The Pointer's Pup - USS Westpoint Reunion Association

The Pointer’s Pup
USS West Point Reunion Association (Ship Call Sign NWGB) Issue Number 35 February 22, 2010
BRANSON, HERE WE COME!
Elsie Hensley and Peggy Reynolds have already
started the early planning for the 2010 Reunion and it
will be here before you know it!
The festivities will begin September 29th and will
continue through October 2nd at the Honeysuckle Inn in
Branson, Missouri.
The Honeysuckle has 210 rooms, and we will be
getting a special group rate of $75.00 plus tax per night.
The block of rooms we're reserving are all on the ground
floor together, and you may stay up to six extra days
(three days before the Reunion and three after) at that
same rate.
That price includes a Continental breakfast, coffee
24/7 in the lobby, and use of the large hospitality room,
where alcohol and packaged snacks are allowed. There
is also a large dining room where we can cater mealswe
may choose to do so for our Saturday night banquet,
but there's more planning to do in that regard. We also
plan to take in at least one local show, and we should
have those plans finalized for the May issue of the Pup!
You may call and reserve your rooms at:
1 800 942 3553
Be s ure and tell them you are with the USS West
Point Reunion!
SIXTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
On March 28, 1945, the USS WEST POINT arrived at
the
Hampton
Roads Port of Embarkation (HRPE) in
Newport News, Virginia. Berthed less than a mile from
where she was built, her 2,677 military passengers
disembarked and were greeted by officials, music and,
perhaps best of all, a familiar face; comedian Red
Skelton, who, at the time was know officially as Private
Richard Skelton, 3958852, Special Services.
Red was temporarily stationed nearby, awaiting his
turn to ship out. While waiting, he entertained troops
in
camps and at USO clubs all around Newport News,
including through-out the Christmas, 1944 holiday
period. He was joined on HRPE’s Pier 6 that March day
sixty-five years ago by the Camp Hill Quartet to welcome
home wounded
and war-weary soldiers.
A few days later, Red embarked in WEST POINT on
April
4, 1945, along with 5,913 other souls,
bound for
(continued on page 4)

A NOTE FROM THE BRIDGE
I hope that all of you crewmembers and
your families
h ad a fabulous Holiday Season. My sister, Margaret
Hall, and her
husband Jay
were able to visit
us up here in the
frozen north for a
few days over
Christmas. It’s
always a joy to
have family
together over the
Holidays!
Here it is
another new year
and time to focus on our next reunion, which
is
scheduled for Branson, Missouri, beginning on
September 29 and running through October
2. Hosted
by Elsie Hensley and Peggy Reynolds, I can guarantee
you that it will be a first class production. Having never
been to Branson, my folks and I are eagerly anticipating
the 2010 USS West Point reunion and plan on joining
my sister and a whole bunch of you folks to, once again,
swap tales and celebrate the grand ship USS West
Point!
We have picked up a few new members, since our
2009 reunion in Raleigh. They are:
- Louis
Dincher of Williamsport, PA (Quartermaster)
and his daughter, retired Navy Chief, Donna Coulter of
Orange Park, FL
- John Winter and his wife Donna Winter, of
Middleton, WI. John is the son of the late Lou Winter,
Quartermaster, First
Class, aboard the USS WestPoint
(1944-1946)
A big Welcome Aboard to all of you! I anticipate
meeting each of you in Branson this fall. It will be a most
memorable experience
that you will talk about for years
to come!
I would also like to extend a huge Thank You to all of
you who have supported this fine organization by paying
your 2010 dues. This is the first Pup that will be mailed
out only to those who have “anted up”, so if you hear
from a fellow crew member, who did not receive this
issue, please have them send me their dues so that I
can add them back to our mailing list. Only members
who do not have an active email account and have
paid their 2010 dues will continue to receive the Pup
via the mail.
Through your support, I feel that we are back in good
financial standing, which is important in being able to
publish four Pups
a year and to hold an annual reunion
that you can all be proud of! Well Done!
As we head toward spring, I look forward to hearing
from each of you. Keep those letters and emails
coming! Once again, thanks so much for your continued
generosity and support!
