FRAtoday August  2019
COMMUNICATIONS
FROM THE FANTAIL
SHIPMATE FORUM	5
ON AND OFF CAPITOL HILL
FEATURE  STORies
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS18
SHIPMATE NEWS19
TAPS20
REUNIONS/lOOKINGFOR…27
AUXILIARY OF THE FRA26
FINANCE MATTERS27

COMMUNICATIONS

The First Aerial Atlantic Crossing
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the very first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by any aircraft. The crossing was made by U.S. Navy Curtiss (NC) flying boats. That historic first flight started on May 8, 1919, at NAS Rockaway, New York with three aircraft: NC-1, NC-3 and NC-4. After many trials that tested man and machine, and with the support of more than 50 U.S. Naval warships, NC-4 landed in the harbor at Plymouth, England, 23 days later, at 1:27 p.m. on May 31, 1919. 

NC-4’s route included stops in: Boston; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Trepassey Bay, Newfoundland; Horta and Ponta Delgada, Azores; Lisbon, Portugal; El Ferrol, Spain and Plymouth, England, in addition to a landing on the Mondego River for repairs. 

That was truly an epic feat for the U.S. Navy and the United States of America, but did you know the N-C4 was piloted by a U.S. Coast Guardsman? Not many people realize this small but very significant fact. 
I was recently speaking to Coast Guard Heritage Museum President and USCG Captain Greg Ketchen (Ret.), who pointed out this not-so-well-known fact. The huge flying boats had a wingspan of 126 feet and were crewed by five U.S. Navy aviators and one U.S. Coast Guardsman, Lt. Elmer Stone.

The flight was plagued by unpredictable weather and mechanical failures that downed one of the flying boats for two days. Repairs were made in rolling waves as high as 30 feet. 

At one point, NC-4 was virtually lost in zero-zero fog that was so thick the crew couldn’t see from one end of the aircraft to the other. The pilot was totally disoriented and almost put the “Four” into a spin, but recovered. The radio officer finally picked up bearings and weather information from a destroyer hidden below in the fog.
The ship flew on to complete history’s first aerial crossing of the Atlantic — landing at Lisbon, Portugal on May 27, 1919. It then diverted to Plymouth, England, as a “tip of the hat” to the town from which the pilgrims had sailed across the Atlantic to America in 1620 — 299 years earlier. Even though the flight was a point of pride for naval aviation and made front-page news across the United States and around the world, let us never forget the pilot was a guardsman. Each August, we recognize the founding of the U.S. Coast Guard in 1790 — Happy Birthday, Coasties!    

In Loyalty, Protection & Service,
William Stevenson, Editor-in-Chief

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FROM THE FANTAIL

The United States Coast Guard
Wow, what an evolutionary and exciting history this branch of service has. One does not have to read much to learn the differences between the mission of the Department of Defense (specifically, the Navy) and the Coast Guard. Both are similar in form and operational structure, and they both protect our securities. However, the Coast Guard also ensures maritime safety, a frugal stewardship and is the only military branch that has law enforcement jurisdictions. To merge the Coast Guard with the Navy would not be in our country’s best interest, given their contrasting roles. Again, the Navy, unlike the Coast Guard, does not have federal law enforcement responsibilities. From a monetary perspective, this perhaps would be an easy measure, but it would divide the mission of both services. The DOD’s responsibility is to “provide military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our country.”  The Coast Guard’s responsibility is to “ensure our nation’s maritime safety, security and stewardship.” Let’s boil this down to the genesis of the Coast Guard in a shortened version.

When early pioneers migrated from fresh water to salt water, via the St. Lawrence Seaway, the expansion of coastal lifesaving and lighthouse services expanded beyond the 95,000 square miles of the Great Lakes. Although many of us remember those lighthouses on the Great Lakes, the Coast Guard traces its roots back as early as 1716, with the establishment of a lighthouse on Little Brewster Island at the entrance to Boston Harbor. By 1789, there were 12 “lights” located within the new colony — the future United States. 

The Coast Guard’s legacy, since the early lighthouse years, has been passed along to three Federal Agencies. First, in 1790, President Washington signed legislation to construct ten small, swift vessels called cutters to enforce federal tariff and trade lanes to prevent smuggling. These ships comprised the Revenue Cutter Service. The Cutter Service and lighthouse keepers expanded as the nation grew. In 1915, the merger of these two services became what we know today as the Coast Guard. They formed the maritime service that is dedicated to lifesaving at sea and in the air, while enforcing maritime laws.

Its actions ensured public notoriety when it was then transferred to the Department of Commerce in 1946, the Department of Transportation in 1967 and more recently to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. From its early days in the Great Lakes, training of future enlisted Coast Guard personnel was learned while at Recruit Training, or “boot camp” at Camp May, New Jersey. Always remember that the Coast Guard is sometimes the first responder and provider of humanitarian aid for people in distress, either by natural or man-made disasters, both at sea and ashore.

The “Coasties,” as they are sometimes called, are vigilant in their daily acclaim to their motto, “Semper Paratus” or “Always Ready” for any mission. Yes, during wartime and conflicts, it complements the Department of the Navy. From the pre-revolutionary days to the 21st century of anti-drug deferments, fishery boarding, pollutant incidents, foreign vessel examinations, world wars, Vietnam and Middle East conflicts; the Coast Guard is there, always ready! Its guardsmen protect and defend more than 100,000 square miles of U.S. coastline and inland waterways from the Arctic to south of the equator. It is still considered to be one of the five U.S. Armed Services, but with law enforcement authority. 

Its officers attend the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. The Coast Guard’s long list of diverse services includes searching for illegal drugs, escorting passenger vessels, maintaining more than 82 buoys and navigation aids, and overseeing scientific advances in environmental research. The Coast Guard was and remains more than an “orange stripe” or a “rescue helo” it is an international sign of relief and the enforcement of safety and protection. There is a lot more to learn about the Coast Guard, but I will close with its motto of service: “Semper Paratus!”   

In Loyalty, Protection & Service, 
NED Thomas J. Snee
Tom is the FRA’s National Executive Director at NEDFRA@fra.org

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sHIPMATE FORUM

A Lifetime of Gratitude
In our lives, we can all think back to a time when we felt lost and hopeless. Then someone stepped forward to help, to save us. In my life, that was the Fleet Reserve Association scholarship fund. Twenty-two years ago, that scholarship saved my life. My father was a casualty of the Vietnam War so there was not enough money for education. There was no way for me to move forward without the FRA.

I promise you that not a day goes by that I don’t have thoughts of gratitude for the donors and volunteers who run the scholarship foundation. Some donors left money from their wills and we recipients are especially grateful. We do not get to know who they are, but we know what they are: lifesavers.

When I salute the American flag, I am saluting the Fleet Reserve Association. You are one of the stars and stripes, no less than that.
Daniel Emmett Clark, son of James W. Clark USMC  

Hit the Military Again
I am writing about, “CBO Calls for TRICARE Fees, Smaller Pay Increases and Reduced Benefits,” in the March issue. I realize the defense budget is large, but I get tired whenever they want to reduce the budget deficit, the first thing the Congressional Budget Office targets is military spending. Those of us who served to defend our country have sacrificed again and again. 

When I joined the Navy in, 1955, I was promised a lot of things including free health insurance if I served 20 years. I did my part and now things have changed considerably. No one has the fortitude to do anything about the VA that spent 1.2 billion over budget on the Aurora, Colorado VA complex, which is still not completed. 

How about doing away with the free things the government gives to people who never served in the armed forces? How about a 10 to 15 percent cut for all Federal employees? That alone would cut the deficit in half. 

