Welcome to the USS Plymouth Rock Newsletter

Nineteenth  Edition:  The USS Plymouth Rock Newsletter is a publication issued every four months by the USS Plymouth Rock Ships Association.  If you would like to contribute an article, a piece of Navy or Plymouth Rock history, photo, memory or anything that might be of interest to you or other shipmates, you can send it as an e-mail to:

Bill Provencal, Association  Secretary at:
billinp@metrocast.net

or regular mail at:
Bill Provencal
37 South Main Street
Pittsfield, NH   03263

If you change address or e-mail address be sure to let me (Bill Provencal) know so we can update our Crews List.   My e-mail is billinp@metrocast.net  Our ships website is found at www.ussplymouthrock.com

Reunion Update

St Louis, MO Reunion
September 18-21, 2008
Plymouth Rock Reunion Coordinator
David Dortch, BT2
870-236-3725,  e-mail:  tazrhondave@yahoo.com
Richard Mathis, BMSN
870-566-2619  e-mail:  rmathis98@yahoo.com

Gateway to St. Louis Introductory Tour
Friday, September 19, 2008
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This itinerary includes a tram ride at the Gateway Arch, a VIP tour of the Anheuser-Busch brewery, views of Laclede’s Landing with lunch on own, a tour of the New Cathedral in Midtown, and a Forest Park overview if time permits.

            Visit the famous Gateway Arch, the Nation’s tallest monument commemorating the gateway to the west for thousands of 19th century pioneers. Here, take a tram ride to the top for a unique bird’s eye view of the city or watch a documentary on how this magnificent steel structure was created. Just east of the Arch, pass the excursion riverboats and the floating casino that calls the Mississippi River home. 

Enjoy a view of the Old Cathedral, the oldest cathedral west of the Mississippi. Across the street is the Old Courthouse, the setting for cases involving slavery, the fur trade and equal rights. Of these cases, the Dred Scott Freedom Trial is the most notable. You will pass the new Busch Stadium and the International Bowling Hall of Fame, as well as St. Louis Union Station, once the busiest rail terminal in the world. Today, Union Station has undergone a magnificent renovation and is home to a luxury hotel and more than 70 specialty shops and restaurants 

Your Destination St. Louis tour guide next traces the history of St. Louis beginning with the city’s original settlement, Laclede’s Landing. It is now a nine-block historic district filled with renovated turn-of-the-century buildings housing shops, eateries and offices. Your group will have time to enjoy lunch on own while exploring Laclede’s Landing before completing the rest of your tour. En route to the King of Beers—the Anheuser-Busch Brewery your guide will familiarize you with the rich history of the colorful Busch family. Situated in a complex with over 70 red brick structures on 100 acres, the brewery buildings are known for their unique architecture and several are National Historic Landmarks.  

During the tour, you will see the World Famous Clydesdales, the Fermentation Building, the Packaging and Bottling Plant, the Brew House and a film about the brewing process. No visit would be complete without a stop in the hospitality room to sample the family of Anheuser-Busch products. A VIP tour of the brewery is included.

Next you will tour the New Cathedral where you will see one of the largest collections of mosaics in the world - 84,000 square feet in 8,000 shades of color!  The tiny pieces of tessere and glass portray scenes from both Old and New Testaments, the life of Saint Louis IX, King of France and many men and women prominent in the history of St. Louis.  

Cost:  $48.00 per person based on a minimum of 35 participants per motor coach. Includes Destination St. Louis tour guide, admission to Gateway Arch, a donation to the New Cathedral, 10:00 a.m. VIP tour of Anheuser-Busch Brewery (arranged by client), cooler of chilled bottled water, 47-passenger motorcoach transportation, driver and guide gratuities, on-line/mail/fax pre-registration services and on-site coordination. 

Our Military Heritage
Saturday, September 20, 2008
9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This itinerary includes a visit to the Soldiers’ Memorial Military Museum, a boxed lunch at Jefferson Barracks Historic Park, a memorial service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, and a guided tour at the Jefferson Barracks Museum.           