“Captain” John
page 2
Email Addresses
(please submit any corrections or additions
to
Patrick Williams at pwllms@charter.net)
Ahearn, Laurie — lahearn425@comcast.net
Barton, Ed — gebarton@homesc.com
Beauregard, John — jebeauregard@sbcglobal.net Beck, Gloria & Frank — frg11@juno.com
Blankenhorn, Sally & Tom -- blankenhorntommy@aol.com Blevins, Marvin C. — usngal@aol.com
Burns, William (Bill) — Wburns9964@att.net
Buttonow, Corrine — cbuttonow@aol.com
Byrne, Fran — nanafranqltr@rcn.com
Driscoll, Larry — e9ee52a@flare.net
website: http://united-states-lines.org
Eick, Jack — jackeick@msn.com
Farthing, Les — DotLesFarthing@aol.com
Fowler, Paul — pdfowler@earthlink.net
Hall, Margaret — Margaret.hall30@gmail.com Heazlitt, Patty — pheazlitt@live.com
Hensley, Elsie — elsiemitch@yahoo.com
Herd, Dewayne — stewartherd146@msn.com
Jenson, Dick — rjenson@aeneas.net
Johnson, Ken — KenNHelen315@aol.com
Johnson, Ralph Jr. — pertowellco@aol.com
Johnson, Viola — pertowellco@comcast.net
Josephson, Carl — wincar@snet.net
Kapfer, Larry — larrykapfer@manhattannail.us
Kelley, Archie & Carol — nukesub2@yahoo.com
Kixmiller, Nancy — kixmiller@yahoo.com
(daughter of Robert "Dub" Lacy)
Lee, Bill — ssamerifan@aol.com
Frank Lowry — fhlowry@pacbell.net
MacMillan, Don & Jean — kixmac@aol.com
Mathews, Henry — hank419@comcast.net
Mathews, John — JPMathuz@aol.com
McLain, W. B. (Mac) — mclainwb@charter.net
McLaughlin, Fred — mclaughlinromac@aol.com
McLaughlin, Gene — ap23ship@comcast.net
Meyers, Lewis — Litehous1@verizon.net
Michaud, Dana— dmichau5@maine.rr.com
Moats, John — jmoats107@sbcglobal.net
Morley, Bip — bite50@hotmail.com
Morrell, Paul — pkmorrell@hotmail.c om
Murphy, Ann — ann.murphy206@gmail.com
Norris, Cliff — wcmenorris1@msn.com
Otto, Don — donotto@nnex.net
Phillips, Matthew & Caroline — phillips@tjda.net
Price, Madaline — Maprice1@verizon.net
Rago, Charlie & Mary — erago@cfl.rr.com
Ranaghan, Thomas Jr. — RNGH2@aol.com
Reynolds, Peggy — preynolds@otac.info
Rhoads, Charles A. — 4VCR143@cox.net
Rude, Don — donald.rude@gte.net
Schneider, Tom & Elaine — mrsschneid@hotmail.com
Sheldrake, Peter Westpoint — westpoint1@tiscali.co.uk
Shinton, Denny — DShideb@aol.com
Shuler, Fran & Jerry — lucyshuler@yahoo.com
Silwa, Casey — rimisac27@aol.com
Skoff, William J. — jskoff@daily-journal.com
Smith, Frank — 62falcon@gmail.com
Smith, Harry — jeanmcenroe@people
pc.com

Snead, Paul — navyrm43@aol.com
Tacey, Steve — ss.america@virgin.net
Villas, Ernest & Vicki — evv@comcast.n et
White, Gordon — gw4thest@gmail.com
Williams, Patrick — pwllms@charter.net
Winter, John — jpwinter@charter.net
Wright, Cathy — cwright869@aol.com
Wunsch, Jacques — tencommandment s@aol.com
Want to get in touch
with John, Gene or Patrick?