What the CBO does not understand is that if they keep hitting the military, people will refuse to serve; then what? Personally, me and several of my American Legion buddies at Post 31 in Lake City, Iowa think government employees should all take a reduction in salary and benefits and see how they like it.
Sincerely, Charles S. Cole, Sr. PN1 (Ret.) Branch 216

U.S. Armed Guards
I enjoyed reading your piece on the Navy Armed Guard in the April issue of FRAtoday. Those Liberty Ships you mentioned caught my attention. The Navy purchased sixteen (8 for each coast) of those in the early 1950s for use on the NORAD Line as Radar Platforms. It fell to my lot to be assigned to the USS GUARDIAN (YAGR-1) in March 1957, home port Davisville, R.I. I was a YN1 at the time in charge of the Ship’s Office until August 1960 when I transferred to the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland. 

The GUARDIAN was later moved from 1st Naval District (thus the “Y”) to the Atlantic Fleet and became AGR-1. Due to a “snap roll” affecting Radar Scope readings, the GUARDIAN had approximately 15-18 inches of concrete poured on the main deck area both forward and aft to cure the problem. Several holds in the lower cargo areas were sealed and filled with chromate water.  

The GUARDIAN was 441 feet long and 58 feet at the beam. Those AGRs had extensive times at sea spending approximately 65-70 percent of their time cruising at 5 knots in a race-track pattern 300-500 miles out to sea on a station. Crew included 14 officers and 130 enlisted. Due to extended periods at sea, we had an allowance for better food which kept sailors happy. In the summer of 1958, we got into a Gulf Stream flow and caught 33 deep-sea fish 30-38 inches long. Our cook did an excellent job of preparing a gourmet meal.
In the fall of 1959, we rode out a hurricane while on a northern station. Our top (legal) speed was 10.5 knots. The engine had three cylinders, each a different size. Steam pumped in the 1st (larger) then went to the 2nd then 3rd (half the size of #1). Very economical but very slow! Riding out a 2 ½ day hurricane was no fun. You could stand anywhere on the ship and clock the number of turns being made on our single screw (66 turns = 10.5 knots). In the Spring of 1959, I clocked 88 turns per minute on the screw when heading back to Rhode Island. Someone was holding down some safeties! 

Probably most of those who served on those AGRs are now gone. I am 87 and still in good health, but lost my wife of 53 years in 2004. Enjoy FRAtoday. Keep up the good work! 
Yours for smooth seas, Jared W. Jenkins, YNCS USN (Ret.)
 
Submit Shipmate Forum letters to FRAtoday, 125 N. West Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Submissions may be sent to fratoday@fra.org. Please include “Shipmate Forum” in the subject line. FRA reserves the right to select and edit letters for publication. Letters published in Shipmate Forum reflect the opinions and views of individual FRA members. They do not necessarily reflect the official position of FRA as a whole. FRA is not responsible for the accuracy of letter content. 

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ON AND OFF CAPITOL HILL

National Defense Authorization Act Spending Levels
As you receive this issue of FRAtoday, Congress will be starting its August recess. Both the House and Senate have passed their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Neither bill has a TRICRE fee increase. However, the Senate version allows for the administration’s proposal for drastic cuts in military medical staff. Included in this issue is a side-by-side chart comparing key provisions in the two bills. Another major difference between the two bills (H.R.2500/S.1790) is the “top-line” spending for the Pentagon. The Senate bill authorizes $750 billion and the House bill authorizes $733 billion. Usually the differences are resolved in the conference committee. The FRA is disappointed that concurrent receipt amendments in the House and Senate, and the Window’s Tax repeal amendment in the Senate, were not called for a vote. See the NDAA story on page 10 for more details.

Veterans Issues
President Trump Signs Agent Orange Bill into Law
President Donald Trump signed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (H.R.299) into law. Last year, the House unanimously passed the bill only to have it stall in the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington D.C. ruled in favor of Agent Orange/Blue Water Navy veterans in Procopio v Wilkie court decision this past January. The Department of Justice declined to appeal the decision, so the House and Senate passed the FRA-supported legislation unanimously. This court case argued on behalf of Blue Water Veterans saying that Navy veteran, Mr. Procopio, who never stepped foot on land in Vietnam, was exposed to Agent Orange during his military service off the coast of the Republic of Vietnam. Due to this exposure, he developed medical conditions consistent with other veterans who served on land and were exposed to Agent Orange and therefore be entitled to a presumptive category and be eligible for benefits. This legislation essentially codifies the Procopio decision into law. The FRA is listed as a Friend of the Court by the petitioner Blue Water Navy Veteran, Mr. Procopio. 

Agent Orange was an herbicide used during the Vietnam era that has been known to be associated with certain health issues in people who have been exposed to its chemical components. The Agent Orange Act of 1991 stipulated that if a veteran served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 and has a disease that has been associated with exposure to Agent Orange, they are automatically presumed to have been exposed and, therefore, qualify for VA disability compensation. This included Blue Water Navy veterans who served of the coast until 2001 when the Department of Veterans Affairs arbitrarily changed the interpretation of the law allowing the presumption based on “boots on the ground.” The legislation and the court decision bring back this presumption of exposure to Agent Orange to veterans who served offshore of Vietnam.

The bill also covers veterans who served in the Korean Demilitarized Zone between Sept. 1, 1967, and Aug. 31, 1971, as well as children with spina bifida born to veterans who served in Thailand between January 1962 and May 1975. The FRA wants to thank the Shipmates who repeatedly used the FRA Action Center to urge their legislators to pass this legislation. 

FRA Participates in Conference call with President and VA Secretary
FRA staff, ADVP Brian Condon participated in a conference call with President Trump and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie to discuss implementation of the VA MISSION Act. President Trump discussed the enactment of the VA Accountability act that allows VA management to discharge VA employees for bad conduct. He mentioned the MISSION Act has enabled the VA to add more doctors, nurses and physician assistants, expand telehealth, streamline VA claims and the interoperability of medical records between the DOD and VA. Secretary Wilkie spoke about the importance of the GI Bill going back to post World War II and its transformative effect on society.  He also talked about the VA being in a period of transformation. 

The President noted the VA MISSION Act’s impact on reducing wait times for veterans to see a doctor. The President mentioned his executive order for the DOD and the VA to work together to combat suicide and the formation of a task force to study the issue and develop “best practices” to combat suicide. He stated that VA funding has increased to ensure adequate funding for DOD and VA health care resource sharing in delivering seamless, cost effective, quality services to personnel wounded in combat and other veterans and their families.

VA MISSION Act Implementation 
The FRA-supported VA MISSION Act was signed into law on June 6, 2018, NED Tom Snee and DLP John Davis attended the bill signing ceremony at the White House. A year later, the law is being implemented by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Under the new law, the Veterans Health Administration will undergo structural changes that give veterans greater access to the health care they earned.

Fully implementing this new law is going to take years. Among other things, the VA has to integrate community care programs, update payment systems and conduct a review of the department’s assets and infrastructure. These major changes to VA structure are scheduled over the next several years with progress review dates for accountability. 

Another important provision of the new law is the expansion of the VA Caregiver Program that was expanded to include benefits for all badly disabled veterans. Previously it applied to veterans disabled after 9/11/2001. The FRA will continue to monitor implementation of all these important provisions of this law to ensure that veterans continue to benefit from this new law. 

Bipartisan Veterans Bills Pass the House
Before adjourning for the 4th of July week, the House passed the BRAVE Act (H.R.2109) and H.R.2196, which is a bill to reduce the credit hour requirement for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Scholarship program. The bills are sponsored by Reps. Kathleen Rice (N.Y.) and Andy Barr (Ky.). 

