Welcome to the USS Plymouth Rock Newsletter

This is our Sixth Ships Newsletter to be created in this format.  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 sent 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 website is found at www.ussplymouthrock.com

Notice

This is the first Newsletter that is being mailed to all dues paying members.   We will continue to e-mail the newsletter to all those shipmates on our Muster List who have an active e-mail account.  It is just to costly to mail the newsletter to those who do not have e-mail and who are not dues paying members.

Pictures Submitted by Ron Swearingen

Landing Craft Approaching Welldeck on Maneuvers - 1967
Flight Deck Operations - 1967	Entering the Welldeck - 1967

Recently Located Shipmates

John S. Blass (JB), Torrington, CT, e-mail:  jsblighthouse@aol.com
Ray Keeling, Raleigh, NC 
Ron (Ben) Lawrence, BM2, e-mail:  sqknot1@soominternet.net
John Scott, ETR3, Chicago, IL  e-mail:  bullscott2000@yahoo.com
Luther (Skip) Lusk, MMFN, St. Benedict, LA  e-mail:  sanshope@aol.com
Bob (Wisky) Warwick  e-mail:  baitman@bwave.com
Bill Fudge, ETN3, Lansing, MI   e-mail:  whf@lbwl.com
Alvin McCulloch, IC2, Round Rock, TX   e-mail:  alvinrmc@netzero.net
Dick Bergeron, BMSN, Manchester, NH   e-mail:  bmanchvegas@aol.com
Van Tunstall, LT, Aptos, CA   e-mail:  vanthor@aol.com
Edward Hill Jr., New Milford, CT
Joe Adamo. Wynantskill, NY  e-mail:  jadamo@nycap.rr.com

USS Plymouth Rock LSD29 2004 Reunion
Branson, MO   September 8-12, 2004

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
   Check in/ Registration/ Hospitality Room/ Show on Your Own

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
        10:00 am - Mickey Gilley Show
        2:00 pm - 50's at the Hop Show

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
        12:00 pm - Show Boat Branson Bell - 2 hours Luncheon Show
        8:00 pm - Moe Brandy Show

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
        2:00 PM  Ships Association Business Meeting
        6:00 pm  - Banquet  Choice of either Prime Rib of Beef or Stuffed Breast of Chicken
                       - Picture After Banquet (Digital Camera / will e-mail)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
        Good Byes

HOTEL INFORMATION

Lodge of the Ozarks
3431 W.Hwy. 76
Branson MO   65616
1-888-353-3501
www.lodgeoftheozarks.com

Room Rate:  $80.00 plus tax

Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
www.explorebranson.com

USS PLYMOUTH ROCK LSD29, 2004 REUNION
REGISTRATION FORM

All Show Prices are "Group Prices" (20 or more)

Make check or money order payable to USS Plymouth Rock Association and mail to:
                                                                        PAUL MOHAWK
                                                                        2505 CONIFER AVENUE
                                                                        ALEXANDRIA, MN   56308

Name                                                                         Years on Board                                 

Spouse/Guest                                                                                                                       

Address                                                                                                                                

City, State, ZIP                                                               Phone                                           

Emergency Contact                                                          Phone                                         

E-Mail Address                                                         

Disability / Dietary Restrictions:                                                                                        

Are You Staying at the Hotel?  (Please Circle)  YES         NO

Are you (Please Circle)     FLYING    RAIL    DRIVING     RV

Any paid Association members (2003-2004) who is not on this list and who have paid their dues, please contact Paul Mohawk at 2505 Conifer Ave., Alexandria, MN  56308, or e-mail:  hawk@rea-alp.com  For those wishing to join the Association and help us out financially you can obtain an application that can be printed on the ships website at www.ussplymouthrock.com   All paid dues members receive a hard copy of the newsletter.

Known Deceased Shipmates  
For a complete listing visit our Memorial Page in the ships website

This list represents departed Plymouth Rock Shipmates that we have received notification on  during the past four months.  If any of you know of other shipmates now deceased, who should be on the list, please contact either Bill Provencal, 37 So. Main Street, Pittsfield, NH    03263, or e-mail me at billinp@metrocast.net or Harry Andersen, 2544 Chestnut Street, Waukeegan, IL  60087 or e-mail Harry at andycporetsnipe@aol.com

Cold War Certificates

Release No. 7-21-03
July 31, 2003

Alexandria, Va. - Service members, veterans and federal employees who served between Sept. 2, 1945 and Dec. 26, 1991 are still eligible for a Cold War Recognition Certificate, said officials of the U.S. Army Personnel Command.

In fiscal year 1998, the secretary of Defense approved awarding the certificate to personnel who served during the Cold War.  Thus far, about one million people have responded out of the 22 million entitled to receive the certificate, officials said.

An application for the Cold War Recognition Certificate can be found on the Internet at https://coldwar.army.mil.  or mail requests to Cold War Recognition, 4035 Ridge Top Road, Suite 400, Fairmax, VA 22030 to obtain information on how to receive a certificate.  The Web site informs applicants about the correct procedures and the required documentation to receive the certificate.   It also reminds you that the minimum turn around time is six months.

Applications will only be accepted by fax or mail, officials said.

Thank You's

We would like to thank the following shipmates/friends for providing pictures and articles to the website and newsletter.

Any individual desiring Plymouth Rock items such as Cups, Patches, are urged to contact Brad Baldwin at 203-374-8213, e-mail jbpjs11@msn.com

Hurricane Isabelle somewhere off the Carribean

The USS Plymouth Rock was towed to Richmond, VA to Peck Recycling Yard to be broken up in April 1996.  The price paid for scrap was $289,000.   The following pictures were taken by Harry Andersen, BTC and Captain Jerry Larson.