John Moats, President, Treasurer
107 Navarre Court, Auburn, Indiana 46706
260-925-2132 (Cell: 260-418-2269)
jmoats107@sbcglobal.net
Eugene McLaughlin, Vice President
1411 Orsen St., North Versailles, PA 15137
412-824-3291
ap23 ship@comcast .net
Patrick Williams, Pointer's Pup Editor
6 17 Eaglewatch Drive, Deforest, WI 53532
pwllms@charter.net
2010 MEMBERSHIP DUES PAID
I have attempted to put together a list, from information
provided by Mac, and checks that I have received, that
reflects an accurate count of those who have paid their
2010 dues. This list is conclusive through February 8,
2010. If I have omitted anyone, please contact me:
John D. Moats
107 Navarre Court
Auburn, IN 46706
260-925-2132
Jmoats107@s bcglobal.net
Sally & Tom
Blankenhorn Laurie
Ahearn
Fran & Bob Byrne Judy & Bill Skoff
Gene McLaughlin Tom Peter (Deceased)
Elsie Hensley Margaret Hall
Shirley & Paul Snead Peggy Reynolds
Ed Barton Dan Bish
Gordon White George Trout
Fran & Jerry Shuler Janie & Bill Lee
Becky & Casey Sliwa Cliff Norris
Theresa & Winfield MacDonald Don Otto
Patty Heazlitt Ken Johnson
Les Farthing Jack Eick
Gloria & Frank Beck Larry Kapfer
Lil Kapfer Patrick Williams
Nickie & Gary McLain Joan & Ron McLain
Winton McLain Luci Sawyer
Jean & Floyd Sheffler Larry Driscoll
Collette & Robert Canavan Tom Ciulla
June & Bill Waite Tom Ranaghan
John Moats Ferne & Jack Moats
Matt Phillips Louis Dincher
Donna Coulter Rudy Guida
E. F. Smith
Faust Canino
John Dion
Ed Hooper
Barbara Allen
Katherine & Stanley Small Robert Heel
C. J. Josephson Bruce Davis
Betty & James Sa lyers Ray Lavin
Jeff Lavin Alice Zubal
Gwen & Lawrence Chewning Mel Allen
Stanley Crider Chris Brown
John Beauregard John Beauregard Jr.
Pete Beauregard Dana Michaud
Virginia Holcombe Alice & Dick Jensen
Gordon Wright Lou Winter (deceased)
Donna & John Winter Dodie LeBlanc
Don Krueger Gerald Hamilton
Lewis Meyers Madaline Price
Anita & Arthur Price Jr. John Mariano
We need your continued support to cover
the
expenses of publishing the PUP and staging our annual
reunions. Dues for 2010 can be mailed to the address
above, with checks made out to the USS West Point
Reunion Association.
Thanks in advance,
John
Financial Summary, February, 2010
DATE AMOUNT
RE VENUE
07-Nov $2,363.53 ACCOUNT
BALANCE
11-Oct $505 AUCTION/RAFFLE
16-Jan $1,915 2010 DUES PAID YTD
TOTAL $4,784
EXPENSES
30-Oct $53 BALANCE
DUE
MARGARET
03-Nov $7.76 BUBBLE ENVELOPES
03-Nov $0.94 REGULAR
ENVELOPES
03-Nov $15.75 POSTAGE AND
REUNION SUPPLIES
06-Nov $8.88 BUBBLEWRAP
ENVELOPES
10-Nov $18.07 POSTAGE
ORNAMENTS
10-Nov $4.42 AVERY LABELS
12-Nov $7.92 POSTAGE
MEMBERSHIP CARDS
28-Nov $10.19 POSTAGE & STAMPS
21-Dec $736.87 PUP REPRODUCTION
21-Dec $246.92 PUP POSTAGE
21-Dec $119.18 PUP REPRODUCTION
SUPPLIES
21-Dec $9.37 LABELS
23-Dec $1.73 POSTAGE
05-Jan $8.80 STAMPS
08-Jan $9.52 BUSINESS CARDS
TOTAL $1,259
NET $3,524
page 3

SIXTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
(continued from page 1)
Naples, Italy. T here to say goodbye and wish him God
speed and safe passage (and probably to provide a
morale booster-type photo) were a group of WACs,
stationed nearby.
Red’s virtually non-stop antics, while on that voyage,
provided some of the best memories of World War II to
the ship’s company, as previously described in a story
entitled Red was popular guy aboard WP; see pages 12
and 13, The Pointer’s Pup, Issue #26, dated February
15, 2008.
MAILBAG
(Letters To The Pup)
P at,
We enjoyed your Dad’s leadership so much and I had
the privilege of talking with him just a couple of days
before his death...
Just talked to a soldier
we put ashore in Marseilles just
a day before the Battle of the Bulge. He makes about
the fifth of sixth that I have met of talked to, some in the
South Pacific and some in Europe. He saw a picture of
the WeePee in our local paper and gave me a buzz. I’m
sure that others have had this experience.