These bills are intended to encourage more veterans to pursue advanced degrees in high-need fields of study and incentivize companies to hire more veterans. H.R.2109 would encourage companies to hire veterans by allowing the VA to give preference to prospective contractors based on the number of veterans they employ. H.R2196 would ensure that the scholarship program Congress provided for student veterans in STEM programs can be used in the way Congress intended and more importantly, ensure that student veterans in these important degree programs receive the support they need to pursue their dreams. The proposals now go to the Senate for further consideration. 

Veterans’ Retiree Issues
National Defense Authorization Act Action
The House and Senate have passed their versions of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA-H.R.2500/S.1790). Debate on passage of the Senate bill was initially blocked when Senate Democrats demanded that the first amendment to be considered had to be an amendment limiting presidential war powers. An agreement was finally reached, and the Senate was able to pass the bill.
One of the major differences between the House NDAA and the Senate NDAA is the top-line spending for the Department of Defense. The House bill provides for $733 billion and the Senate bill provides $750 billion. It should be noted that neither spending level will occur unless Congress eliminates or raises the spending caps on sequestration. The key provisions in the House bill include:
•	No TRICARE fee increases.
•	Prohibiting DOD from realigning or reducing military medical end strength until analyses are conducted on combat readiness, quality of care and the availability of health care services for beneficiaries.
•	Increasing pay to keep pace with civilian pay (3.1 percent).
•	Continuing reforms of sexual assault and prevention programs.
•	Increasing end strength for the Navy and Marine Corps.
•	Cutting $1.2 billion in military personnel funding. 
•	Prohibiting the Marine Corps from segregating men and women in boot camp within five years at Parris Island and within eight years at San Diego. 
•	Requiring DOD to conduct a policy review and submit a report on suicide among members of the armed forces.  
•	Requiring the DOD to develop an assessment tool to measure health and safety hazards in DOD housing, including privatized housing.
•	Mandating that exposures to burn pits and blast events be recorded in a service member’s medical record. 
•	Increasing maximum reimbursement amount from $500 to $1,000 for vocational state licensure and certification of a military spouse due to relocation.
The FRA opposes the controversial plan to cut more than 18,000 military medical billets over three years and welcomes the two-year delay provided in the House markup to determine the impact on access and quality of care for beneficiaries. 
Sen. Jon Tester (Mont.) filed an amendment at the FRA’s request that expands concurrent receipt. The Senate did not consider the concurrent receipt amendment nor an amendment to repeal the SBP/DIC offset also known as the Widow’s Tax, sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins (Maine). The House also failed to consider an amendment to expand concurrent receipt, sponsored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (Fla.). Unlike the House version of the NDAA, the Senate version allows proposed drastic cuts to military medical staff. Other provisions in the Senate bill include:
•	No TRICARE fee increases.
•	Increasing military end strength by 7,700 (Navy 5,000 and Marines 100).
•	Increasing active duty pay (3.1 percent), which keeps pace with civilian pay increases.
•	Expanding active duty parental leave benefits.
•	Beefing up oversight of privatized military housing. 
•	Providing military justice provisions aimed at better prosecuting sexual assault.
•	Increasing military construction spending for military housing and day care centers.
•	Increasing employment opportunities for military spouses. 
The FRA opposes the proposed drastic cuts in military medical staff. The Defense Department’s FY2020 budget calls for the elimination of about 18,000 military medical positions from the current 130,000. The FRA is concerned that such drastic cuts could impact access to, and the quality of, care for retirees, active duty members and their families. These proposed cuts could also impact combat casualty care capabilities. Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center (www.fra.org) to ask their legislators to support a delay in cuts to military medical staff until a study can determine the impact on the system.
Now that both chambers have passed their versions of the NDAA, a conference committee will be appointed to resolve the differences between the two bills. Once that occurs, both chambers will vote on the final bill, and if approved by both, the bill will go to the president to be signed into law or be vetoed.  Members can refer to the NDAA chart on page 14 for a comparison of key provisions. 
In related news, congressional leaders have started negotiations on lifting the spending caps on defense and non-defense spending known as sequestration. Members can also weigh in with this issue on the FRA Action Center.

Discharge Petition for SBP/DIC Offset Repeal
Rep. Joe Wilson (S.C.), sponsor of the FRA-supported SBP/DIC offset repeal (H.R.553), has filed a Discharge Petition for the legislation. A discharge petition allows a bill to be released from committee and sent to the House floor for a vote if a majority of Representatives (218) approves the petition. The SBP/DIC offset for survivors, is sometimes referred to as the Military Widows Tax.

Eliminating the DIC dollar-for-dollar offset to SBP annuities for eligible survivors would correct an inequity that has existed for many years. Each payment serves a different purpose: DIC is a special compensation paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to the survivor when a military member’s death is service-connected. SBP annuities are paid by the Department of Defense, reflect the longevity of the service of the military member. They are usually calculated at 55 percent of covered retired pay for retirees who elect to participate. It ensures their family has a guaranteed income after his/her death. 

Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center to contact their U.S. Representative to ask them to support the discharge petition. 

Active Duty/Reserve Issues
FRA Hosts 21st Annual Coast Guard Caucus Breakfast
The Fleet Reserve Association hosted the 21st annual Coast Guard Caucus Breakfast. It is an event meant to expand awareness of the Coast Guard’s missions, remarkable service to our nation and promote dialogue between members of Congress and key Coast Guard leaders. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz was the keynote speaker at the event. The Commandant said he did not want the Coast Guard to be held hostage again during budget battles on Capitol Hill and his primary focus is improving readiness.  He noted that the Coast Guard has personnel in the Persian Gulf, AFRICOM and in the South China Sea. He also mentioned their important work to intercept illegal drugs coming into the United States. The commandant engaged Representatives in attendance and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) Jason Vanderhaven. There were several Coast Guard officers and senior enlisted leaders who discussed the needs of Coast Guard personnel.

The legislators who were in attendance included Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), John Garamendi (Calif.), Duncan Hunter (Calif.), Bobby Scott (Va.), Ted Yoho (Fla.), Ralph Abraham (La.), Neal Dunn (Fla.), Carol Miller (W.Va.), and Joe Courtney (Conn.).  

Acting SecDef Resigns
Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan, who was nominated by President Trump to be Secretary of Defense, abruptly resigned from the Department of Defense, siting an upcoming story in the news media about family domestic abuse. Mark T. Esper, the secretary of the Army, became the new acting Defense secretary. 

Coast Guard Coin Legislation
The United States Coast Guard Commemorative Coin Act (H.R.1257-S. 509) has been introduced in the House and Senate and is sponsored by Rep. Joe Courtney (Conn.) and Sen. Mike Murphy (Conn.) respectively. This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue in commemoration of the U.S. Coast Guard (1) $5 gold coins, (2) $1 silver coins and (3) half-dollar clad coins. The design of such coins shall be emblematic of the traditions, history and heritage of the Coast Guard and its role in securing the United States since 1790. The issuance of such coins is restricted to the one-year period beginning on Jan. 1, 2020. 

Despite its significant role in our national defense, the U.S. Coast Guard is the only uniformed service without a national museum to showcase its 229-year history. Legislation was passed authorizing the National Museum to be located in New London, Connecticut. Construction on the museum is scheduled to begin next year. 

This bipartisan bill would honor all those who have served in the Coast Guard by the minting of a special commemorative coin. The proceeds from sales would be used to support the development and operation of the museum via the National Coast Guard Museum Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the facility and to expand awareness of the important history, service and missions of the Coast Guard.

Members are encouraged use the FRA Action Center on the website (www.fra.org) 

Senate Confirms Marine Corps Commandant
Lt. General David Berger has been confirmed by the Senate to be the next (37th) Commandant of the Marine Corps. He will assume leadership of the Marine Corps on July 11 when the current Commandant Bob Neller will step down.  Berger was commissioned as a Marine infantry officer in 1981, and before his current assignment he commanded U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. He also deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Berger is set for a promotion to four-star general as Commandant.

