Comments

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  James L. McCalla September 12, 2010 at 2:52pm

  Hi Gerald, Chief McBride was technically in charge of the foundry but he had been elected to become a CPO mess caterer which took a lot of his time. He would stop by the foundry and swap a few sea stories with ML1 Austin, some days we wouldn’t see him at all. I believe chief McBride retired shortly after his tour as mess caterer. Then we had MLC Charles Miller, ML1 Austin, and ML1 Dave Marcum. There were no E5’s and just us E4’s. When I transferred to the Yellowstone AD-27 ML2 Hickey was running the shop. There was an MLC aboard but he only had a few days before retiring. I was at Bill Hickeys house the night before the ship got underway for the med. We were having a cookout and having a few cool ones. He lived in a mobile home just outside the gate at Mayport. The next morning I went aboard and was told by the OOD that Bill Hickey had passed away during the night and I was to report to the personnel office ASAP. A few minutes later I had orders in hand to report to the personnel office on base. I had been volunteered to escort duty for Bill Hickey to New Orleans. Every time the train would stop I have to go to the car where his casket was and make sure it wasn’t accidentally put off the train. Also attended his funeral and presented the flag to Mrs. Hickey. Later
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  Gerald Tripp September 11, 2010 at 7:50pm

  Oh WOW, James you do stir some memories. I bought Chief McBrides 53 Ford from him. And Hickey was a great personal friend. He was quite a bit older and was wearing fireman stripes (with a couple of hash marks) when I left. Used to go to his house. He was married with a couple of little girls. You had one Chief , two 1st Class and three 2nd class P.O's in that small foundry ? You must have done all the hard work. Did McBride still have his little foundry over in Newport News? Great to talk to you.
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  James L. McCalla September 11, 2010 at 10:48am

  Hi Gerald, When I came aboard in 6-59 as a non-designated FA I spent my first few months in B-division. The BTC I worked for told me the only way I would get out of B-div. was to make ML3 which I did, with the help of ML1 Tomack and others in the foundry. In the shop at that time were, MLC McBride, ML1 Austin, ML1 Tomack ML2 Hickey ML2 Marcum, ML2 Melgrin, ML2 Hartman & ML3 Mathis. Others that came on board later were ML1 Miller, & ML3 Bright. I also helped re-line the LFC indirect arc. These furnaces were still in use when I left for the Yellowstone in 11-63. Later
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  Gerald Tripp September 11, 2010 at 6:24am

  Hey James, do you remember any of the old timers when you went aboard in 59? I relined one of the arc furnaces, and I still dream about it.
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  Kenneth Doms September 10, 2010 at 8:30pm

  Greetings - was aboard from 78 to 82!
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  James L. McCalla September 9, 2010 at 11:52pm

  Hi Gerald, I was aboard Sierra from 6-59 to 11-63.
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  Gerald Tripp September 9, 2010 at 8:29pm

  Like to hear from shipmates aboard the Sierra in 1955 on. Gerald Tripp
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  Dennis Pennington July 6, 2010 at 11:37pm

  http://www.uss-sierra-vets.org/newsletters/issue-87.htm
  
  this is the link
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  Dennis Pennington June 14, 2010 at 2:48am

  Thanks to Allen J.Schultz for sending me the link for the 2010 reunion. it has been updated on the page under location. Thank you Allen!!!
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  Dennis Pennington March 16, 2010 at 11:55am

  From the newsletter:
  
  2010 REUNION NOTES
  
  Things are progressing for this year's reunion in Ocean City, NJ running from October 19-21, 2010. Please note this is not a weekend reunion but to be held during the week. The reason for this is cost. Bob Morales is finalizing the tour agenda. All things are set up in so far as the hotel is concerned. The registration for the reunion will cost $75.00 per person. The hotel rate is $98.56, which includes taxes. As we did in Branson. The hotel will have to be paid up front by check or credit card. The cost for the breakfast buffet and the banquet is in the registration fee. Breakfast will consist of fresh fruit, assorted cold cereals, pastries, eggs, home fries, bacon, sausage, French toast and pancakes, juice, coffee, etc. The banquet will have wild green salad, a choice of prime rib or chicken cordon bleu along with peas and mushrooms, mashed potatoes and ice cream sundae along with the traditional SIERRA cake. At this time the first tour involves visiting the battleship NEW JERSEY in which we will have a barbeque lunch and wreath laying ceremony. From there we travel to the historic section of Philadelphia, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, etc. The next day's tour will be the Cape May WWII tour. We will see Coastal Battery 223. the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum and Fire Control Tower #23. We will lunch at the Lobester House. The next newsletter will have the reunion and tour selection as well and the hotel reservation and meal selection, among other things. Bob and I will be exploring the Washington D. C. area for next year's reunion.
  http://www.uss-sierra-vets.org/