Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel 64 South Water Street Mobile, Alabama ANNUAL USS HANSON NEWSLETTER MAY 2011 USS Hanson DD/DDR 832 Steering Committee Roger Austin Bob Beiter Lou DeLancey Jack Etheridge Tom Givan Bob Grimm Sam Long Dennis McGill Bill McLay Carl Pearson Doug Robe Jackson, GA Huron, OH Newport, PA Poplar Bluff, MO Hannibal, MO Amsterdam, NY West Chester, PA Califon, NJ Warminster, PA Pace, FL Blue Springs, MO Mobile, Alabama Planning Committee Roger Austin Mary Ellen Austin Carl Pearson Dorothy Pearson Our sincere thank you to the Mobile Alabama planning committee for their hard work and commitment to this event. The May 2011 Hanson Newsletter was prepared by Lou DeLancey and Bill McLay with newsletter layout by Edith McLay. USS HANSON DD/DDR 832 Annual Reunion Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel Mobile, Alabama 13 October, 2011 to 16 October, 2011 Welcome to the USS HANSON DD/DDR 832 Reunion for 2011. Where: Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel 64 South Water Street Mobile, Alabama 36602 Reservations: For reservations you must call the hotel direct at 1-800-922-3298 and state that you are part of the HANSON REUNION. Book only through this number to obtain our heavily discounted rates and Cut-off date to make reservations is Thursday 29 September, 2011. Special requests for vegetarian meals should be made when you make your reservations. Hotel check- in time on Thursday 13 October, 2011 is 1500 hours. The Hospitality room will be available shortly before check-in time. Soft drinks, coffee and snacks will be available. Room Rates: The following room rates, including all taxes will apply three (3) days prior to the event and three (3) days post event dates, based on availability: Single: $112.86, Double:$124.26, Triple:$135.66 and Quad:$147.06. 1
Hotel Information: The Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel is located along Mobile Bay in downtown Mobile. It is 14 miles South west of the Mobile airport. Hotel amenities include: The Harbor Room Seafood Restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner delights. Fathoms Restaurant and Lobby Lounge overlooking Mobile Bay and the Battleship Alabama - open for breakfast, lunch and dinner serving delectable Tapas (small plates of Spanish snacks) and Starbucks coffee. Valet laundry, exercise room, sundeck with pool, Jacuzzi and sauna services is available. Complimentary Service: Free full menu for a hot breakfast, Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. Self parking for cars at $7.00 per day is available and will be charged to the individual guest room. Parking for Recreation Vans is available two (2) blocks from the hotel. The hotel does not provide free shuttle service from and to the Mobile airport. Estimated taxi fare to the hotel is $26.00 (one way). -infrom the airport to the hotel based on flight arrival and departure times. They will have at least three (3) vehicles available for transportation to and from the hotel. Please call Roger Austin at 1-770-504-0004 if you plan to take advantage of this generous offer. Fathoms Restaurant & lounge The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa: This legendary hotel located across the street from our hotel will be the site of our Saturday evening banquet in their Crystal Ballroom. The hotel captures classic Southern charm as it steps back to a simpler time when elegance reigned supreme and service was sublime. Originally built in 1852 this hotel has served as a gathering place for high society and a stopover for celebrated American luminaries and statesman. We will have our Saturday Banquet Dinner in this hotel. Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel 2
ANNUAL USS HANSON NEWSLETTER MAY 2011 Reunion Information: Thursday 13 October 2011: Registration for the reunion will commence at 1430 hours in the Hospitality room. Soft drinks, coffee and snacks will be available. Bring your Hanson memorabilia. Dinner will be on your own. Friday 14 October 2011: At 0845 hours assemble in the Lobby for a 0900 hour departure for a bus trip to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida where we will tour the National Naval Aviation Museum. The bus will be handicapped accessible and will be provided with water, restroom and a tour guide who will accompany us during our visit to the Naval Air Station. The Museum is home to more than Battleship USS Alabama BB 60 4,000 artifacts and 150 restored aircraft from the Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. Each person is required to have a valid photo ID to enter the base. The museum and lunch costs are included in the tour price. Each person will be given a meal ticket that will permit you to grab a sandwich