USS Holder Association's 25th Annual Reunion

04 October 2003 through 08 October 2003

The shipmates of the ships named USS Holder DE401, DD819, and DDE819 came together in Baton Rouge at the Sheraton Baton Rouge Convention Center Hotel for their 25th reunion.

Events of the 25th USS Holder Reunion

Saturday, 04 October 2003

Welcome Aboard!

Hospitality room opened at 1500 and our welcome aboard get-together was held at 1800. We were given a brief presentation of the available shopping, sightseeing, and restaurants in the area. We were pleased, and honored, to have in attendance Annette & Jim Bowen. Annette is the niece of Randolph M. Holder, for whom the USS Holder was named.

Sunday, 05 October 2003

This was a full day!

After an early breakfast, we gathered at the Nautical Center & Memorial Plaza for a presentation of the history of USS Kidd and for group photographs. We were allowed to fly an ensign, which was flown on USS Holder in 1968, while we had a Memorial Service on the fantail led by our Chaplain, Dan Minton. After touring the ship, and lunch, we went on to the Cajun Festival at Port Vincent.

We had a great time at the Cajun Festival at Port Vincent. There was Cajun food, music, dancing, live alligators to see, and touch, and a boat ride to view the bayou.

Monday, 06 October 2003

We were out early again, and on buses to Nottoway Plantation where two guides explained everything to us including the history, construction, and furnishings while we went through the mansion.

We took lunch at The Cabin, which was once a slave cabin.

After returning to the Sheraton, we had the rest of the day free to do what we liked.

Tuesday, 07 October 2003

This morning we took a bus tour of the city of Baton Rouge and the State Capitol Building, where we took the elevator to the observation area for a different view of Baton Rouge.

The annual business meeting was held in the Nautical Center Auditorium.

Our group began our evening by donating over 100 items of canned goods to the Baton Rouge Food Bank. Our annual banquet kicked off at 1800 with raffles, a speech by Maury Drummond (Director of USS Kidd) titled "What the American Flag means to me", and a prayer by Chaplain Dan Minton. After dinner we were entertained with a cultural presentation in the Cajun dialect by Ed Taylor.

Wednesday, 08 October 2003

This was the day for all the farewells and the shipmates' departures.

We were pleased to welcome the niece of Randolph M. Holder, Annette Bowen and her husband Jim, as well as the following first time attendees:

• Larry Buckley
• Robert Campbell
• Lige Dunaway
• Eugene Lower
• Steve Pappamihiel
• Curtis Ritter
• Loyd Smith
• Dean Troxell
• Robert Valois