FEATURE  STORY

The Higgins Boat (LCVP) The Boat that Won WWII
By W.D. Stevenson

In his biography of Andrew J. Higgins, Jerry Strahan illustrates an independent, polarizing character, a strong-willed fellow who was born in Columbus, Nebraska, in 1886. Higgins had a vision, a drive and a real passion for boats that would last him all his life. He built his first boat in the basement of his house and had to knock down an exterior wall just to launch it. His drive for success kept him going through good times and bad. Few know that he was also quite the inventor. In fact, he was just inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame this year.
At the age of 32, Higgins and several partners started the A.J. Higgins Lumber and Export Company. The company’s mission was to process local timber and import hardwoods from Central America, Africa and the Philippines. The imported logs were wholesaled to lumber distributors across the South. 

After some successful — and more unsuccessful — amphibious or marine-related ventures with names such as Swamp Cat and Beachmaster, Higgins and his colleagues became proficient at producing shallow draft workboats of all sizes for maritime operations in the southern Louisiana.

Then Came the Great Flood
The Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States. The path of destruction was nearly 27,000 square miles and had 30 feet of water in some places. Higgins’ shallow water boats were used to save valuable equipment that was marooned up and down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The experience gained from transporting large farm equipment on a ramped platform connected between two boats helped Higgins develop his unique landing craft. He was able to prove to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard and the folks who lived along the waterways that his low-draft boats worked. The company started receiving large orders for this new type of boat that was supporting the swamp-based oil industry of Louisiana. Higgins named the crafts Eureka, even though they were called “Spoonbills.” It was the prequel to the yet-to-be-famous, Higgins-designed Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) landing crafts of WWII. By the ‘30s, there were hundreds of specially built industrial boats designed and produced by the newly named Higgins Industries Inc.

Higgins Industries  was located in New Orleans and was known for producing the largest number of Patrol Torpedo (PT) boats and landing craft during WWII. The modestly sized plants received the largest government contract during WWII to deliver assault craft, and were responsible for building more than 20,000 boats. By the conclusion of the war, 92 percent of the Navy’s active vessels had been designed by Higgins Industries. HI also trained naval officers and personnel on how to use their special boats.

HI employed more than 30,000 people located at seven plants in New Orleans and was one of the largest contributors to this country’s overall military success at the time. Higgins Industries employed some of the best people, who were dedicated to the cause of winning the war.

“The thing that makes Andrew Higgins so unique to me, is that as an inventor, his workforce was the first in New Orleans to be racially integrated. His employees included undrafted white males, women, African Americans, the elderly and handicapped persons. All were paid equal wages according to their job rating,” said Michael Oister, CEO of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. “We like to bring some of these silent giants to the minds of young kids as role models. We felt Andrew was a perfect role model as an inventor.”

Changing Shore Landings Forever 
The military craft that HI delivered were fast and the special design of the Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel allowed troops to land on the beaches of Normandy and other places throughout the Mediterranean and Pacific theaters of the war. There was a groove on the underside of the hull that enclosed part of the propeller. This is what enabled the craft to operate in about three feet of water without damaging the blades. 

Initially, separate landing craft were used for troops and vehicles — Landing Craft Personnel (L)s and LCVs, or Landing Craft Vehicle. The LCP(L) was designed without a ramp so troops unloaded over the side, but that exposed the men to hostile fire. Higgins combined the LCP(L) and LCV’s designs into the Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel, or LCVP; which is the most famous of Higgins’ designs — often referred to as the Higgins boat. It allowed infantry or small vehicles to exit through a front drop ramp. The Higgins boats were the ideal type of craft for the island-hopping war fronts of WWII.

Higgins boats changed the way that war was fought. Previously, troops would have to attack heavily defended ports to land on an enemy’s shore. But by using Higgins boats, armies could unload across an open beachfront and have more options in choosing their attack points. This also stretched out the defending armies into a less concentrated line of defense that had to cover more shoreline. President Eisenhower was said to have referred to Andrew J. Higgins as “the man who won the war for us.”

Higgins Boats in the Pacific Theater
Code name Operation Watchtower was also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal. It was the military campaign fought between Aug. 7, 1942, and Feb. 9, 1943, on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. It was the first major offensive by Allied forces against the Japanese Empire and included the first major amphibious landings by U.S. Marines using the LCP(L), which meant there was no front drop ramp, so troops had to exit over the sides of the craft.

Bad weather provided good cover, so Allied expeditionary forces arrived unseen on the night of Aug. 6, 1942, and took the defenders by surprise in the morning. This has been called the “Midnight Raid on Guadalcanal.” A Japanese aircraft missed spotting the ships because of severe storms and heavy clouds. The landing force split into two groups, with one assaulting Guadalcanal and the other Tulagi and Florida. There were 3,000 U.S. Marines who, with some difficulty, secured the three islands. The Japanese defenders were nearly killed to the last man. The Marines suffered a loss of 122 men. Following the success of Operation Watchtower, Higgins boats were also used in Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines during WWII.

Higgins Boats in the Mediterranean Theater
Operation Torch was conducted from Nov. 8 to 16, 1942. It was the first jointly planned amphibious invasion into Nazi-occupied Northern Africa. The U.S. and British forces landed at beaches in Morocco, as well as in Oran and Algiers in Algeria. This was when the front drop ramp was used on a modified version of the LCP to get vehicles and troops ashore.

The operation was commanded by General Dwight D. Eisenhower and was designed as a pincer movement, which is a coordinated military attack from two directions. The American landing was at Morocco’s Atlantic coast and the Anglo-American landings were on Algeria’s Mediterranean coast. The primary objective was to secure bridgeheads for opening a second front to the rear of German and Italian forces battling the British in Libya and Egypt.

Operation Torch marked the largest American campaign to date in the Mediterranean theater. It was also the first major joint operation carried out by the United States and the United Kingdom during World War II. The joint forces seized the offensive following three years of German and Italian forces controlling the tempo of the war.

Higgins Boats in the European Theater
Operation Overlord took place on June 6, 1944 and is better known as D-Day. This was a joint landing by U.S., Canadian and British troops and was the most successful amphibious invasion to date. Although the soldiers hit the beaches using a variety of landing craft, the most important was the Higgins boat, primarily made from plywood and quarter-inch steel armor. The LCVP was created for the landing of U.S. troops on Omaha and Utah beaches, and could hold 12 troops, a jeep and 8,100 pounds of cargo, or 36 combat-equipped soldiers. On D-Day, it was the Higgins boats that transported 34,000 soldiers to Omaha Beach. The day following the invasion, Higgins boats then helped transport 175,000 soldiers and 50,000 vehicles to the shores of Normandy, France.

The Allies had established a foothold on the French coastline by the end of the day. The operation was ultimately successful and marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control. It came at great human cost; nearly 10,500 Allied troops were estimated to have been killed, wounded or reported missing.

Inventor Ahead of his Time
The Higgins boat’s importance to the success of D-Day has earned Higgins a place in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Andrew Higgins holds 18 different patents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, which includes the National Inventors Hall of Fame exhibit. There, visitors can see that patent No. US 2,144,111, filed in 1936, is a schematic and detailed explanation for a flat bottomed, shallow water boat hull design. Patent No. US 2,341,866, filed in 1944, is for a front drop ramp that “relates to landing boats of particular military significance for transporting trucks, field pieces and other equipment to a beach, and landing them on the beach without the benefit of wharves or docks.”