in the Cubi Bar Café. The base is huge and IMAX theatre where you can go on your own for a cost of $8.75 pp. The bus will depart at 1400 hours for the hotel. At 1700 hours we will conduct a business meeting in the Hospitality room. All attendees are invited. Dinner will be on your own. 3 Saturday 15 October 2011: At 0845 hours assemble in the Lobby for a bus ride to the near-by be concerned if the bus is overcrowded on the first trip, there will be another trip within 15 to 20 minutes. Your tickets for touring the Park include lunch aboard the battleship. History meets heroism up close as you explore 175 acres of history from World War ll to Iraqi Freedom, parks. Here you will walk the decks of the mighty battleship, winner of nine (9) battle stars in World War ll and tour the World War ll submarine USS Drum. In the new Aircraft Museum, see the Mach 3 A-12 Blackbird super secret spy plane and a B-52 stratofortress called Calamity Jane along with a plane like the one flown by the Tuskegee Airmen. At 1000 hours we will congregate on the fantail of the Battleship Alabama for a memorial service and wreath laying ceremony to honor our departed shipmates. At 1130 hours gather at the Battleship Wardroom for a catered lunch of your preselected choice of your own to tour the ship or go with our guide exploring this National Historic Landmark. At 1400 hours assemble for a short bus ride back to the hotel. Remainder of the afternoon on your own for shopping or sightseeing. (Cont. Page 4)
Reunion Information (Cont. from P. 3) Saturday 15 October 2011: Evening Events At 1730 hours in The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa Crystal Ballroom we will have a cash bar - mingle and fellowship. At 1830 hours - Welcome to our Annual Reunion At 1845 hours - Sit down dinner with your preselected menu of Grilled Chicken or Sirloin Steak. At 1950 hours - Introduction of the Steering Committee At 2000 hours - Raffle Cash bar until 2200 hours. Sunday Farewell Breakfast Sunday 16 October 2011: At 0800 hours assemble in the hotel restaurant for a complimentary buffet breakfast. -in-laws will offer their service for people who need a ride to the Mobile airport. Policy Statement As an inducement to encourage increased attendance at the Mobile reunion, we have reduced the quoted prices for the tours and banquet dinner by $7.00 per person. The difference in costs for the reunion tours and banquet will be absorbed by funds in the Reunion Committee treasury. Attendance at recent reunions has been declining. The Steering Committee is making every effort to improve the quality of the reunions and to make them more interesting for participation by all crew members and guests. Attendance at the reunion provides an opportunity to re-new old acquaintances and to make new friends in the Hospitality Room. The room is always open with coffee and snacks for your enjoyment. Bring your old photographs and memorabilia from those days you served on the Hanson and share sea stories with your shipmates. (The sea stories get bigger and better as we grow older.) Make it a true Vacation: Mobile area offers a wealth of cultural and historical attractions. Some interesting venues include: The Mobile Carnival Museum, birthplace of Mardi Gras. Visit Fort Gains, in beautiful Bellingrath Gardens and historic home located in nearby Theodore, AL. - Biloxi and Gulfport. 4
FYI For Your Information USS Hanson Website: For information about former shipmates, e-mail addresses and updates on crew members who have www.usshanson832.org To make corrections or additions to the information on the website please contact Bill McLay at e-mail address wjm304@verizon.net Banquet Raffle: Please remember to bring your contribution to the raffle which will be held during the Saturday evening banquet. Membership Dues: Crew dues are $20.00 per member, per year. Crew members, who have not paid their year 2011 dues, please forward your payment to: Dennis McGill, 4 Country Lane Califon, NJ 07830. Make checks payable to: USS Hanson DD/DDR832 Reunion Committee. Reunion Handout Booklet: We need new and exciting stores relating to your exmembers make an effort to recall some incident that happened on watch or on liberty that would be of interest to all crew members. Please forward your stories to: Lou DeLancey 517 Market Street Newport, PA 17074 by no later than 1 August 2011. Portland, Oregon Year 2012 Reunion: At our business meeting in Portland, Maine the membership voted to hold our Year 2012 reunion in Portland, Oregon. Jerry and Mary Jane Matthews agreed to act as co-chairpersons for this meeting. Please offer your assistance where ever possible to make this reunion one to remember. You can reach Jerry and Mary Jane Matthews at: 113 Latigo Lane Winlock, WA 98596. Telephone # (360) 262-9501 or e-mail mjmcrego@msn.com Anyone you know in this picture? Join us at the reunion. You might bring along some of your photos to share or perhaps you have some stories to tell. 5
