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IMPORTANT NOTICE: The address given to your humble Secretary concerning our new Treasurer, Malcolm Jones was incorrect in our last newsletter (printed version only). It is 2613 W. Highway 83, McAllen, TX 78501; telephone 956-343-3644; email jnauto@att.net. If you have already sent your dues to the previous address and not as yet received your membership card, please contact Malcolm. Speaking of Malcolm, please note the following:
OUR TREASURER, MALCOLM JONES Malcolm was born on December 14, 1946 in Winchester, IN. At age three his family moved to Comb, TX, some twenty miles north of Brownsville. He graduated from Los Fresnos H. S. Malcolm joined the Navy a day after getting his draft notice in December 1965 and went to San Diego for boot camp. He is a SHB2. He rejoined in 1971 as a MMFN and worked his way up to MMC in 1981. He reported aboard SIERRA in October 1981 in Charleston, SC and stayed on board until 1984 in the A Division. In 1985 he made MMCS and received the Navy Achievement Award. He retired in May 1987. Malcolm served aboard five other ships along with two tours of shore duty. While in service he taught a college course, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration 101 in Chicago. On May 30, 1970 he married Brenda Dodd in Lyford, TX. They have two daughters, Melanie and Michele and six grandchildern (4 boys & 2 girls). Malcolm joined the Association in 2007 and was elected treasurer in 2009. He is treasurer of J & N Auto Air Warehouse. For hobbies he likes to work with childern in the local 4H Club and also works his 40 acre farm.
Again wish to remind you of late dues. If your envelope address label notes LP07 or LP08 this indicates the your last dues were paid.
WELCOME ABOARD
SICK CALL Frank Savino (53-57), Frank's wife Gail had advised us in October of last year that Frank fell in a parking lot and fractured his right elbow. Last month Frank went to the hospital with congestive heart failure. Frank needs a valve replacement and a pacemaker with a defibrillator. (DPR: Get well soon Frank.)
TIN CAN SAILORS
The Association received a nice thank you from Captain James V. Jones, President of Tin Can Sailors, Inc. This is in regards to our $350.00 contribution made to Tin Can Sailors.
2010 REUNION NOTES Things are progressing for this year's reunion in Ocean City, NJ running from October 19-21, 2010. Please note this is not a weekend reunion but to be held during the week. The reason for this is cost. Bob Morales is finalizing the tour agenda. All things are set up in so far as the hotel is concerned. The registration for the reunion will cost $75.00 per person. The hotel rate is $98.56, which includes taxes. As we did in Branson. The hotel will have to be paid up front by check or credit card. The cost for the breakfast buffet and the banquet is in the registration fee. Breakfast will consist of fresh fruit, assorted cold cereals, pastries, eggs, home fries, bacon, sausage, French toast and pancakes, juice, coffee, etc. The banquet will have wild green salad, a choice of prime rib or chicken cordon bleu along with peas and mushrooms, mashed potatoes and ice cream sundae along with the traditional SIERRA cake. At this time the first tour involves visiting the battleship NEW JERSEY in which we will have a barbeque lunch and wreath laying ceremony. From there we travel to the historic section of Philadelphia, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, etc. The next day's tour will be the Cape May WWII tour. We will see Coastal Battery 223. the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum and Fire Control Tower #23. We will lunch at the Lobester House. The next newsletter will have the reunion and tour selection as well and the hotel reservation and meal selection, among other things. Bob and I will be exploring the Washington D. C. area for next year's reunion.
GUESS WHO?
A LITTLE LIGHT HUMOR ? A man walks into the dentist's office and says, "Excuse me, can you help me. I think I'm a moth." The dentist replies, You don't need a dentist. You need a psychiatrist." The man says, "Yes, I know." The dentist, "So why did you come in here?" The man says, "The light was on...." A
few years ago a man, wearing a Democratic lapel badge, walked into a bar
and saw a picture of President Bush on the wall. He called the bartender over
and said, "You should take that picture down. George Bush is blight upon this
nation. He should be impeached." The bartender, a life long Republican. was
visibly offended. "W, you liberal piece of garbage," he screamed. "How dare you
come into my bar and tell me how to run my business." The man said, "Listen, I'm
the customer, so I'm always right, That picture offends me, so I want you
to take it down." "That tears it," said the bartender, "How would you like
it if I came into your bar and told you what to do?" "Well, you'd be the
customer, so you'd be right," said the man. "Fine, then let's switch places,"
replied the bartender, whereupon the man took the bartender's place behind the
bar, and the bartender walked outside, waited a moment, then came back inside.
The bartender sat at the bar and said, "You should take that badge off. The
Democrats are destroying our country with their liberal agenda," "Soprry, said
the man, "we don't serve Republicans here."
Q: Where can men over the age of
60 find younger, sexy women who are interested in them? Q: How can you increase the heart
rateof your 60-year-old husband? Q: What is the most common remark
made by 60+ year olds when they enter an antique store?
