U.S.S. Little Rock Association Message Board

Members' addresses - help needed!

berglas — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:17:55 GMT

We have a half-dozen life members who apparently haved moved and have not informed us of their new addresses. We are unable to locate them and cannot send them copies of LitComs or any other Association mailing. The email addresses are obsolete, as are the telephone numbers.

If anyone knows the whereabouts of the following shipmates, would they please let us know? Or ask the member to contact us with their new information? We'd appreciate any help available. Thanks.

Jerry E. Craft 59-64 MM1
Thomas D. Johnson 61-63 USMC Cpl
James D. Leskosek 71-73 SN
Peter N. Taranto 76-76 HTC
Henry J. Wolf 46-47 S1/c
Allan L. Yoder 46-49 FC2C

Contact:
Frank E. Berglas, Secty
USS Little Rock Association
10 Bayberry Lane
South Salem NY 10590-1414
Tel: (914) 764-2187
email: fberglas@optonline.net

Trying Times in Sickbay

John — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:08:27 GMT

'Tis a lesson you should heed,
Try, try again.
If at first you don't succeed,
Try, try again. - Thomas H. Palmer (1782 - 1861) Teacher's Manual (1840)

January 15, 1974 marked the end of my original four-year Navy enlistment. I still had another two years to serve because I volunteered during boot camp to extend my enlistment in exchange for advanced electronics training, a quick promotion to P03, and a boatload of money in the form of a variable reenlistment bonus.

As part of the Navys reenlistment ritual, I had to report to Little Rocks sickbay for a comprehensive turn-your-head-and-cough physical the morning of January 7, 1974. The activities and procedures for my physical were routine until I entered sickbays lab for a vial bloodletting ceremony. After sitting down and exchanging pleasantries, the duty corpsman went to work and stabbed my right arm with a big needle, reminiscent of Don Quixote attacking a windmill. The corpsman pushed and jabbed that needle all around in a vein effort to hit his target. He finally pulled out that 16 penny-sized needle, leaving a hole in my right arm that ran a river of blood. After striking out on my right arm, the corpsman attacked on the left, drilling yet another dry hole in pursuit of a bubbling vein. Once again, there was no blood until he unplugged and then it was as though the biggest dam in the Netherlands had sprung a leak. Reluctant to ask for help, he targeted another spot on my left arm and it was painfully obvious that this guy prescribed to the try-try-try again philosophy of job completion. Thankfully, he did find a productive vein on the fourth try, about an inch over from the first hole in my left arm, and I watched as more of my blood spilled out of my body to meet the Navys testing requirements. I never lost consciousness and managed to walk out of the lab under my own power. I did notice that the next guy in line was less than eager to take his turn.

I had four new holes in my body and was somewhat anemic leaving sickbay. Im sure the corpsman tried his best, but as W.C. Fields said, If at first you dont succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it.

Mystery Photo #16

Artillery — Thur, 24 Apr 2008 12:03:09 GMT

A new Mystery Photo has been posted. Click on the link below to view the photo.

While most of us would recognize the USS Little Rock (CL-92), we'd like to know:

(1) Where this is,

(2) When it was, and

(3) What in the world is that thing on the port (left) side of the Little Rock.

Click on the "Reply" link at the top of this page to submit your input.

Thanks,

Art Tilley

Click Here to view Mystery Photo Page

Captain Walter Bennett

Artillery — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:57:47 GMT

The following message was received on 08 April 2008 from Betsy Bennett-Lurey:

Dear Men of the Little Rock,

My father loved you. His name was Captain Walter Bennett and he was the commanding officer of the Little Rock in Gaeta from April 1968 - November 1969. My Mother, Katie Bennett, loved you all as well.

Dad devoted over 30 years to the Navy and he died of cancer in 1990, too soon for many of his ten grandchildren to know him. My sister and I still miss him dearly.

I am compiling a book of memories about Dad. Would you help me? If you remember my Dad (for better or worse!) would you email me?

Would you be so kind to forward this message to all the fine men who served the Navy so well on this fine ship?

God bless you all.