I’m sure that you will meet the test just as
W.B. (Mac)
did before you. I appreciate him giving us your address
and the great service he gave us for eight years.
I enjoyed the entire Pup, especially the little poem of
“The Red Sea.” I also enjoyed “The Chow Line.: Here is
a line that maybe should be with it:
As I sat down to enjoy my eats,
I found that they
had gone down the line to someone else’s seat!
Now that’s
the chow line that I remember.
E.F.
“Smitty” Smith
McMinnville, TN
S mitty, thanks for the kind words; it's appreciated. -Pat
page 4
John,
My name
is John Winter and my father. Louis S.
Winter was a Quartermaster (1st Class) on the USS
West Point during 1944-1946. My dad passed away on
November 21, 2009 at the age of 84.
My dad was a "low key" supporter of the West Point
Association and although he only attended 1 or 2
reunions, he regularly paid his annual dues and a couple
years ago donated a full size painting of the USS West
Point which I believe ended up in a crew members
daughters home (there was an article about his donation
in a edition of the Pointers Pup).
That picture actually ended up in my sister Marianne's
home after my father outbid the rest of the crew so he
could pass it along as a gift; it was a very generous
donation. -Pat
The purpose of this email is to not only inform you of
my fathers passing but to also express my interest in
getting involved in the West Point Association, if
appropriate. Are surviving children of crew members
allowed to stay involved, including attending reunions? If
so, I would be happy to pay the annual dues and
perhaps get involved in some other capacity. As I was
very close to my father and he shared many memories
of his time aboard the West Point, I feel a connection to
the surviving crew members and the families of the
Greatest Generation.
With my father gone, perhaps
I can get a chance to
chat with some of his surviving crew members to help fill
the gap left by my dad's passing and expand my own
records of those days. Although unlike yourself I never
served in the military, like many American's our age I
make an effort to educate my children and other young
people of the great sacrifices made by the brave men
and women in the Armed forces both in the past and
present struggles.
I enjoyed reading the latest edition of Pointer's Pup -
very well done (and not a bad picture of you!).
Attached is a photo of "Sailor Lou" along with a feature
obit. that was published in the Milwaukee Newspaper.
As you can see, my dad was a very successful
businessman as well as a very generous supporter of
many charities and churches. I'm confident his years in
the Navy contributed to his path to success.
Sincerely,
John Winter
Middleton, WI
Please see the
photo and obituary for Sailor Lou on
page six. -Pat
* * * * * * * *
Hello John Moats,
I got my Pup yesterday and was glad to hear they had
someone to carry on. All of us are of old age and I’m
one of the youngest of the bunch. I was just 18 when I
went aboard in November 1943. I got off in 1945 as a
3rd Class Signalman. I had made 2nd Class but they
had frozen the rates.

I got married in August of 1945 and stayed on a shore
base until March of 1946, when I got out of the Navy; I
am now 85 and have four children. My youngest died of
cancer at age 41. My first wife died 18 years ago and
I’m remarried and have been for the past 16 years. I’m
retired from Ford Motor Company, after 30 years of
service and have now been retired for 30 years. I have
ten grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren and
have lots of fun all of the time! Ha Ha!
I have only been with the Reunion Association since
1986. Jean Voss got in touch with me after Harold’s
death. Keep up your father’s work son. I also have two
sons who try to follow in my footsteps.
Merry Christmas!
Your
Dad’s Shipmate,
James “Sal” Salyers
Virginia Beach, VA
* * * * * * * *
The following
picture was
contributed by Pup reader
Bruce Davis--thanks
Bruce! - Pat
Sailor Bruce Davis, with a friend on each side
* * * * * * * *
Dear Mr. Moats,
I’d like to continue
receiving the Pointers
Pup. As a
Navy nurse, I was
a passenger on the WestPoint
during
her voyage in 1943 from San Francisco to Milne Bay.
We flew from New Guinea to staff the new US Navy
hospital in Brisbane, Australia. My husband sailed on
the submarine Garland and I met him while on R&R at
Surfers paradise. We were married at Pearl Harbor 65
years ago, on January 20, on my way home from
overseas.
