Memorial Plaque Design Approved

This is the approved design of the USS Galveston commemorative plaque that will be placed on Commemorative Wall at the Navy Memorial in Washington DC during a ceremony ---date to be announced.

For more information on the Plaque donated by shipmate Ralph Batson at the last reunion, read the October 4 article posted in this blog. To order your own exact replica of the Plaque, go to the Ship's Store page.

Navy says goodbye to dungarees

This uniform will be the standard working uniform both afloat and ashore for the Navy. It will replace:
• E-6 and below utilities (dungarees)
• E-7 and above wash khakis
• Tropical working uniforms
• Winter working blues
• Aviation working greens

The new Navy Working Uniform will debut around the fleet Dec. 15, when senior leadership, commanding officers and command master chiefs will be allowed to wear the digital camouflage uniform, which will become required gear for everyone on Dec. 31, 2010.

But don’t expect to see anyone wearing the uniform in an off-base grocery store, which is allowed in the Army and Air Force. Navy officials have instead decided to stick with the restrictions in effect for the existing utility and wash khaki uniforms, which the NWU replaces. Sailors can wear the uniform to and from work, either in an automobile or by public transportation, but they cannot make any stops along the way. The only exception to the rule is for emergencies, although it is not clear what qualifies as an emergency at this point.

Information and photos compiled from various military websites.

Next month, we will show the new year-round E1-E6 dress uniform that will replace the cracker-jack blues and whites.

Galveston Shipmate Honored

The USS Wayne E. Meyer DDG-108 was christened last month in Bath, Maine and we had several USS Galveston shipmates in attendance (in the photo directly above it's the Meyer crew, with USS Galvestion and USS Goodrich association shipmates). One of our shipmates in attendance was RADM Wayne Meyer (retired) whose rare and distinct honor it was to have a US Navy warship named after him while he’s still alive. He's in the top photo with his family.

Just to put this in perspective, since WWII there have been only 10 ships besides DDG-108 named after living persons! That list includes Hyman Rickover, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr., and Bob Hope. Pretty impressive company.

The day before the christening there was a traditional mast-stepping ceremony where coins and mementos were placed inside the base of the mast and welded shut. One of those items (center photo) was the new USS Galveston command coin to commemorate when Admiral Meyer was a crewmember on our ship.

If you would like to follow the progress of the USS Wayne E. Meyer, or see addiotional photos of the ship and the recent ceremonies, just point your browser to http://www.meyer.navy.mil/

Burial at Sea – still an option

FYI

While surfing the internet, I found that the US Navy permits veterans with an honorable discharge to be buried at sea from a US Navy vessel. They can handle both cremated and casketed remains, however the casketed handling seems pretty complicated and expensive. But for someone like me who has already decided on cremation and loves a good deal, this is a real find. All my wife has to do is mail my burial urn, a returnable burial flag, and a filled out form to a special address listed on the website.

One down side to the program is that family members are not allowed to attend the burial service. Still, I find the idea of going to sea one last time alone appealing, and my wife says she expects to be busy interviewing gardeners and handy-men, so even this works for us.

To find out more click on following link:
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/navy_legacy_hr.asp?id=204

Bob Rank
BM2 66-68

Galveston 'Command' Coin Now Available...

The USS Galveston coin that was designed and produced in response to the USS Wayne Meyer DDG108 request (see posts below) is now available for all to purchase. The coin is 1.75" in diameter, cast in 3D and epoxy coated. The coin looks even better than the photos here. All who have seen the coin claim it is absolutely beautiful. In fact, the chief on the USS Meyer who was our liaison for the mast stepping ceremony told us that the Galveston coin is "by far the best looking ship's coin I have ever seen", and he's seen a lot of ship's coins in his career.

The coins are $10.00 each, postage included. We'll get the coin and an order form on the ships store page a little later, but for now simply mail a check (payable to Keith Hedley) for the number of coins you want to:

Keith Hedley
317 Bowsman Ct.
Oakland, CA 94601

Be sure to indicate where the coins are to be mailed to.

Association Donates to Texas Hurricane Relief

Shipmate, Mike Merkel made a motion at the 2008 Reunion for the Association to donate $200 to the Hurricane Ike Relief Fund. The motion was passed with The Salvation Army selected to receive the funds.

As of the date of the vote, the Salvation Army had already provided 1.3 million meals throughout Galveston and Southeast Texas to those affected by Hurricane Ike.

SHIPMATE DECEASED

I was just informed shipmate Harold Ackley passed away. He was on board the GAL 63 and retired as a DCC. He will be added to our "DECEASED ROSTER" and his wife Jon will be added to our "HONORARY MEMBERS ROSTER". Our Condolences to Mrs Ackley and her family. May he REST IN PEACE.