Betsy Bennett Lurey

1965 History

John — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:57:13 GMT

Information found at: http://www.bozair.com/adamsmen/Adams%20&%20Adams%20Class%20DDG%20History.pdf

USS CHARLES F. ADAMS DDG-2

During 5 to 12 January 1965, ADAMS was engaged in MEDLANDEX 1-65 (Mediterranean Landing Exercises). This was a large scale coordinated operation involving a carrier task unit, including SARATOGA (CVA-62), LITTLE ROCK, SEMMES (DDG-18) and TATNALL (DDG-19), with an amphibian task unit consisting of LSTs, LSDs and LPHs. ADAMS was assigned the position of lead ship as part of the screening unit for the exercise. A large shore bombardment followed with Anti-Air-Warfare Exercise, AAWEX-40T.

a stormy night at sea.

mclean_g — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:22:13 GMT

2 am , "Your turn to sew, Bud." Aft deck midnight shift air crew sits on ragged spring in chair leaps to his feet, 9" laceration to left cheek of buttock.
Draped ,it was ready for suturing as the ship rolled and rocked, I reminded him not to flatulate or I would sew up the expulsion area.A call for another corpsman in the engine room mate has finger severed and is holding it in his hand, corpsman looks at abnormality and faints, second corpsman called, young seaman in bed holds thermometer for world record time until butt, revived corpsman and reattached finger(By Dr. Keene) are all accomplished, patient mumbles, can I take this out of my mouth?
Shortly thereafter we met Odin (HM1 Mike K.)
HM1 Rob coughed through all this with his British aplomb, he reminds me of Simon on American Idol.
Gunny administers health lecture in original form, the deck is a cold place to sleep isn't it?
Lisbon was waaay too much fun for some members.

Mystery Photo #15

Artillery — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:30:49 GMT

A new Mystery Photo has been posted on the website Home Page.

(www.usslittlerock.org)

This is a very interesting photo. The ship in the background sure looks like the USS Little Rock.
But what about the ship in the foreground?

We'd like to know:

(1) What the name of the square-rigger is.
(2) Where it is located. And,
(3) What was the occassion of the two ships being at the same place at the same time?

Click on the word "Reply" above this message to give us your thoughts.

The Life and Hands of Ug and Ig

John — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 03:25:00 GMT

I took 30 days leave from Little Rock in 1974 and backpacked my way around Europe. By then I had been living in Gaeta for more than 2 years and was burned out on European museums. Still, it would have been bad form to backpack through Amsterdam and not visit Rijksmuseum. During my tour of Rijksmuseum, I walked past Rembrandts mural-sized Night Watch painting and it dawned on me that I might be related to those dead people up on the wall. My imagination immediately went to work as I tried to envision myself toting a sword and wearing a weird hat like my greater-than-great grandpa might have.

Since my epiphany at Rijksmuseum, I can visit the dullest of museums and historical sites and not be bored to tears as Ive learned to see things in a boundless manner free to this day from any steroids or other drugs provided by personal trainers. The following writing is the result of my personal visionary approach to interpreting art works, historical sites, hieroglyphics and cave wall paintings.

The Life and Hands of Ug and Ig

by John Meyers

The infamous cavemen brothers, Ug and Ig, lived a long time ago in a very scenic and mountainous region that is now part of the state of Minnesota. The brothers were prolific painters and covered the walls of their caves with drawings of ordinary and special events from their lives. Archeologists have unearthed tools and artifacts from several of these cave sites that indicate Ug and Ig mixed mud and berries in a bowl to make paint and tied mammoth hair in a tuft to fashion a primitive paintbrush. I recently discovered an Ug and Ig cave while exploring near Itasca State Park, which is the present day home to the headwaters of the Mississippi river. One of the paintings I found in that cave told an interesting story that I will try to recount:

One fall day, the brothers Ug and Ig decided to invite a few of their closest neighbors over to their cave for a party bonfire. They knew this would be the first dinner party in the northern hemisphere and they wanted to have the best and most appropriate food for their guests. As food was always very hard and laborious to supply, they did not want to cook or serve anything that might not be eaten. They decided to inventory what foodstuffs they had on hand and sort everything into suitable and unsuitable piles.

So what about these bear paws, do you think they are apropos, Ug?

Why sure, said Ug, theyve been hanging around for at least a week already and need to be eaten before they rot. Throw them on the pile befitting for dinner.

This mammoth trunk looks like it needs to be on the dinner pile, too, said Ug.

Indisputably, Ug, put it with the food for our company, please.