I can never explain how a college friend of my
husband, in Dental School, put me in touch with friends
of his who were arranging a reunion of the USS
WestPoint. However, we are now included with the most
active, endearing men that still hold the WestPoint’s
“crew” together. Amazing!
We attended the Chuckchansi reunion in 2008 and it
was
fabulous that this great
ship and her crew are
honored after all of these years. It’s an extraordinary
testimonial!
Virginia & Ken Holcombe
Walnut
Creek,
CA
Hi John,
Louis Dincher
was a Quartermaster on the USS West
Point
and actually lowered the Commissioning Pennant
at the Decommissioning Ceremony of the ship. I am a
retired Navy Chief and he
brought out a shoe box of
memories to show me
back in September. I have
no idea why he waited so
long to show me, but it
was worth the wait! He
has a journal (not a lot of
entries) of his port visits,
etc. that was pretty neat.
He also has some
incredible course maps
that he drew up. They
are like a work of art. It
his hard to believe how
hard they had to work
compared to just
punching in coordinates,
etc. now into a computer. They truly are the “Greatest
Generation”. My Dad will turn
84 in February and is in
fairly good health. When he talks about his time on the
ship the pride just shines in his eyes.
Somewhere around 1962 his brother (a Jesuit Priest in
India)
sailed out
of New
York to
London on
the SS
America. I
was only in
2nd grade
at the time
and I
remember
the crew
taking
my
Dad all
around the
Ship when
they found
out he
served on
the West
Point. I
didn’t fully
appreciate
how much it
meant
at
the time but
I sure do now.
Here are 2 pictures I have of him. In the group
picture
he is in the top row
and third from the left. (The rest of
the group is not from the West Point.)
Donna Coulter
Orange
Park, FL page 5

John Moats,
MAILBAG
( cont.)
Delighted to have rece ived and read “A Note From the
Bridge” in the Pointer’ s Pup. Congratulations on your
recent election as President of the USS WestPoint
Reunion Assn. My kinship with the Pup and USS
WestPoint is a joy!
Gratefully,
Dodie Frost
Mount Holly,
NC
Please enjoy the article contributed by Ms. Frost on
page eight. -Pat
* * * * * * * *
Dear Mr. Williams,
It is with a sad heart that I announce the death of my
dearest husband, Walter
C. Wattles. He was a Lt. Cmdr.,
USNR - USS West Point '42-'44.
Sincerely,
Eugenia Wattles
Please see the photos
and obituary for Walter Wattles
on
page seven. -Pat
* * * * * * * *
This picture was taken
in Spring, 1946, following
underwater work at Newport News Shipbuilding-contributed
by Ken Johnson--thanks Ken! - Pat
CHEMISTRY, SERVICE CAME
EASY FOR WINTER
By Amy Rabideau Silvers
(originally published in the January 31st, 2009
issue of
the online Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal
Sentinel)
Lou Winter didn't initially plan to study chemistry or
chemical engineering - the plan was to study philosophy
- but marriage and family and the practical business of
making a living changed that.
page 6
"He found out he had a real aptitude for it," son Bob
Winter said.
"And he absolutely loved it. He was always
bringing home lab samples and talking to us about the
products he was developing."
He long worked as an executive with the Hydrite
Chemical Co. and related companies,
including spin-offs
Wayne Chemical and its Wayne Pigment. Winter also
was instrumental in developing markets for electropolishing,
a process developed by the Battelle Co. of
Columbus, Ohio.
That was good for making everything from pots and
pans to windshield wipers shiny - and was even used to
help decontaminate components from nuclear power
plants, said son John Winter, also a chemical engineer.
"He didn't invent the technique, but he helped
commercialize it and get it out of the lab and into the
world," John said.
Louis S. Winter died Nov. 21 of heart and kidney
problems. He was 84.
He was born in Milwaukee and raised in Racine.
"He turned 18 on May 23, 1943, and graduated that
June," Bob said, "and immediately went with his friend
to
downtown Racine to join the Navy."
Winter became
a quartermaster,
serving the rest of
the war - and
more than a year
after -
crisscrossing the
Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans
aboard a troop
transport ship.
"He got two
four-day leaves
during those
years, and on one
of them, in 1944,
he proposed to
our mom," he
said.
