USS HULL ASSOCIATION (DD350, DD945)
NOT TO LEAVE THE SHIP – FALL 2015 NEWSLETTER
BIG TIME 2014 IN SDIEGO – 2016 BACK IN VEGAS
“PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE”
The 6th Bi-Annual Reunion of the USS HULL Association returned to homeport San Diego for the first time since 2008. The October 2014 gala included a highly-successful auction & raffle and Association restructuring for the future.
74 were welcomed, including 44 shipmates and 30 spouses returned to the newly refurbished Handlery Hotel & Resort. A lot were first timers. They included HULL Commanding Officer Captain Frank Hannegan (69-70), his wife Betty and their daughter. Others could not make the event. As usual, the hospitality suite was a busy place.
FT’s
Gary & Ron Weller hadn’t seen leading PO Ken Breen in the middle since the
‘60’s!
AND……WE MOURN OUR LOSSES
We are grieved to announce the passing of DD-350 shipmate Pat Douhan and Dora Gallegos, wife of Association President Mike Gallegos.
Pat (right) &
the late Archie DeRyckere, are shown here at an earlier Reunion. They were
among 53 crewmembers who survived in the Philippine Sea for hours during Typhoon
Cobra in 1944. Both gave us inspirational speeches at every Reunion they
attended. Pat passed away peacefully May 29th surrounded by family
and friends. He is survived by wife Kay, their sons and daughter and families,
4 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Our Association, registered as “USS
Hull, DD350, DD945 Association,” has become the permanent owner of Pat Douhan’s
Legacy Guest Book. You can sign it at any time by going to this link on
Historian Lou Colella’s USS Hull Asociation website:
http://www.usshullassociation.org/FallenList350/Douhan.htm.
Dora Gallegos passed away following a brief illness on Friday, July 31st.
Here are President Mike and Dora Gallegos at
the 2006 Reunion in Las Vegas. They have four children, 2 boys, 2 girls, 7
grand children and 8 great grand children.
LAUNCH PIN RESURFACES!!
From Treasurer John McKechnie……..
Two years ago, I got a call from a guy in Illinois named Frank Anderson. Not a shipmate, but he bought something at a swap meet he said we might want. Was HE right! IT was the actual launch pin of ‘our’ HULL (DD-945). The engraving read “Launch pin, USS HULL, BATH IRON WORKS, 10 AUGUST, 1957” – the date she was launched sponsored by Mrs. Albert G. Mumma.
I had it mounted and of all items at our 2014 Reunion’s highly successful raffle and auction, this piece of Navy history was the biggest and best. Shipmate Dave Henkel above (75-77) paid $500 -half a grand - for it! That money was sent to the TIN CAN SAILOR specifically to be used for FORREST SHERMAN CLASS MUSEUM SHIPS.
CLOSE UP OF HULL LAUNCH PIN
This is the launch pin now mounted that initiated the mechanism that allowed DD-945 to slide down the ways, into the channel and become a part of Naval history.
VEGAS IN 2016 – YOU BET!
Back to the Orleans Hotel & Casino for the 7th Bi-Annual Reunion of the USS HULL Association. View the details
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