Ug, I do suspect that these salad greens would be too indecorous to include with our dinner entre?

Whatever you think Ig. I never did care for that fibrous rabbit food!

Ig, identifying these piles is tedious work. It might be easier if we call the dinner pile the good or right food and the other pile will be the leftovers.

That sounds excellent to me, said Ig. We may even shorten that terminology up some by calling food located by this hand the right pile and food nearest our other hand the left pile.

Yea, that sounds great, said Ug right side here and left side there.

So lets try it, Ig. Candy yams and snake eggs to the left.

An exemplary choice, Ug. Here goes dinosaur fillets and vulture legs to the right.

Thus, Ug and Ig were the first to identify their right from their left, setting a standard that has been religiously observed by all of humankind every since.

Curiously, I noted that Ug and Ig painted themselves facing each other as they were sorting their food, so that one mans left was the other mans right. This prehistoric blunder may help explain the age-old question of why some people have trouble identifying their right from their left. It does appear to be a simple matter of lineage.

Anyone care to comment on a favorite museum visit while port jumping with Little Rock?

Mystery Photo #14

Artillery — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:32:08 GMT

A shipmate recently sent in a great photo depicting the arrival aboard the Little Rock of a special guest. We'd like to identify ALL of the men in the photo, but our Mystery Photo "Attaboy" award will go to whoever correctly identifies the distinguished looking Four-Striper.

To view the picture, click on the "USS Little Rock Association" link above, and then scroll to the bottom of the Home Page.

Once identified, we'll be adding this gentleman to the "Famous Visitors" page.

To give us your answer, click on "Reply" above this message.

Bon Chance.

Annual Membership Dues - 2008

berglas — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:17:16 GMT

To all non-life members:

Please remember that annual membership dues for 2008 are payable before March 1st. A $5.00 late fee applies to all payments made after that date.

There are at the date of this message about 170 annual members who have not "shipped over" for 2008. We want to keep everyone aboard - so, if you haven't yet renewed this year, why not do it right now?

Dues are as follows:

Class A - Little Rock crew members: $25.00 per year
(Life memberships: CLG-4 $200.00; CL-92 $100.00)

Class B - Any veteran (did not serve aboard Little Rock): $25.00 per year
(Life memberships: $200.00)

Class C - Associate (non-veterans): $10.00 per year

Class E - Widow or surviving spouse: $5.00 per year

Class F - Junior Associate (anyone between ages 10-21): $10.00 per year

Checks should be made payable to USS Little Rock Association and mailed to:

Frank E. Berglas, Treasurer
USS Little Rock Association
10 Bayberry Lane
South Salem NY 10590-1414

Happy Anniversary

John — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:36:14 GMT

I have a copy of the anniversary greeting sent to Little Rock by CNO J.L. Holloway. Some of the characters were hard to discern, but I think I got most of it right.

VZCZCMAD2I4

PITUZY11W RUENAAA5784 1571631-UUUU-RUFRMAA.:

ZNR UUUUU

P R 061534Z JUN 75

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC

TO RUFRMAA/USS LITTLE ROCK

INFO RUCBSAA/COMVANSURFLANT NORFOLK VA

RUFRMAA/COMSIXTHFLT

UNCLAS //N05750//

ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

1. IT IS A PLEASURE TO EXTEND BEST WISHES TO CAPTAIN MARTIN AND TO ALL WHO WILL JOIN IN OBSERVING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF LITTLE ROCK. THIS MEMORABLE OCCASION IS A TRIBUTE TO THE DEDICATION AND SKILL OF THE OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN WHO HAVE SERVED IN LITTLE ROCK OVER THE YEARS. COMMISSIONED IN 1945, LITTLE ROCK WAS CONVERTED TO A GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER IN 1960. LITTLE ROCK HAS OPERATED OFF THE COASTS OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA AND NORTHERN EUROPE AND IN THE CARIBBEAN AND THE MEDITERRANEAN. SHE HAS SERVED AS FLAGSHIP FOR BOTH THE SIXTH AND SECOND FLEET. IN 1961, LITTLE ROCK OPERATED OFF THE COAST OF HISPANIOLA DURING THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CRISIS. TODAY, SHE SERVES AS A MAINSTAY OF THE UNITED STATES PRESENCE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS. J.L. HOLLOWAY

PAGE 02 RUENAAA5784 UNCLAS

III, ADMIRAL U.S. NAVY.