History of Hanson Reunions Location Year Remarks/Attendance Las Vegas, NV 1993 61 Crew + 51 Guests = 112 Total 1994 No Reunion Las Vegas, NV 1995 Kansas City, MO 1995 Split Reunion (Attended by Original 12 members) New Orleans, LA 1996 29 Crew +25 Guests = 54 Total 1997 No Reunion Norfolk, VA 1998 72 Crew + 60 Guests = 132 Total Louisville, KY 1999 56 Crew + 50 Guests = 106 Total Evertt. WA 2000 56 Crew + 55 Guests = 111 Total Charleston, SC 2001 52 Crew + 53 Guests = 105 Total Branson, MO 2002 65 Crew + 67 Guests = 132 Total San Diego, CA 2003 76 Crew + 72 Guests = 148 Total Buffalo, NY 2004 52 Crew + 45 Guests = 97 Total San Antonio, TX 2005 48 Crew + 47 Guests = 95 Total Reno, NV 2006 54 Crew + 45 Guests = 99 Total Jacksonville, FL 2007 36 Crew + 30 Guests = 66 Total Memphis, TN 2008 46 Crew + 41 Guests = 87 Total Tucson, AZ 2009 37 Crew + 36 Guests = 73 Total Portland, ME 2010 22 Crew + 17 Guests = 39 Total Snacks & coffee, Hospitality Room Belly up to the bar boys, Budweiser Plant, Jacksonville Reunion 1 APRIL 2011 Please make your check payable to: USS HANSON REUNION COMMITTEE and mail along with this completed form to Doug Robe, 3409 S W Park Lane, Blue Springs, MO 64015 Price includes shipping. Any questions about quantities on hand call Doug at 816-229-0465 6
Directions From Mobile Airport Hotel direction: 14 miles SW Driving directions: Start out going on Southeast on Joseph Drawns Drive toward Airport Blvd/CR-56 West which is approximately 0.3 miles, then turn left on Airport Blvd. which is approximately 6.8 miles, then merge onto I-65 South which is approximately 3.0 miles, then merge onto I-10 East via exit 0 on the left which is approximately 6.4 miles, then take the Water Street Exit which is exit 26- B toward downtown Mobile, then turn left onto South Water Street, then make a left turn onto Government Street and right on Royal Street. The hotel is on the right of the street. Pensacola Airport Hotel direction: 57 miles NW Driving directions: Start out going Northwest on Airport Blvd. toward College Blvd. which is approximately 1.1 miles, turn left onto North 9th Avenue which is CR- 289, turn right onto Bayou Blvd./FI 296. Continue to follow FI 296 then merge onto I- 10 West via the exit on the left toward Mobile which is approximately 52 miles, then take the Water Street Exit which is Exit 26-b toward downtown Mobile, turn slight left onto South Water Street, then make a left turn onto Government Street and then right on Royal Street. The hotel is on the right side of the street. 7 From Biloxi Airport Hotel direction: 72 miles E Driving directions: Start out going Northwest on Airport Road toward Werby Way which is approximately 1.3 miles, turn right onto US-49 North, then merge onto I-10 East toward Biloxi/Mobile which is approximately 69 miles. Then take the Water Street Exit which is Exit 26-b toward downtown, and then make a slight left onto South Water Street. Then make a left turn onto Government Street and then right on Royal Street. The hotel will be on the right side of the street.
Meal & Tour Costs for the 2011 Mobile Reunion (All prices include applicable taxes and gratuities.) Listed below are the costs for meals and tours for the reunion. Please enter how many persons will be attending each event and the total amount. Add the total costs for all events plus the cost of Annual Reunion Dues for shipmates only. Make checks payable to: USS Hanson DD/DDR 832 Reunion Committee and forward to our Treasurer, Mr. Dennis McGill at: 4 Country Lane, Califon, NJ 07830 by no later than Thursday 22 September 2011. Event Price Each Num Total Amt Annual Reunion Dues $20.00 Friday -14 October Bus Tour - Visit the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL includes the National Naval Aviation Museum and lunch at the Cubi Bar Café. Saturday - 15 October Bus Tour - Visit the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park including lunch In the Battleship Wardroom. $44.00 Lunch menu, select one: Veggie medley, garden salad, dinner rolls, Banana pudding, Beverage. Or Twice baked potato casserole, dinner rolls, Apple or peach cobbler, Beverage. Saturday - 15 October Dinner Banquet - Select one Grilled chicken breast topped with lemon Num beurre sauce, Sirloin steak with pinot noir sauce Num Vegetable plate $28.00 Num Sides all entrees: House salad, potato and sautéed Vegetables Dessert: Raspberry Cheese Cake Total Amount Enclosed $ Name, Rate/Rank, Year on Board: (To be on your name tag) Spouse or Guest Name: Home Town (City and State) 8