U S S McKEAN
DD 784 * DDR 784
S
C U T T L E B U T T
Vol I, No. 2
DATE:
March 28, 1999
TO: ALL CREW MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND
FRIENDS
FROM:
Bob Hancock, Reunion
Coordinator
2002 Chuli Nene
Tallahassee, FL 32301-5826
(850)
877-0854
It is with a very sad heart that I inform all McKean shipmates that one
of our number passed away February 24, 1999. James M. Salvant served aboard the
McKean during the period 1968 - 1971. Jim and his family resided at 680 Oak
Villa Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA
20815-8403. Unfortunately for me, I never had the opportunity to meet,
face to face, with Jim. However, he and I had a number of delightful,
informative and enjoyable telephone conversations. Jim was the first shipmate
to respond to the call for a McKean reunion. He casually mentioned that perhaps
the crew would like to meet in Baton Rouge, giving as one of his many reasons,
the USS Kidd being berthed there. From what I have heard and read about other
military reunions held in Baton Rouge, none ever left unhappy over their
stay. So, Jim alerted a barnfull of
people about the McKean proposed reunion and respond they did! Thanks to Jim's
efforts, the Baton Rouge people pushed all the right buttons for the right
reasons…they really do want the McKean crew to go there. To
honor Jim, a memorial gift has been
made to the American Heart Association from the crews of the USS McKean
DD784/DDR784.
As
I have mentioned to many of you, a visit will be made May 2 to Baton Rouge for
the purpose of making arrangements on the hotel, places to eat, attraction
which may be of interest, and to make arrangements for a visit to the USS Kidd
DD 681. It is very necessary that I receive from you, at this point, your
intentions as to whether you will attend the reunion. If you do, then we need
also to know the number of persons in your party and the number of nights you
plan to stay in the hotel, I will making our pitch for accommodations based on
the number of rooms we will occupy. From the vast number of brochures I've received,
the hotel rates will range from $65.00 to $90.00 per night, plus 12% tax. There
was one for $198.00 but I don’t plan to visit that one! There is a form at the
bottom of this document asking for various information. PLEASE print and
complete it and return within seven (7) days if at all possible to the reunion
coordinator at the address above. It would be real nice to sit at the
"bargaining table" and say that we will need from 50 to 80 rooms,
maybe up to 105 rooms!
It
should be noted that the production, printing and distribution of SCUTTLEBUTT
and the compiling of the master roster of McKean shipmates reflect the work of
Donna Gardner, daughter of Don Hudnall
TM 2/C (1949-1942). Thank you Donna!
This
is the final reunion pitch for this issue of the SCUTTLEBUTT. How long has it
been since you went on "Liberty" with a shipmate? When was the last
time you enjoyed a "Beach Party" with your shipmates? How many
"stories" (or maybe you prefer the word "vents") have you
told your family and friends while wishing an old shipmate ot two was present
so he could verify your tall tales? NOW IS THE TIME! We may never have an opportunity to visit with everybody again.
The McKean was a GALLANT LADY who always took care of her crew, even in Harm's
Way. Sailors aboard other Navy vessel envied her crew. She was Beautiful! She
was Superb! She was Powerful! She was Awesome! She was the USS McKean DD
784/DDR 784! And, best of all, SHE WAS OURS!!!
--0--
A
young man joined the U.S. navy in World War II for all the right reasons.
Eventually, he was assigned to a PC in the Med Sea. Transferred to the 784 as a
plank owner in June 1945, he toured the Pacific, left the 784 in Pearl Harbor
and returned to the States, courtesy of the Battleship USS Texas which was
almost as big as the white hat's heart. Who was that Signalman First Class
whose "Welcome Home" was surely larger than had he been on a
"tin can"?
--0--
Speaking
of a Plank Owner, a battleship, and a Signalman, who was that blonde-haired
(with ringlets) third class skivvy-waver who added the expletives
"gu-zoon-height" and "Mull-house-an" to the McKean's
workstation vocabulary?
--0--
Part
1. Who was the first McKean officer named
to an "All American" team while in college?
Part
2. Who was the first crew member
named as all All American while in college?
--0--
Don
Hood went scuba diving (he said he was ordered to) under the
McKean---she was tied up alongside a
dock at this time, of course. Have you heard this story about what he found on
the floor of the harbor beneath the McKean?
--0--
Part
1.During her tour of duty in the Pacific Theater of Operations, what was the
McKean's announced top speed? But what was it, really?
Part
2. How did the top speed of the fastest aircraft carrier afloat compare to the
McKean's (unofficial) top speed?
--0--
What
was probably the least desired duty assignment on the McKean? (Probably would
be the same on all destroyers). Keep in mind that this job could be also listed
in the five most important jobs on a destroyer (Now let's be serious--it was
not using steel wool or a wire brush on the screws while underway!)
--0--
In
late September or early October, 1945, the McKean was in Pearl Harbor along
with many, many surface vessels, including those of her division/squadron. An
event took place that day that captured the attention of EVERY ship in the
harbor, plus nearby shore installations. What happened to cause the alarm?
Clue: believe me, it was serious, very serious!!