Higgins passed in 1952, but his sons continued the business throughout the ‘50s, and continued to pitch amphibious vehicles to the U.S. armed forces. They also produced pleasure craft, furniture, camping trailers, helicopters, airplanes and many other items, some still in use today. The Higgins family sold off Higgins Industries in 1959. There are about 200 Higgins boats known to still exist; the whereabouts of other Higgins amphibious vehicle prototypes are unknown.

On June 6, 2001, Congress commissioned a Gold Medal of Honor for Andrew Jackson Higgins to recognize the efforts he and his workers made during the war. The act was officially cited as the “Andrew Jackson Higgins Gold Medal Act”.    

FEATURE

The Coast Guard Heritage Museum: Semper Paratus
By Ann Norvell Gray

There are larger, more grand and better-known museums around the country honoring the United States military, but you would be hard-pressed to find one more dedicated, beloved or community-oriented than the Coast Guard Heritage Museum in Barnstable, Massachusetts — Cape Cod’s largest community. If you imagine the cape as a flexed left arm, Barnstable straddles the cape about where the shoulder muscle and the biceps meet. The museum overlooks Barnstable Harbor to the north.

Cape Cod and the Coast Guard
The history of the Coast Guard is intricately and permanently connected to the seafaring life of Cape Cod. As the Coasties among you already know, that history began with the Revenue-Marine, later the Revenue Cutter Service, which was established to enforce the collection of tariffs and protect the financial lifeblood of the new nation from swarms of smugglers. 

 The Coast Guard Act of 1915 combined rescue and life-saving duties into the U.S. Coast Guard. Lighthouse operation responsibilities were added in 1939. The fishing industry on the cape has been the local equivalent of the family farm. Local fishermen, the merchant mariners, and the recreational sailors and cruisers have depended on the skills and courage of the Coast Guard and its predecessor organizations for safety in those challenging seas. 
Since its early role in ensuring the revenue stream of a new nation, the Coast Guard has protected all of America’s coastlines from enemies foreign and domestic. Intrepid and always prepared, its shipmates have rounded up lawbreakers, watched over the law-abiding, and rescued the crews and passengers of working fishing boats, rum runners, pleasure cruisers, legitimate cargo ships, and vessels of all manner of purpose and description, even those of hijackers, drug smugglers, and human traffickers.

The Museum’s Creation
Around the turn of the 21st century, inspired by the relationship between the cape and the Guard, long-time cape residents Cmdr. Maurice Gibbs (Ret.), president emeritus of the Nantucket Lifesaving Museum, and Lou Cataldo, a WWII Navy veteran and local historian, were the driving force behind the creation of a museum dedicated to the preservation of that history, and of the organizations that preceded the establishment of the Guard. Three former coasties joined the effort, and the project was underway. In an act of elegant reference to those early enforcers of revenue collection, Barnstable’s historic U.S. Customs House, built in 1856, was restored and the U.S. Coast Guard Heritage Museum opened in the renovated building in 2005.

The Building
The handsome Italianate building, sturdy and nearly square, is a modest but fine example of the many customs houses designed by Ammi B. Young, then Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department. Its hipped roof, strong granite base, and three-over-three arched windows on all four sides give it the classical grace and sense of permanence that symbolize the ambitions of a new nation. The Customs House is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is now owned by the town of Barnstable and leased to the museum. In November of 2017, the Massachusetts Historical Commission recognized the building’s rehabilitation and restoration with the 2017 Massachusetts Historical Commission Preservation Award.(1) 

The wide, square footprint enables the exhibits to be spread around the rooms, and visitors can walk among them, following their own interests. Because of those large arched windows and the polished wood floors, the exhibits on both floors seem  grounded and are awash in natural light  The lower floor introduces the visitor to the Coast Guard’s 18th and 19th century beginnings. Among its displays are uniforms and weapons of the Revenue Cutter Service, and a Beach Cart on permanent loan from the Orleans Historical Society. 

Second floor exhibits include installations covering the Coast Guard’s small boats, its participation in wars from WWII through the present day, and women in its service. There are sections dedicated to Coast Guard aviation and to artifacts of the U.S. Lighthouse Service. Throughout the museum, visitors can examine a fine collection of ship models, including a 50-inch model of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Campbell, made by Master Model Maker Mike Maynard, a retired Coast Guardsman and an honorary board member of the museum. There is also a gift shop on the ground level.

Rescuing the USS Pendleton
Of particular note is a special exhibit on the second floor honoring the heroes of the rescue of the SS Fort Mercer and the SS Pendleton. Many shipmates already know the story quite well, but for the others among you, here is what happened. In the winter of 1952, pummeled by a huge nor’easter, the two WWII T2 tanker ships split apart, both of them doomed by the same design flaw in the hulls. Although the Pendleton broke first, it couldn’t get out an SOS. When the Fort Mercer split and called for help, the available Coast Guard cutters and air support from the Chatham Lifeboat Station sped to her rescue. Only small boats remained at the station when the broken Pendleton was spotted. 

The New England Historical Society has posted a harrowing description of the rescue of the Pendleton survivors. If there was ever any doubt about the courage and determination of Coxswain Bernard Webber and his three volunteers aboard the 36-foot CG-36500 that put out into blinding snow and 60-foot seas, crossed the treacherous Chatham Bar and brought back 32 survivors in a vessel designed for 12, this gripping story consigns that doubt to the rubbish heap once and for all.(2) 

The Museum Today
The Coast Guard Heritage Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization. It is led, staffed and supported almost entirely by volunteers, but receives support from the business community as well. At its opening, money was tight. The generosity of many supporters supplied the collections to be shown. A history written by Francis Broadhurst, the organization’s secretary, describes it thus:
[Founder] Maurice Gibbs and Jeremy Slavitz, Curator of the Nantucket Life-Saving Museum, brought dozens of exhibits on loan from the Egan Foundation. Orleans Historical Society donated the Beach Cart last used on Cape Cod for a breeches buoy rescue in 1962. Ex-Army officer Richard Boonisar, a major collector of Revenue Marine, Lighthouse and Life-Saving Service memorabilia, loaned his magnificent collection of historical artifacts, which remain a centerpiece of our exhibits. ... One of our most prominent donors was Gold Medal Recipient Bernard Webber (WO, USCG Ret) hero of the Pendleton Rescue…Mr. Webber donated his uniforms, medals and ribbons dating back to service as a teenager in the Merchant Marine in WWII, [and in] the Korean and Vietnam conflicts…In true Coast Guard fashion [all the volunteers] see something that needs to be done and they do it!(3)
  
During the off-season, from the first of November until the museum reopens each May, teams of volunteers work to clean up the museum and renovate spaces, to stuff envelopes and handle paperwork, to maintain or improve the exhibits, and to work out and install any new ones planned for the next season. During the winter of 2018-19, the crews installed a new artifact computer system and spruced up their office and storage spaces. Every April, the Heritage Museum participates in the Cape Cod Festival of Museums. Their most recent entry included a “selfie booth,” where children could put on Coast Guard outfits and hats and have their pictures taken in front of a suitably nautical backdrop. That booth is part of the museum’s displays this season.

Because the museum depends on donations for its support, and on its dedicated leadership and a committed army of local volunteers for its operations, and because it is situated in a place rich in maritime culture, it is continually engaged with the community. Its life force is fueled by the willingness to serve, the impulse to protect, and the can-do attitude of the Coast Guard. Before this summer, the warmhearted welcome extend to visitors was reflected in the smiling face of Sam Adams, the museum’s handsome resident Samoyed, who crossed the bar this winter. A good Coastie in a white fur coat, he was undoubtedly Semper Paratus.       

