREW COMFORT WAS NOT PART OF THEIR DESIGN.
SOME OF US WENT ON BOARD THE "STAR OF INDIA" WHICH IS ALSO TIED UP IN SAN DIEGO HARBOR. SHE WAS USED BY THE BRITISH TEXTILE INDUSTRY TO HAUL COTTON FROM INDIA BACK TO ENGLAND FOR THE TEXTILE/ CLOTHING MANUFACTURES THERE
AT THE BEGINNING OF HER CAREER, THIS SHIP WAS HAULING COTTON FROM THE COLONIES TO ENGLAND BUT WHEN THE CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT ALL THE COTTON FROM THE US WAS USED TO MAKE MILITARY UNIFORMS FOR THE UNION AND THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES. SO ENGLAND NAMED HER "STAR OF INDIA" AND SENT HER TO INDIA FOR COTTON. INDIA WAS THE SECOND LARGEST COTTON PRODUCER IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME.
SATURDAY EVENING'S BANQUET :
STARTING
WITH THE USUAL CASH BAR, THE DINNER WAS SERVED A BIT LATER. WHILE WE DIDN'T HAVE
A GUEST SPEAKER THIS TIME, WE CERTANLY HAD A "GUEST" OF HONOR AMONG
US.
JOE
COPPLOA BROUGHT HIS DAD AS A GUEST WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE A HIGHLY DECORATED WWII
SOLDIER WHO HAS SEEN LOTS OF COMBAT ACTION IS HIS CAREER. HE
WAS A COMBAT INFANTRYMAN WHO SAW ACTION IN ABOUT 7 DIFFERENT AREAS OF EUROPE,
WAS DECORATED WITH A BRONZE STAR, WITH A VALOR DEVICE, A PURPLE HEART AND THE
"COMBAT INFANTRY BADGE" AND IT WAS QUITE AN HONOR TO SIT AND TALK WITH
A MAN THAT HAS DONE ALL HE HAS FOR THE CAUSE OF "FREEDOM" IN THIS COUNTRY.
HE SAW ACTION AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, NORMANDY, WESTERN FRANCE, THE RHINE
RIVER CROSSING AND LIBERATED TWO CITIES IN CHECKOSLOVAKIA (spelling not guaranteed).
"WELL HEY JOE, WE ALL WENT OUT ON SOME CUSHY PATROLS
FOR TWO MONTHS AT A TIME" "DOES THAT COUNT?"
AS
IS USUAL AT THE BANQUETS, WE HAD SILENT AUCTIONS AND RAFFLES AND DALE PRESLEY
EVEN MODELED THE STEINKE HOOD FOR THOS WHO WANTED TO BID ON IT
LATER
ON THE "SPIRIT OF THE 643" HULL PIECE WAS AUCTIONED OFF AND THIS YEAR
IT WAS WON BY TIM SHUGART
TIM WILL GET TO KEEP THE HULLPIECE UNTILL THE NEXT REUNION.
AS WE DO AT EACH OF OUR REUNIONS, WE GATHER ALL THE PLANKOWNERS IN ATTENDANCE FOR A GROUP
SHOT.
THIS TIME
WE HAD 18 PLANKOWNERS PRESENT 
CAN YOU NAME THEM ALL??
OF COURSE WE HAD THE USUALLY DANCING AND SITTING AROUND SWAPPING SEA STORIES.