            Your first stop is the Soldiers’ Memorial Military Museum, dedicated by President Roosevelt in 1936 to the 1,075 St. Louisans who died in action during World War I. The museum contains photographs and memorabilia pertaining to St. Louisans’ military involvement since the Civil War. You will also see the colorful mosaic ceiling of the loggia, dedicated to the mothers of St. Louisans who died in wars, as well as the four massive Bedford Stone sculptures depicting Courage, Sacrifice, Vision, and Loyalty which guard the entrances of the Memorial.           

            Enjoy a box lunch en route to Jefferson Barracks Historic Park and the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, the 4^th largest in the nation. More than 100,000 veterans or their dependents, including Union and Confederate soldiers, are buried here. Here your group can perform a memorial service at either the old flag pole or National Cemetery chapel.             

            The Historic Park was established in 1826 and stretches over 1,702 acres, this former military post overlooks the Mississippi River and was once the largest military post in America. Its strategic location helped open the West and protected American interests in the newly-acquired land.         

            Your last stop is a private, guided tour at the park’s museum. Take a historical journey through the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II.  

Cost:  $48.00 per person based on a minimum of 35 participants per motor coach.  Includes Destination St. Louis tour guide, all admission fees, donation to Soldiers’ Memorial, boxed lunch, cooler of chilled bottled water, 47-passenger motor coach transportation, guide and driver gratuities, on-line/mail/fax pre-registration services and on-site coordination. 

USS Plymouth Rock LSD29 Tour Order Form
Please Return to:
Destination St. Louis, Inc
7710 Big Bend Blvd.
St. Louis, MO   63119

or by Fax:  314-727-2277

or register online:  www.destinationstlouis.com/plymouth.htm

Advance Registration Deadline is September 4, 2008

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Advance reservations must be received by September 4, 2008. Tickets will be sold on-site, space permitting, and an additional $5.00 per ticket will be added.
Tours depart the Doubletree Westport, Main entrance. Tickets will be held for pickup at the Tour Desk in the Reunion registration area of the Doubletree Westport.
Destination St. Louis, Inc. reserves the right to cancel a tour if a minimum number  is not met or if an attraction becomes unavailable for reasons beyond its control.
Payments will be refunded by mail if a tour is sold out/ cancelled.
Tour tickets will NOT be mailed out, and instead will be distributed on-side at the Tour Desk
"Destination St. Louis" will provide (4) hours on site registration to distribute pre-registered tickets and to sell tickets available for tours from 12:00 to 4:00.

If you have any questions please call 314-727-2400

Tour desk hours are as follows:
Thursday, September 18, 2008  12:00 pm-4:00 pm

Special Needs:  If you have a disability that may influence your participation in the Tour Program, please attach a written description of your disability needs to your registration form.  We cannot assure the availability of appropriate accommodations without prior notification of need.

• Make all checks payable to Destination St. Louis.

• All credit orders will be charged a 4% service fee on total amount of purchase

• All cancellations received after September 4, 2008 are subject to a $5.00 processing fee.

USS Plymouth Rock LSD29 Meals Reservation  Form
Please Return to:
Paul Mohawk, Treasurer
5558 Canyon Lands Dr.
Forth Worth, TX  76137

Reservation form and check must be sent to Paul Mohawk prior to September 10, 2008.
Check for Meals must be made out to USS Plymouth Rock Association
If you have any dietary restrictions, please indicate below

Paid Association Members for 2007-2008
As of April 11, 2008 we now have 145 paid members

Shipmates Who Live in the State of West Virginia

Shark caught in the Caribbean, 1958	News Article from Gator Newspaper
Photo and news article contributed by Ron Miller, EN3

Mine Countermeasures: Progress and Set Backs
Norman Polmar | December 24, 2007

The U.S. Navy's first destroyer fitted for modern mine countermeasure operations has begun searching for mines in the Mediterranean Sea.  The USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) is forward deployed and has begun using the AN/WLD-1 Remote Minehunting System (RMS).

Mines are a major concern for U.S. warships operating in forward littoral waters, such as the Persian Gulf.  Beginning with Operation Desert Storm in 1961, three U.S. Navy ships have been severely damaged by mines in the Gulf-a helicopter carrier, an Aegis missile cruiser, and a guided missile frigates.  Mine are cheap, readily available, and can be clandestinely emplaced.