Propeller Shaft	Stern Port Side-Note Propeller
Condenser to cool steam from the turbine	Captain Larsen and BTC Andersen
Stern and Well Deck

Boilerman Dies

An explosion killed a navy boilerman and he wound up in hell. Being used to stroking fires and extremely hot temperatures, he found hell actually quite comfortable. When Satan went to check out the new arrival, he found him sitting in his room smiling.

"You like this?", Satan asked. "Yes, sir", said the sailor, "this feels like a spring day to me." Not wanting the new guy to be too comfortable, Satan turned up the heat a lot. When he went back to see how his new arrival was doing, the sailor was still happy. He hadn't even broken a sweat. "I like this kind of weather", he told Satan.

Satan decided to try something different. Rather than turn up the heat, he turned it off. He made the sailor's room form icicles. When he checked on the guy, the room was icy and he was shivering, but he had a grin from ear to ear. "Why are you so happy?", Satan demanded. "It's freezing in here!"

"I'm from Denver," said the sailor. "and this must mean the Broncos have won the Superbowl!"

Reunion 2003

The reunion of 2003 at Waukeegan has come and gone, however the memories linger and we wait in anticipation for September 2004 at Branson, MO.

Pictures from 2003 Reunion

Is this the Chow Line?	Graduation at NTC Great Lakes
The Business Meeting	Group Picture of 2003 Shipmates

OLD SAILORS
by
Larry Dunn, June 4, 2001

Old sailors sit and chew the fat 'bouthow things used to be of the things they've seen and places they've beenwhen they ventured out to sea.

They remember friends from long agoand the times they had back then of the money they've spilled and the beer they've swilled in their days as sailing men.

Their lives are lived in days gone by with thoughts that forever last of cracker-jack hats and bell-bottom blues and the good times in their past.

They recall long nights with a moon so bright far out on a lonely sea and the thoughts they had as youthful lads when their lives were unbridled and free.

They know so well how their hearts would swell when the flag fluttered proud and free and the stars and the stripes made such beautiful sightsas they plowed through an angry sea.

They talk of the bread ole' cookie would bake and the shrill of the boatsun's pipe and how the salt spray fell like sparks out of hell when a storm struck in the night.

They remember mates already gone who forever hold a spot in the stories of old when sailors were bold and lubbers were a pitiful lot.

They rode their ships through many a storm when the sea was showing its might and the mighty waves might be digging their graves as they sailed on through the night.

They speak of nights in a bawdy house somewhere on a foreign shore and the beer they'd down as they gathered around cracking jokes with a busty whore.  Their sailing days are gone away never more will they cross the brow but they have no regrets for they know they've been blessed 'cause they honored their sacred vow.

Their numbers grow less with each passing day as their chits in this life are called in but they've nothing to lose for they've all paid their dues and  they'll sail with their shipmates again

Navy Trivia

Cumshaw
    1) Procurement of needed material outside the supply chain, usually by swapping, barter, or mutual backscratching. Often involves coffee or other food items. Officially frowned upon, but a widespread practice.

    2) Something procured outside official channels and without official payment.   Word derived from beggars of Amoy, China, who said "kam sia" meaning "grateful -thanks."  The Navy term usually relates to unauthorized work done for a ship or station usually obtained by bartering.  "The shipyard welders added the brackets in exchange for five pounds of coffee."  A "cumshaw artist" is one who is adapt at getting projects done for free or by bartering

Dogwatch
    1) A dogwatch at sea is the period between 1600-1800, the first dogwatch, or the period between 1800-2000, the second dog watch. The watches aboard ships are:

12:00 to 16:00 - Afternoon watch
16:00 to 18:00 - First dogwatch
18:00 to 20:00 - Second dogwatch
20:00 to 00:00 - First night watch
00:00 to 04:00 - Middle watch or mid watch
04:00 to 08:00 - Morning watch
08:00 to 12:00 - Forenoon watch

    The dogwatches are only two hours each so the same Sailors aren't always on duty at the same time each afternoon. Some experts say dogwatch is a corruption of dodge watch and others associate dogwatch with the fitful sleep of Sailors called dog sleep, because it is a stressful watch. But no one really knows the origin of this term, which was in use at least back to 1700.

    2) Dog Watch is the name given to the 1600-1800 and the 1800-2000 watches aboard a ship. The 1600-2000 four-hour watch was originally split even to prevent men from always having to stand the same watches daily. As a result, Sailors dodge the same daily routine, hence they are dodging the watch or standing the dodge watch. In its corrupted form, dodge became dog and the procedure is referred as "dogging the watch" or standing the "dog watch."

Just A Simple Sailor

 He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast
And he sat at the reunion telling stories of the past,
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done
In his exploits with his shipmates, they were heroes, every one.
And ‘tho sometimes to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his shipmates listened, for they knew whereof he spoke

But we’ll hear his tales no longer, for old Bob has passed away
And the world’s a little poorer, for a sailor died today.
 He will be mourned by many, his children and his wife,
He lived an ordinary, very quiet sort of life.
He held a job and raised a family, quietly going on his way,
And the world won’t note his passing, ‘tho a sailor died today.
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great,
Papers tell of their life stories from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a sailor goes unnoticed and unsung.

 He was just a common sailor and his ranks are growing thin
But his presence should remind us; we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find a sailor’s part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor while he’s here to hear the praise,
Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps a simple headline in the paper that might say:

 OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
FOR A SAILOR DIED TODAY.

Author Unknown