Winter began
college and then
married the former Patricia Griffin in 1948. He earned a
bachelor's degree in chemistry from Marquette
University and then another bachelor's degree in
chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin.
"Like millions of others, the G.I. Bill was his ticket to
college," Bob said.
"His dad had a sixth-grade education," John said,
adding their grandfather came to the U.S. at age 9. "Our
dad is first-generation American."
By the time his G.I. Bill money was gone, Winter
already was working on solid rocket propellants at
Badger Ordnance Works in Baraboo, where his young
family could live in old barracks housing during the
housing crunch. He commuted to classes at UW in
Madison. The couple also used Patricia's savings.
In 1954, he went to work at Hydrite Chemical.

"Electro-polishing was a big thing for Hydrite, which
had a big interest in selling the acids and chemicals
used in the process," John said.
In 1980, Winter joined Wayne Chemical, a subsidiary
he had helped to co-found, and later another spin-off,
Wayne Pigment. He retired after both businesses were
sold.
With retirement, Winter became more involved with
Marquette University, including in the creation of
fellowships in the name of his good friend, the late
Father John P. Raynor, former president at the
university.
Always a music lover, he was asked to join the Bel
Canto Chorus board by David Tolan, a past president.
Winter later received the first David J. Tolan Meritorious
Service Award.
"Lou was a great advocate for us, a gracious
gentleman and incredibly generous," said Sally Hoyt,
also a past president. "He was everything you hope for
in a board member and put his heart and soul into the
group. He was one of our biggest fans. We always
looked for him - his bow tie and his white hair - in the
audience."
Winter's wife died in 2005. In addition to his sons,
survivors include daughters Terry Barczak and Kate
Malone; brothers John and Edward; grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
WALTER COMMONS WATTLES
(originally published in the June 20, 2009 issue of
The Tennessean)
WATTLES, Walter C. Age 95, died June 15, 2009 in
Atlanta after battling Alzheimer's with his family by his
side. Close to his heart was the Walter C.
Wattles/Lloyd's of London Fellowship which he
established in 1969 at Vanderbilt University. Forty years
later, over 100 select, graduating Vanderbilt women
have had the honor and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
begin their first job at
the world renowned
Lloyd's of London. To
boost Atlanta
internationally, Mr.
Wattles flew with
Governor and Mrs.
Carter to London on a
Delta Airlines mission
for the Atlanta/Heathrow
run to secure non-stop
air service (highly
competitive) and to
Brazil on a Georgia
foreign trade mission to
promote growth of
Georgia's export
business.
He received "The Georgia Governor's International
Award for Industry Excellence" and citations from
Presidents Ford and Nixon for "Outstanding Leadership
in Developing International Trade for the Southeast." His
service on city, state, regional, and national boards
include: C&S National Bank International Board, Georgia
State University International Institute, Chairman of
Georgia Export-Expansion Council for 25 years,
Advisory Board of U.S. Export-Expansion Council, and
U. S. Department of Transportation Safety Board and
Friendship Force.
After retiring, his "outreach" focused on the Highlands,
North Carolina community and was the inspiration for his
book "The Lure of Highlands." He helped chaperon the
Highlands High School Debate Team to New York, was
its graduation speaker, and served on his church's
vestry. He established and directed the annual Bob
Jones Golf Tournament to benefit the Highlands-
Cashiers Hospital, raising over 2.8 million dollars.
As a middle child of divorced parents, Mr. Wattles
grew up on the
Vanderbilt campus
where his mother
was Dining
Services Director.
After graduating
from Columbia
Military Academy
and Vanderbilt
University, he
joined the Navy in
World War II. His
first ship was the
USS West Point, a
10,000 troop
carrier, a major
Axis target. His
second ship was
torpedoed at
Okinawa.
He married Eugenia Kendall Pepper of Roanoke, VA,
during the war, his wife for 65 years. Retiring as
Lieutenant Commander, USNR, he began a prominent
insurance career, becoming founder and president of
Frank B. Hall of GA, now Avon, Inc. Mentoring and
networking for young people needing jobs was his
pleasure. He served on the Vanderbilt Divinity School
Advisory Board, personally establishing a library
endowment, the Emory Board of Visitors, was a member
of the Society of the Cincinnati and of Colonial Wars,
and a founding member of St. Anne's
Church, Atlanta.