SOURCES
1. www.acppubs.com/articles/3515-2017-massachusetts-historical-commission-preservation-award
2. The Heroic Rescue of the Pendleton Crew, 1952, accessible at www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/heroic-rescue-pendleton-crew-1952
3. Broadhurst, Francis I., “A History of How, When, and Why we began: Who our founders were and What we are about,” PDF, access on www.coastguardheritagemuseum.org/museum-history.html

Return to Table of Contents

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

The FRA Membership Information Update Project

By now, you should know about the FRA’s project to update our members’ contact information and produce a membership directory. We partnered with a publishing company to reach out to every member on file to invite Shipmates to verify and update their contact information. We needed to ensure that we have all your current contact information. It reduces wasted mail costs and enables the FRA to effectively reach out about current and future initiatives.

We also want to assure you that our publishing partner adheres to a contracted, strict privacy policy and cannot use your information for any purpose other than this data verification project. The company, based in Texas, mailed several postcards to each Shipmate’s address. They also sent emails, if we had an email address on file. The cards and emails will stop once they hear from you. If you did not get a card or email and would like to be included in the FRA Member Directory, there is still time; simply call 800-338-7794. 

To date, more than half of our Shipmates have responded, but that leaves about half of our total membership still unconfirmed. We would very much like to hear from you. Only the data verification team in Texas will include you in the FRA Directory. They can walk you through the process of confirming or updating your information. They will also ask about your military service and awards you may have received. This is optional, but is information FRA HQ did not previously maintain. It will help us provide relevant information to you. After they verify your information, they will ask if you’re interested in purchasing FRA-related gear and the Member Directory. The directory costs $119.89 +19.95 plus shipping and handling. The sweatshirt and T-shirt are $59.59+$12.95 plus shipping and handling each. There are other products available. You are under no obligation to buy anything and your update will be sent to HQ. Also, you can opt-out of being included in the printed directory when you update your information.
 
As a membership-driven organization, we depend on accurate information to be able to communication with Shipmates. We depend on the ability to stay connected with as many Shipmates as possible. If you’ve spoken with the data verification team, “Thank you.” Please ask your fellow Shipmates to be sure to verify and update their information. Every effort made helps us to better communicate with you. This is a major undertaking that we feel is essential because our membership is so dependent on the accuracy of the records. 

Alternatively, if you are more comfortable updating your own information, log into your FRA member profile on the FRA website (www.fra.org) and confirm your telephone number and email address; you can also update your privacy preferences. Your username is your member ID number and your password was on your last renewal letter. Many of our members’ telephone numbers and email addresses are no longer current; that is why this project is so essential. We are very sensitive to Shipmates’ privacy concerns and want to provide every assurance that your information is not being sold or used for unsolicited sales pitches from random third-party companies. 
If you would prefer to update your record directly with us, please call Member Services at FRA National HQ at 800-372-1924. We will walk through your contact information in detail and show you how to log into the website to manage your content.

To those of you who have already participated, you have our sincere thanks for your time and we hope you enjoy the end results. For everyone else who has been meaning to get to it, the window of opportunity will soon be closed. We hope you will set aside a few minutes to get it done. 
Yours in Loyalty, Protection, and Service,
Christina Hitchcock

Christina is the FRA’s Director of Membership. She can be reached at ChristinaH@fra.org or 703-683-1400 (Ext. 123)

 Shipmate News
1. Branch 208, Jacksonville, N.C.
Camp Lejeune Branch President Raymond Applewhite was the guest speaker during the Southeastern North Carolina Rotary District Conference. The Conference was held in Swansboro, North Carolina, on April 25, 2019.

2. Branch 269, Goose Creek, S.C.
(L to R) PNP Virgil Courneya, PNP Don Mucheck, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, PNP Helen Courneya and the Mayor’s wife Sandy all participated in the USS Hobson Memorial Service.

3. Branch 197, Modesto, Calif. 
Members of Cub Scout Troop 10 of Riverbank, California, helped plant flags over the graves of veterans at Santa Nella National Cemetery

4. Branch 89, Atlanta, Ga.
Shipmate and Life Member Hilbert “Bee” Laidlaw (R) receives his 45-years continuous membership pin from  Membership Chairman Wayne Barron (L) during a recent reunion for Naval Air Station Atlanta. 

5. Branch 295, San Angelo, Texas
 The remains of Navy sailor Hale McKissack were laid to rest at Fairview Cemetery in Winters, Texas,  on May 4th. (L to R) Jim Stansbury (PBP-295), Dan Patridge (PBP-295), Cathleen Gruetzner (RVPSC), Robert Mistishen (BP-295), Terry Cook (BS-295), Sandra Van Zant (VSO for Runnels County, Texas) and Dave Yearwood (served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam). Photo by Eric Stansbury.

6. Branch 130, Indianapolis, Ind.
(R) PRPNC Robert Melson presents Annabelle Fuller the first Rosemary E. Posekany Americanism Award—a North Central Region award. Fuller’s mother (L), Angela, joins the presentation.

7. Branch 307, GulfPort, Miss. 
Old Naval Home Branch Secretary Bob Rutherford (L) presents Paul Mayne his 50-year continuous membership certificate along with Branch VP “Pete” Petersen (R). The Branch has seven 50-year plus members included in their 49 total Life Membership members. Photo by Diana Dopp.

8. Branch 309, Newark, Del.
Shipmates shown serving beverages to patients, families and staff at the VA Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. During this annual event, the Branch donates all the beverages, ice and voluntary services from their booth.
(L to R) Shipmates Jim Jackson, Barry Connolly, Jeff Thaxton, Branch President Phil Puschel and Lyman Brenner.

9. Patrol Squadron 60
The Navy P-3 Squadron Patrol Squadron 60 had its reunion in Dayton, Ohio, at Wright-Patterson AFB.  The squadron existed between 1971-1994 at NAS Glenview, Illinois. It started out with P-2 Neptunes and finished with P-3 Orions.  

10. Branch 126, Jacksonville, Fla.
Branch President James J Thomas (L) presents a $1000 Scholarship Award to Jared Marsano (R). He will be attending Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, this Fall. This is one of the four scholarships awarded by Branch 126 in 2019.    

11. Branch 146, Johnsonville, Pa.
(L to R) Branch VP Charlie Glass, Branch Secretary Joe Millman, 12th grade winner Brandon Gero, 10th grade winner Alexandria Elmore, 9th grade winner Madison Ward, 11th grade winner Bianca Martinez and Branch MAA, Otto Blavier received FRA medals during the NJROTC Annual Awards Banquet on May 15, at Boyertown High School. Pictured at the podium is NJROTC senior instructor Lt. Cmdr. Robert Hayman

12 Branch 276, Omaha, Neb. 
First place essay winners from Marian High School receive their awards. (L to R) Lady Peggy Watkins, Branch Secretary Don Watkins, Sara Lighthard (11 grade), Naomi Delkamiller (10th grade) and Branch President Frank Schrotberger.  Delkamiller was also the 3rd place winner for the North Central Region.