The RMS is a self-propelled, remote-controlled, torpedo-like object that seeks out bottom and bottom-moored mines.  The vehicle has a small, 370-horsepower diesel engine for propulsion,  The vehicle's sensors forward-looking sonar and obstacle-avoiding video camera.  The images from these sensors is sent by data link to the destroyer's combat center.  The craft can be programmed to perform autonomously or can be controlled via data link, even when beyond the horizon from the mothership, which recovers the RMS after the "mission." The RMS can detect and map the location of mines, but neither it nor the destroyer can sweep or destroy the mines.

The Navy plans to outfit six Aegis missile destroyers with the RMS.  But, the RMS is intended to support naval forces operating in relatively shallow, littoral areas where the threats include mines as well as small submarines and small surface craft.  The Aegis destroyers are primarily anti-air warfare ships, intended for deep-water operation, primarily in support of carrier battle groups.  Indeed, the Navy's trouble-plagued Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program was developed in part to provide a littoral mine countermeasures capability.  The RMS is a key component of the LCS mine countermeasures suite, which will include the means of destroying as well as detecting mines.

Meanwhile, the Navy has recently taken out of service the last of its relatively new Osprey (MHC 51)-class coastal minehunters.  These 12 ships-ideal for littoral operations-were commissioned between 1993 and 1999. The Navy began decommissioning them in June 2006.  Some have been transferred to Greece and Egypt, with the remainder being kept in storage at Beaumont, Texas, until they can be disposed of.

Anybody remember Z-grams?

 Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. while in Office as Chief of Naval Operations, 1 July 1970 to 1 July 1974 issued 121 directives known as Z-Grams, which sought to change the way the Navy had done things for almost two centuries. He gave a go-ahead for beards and mustaches, which were already permitted but generally frowned upon, and he allowed sailors to have sideburns, which he himself wore to the middle of the ear lobe, the longest length allowed. He permitted sailors to wear civilian clothes on base when not on duty, authorized liquor in officers' quarters and beer in the barracks of senior enlisted personnel, liberalized overnight liberty policies and set 15 minutes as the maximum time a sailor should have to wait in line for anything. Some z-grams changed the navy uniforms and dress code-- by doing away with the Undress Blues, permitted enlisted to have civilian clothing aboard ship, eliminated liberty chits, and established a new working uniform—the black straight leg pants and dark blue pull-over shirt, and introduced the hard cover white hat and solid dress black uniform pants and shirt.

Some of these were well accepted and some were, well err not as popular!!

Paper Mess Cook Hat, circa 1965
contributed by Ian Adam, SM3

2008 Pay Scale for those of you who are pondering returning to active duty

Navy Trivia

FOULED ANCHOR--The foul anchor as a naval insignia got its start as the seal of the Lord Howard of Effingham. He was the Lord Admiral of England at the time of the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. During this period the personal seal of a great officer of state was adopted as the seal of his office. The fouled anchor still remains the official seal of the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain. When this office became part of the present Board of Admiralty, the seal was retained--on buttons, official seals, and cap badges. The Navy's adoption of this symbol and many other customs can be directly attributed to the influence of British Naval tradition. The fouled anchor is among them.

BELL BOTTOM TROUSERS--commonly believed that the trouser were introduced in 1817 to permit men to roll them above the knee when washing down the decks, and to make it easier to remove them in a hurry when forced to abandon ship or when washed overboard. The trousers may be used as a life preserver by knotting the legs

THIRTEEN BUTTONS ON TROUSERS--there is no relationship between the 13 buttons on the trousers and the 13 original colonies. Before 1894, the trousers had only seven buttons and in the early 1800's they had 15 buttons. It wasn't until the broadfall front was enlarged that the 13 buttons were added to the uniform and only then to add symmetry of design.

MEN'S NECKERCHIEF--the black neckerchief or bandanna first appeared as early as the 16th century and was utilized as a sweat band and collar closure. Black was the predominant color as it was practical and did not readily show dirt. There is no truth to the myth that the black neckerchief was designed as a sign of mourning for Admiral Nelsons death.