14th Biennial Reunion
Loews New Orleans Hotel
New Orleans, Louisiana
Pin and T-shirt designed by
Tom Bradshaw BT1
ENG/B Division 1987-1990
Ranzy Weston, our newly elected President submitted the following reunion highlights:
The reunion at the Loews Hotel went off without a hitch in a city that is famous for
showing the world a good time. We had over 160 attendees and the staff
pampered us each day with breakfast, spacious rooms and cozy hospitality
room.
On Monday we enjoyed a great continental breakfast and began the registration
process for our members. The Sea Stories room opened up and members began
gathering there on a regular basis. I was seated with Eugene Gingrich and
Thurman Ryan and we enjoyed dinner at the Cajun dance hall, feasting on fried
shrimp, broiled catfish and other fixin’s. After Tuesday’s breakfast Jerry O’Sullivan
and Carol Sippel joined a group that went on a city excursion to Lake Pontchartrain,
along St Charles Street and viewed Stately mansions on Garden Street.
That evening we gathered at the hotel for a welcome dinner and after a few words
from Bill, we dined and fellowshipped but because I was on the phone: you have
to ask Bill, Paul, or John if any good gossip was spread around.
On Wednesday and Thursday, things really kicked into high gear with multiple tours to
the WWII museum and a jazz cruise along the Mississippi River and we got the opportunity
to mingle with people who were in town for a good time. The ice cream social really had
everyone in a chilled mood because the Big Easy was slightly warm. A few of our members
even took a cooking class to learn how to prepare Cajun dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and shrimp creole. So if you missed the reunion, ask Joe McStay to whip you up some
Cajun specialties.
Naturally, our daily gatherings in the Sea Stories room each day provided an opportunity
to fellowship and socialize with our good friends during the first 4 days but eventually, we
had to conduct some Association business. On Friday at the business meeting, we covered
a wide range of topics from bylaws, mini-regional events, reunion location, future cruises
, and voting age for members. It was also decided that future reunions will be in Norfolk
and be centered around our Battleship because more spaces will be opened and we will
be able to hold events on the ship.
The WWII museum hosted our group for the memorial service and against the military
backdrop in the Louisiana Pavilion and with the assistance of a Navy Honor Guard, we paid
our respects to our Shipmates and Associate Members who have transitioned since 2012.
Mike Hodgis ended the ceremony by playing Taps, which brought a still and dead silence
to everyone in the vicinity of our service.
Later that evening, we had a social hour preceding the banquet and afterwards enjoyed a
wonderful dinner. Several speakers updated us on the status of Our Ship and after the swearing-in of the Association Officers the DJ played great dance music