--0--
Anybody
who was above other anybodies had two or three keys while serving aboard the
McKean. It mattered not whether those keys opened locks on the ship -- man, you had the KEYS! Those little
jewels sparkled and tinkled every time the ship rolled or pitched as they hung
from a belt loop or a button hole or whatever. BUT what was the really and
truly Super Dooper identifier of the MISTER ANYBODY? (Clue: brass was preferred of the two kinds
available.)
--0--
Did
you hear the story about the deckhand who volunteered to change the light bulbs
atop the mast while the ship was underway in the midst of a typhoon? He was
lashed to the mast at sea and given a Section 8 as soon as the ship returned to
port. He may have been a cousin to the fellow who volunteered to drive a
wheelbarrow while keeping the bottomside up. By the way, neither served aboard
the McKean.
--0--
Every
Signalman Striker longed for the day when he no longer was the low man on the
signal bridge. Why? Because he would not have to crawl out on the yardarms to
replace the halyards or untangle a flag or to capture a loose halyard.
--0--
EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA
EXTRA EXTRA
The
McKean made her motion picture debut in the movie, "MIDWAY". About 20
minutes into the film, a destroyer appears in the background as she moves
across the screen. At that point, slow your VCR to single frame as you see the
number 4 appear on the hull, then comes the 8 followed by the 7 and there you
have 784! How about them apples?? (Sorry, the editor wrote down all the above
information, but, alas, four days later he couldn't (and still can't) remember
who gave him the story. Please! Somebody help the ole man out!!
--0--
How
may US Navy warships have been commissioned with the name "McKean"?
The answer is "Two". The first McKean was the DD-90, followed by the
APD-5, and then cane DD-784. She was also reclassified DDR-784 and later
reclassified DD-784.
--0--
Some
shipmates' comments:
"It will
take a pack of wild horses to keep me away from this reunion. I am really
looking forward
to it!" -- Earl E. Moore, GM
2/C 6/47-6/52
"Thanks you very much
for sending me the notice of the McKean reunion in September of this year. At
present, I'm very much afraid that my wife and I will be unable to make it, but
would appreciate being retained on your mailing list in case our schedule for
this fall changes." -- former Gunnery Officer Thomas
J. Bush, Jr., CDR,USN (ret)
"AHOY! Bob Hancock and
the McKean Reunion Group. Hallelujah! We're finally on our way!!" -- Bob (Toke) Tokayczyk,
49-1.
"If God is willing, I
am very anxious to come to a McKean reunion that I've waited for about 10 years
now. Seeing reunions listed in the TIN CAN SAILORS newspaper for the Rowan,
Gurke, and Henderson made me hope that someday the McKean would appear."-- Allan R.
Reinhold 6/47-2/48
"Question: If I have
picture and photos, and the ship's newspaper published in the 45-50 era, am I
permitted to bring them to the reunion? If the crews learn you failed to bring
all your stuff, a Captain's Mast will be convened to determine whether you go
to bed without your supper or you will be dispatched home to get the stuff and
return to the reunion. -- that's the feeling of John D. Price QM 3/ C 50-52.
Finally, George Johnson has been scratching his head
and racking his brain about all the stuff/events he remembers that took place
on his watch. He also has a plan to become literate without having a
computer…he tried to explain the procedure over the telephone but I can't seem
to understand those under and over bites along with the silly bites, much less
as to how they relate to the Hertz Rent-A-Car business. But the funniest part
is that you have to hold a mouse in your hand when the computer is
turned on. The "little lady" said, "Forget it! We are not going
to have even one mouse in the house! Period!!"
Excerpts
from "The Weekly Bugle" Volume I, 16 December 1945:
MAN
YOUR BATTLE STATIONS:
It was a tense moment! Them Mighty Mac was going into
action with the enemy for the first time! Gun crews were
manned and the tenseness of the situation was reflected in
their drawn faces. "All hands, wear your battle helmets." The
hue and cry was shouted over the bullhorn. The crew raced
around like madmen. An enemy mine had been sighted! The
water churned as if lashed by a large serpent as the slugs from
the 20's spit in. shells, and more shells, spouted from the guns.
And then, as silently as it had appeared, the evil thing
sank
Beneath the waters, technically the winner!
U S S McKEAN
DD 784 *
DDR 784
ATTN: Reunion
Coordinator
Please check
those applicable:
I will attend.
I am planning to attend.
I have not yet decided whether I
will attend.
I
will not attend.
Keep me on the mailing list.
Remove me from the mailing lit.
_______
Number of persons in my party
_______
Number of nights I plan to spend at hotel.
Name tag
information:
Examples:
Name:
_________________________________________ (Robert Hancock)
Name to print on tag: ______________________________
(Bob)
Rank: __________________________________________(Signalman 3/C,Plank Owner)
Years of
service:__________________________________ (1945-1946)
(The name tag information will help complete
our master roster whether you attend or not)
Sample
name tag:
USS McKean DD 784/DDR 784 Bob Hancock Signalman 3/C Plank Owner 1945-1946 First Reunion September 25-28, 1999 Baton Rouge, LA