President's Corner
March 27, 2011---- Notes posted since the mailing of our Last Newsletter.
Sick Call
Ray Sena is ill and would appreciate your cards and letters.
In Memoriam (Shipmates who have passed away during the preceding year):
Frank Ryan, SN, 1952-1953, passed away February 4, 2010.
James P. Olson, GMG3, 1967-1969, passed away May 3, 2010.
Marion G. Stephenson, LCDR, Former XO 1958 Passed away June 21, 2010.
Albert "Tony" DeChiara, Jr, LT, 1945-1946 (Plank Owner) passed away September 21, 2010.
James S. Montgomery, FA, 1959-1962 Passed away October 3, 2008.
Edmond P. Wilson, RD3, 1952-1953. Passed away January 19, 2011.
Donald E. Koelsch, ET2, 1952 - 1955, Passed away January 28, 2011.
James M. Shea, MM1, 1945-1946, Passed away October 12, 2010.
Donald E. Founds, BT1, Unk-Unk. Passed away December 8, 2010.
Joseph R. Czechowski S1c, 1946 - 1947, Passed away, February 5, 2010
John E. DeMoss ET1, n/a n/a, Passed away November 25, 2008
Roy Embree Patillo S2c, 1945 1946, Passed away April 25, 2011.
Robert M Shelton, RD2, 1960 1962. Passed away June 13, 2011.
Larry E. Torgersen, N/A. 1960 1963. Passed away June 10, 2011.
Jerome A. Stanalonis, BMCS, 1951 1956, Passed away September 5, 2010.
Henry J. Rodrigues, SN, 1952 1953. Passed away June 4, 2007.
Stanford K. Fox, SO2, 1950 1953. Passed away July 21, 2010.
Robert D. Wood. CAPT 1961 1963. Passed away May 19, 2011
William H. Pope FN 1958 1959. Passed away September 19, 2010
Frederick J. Wirth BKR2 1945 1946 (Plank Owner). Passed away September 4, 2011
William E. Ruffner BT3 1955 1958. Passed away October 4, 2011
Raymond A. Sena MM2 UNK UNK. Passed away November 29, 2011
NOTICES:
John Prendergast would like to hear from anyone that knew his father, Arthur O. Prendergast BM1, and has a
story to tell. He was only 7 years old, when his dad was killed in Vietnam. Arthur was aboard the Larson 1966-68,
so he has to pretty much depend on other people for information about his dad when he was in the Navy. John's
address: 9006 Independence Avenue,
Hesperia, CA 92746, phone: 909-362-1057.
Wendall S. Ward (Plank Owner) died June 10, 1992. His son Wendall Jr., 910-324-6132, would like to hear from
people who knew his dad. Wendall tried to reenlist in the Navy, but flunked the physical because of his hearing.
So he enlisted in the Air Force and retired from there in 1965.
Robert L. Gabrielson, who was on a NROTC Midshipman cruise in 1958, would like to locate a 1958 Cruise Book
for purchase or pay for a copy to be made. Please contact Bob at phone: (858)271-0436 or 10965 Negley Avenue, San Diego, CA 92131.
We have been asked the question "Can you provide me with information on living shipmates?'
We have a listing on over 1000 shipmates that we have located. We list them as Regular, Deceased or Not
Current Address(no forwarding address). So unless we are notified of a shipmate passing, we assume they still
living.
To answer the question, please contact Doug Rice for a particular shipmate name, so a listing is available
though Doug Rice (e-mail drice@ctslabs.com.com). Thank you.
We have an author in our Association, he is shipmate BILL FORBES a Radarman on board from 1958 to1962.
Bill's autobiography "AN ANCHOR IN THE PRAIRIE" is now published and available though www.amazon.com,
www.barnesandnoble.com" or www.BAMM.com. or order though your local bookstore. Cost is $19.95. Many of our
shipmates are recognized in the book.
"It's a nostalgic and fun journey from Middle America in the 1940's and 1950's, though 3 careers, and into
retirement. Bill takes us from his hometown of Utica, IL, though 2 Navy enlistments, 20 years as a broadcast
journalist, and 16 years as a civil servant in the nation's capital. Bill is the guy who burned a hole in Bill Clinton's
brand new office carpet, walked beneath the Arkansas River, logged more than 1200 hours in a news helicopter,
and survived the bureaucracy of Washington, DC. Bill was at our past Reunions in San Diego, CA, Dayton, OH,
and Washington DC Reunions.
For those wishing to purchase Larson hats, shirts and jackets, these are available from EMBROIDERY CREATIONS, 5050 Nebraska
Avenue, Ste. 8, HUBER HEIGHTS, OHIO. Phone: 937-235-0441. Fax: 937-235-0487. Website:
www.embroiderycreations.com Contacts are Jerry or Lana. EMBROIDERY CREATIONS has been the source of
our articles for the last several years and have been an excellent supplier.
LARSON PATCHES AVAILABLE - Vern Smith, 1855 E. Oakmont Ave., Fresno, CA 93720,
(e-mail: yttim2@dslextreme.com) has Larson Patches available.
The cost is $3.50 which includes mailing cost. If you have a interest in purchasing a patch, please contact Vern
directly.
If any of you have comments to pass on to our Shipmates,
please e-mail me (geneMMaresca@aol.com)and I will post in this column.
Thanks,
Gene Maresca
President of the Larson Reunion Association.