He was a member of the St. Francis Yacht Club, San
Francisco; Highlands Country Club, Piedmont Driving
Club, Capital City Club, and Commerce Club of Atlanta.
He loved his family, enjoyed genealogy, tennis, golf, and
quail/duck shooting, and was a seasoned world traveler.
Survivors include his wife; and daughters, Anne (Robert)
Constantine, Louise (Steve) Moreland and Eugenia
Wattles, Atlanta; grandchildren, Robert, Rebecca, and
Walter Constantine, Atlanta, Laura (Alec) Reynolds,
Westfield, NJ, and Sarah (Hans) Sherman, Boston;
niece, Nancy (John) Glass, Fayetteville, TN; nephew,
Barrett (Carole) Monday II, Houston, TX; greatgranddaughter,
Quentin Reynolds, Westfield.
page 7

Cmdr. Donald Burling: After two years aboard West Point, Donald was
Former Reserve fights in WWII
Submitted by Dodie Frost
Cmdr. Donald O. Burling was born “Oscar Donald
Bjorling” Nov. 20, 1901, in New London, Conn. He was
named after his father who immigrated from Norrkoping,
Sweden.
Poor health and
poverty delayed him
from starting school
until the age of
eight, but his thirst
for learning enabled
him to finish the first
three grades in one
year. After only two
years of high school
he ran away from
his Manhattan home
and enlisted in the
U.S. Navy in April
1919.
An appointment
from Senator
William McKinley,
son of the assassinated president, led Donald to the
U.S. Naval Academy where he graduated in June 1925,
and accepted his diploma from President Calvin
Coolidge. He received the Newhall prize from the
Academy for his literary achievements, a talent that he
would carry with him for the rest of his life.
For the next 15 years, he served in the Naval Reserve,
rising to the rank of Lieutenant. In his civilian career, he
worked for telephone companies in St. Louis and New
York before losing his job during the Depression and
being forced to relocate to another phone company in
Springfield, Mass.
Donald married in the winter of 1925, and he and his
wife had two sons. But the marriage came to an end
when Donald was sent to sea for five consecutive years
at the outbreak of World War II.
After closing out his Reserve Division in Springfield,
Donald was assigned to USS West Point, which was
being outfitted as a troop ship at her birthplace, Newport
News, VA. Their job was to transport British troops all
over the world. On her second voyage overseas, West
Point carried over 5500 British troops from Halifax to
Singapore. Two days before arriving for a fueling stop in
Cape Town, South Africa, Pearl Harbor was attacked.
After the stop, Donald’s ship pushed on to Singapore,
where his convoy unloaded 20,000 troops to battle the
Japanese. The troops, however, had no more planes
and no anti-aircraft guns that could reach the Japanese
bombers that were bombing every hour. USS West Point
(formerly the SS America) wasn’t struck during this
battle, but the ship astern of it, USS Wakefield (former
Manhattan) was hit by a bomb that killed or injured
several onboard.
page 8
ordered to the large troop ship USS President Monroe
as the Executive Officer. The navigational skill he
demonstrated so many years earlier at Annapolis earned
him a new assignment, however, as he was ordered to
the destroyer tender USS Cascade in the South Pacific
to support General
MacArthur’s drive up
the Western Pacific.
From the island of
Funa Futi, off
Australia, he was
assigned to pilot ships
in and out of harbors,
including USS Hornet
and USS North
Carolina.
Donald was soon
given command of the
cargo ship USS Vega,
from which a company
of Seabees installed
outboard engines on
cargo landing craft
used to carry supplies
ashore to islands
during the push north
to Japan. He finally
reached the southern
end of Okinawa where
battleships and
Marines were carrying
out daily attacks on
the northern end.
During his return to
San Diego, the war
ended. With his marriage now over, he looked for
Captain Jennie Calhoon, a U.S. Army Nurse he had met
on a troopship bound for Bombay, India. The two were
married, and the story of their lives and 50-year marriage
are related in the book “The Soldier, the Sailor and the
Singer.”
MIA!
We have had a few Pups bounce back with no
forwarding address from the following individuals. If you
know of any information that might allow us to re-contact
them, please let one of us know! Our contact information
is on page three.
Frank Neason
Thurman Price
Jim Purdy
Robert & Dorothy Ringgenberg
Mike Tursich