TREASURER'S REPORT At the start of 2009 we had a bank balance of $18,074.58. As of December 20, 2009 it stood at $13,782.06. Bulk of expenses went to the cost of the newsletter, the memorial plaque and reunion expenses.
CREW'S NEWS While in Branson Charles Duff (1947) spoke to me about the Honor Flight Network. This program is where WWII and other qualified veterans are flown to Washington DC to visit memorials. He was selected last year and said it was very rewarding. A WWII veteran flies free and this organization will not accept a donation from a WWII veteran. For further information call the Honor Flight Network at 937-521-2400 or via email at veteran-application@honorflight.org. I received this from Mary Louise Spain, Rusty's widow (44-45), " I have just recently returned from a glorious week in Sansepolero, Italy. Unfortunately, I brought an unwelcome bug home with me, which has resulted bronchitis and a sinus and ear infection. If nothing else it has made me slow down and take care of those items I should have attended to weeks ago. I want express my appreciation to the organization for allowing me the honor and privilege of cutting the SIERRA cake. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed the Branson experience. The shows were excellent and it is always good to see friends again. I do hope Janice has fully recovered from her fall with no lingering reminders of her unfortunate accident. Thank you again for your ongoing kindness to me. (DPR: Mary Louise we hope you are better now. Janice is fine.) From Barbara Damato (86-89), "Enclosed please find $20.00 for my dues. I'm not sure when mine are due so to stay updated I'm sending them now.... I hope to make a reunion some say. I usually have a conflict with the Fall Fling of the Florida CPOA that same weekend. That is a much easier trip for me but I'll see next time." Harold Buehler received a lengthy letter from Harry Scroggs (52-54) describing his trip to Washington DC and his visit to the US Navy Memorial, Naval Heritage Center and Shipyard. At the Heritage Center there is a data listing the names of Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine personnel. You can add your name to the database and include a photo. Harry only one name he recognized and that was of Ted Poch (52-56). Malcolm received this from Ed Burris (75-82) last year. "Here are my dues. Sure wish we could have made the reunion but hope to make next year's." From Dick Erbe (56-57), "Sorry to be so late but thought we could do Branson. Couldn't make it because my wife broke her hip. Maybe next year." (DPR: Hope Diane is much better and we hope you two make the 2010 reunion.) From Carol Oberdeck Skinner (86-88), "Sounds like you had a good time at the reunion. Here are the dues for $20.00. Hope to make the next reunion." This from Captain Tom Weaver (90-91), "Hopefully this will bring me up to date on my dues. I served on 8 ships and find it hard to keep up with my dues."
Dawn Brower (84-86) writes, Here's my dues for the Sierra newsletter. Don't know
if I'm behind or not so I'm sending for 2 years. Been a busy and interesting
year. Hopefully, we can make another reunion. From Donald Cramer (52-55) "I was a shipmate of Mr. Cale (George Cale who died last year) 1951-55, we had some good times together. Enclosed a check for two years dues. Frank received this from Al Schultz (82-87), "Enclosed is my 2010 dues plus a little extra to cover postage for the newsletter. I had a great time at the 2009 reunion in Branson. I have set up a site with some pictures I took. The address on the web is http://usssierrareunion2009.shutterfly.com/. If anyone has any other pictures they would like added to the site, feel free to email me at ajblues9243@sbcgloal.net and I will add the photos to the site,. You may also gain access to the site through the Sierra website which is http://www.uss-sierra-vets.org Thanks to everyone who attended and made me feel welcome at my first reunion." This came from David Del Pizzo (67-69), "I'm enclosing my yearly dues payment. I am not attending this year's reunion. I just could not fit my into the schedule. I have not missed one in the last five years so I am really disappointed. Hopefully next year will work out easier. I really enjoy attending the reunions. Hearing and telling stories about the old girl are really a lot of fun. It seems as if most of us left something behind on those decks and in those shops. Maybe it was youth but attending one of the reunions is sort of like going back and hitting the beach for liberty call one more time. I can still feel the after brow under me and ready to go ashore with some money in my pocket and things to do. OK, see you maybe next year. Have a good Holiday Season." Mrs. Fran Richison sent us a Christmas card advising us of her husband's, Jack (44-45), passing. "Just wanted you to know that my husband of 62 years passed away on August 9, 2009. He was a Plank Owner of the USS SIERRA. We attended several reunions. Je was ill for three years prior to his death and we were unable to travel during those years. Please send this information to others through your newsletter. Thank you." (DPR: Jack was also a Life
Member of the Association and just shy of age 84.)
(DPR: Ted was our banquet photographer as well as Membership Chairman from 1996-2000.)
(DPR: Ralph was not a member
of the Association but during WWII he served aboard SIERRA G. Milton Jones Harlingen, TX Mr. Jones is the father of our Treasurer, Malcolm Jones. He died on February 16, 2010 at the age of eighty-seven. May they and all our shipmates who have passed rest in peace.
Respectively Submitted By DUES $20 * NEWS * DUES $20 * NEWS * DUES $20 * NEWS * DUES $20 * NEWS * DUES $20 * NEWS * DUES $20 * NEWS
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