TAPS
 
Name 	Rating	Branch
Albrecht, Lewis A.	ATCS, USN	201
Amig, Michael A.	LT, USN	290
Argomanez, Raul	HTCS, USN	53
Arnold, Charles J.	AO2, USN	MAL
Askea, Joseph E.	ET1, USN	89
Athey, George A.	OSCM, USN	290
Backman, Bryce J.	RMCM, USN	MAL
Bailey, Kenneth K.	AE1, USN	210
Baldwin, Francis X.	QMCM, USN	192
Baumbach, Robert C.	EMCM, USN	MAL
Bender, Gary F.	WTCS, USN	MAL
Boulter, Clement S.	RM1(SS), USN	MAL
Bourgeois, William L.	POCS, USN	210
Braden, Glen A.	SMC, USN	53
Broughton, Richard O.	CTRCS, USN	210
Brown, William	MSC, USN	MAL
Brown, James W.	CEC, USN	 MAL
Camanag, Constantino B.	HMC, USN	 MAL
Campbell, Robert G.	CPO, USN	 MAL
Cantrell, James R.	SKCS, USN	 24
Carnutt, Phyllis M.	Y2C, USN	 275
Castle, Bob F.	RMC, USN	 230
Cayo, Richard F.	BTCM, USN	 MAL
Chambers, Robert F.	ADR1, USN	 101
Chandler, Paul J.	ADRC, USN	 MAL
Chumbley, William T.	CTTCS, USN	 MAL
Claybrook, Sam	LCDR, USN	 47
Corcoran, John E. Hon. Mem. CAPT, USN	181
Coykendall, Robert T.	HM1, USN	298
Crawford, Tommy J.	YNC, USN	MAL
Dalton, Jack D.	SKCS, USN	234
Dana, William E.	FTCS, USN	MAL
De Martine, Anthony	CPO, USN	MAL
Decourley, Charles D.	CTIC, USN	161
Delaney, Richard M.	AMHC, USN	93
Deysher, Elton R.	CT1, USN	MAL
Doyle, Kevin J.	AC1, USN	90
Dyer, Marvin E.	MMC, USN	89
Edwards, George R.	SDC, USNR	MAL
Elser, Raymond E.	BRCM, USN	55
Emery, Norman S.	HMC, USN	163
Farwig, George J.	HTC, USN	161
Felske, Phillip Melvin	GMGC, USN	MAL
Fish, J. R.	ETC, USCG	MAL
Frink, Andrew M.	MGYSGT, USMC	254
Gaustad, Eugene A.	ADJC, USN	136
Gervasi, Louis S.	GMG1, USN	MAL
Getz, Randolph Elmer	MMCM, USN	MAL
Glenn, Daniel R.	SMCS, USN	MAL
Gordon, Hardin G.	POCS, USN	61
Green, Maynard W.	POC, USN	MAL
Green, John T.	SK3, USN	229
Greenwood, Richard L.	LCDR, USN	276
Grimm, William F.	CAPT, USN	61
Guenard, John R.	UT1, USN	MAL
Hamarlund, Raymond W.	USN	137
Hamel, Normand O.	SKC, USN	MAL
Harrell, Bill	SKC, USN	MAL
Harris, Virgil C.	AVCM, USN	94
Haught, Gordon R.	ABEC, USN	MAL
Havlis, Albert F.	TMC, USN	28
Henderson, Charles W.	CPO, USN	MAL
Hinck, John A.	MGYSGT, USMC	MAL
Hoffman, Robert D.	JOC, USN	MAL
Hughes, James E.	GMC, USN	105
Hunton, Herbert R.	GYSGT, USMC	MAL
Johnson, Clayton J.	DSCS, USN	MAL
Johnson, Harry F.	GMGC, USN	105
Johnson, Arliss V.	YNC, USMC	MAL
Jones, Harry E.	BMC, USN	MAL
Kaiser, Dale P.	DCCS, USCG	MAL
Kaiser, Eric P.	HMC, USN	166
Keene, Robert E.	HM1, USN	MAL
Kelley, Wayne S.	BUC, USN	MAL
Kincaid, Willis L.	ADC, USN	101
Klein, Robert T.	CPO, USN	181
Kotlarz, Alfred C.	AGCS, USN	12
Kuhner, Pat R.	ENCS, USN	14
Lawson, Gene O.	BMC, USN	117
Leene, Stephen F.	BTCS, USN	29
Leger, Elvin J.	RMCS, USN	281
Licht, Lloyd H.	PH1, USN	MAL
Litten, Robert D.	CWO4, USN	MAL
Loo, Warren T.F.	E7, USN	46
Love, William B.	CTCS, USN	102
Lowd, Charles R.	PN1, USN	22
Lowe, James E.	MSGT, USMC	MAL
Lumpkin, Hugh J.	HMC, USN	MAL
Lutman, Arthur H.	AME1, USNR	MAL
Mann, James O.	BMC, USN	146
Marcellino, Elden A.	SKC, USN	42
Mark, Joseph J.	MSC, USNR	MAL
Maskulak, Michael J.	LCDR, USN	20
Mathrusse, John	USN	46
Mattingly, William H.	CAPT, USNR	MAL
Mayes, Paul O.	AE1, USN	166
McBride, Fred A.	YNC, USN	11
McCarty, Hubert D.	AZCS, USN	MAL
McClelland, Ronald J.	AMSC, USN	290
McDonough, Fred	PO1, USN	86
McFadden, Alonzo	YNC, USN	MAL
McIntire, Virgil L.	ENC(SS), USN	MAL
McKinley, Gordon K.	ADC, USN	291
Missasi, Michael M.	ABCS, USN	229
Morgan, Arthur G.	AVCM, USN	MAL
Murphy, Donald L.	RM1, USN	67
Nelson, Ernest D.	SKC, USN	136
Nelson, Verone D.	SKCS, USN	316
Newman, Jack	PNC, USN	97
Norman, Melvin M.	IC1, USN	60
Oliver, Richard A.	ATC, USN	91
Olson, Stanley R.	CPO, USN	136
Orth, James Charles	ISC, USNR	67
Ousey, Jay B.	CTTC, USN	MAL
Pappan, Rubinie N.	AKC, USN	61
Parkin, John	ABFAN, USN	274
Payne, Phillip A.	ADRC, USN	101
Piatt, Robert A.	Airman, USN	MAL
Pillon, James W.	CTRC, USN	MAL
Prudhomme, Alfred R.	RMC, USNR	31
Roberts, Charles C.	HMCM, USN	MAL
Rowe, Robert F	POC, USN	MAL
Ryan, Henry J.	LCDR, USN	MAL
Sallee, John W.	HMCS, USN	141
Sarmiento, Marcial	DKCS, USN	84
Saunooke, William S.	POC, USN	11
Schuck, John L.	ATCS, USN	261
Sheppard, Charles T.	CMC, USN	MAL
Shoemaker, Frank R.	YNCS/TAR, USNR	89
Siedlicke, David W.	MSCS, USN	285
Slater, Warren H.	ATC, USN	61
Slye, William R.	LTJG, USNR	24
Smith, Morris E.	TMC, USN	89
Stauss, Gilbert R.	1STSGT, USMC	MAL
Stone, Delmas B.	HMCS, USN	MAL
Sulima, Michael P.	HM1, USN	24
Tait, William F.	LT, USN	115
Tharp, Robert G.	ADC, USN	MAL
Thompson, William	MSGT, USMC	MAL
Timmons, Leroy	AFCM, USN	97
Trujillo, Paul	PO1, USN	289
Ussery, John E.	AZCM/MCPO, USN	MAL
Waite, Clive E.	TMCS(SS), USN	68
Watson, George	PO1, USN	91
Weaver, Frank D.	ADCS, USN	136
Wentworth, Beuford B.	LT, USN	MAL
Whitehead, Dean C.	ENCM, USN	99
Wightman, Ralph G.	ADR1, USN	31
Wilken, Richard F.	CSC, USN	316
Wilkinson, Robert C.	SH2, USN	85
Willis, Perry R.	OSC, USN	MAL
Willis, Frederick R.	AFCM(AW), USN	99
Wilson, Glenn	AMS1, USN	161
Wyner, Eugene	CM1, USN	42
Yaeck, Margaret F.	PN1, USN	MAL
Younce, David	BMCM, USN		06

To report the death of a Shipmate, please contact us via email at mserfra@fra.org or by telephone at 703-683-1400 ext 1. 
Return to Table of Contents

REUNIONS/lOOKINGFOR…

USS Saufley (DD-465)
9/9/2019-9/12/2019
Saint Augustine, Fla.
Contact: Richard Bonnett
Telephone: 301-674-0181
Email: RichardLeoBonnett@gmail.com