#5784

Maybe someone from the RM group can add a line or two of explanation and add to the story telling.

Why does a radioman always talk Zulu?
Why all that mess at the beginning of a message? Looks like the Rumplestiltskin writer was in charge.
Why all the high blood pressure over missing numbers?
Why was it always the fault of some hapless ET if numbers went missing?
Why was someone always searching for good frequencies? And how does one know what a good frequency is?
Why get upset when a gum wrapper lands in a burn bag?
Why did radiomen throw a party whenever the KWR-37 synchronized?

Anyone care to respond?

Only the Beginning

John — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:35:26 GMT

I was assigned to the Sixth Fleet flagship from September 1971 to December 1975. USS Springfield served as flagship until USS Little Rock took over in August 1973. The Italian city of Gaeta became the flagships Mediterranean homeport in 1967 after France kicked the flagship out of Villefranche. During my time in Gaeta, the officers and enlisted men of the flagship were permitted to live ashore within a few miles of the local Nato fuel pier -- subject to good behavior. A married crewman had the option of moving his family overseas to live in Gaeta.

Only the beginning!

In the fall of 1971, a group of Gaeta Navy wives and a few men from Springfield formed a choir with the encouragement and full support of Vice Admiral Gerald Miller, Commander Sixth Fleet. By the end of December, the choir and Sixth Fleet band had performed a series of Christmas shows at local Italian theaters and military venues in the Naples and Gaeta areas.

Only just the start!

The choir became known as The Sixth Fleet Singers and the combined choir and band performed as The Sixth Fleet Music Show. The shows highlight trip of 1972 was the Munich Olympics.

The quoted lines are taken from the lyrics of Beginnings, a song the Sixth Fleet band played and a favorite of mine from Chicagos first album.

The band and a core group of choir members remained in Gaeta when Little Rock arrived, which allowed the show to continue without missing a beat. The choir was still practicing new arrangements and planning future performances with the band when I walked off Little Rock for the final time in December 1975 to process out of the Navy and signup for college.

Are there any former show members around?

I recall that a number of choir members were pregnant and close to their due dates when they performed in a series of shows near Maastricht, Netherlands in September 1975. It would be interesting to hear from those thirty-something kids.

Henry Grady Tripp

scitripp — Thur, 07 Feb 2008 19:15:26 GMT

My dad was Henry Grady Tripp. He served on the Little Rock in her early years and has passed away. I would be interested in contacting anyone who may have served with him.
Thanks,
Richard Tripp

Bronze Man Award etc.

Artillery — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:28:07 GMT

I received a communication recently from Patty Rozumek asking for information regarding the "Bronze Man" award. Her husband Dennis Rozumek received such an award on Apr. 17, 1965. The award is marked Serial No. 27.

As it turns out, I also received "A Bronze Man" citation while aboard the Little Rock. It is Serial No. 11, awarded Aug. 14, 1963.

Other than my own memories of receiving the award, and the information contained on it, I know very little about the award, or of it's original purpose.

Are there any shipmates out there who either received a "Bronze Man" award, know of it's origin, or know how many were awarded?

Were there similar awards in other eras? These would be awards that were specific to the Little Rock, and were not otherwise official, nor did they merit a ribbon.

Give us your input is you have any memories of the Bronze Man or similar awards.

Best Regards

A Fish Out of Water

John — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:13:49 GMT

The Little Rock was dry docked to have her rudder repaired at the S.E.B.N shipyard in Naples a few weeks after the Miss America Show. The work took longer than planned and the ships departure was delayed to the second week of October 1975. Prior to parking at the shipyard, the Little Rock made a trip to Rota to offload all her missiles and shells. I was not invited to the working party, but I believe the shells for the five and six-inch guns had to be hand carried off the ship in ant-like fashion. After being released from captivity, the Little Rock put in a few days of sea trials and then returned to Rota to retrieve her bullets. It seems to me that all the five and six-inch gun ammo was vintage 1945. I believe it took 3 days to put all the missiles and shells back in place.

Does anyone remember straining their back, or accidentally dropping a bomb or two?

Who remembers how and when the rudder was damaged? It seems to me that the ship hit something???