USS Fort Snelling (LSD-30)
9/11/2019-9/15/2019
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
Contact: Robert & Kathy Bergant
Telephone: 262-782-7876
Email: rkbergant@yahoo.com

USS Bristol (DD-857)
9/23/2019-9/27/2019
Lancaster, Pa.
Contact: Paul Ratcliffe
Telephone: 973-309-4040
Email: pd_ratcliffe@msn.com

USS Fiske (DD/DDR-842)
9/24/2019-9/26/2019
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Contact: James Rapson
Email: Sm1ret@nycap.rr.com
Email: jrrapson@cox.net

USS Holder (DD/DDE-819, DE-401)
9/25/2019-9/28/2019
Louisville, Ky.
Contact: Jim Debarrios
Telephone: 831-458-9062
Email: ussholder_dde918@hotmail.com

USS Richard L Page (DEG/FFG-5)
9/26/2019-9/29/2019
St. Louis, Mo.
Contact: Dale Kerkman
Telephone: 262-909-4144
Email: pagedegffg5@yahoo.com

Mine Division 113 - Vietnam
10/3/2019-10/6/2019
St. Petersburg, Fla.
Telephone: 501-620-0593

Navy Nuclear Weapons Association 
10/7/2019 - 10/11/2019
Jacksonville,Fla.
Contact: Bob Fischer
Telephone: 386-569-5586
Email: skipreel@gmail.com

Naval Training Center Bainbridge, MD
10/10/2019-10/14/2019
Columbus, Ga.
Telephone: 423-313-3775
Email: kali8824z@aol.com

Navy Lithographers Association
10/16/2019-10/20/2019
Dumfries, Va.
Telephone: 540-295-7631
Email: navylithographers@gmail.com

USS Maury (AGS-16)
10/16/2019-10/20/2019
Branson, Mo. 
Contact: Frank Burgess
Telephone: 336-918-3998
Email: bburgess12@aol.com

USS Cook (DE/FF-1083)
10/25/2019-10/27/2019
San Diego, Cal.
Telephone: 619-222-6440
Email: baraniecki@verizon.net

A list of Reunions is at: www.fra.org/Reunions. All Reunions/lookingFor… must be submitted online, via email to reunions@fra.org or in writing to FRA Reunions/LookingFor…at 125 N. West St. Alexandria, VA 22314. Include your Member ID and a daytime telephone number. For help, contact FRA Member Services at: 1-800-FRA-1924.

AUXILIARY OF THE FRA

Message from LA FRA President

The LA FRA and FRA are in a state of reflecting on the data and taking action to meet the goals of the organization. Supporting sea services active duty, retirees, veterans and their family members in social, welfare and patriotic works. Ensuring a strong defense of our country, our flag and our beliefs. In doing this we need to recruit members to help spread the word and do the work of the organization and to make our voice heard on Capitol Hill — to preserve current benefits and ensure the next generation. 

Have you ever wondered why, with more than 3 million living sea service veterans, our membership numbers keep shrinking?  Today, 17 percent of the active duty work force is female and 107,393 Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard reservist live in our local communities.  Why are we not recruiting these personnel and their families?  Where are we missing the mark? 

A recent survey found that most active duty families are between the ages of 20 and 37, and have 2.3 children. I never could figure out how someone had one third of a child! Active duty service families are looking for help integrating into their communities and require assistance finding child care, youth activities, medical care facilities, the right school and local events. Do you support youth activities and publicize their availability? Do you assist with a homework help center, preschool story time, youth sports, 4H, scouting, family days or game nights at your club or meeting place? The same survey found those who have recently retired are looking to make sense of benefits, access to care and quicker responses when help is requested.  What can we do to assist them? Have you held a community resource fair and invited other organizations to participate? Do you attend resource fairs around the community at local schools, churches, shopping centers and pass on LA FRA or FRA information? Do you have VA information available? Some examples are; the veteran’s homeless prevention hot line 877-4AIDVET (877-424-3838) and the crisis center numbers; 800-273-8255, press 1 or TEXT 838255. One phone call could save a life.

Does your community have a 211 information listing that could be distributed?  Do you have postings in local stores, community centers, or libraries that explain who we are and when we meet. What kind of activities are happening near you? Are you publicizing the service projects?  How do you invite others to your Unit and Branch dinners or to join and assist with the next welfare project? The bigger question is have we recruited and trained our relief? None of us are getting any younger! The social avenue and patriotic displays of this organization are well oiled. We do a great job remembering our fallen heroes.  However, outreach takes each of us to do our part — one person talking to another. Utilize the FRA Action Center and let your congressmen hear from you. Protect the benefits you and your loved ones earned! Pass on the information and recruit a new friend or shipmate.

As we end this year and move to the next LA FRA year, I thank each of you for your friendship and support. I hope to see many of you at the National Convention in Memphis, Tennessee, from Sept. 22 to Sept. 29. There is much work to be done and we need to examine our processes and continue this organization’s charter! Until we meet again, let nothing swerve us from our principles!  
In Loyalty, Protection and Service,
Christina Murray, National President  

Christina is the LA FRA National President and can be reached at: christinamurray.lafra@gmail.com
FINANCE MATTERS

Consider a Simple Investment Strategy to Help Reduce Guesswork
Retirement today is active — a time to reinvent yourself, pursue your passions, or do what you find especially rewarding. 
The freedom to do that requires careful planning, says Will Larson, Retirement Planning Strategist for Wells Fargo Advisors. Here, he provides his top three ideas to consider when it comes to preparing for active, fulfilling retirement years. 

1. Have a clear, focused plan. 
During most of your working life, it’s fine to plan based on realistic estimates of what your retirement might be like. “About five years before you retire, though, you should get very accurate and detailed with the assumptions about how you’ll live and what you want to accomplish,” Larson says. 
Along with creating a detailed estimate of your costs in retirement, this is also the time to plan out what you want in this next chapter — and how you’ll afford it. 
“For some people, recognizing that you can retire is often more powerful than the act itself,” Larson says. Which means that when you no longer need to work, you might choose to work anyway, for the sheer enjoyment — or choose to work at a job you’re passionate about but have never had the freedom to try before. A side benefit: Continuing to work can help you delay using your retirement savings.

2. Let your finances inform your lifestyle changes. 
Once you make the switch to retirement, you might also need to adjust the way you think about your money. In your working years, you save for retirement and focus on accumulating assets. In retirement, you take actions that help give you a reliable, sustainable cash flow and keep your spending and expenses in line with that cash flow. 
It’s crucial to develop a clear picture of your income potential before entering retirement. That income potential will drive the decisions you make about working and spending during retirement. “The answers will help you determine whether your retirement vacations are to Paris, France, or Paris, Texas,” says Larson. 

3. Prepare for the psychological shift. 
Larson often asks this question of clients who are considering retirement: “It’s Tuesday at 9:45 in the morning, and you’re retired. What are you doing?” The question is designed to spur thought. How will you restructure your life when your day is potentially filled with free time? 
To help clients get ready for the shift, Larson often suggests that they consider easing into changes slowly — perhaps working reduced hours for the years leading to retirement or using vacation days to try out a retirement lifestyle. For some, this transition phase leads to new expectations around retirement — and new goals for their life in retirement. 
Larson tells his clients that planning for retirement “isn’t complicated, but it is complex” due to the many interrelated components. For a fulfilling retirement, start planning those details early and carry out your plan deliberately.    

This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Carl M. Trevisan, Managing Director-Investments and Stephen M. Bearce, First Vice President- Investments in Alexandria, VA at 800-247-8602.
Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE
Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
© 2019 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.