USS Holder Association's 32nd Annual Reunion

10 October 2010 through 14 October 2010

The shipmates of the ships named USS Holder DE401, DD819, and DDE819 will come together for their 32nd reunion and will meet at the Savannah DeSoto Hilton Hotel in Savannah, Georgia.

Shipmates attending 2010 Reunion

  Adams     Rob    MM3    60-62                      Jennings       Jim  IC2   61-62 

  Bavender  John   STG3   65-67                    Johnson Tim   STG2   66-69 

  Bernacchi  Raymond   EM3   46-48              Kea JC   MMCM   60-62 

  Bisson   Malcolm SD3   64-66                       Kemp      Peter       LTJG   57-58 

  Bortle  Jack   YN3   55-57                            Kuma John   RD3   48-51 

  Boyland        Jack       CAPT 51-53               Maloney Francis  TM3   50-53 

  Buckley  Larry   LTJG   55-57                      Mccoy David   QM3   50-54 

  Byrd        Jim       GMG1 64-67                      O'Donnell Edward  IC3   55-57 

  Christensen Frank   CWO4   55-57              Oman      John       BT3  58-59 

  Crocker William     F1/C    44                       O'Neill   John     BM2  58-65 

  deBarrios Jim     MM2    59-61                       Pinkus   Joel     BT1  66-67 

  Delgado Joe       ETR3   59-61                       Powers  Theodore PC3   66-67 

  DelVecchio Michael       FN2   56-57               Quinn  Harvey BTFN   59-60 

  Ellsworth      Robert     SK2  71-72                 Reed        Allen    BTC    48-55 

  Elston      Ray     TMC  62-65                           Ritter        Curtis    MM3    61-64 

  Flachbart      Richard     FC3  56-57                Seal        Leon    FN    53-54 

  Fyfe      John     SFM3  59-60                          Smith        Loyd    RM3    63-65 

  Gallop Ike     MSGT  54-57                             Stevens   Robert      RMSN    66-68 

  Gill     Bill   RD3   52-53                                   Stigall     Ronald         BT3   57-61 

  Gill     Doug   FT3   57-59                                Stoffa     George         SO2   54-57 

  Grundman Jack TM2   52-55                         Tabing Dick   MM1  54-57 

  Harrison  Fred    BTCM   64-67                      Valois     Robert       IC2  57-59 

  Hunter  Vernon    RM2   62-65                      Wiesbeck     Eugene       BT1  75-76 

  Irvin  Charles    HMSN   61-63                       Zimmerman     Anthony       STG3  65-67 

  Jenkins  Gary        BT2  70-72 

   

Events of the 32nd USS Holder Reunion

Sunday, 10 October 2010

 Afternoon - Check-in.

  Evening - Light Supper.

Monday, 11 October 2010

0845 -   Guided trolley tour of historic downtown Savannah.  

1100 -   Memorial Service at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum's Chapel of Fallen Eagles which was designed to replicate a 16th century English village church, followed by museum tour and lunch included in price. The museum has vintage aircraft such as MIG-15 and B-17, interactive theater presentations, and artifacts. Docents retell the history of the famous Eighth Air Force, Battle of Britain and various other WWII experiences. 

1330 -   Board bus to Fort Jackson, solid brick, built in 1808 and authentically restored on Savannah River. Docents are in Civil War dress and actually fire cannon as if defending the fort. Exhibits set up to see original accommodations and lifestyle. 

1600 - Back to hotel.

Evening -   Free Time.  

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

0900 -   Trolley A and B leave (trolley C leaves at 0930) for Historic Savannah Tour of three of the highest rated Savannah stops.  
          1. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, founded in 1700 by French Colonists, rebuilt in 1873, with European architecture and sculptures with stained glass from Innsbruck area of Austria.
          2. Owens-Thomas House. Guided tour of home, completely restored to museum condition, built in 1816 for wealthy cotton merchant. This home exudes 1800's. The house has been elegantly restored to reflect southern luxury, one of the first with running water, brass staircases, English gardens, stables and servant quarters.
          3. Gordon-Low Home, birthplace of Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low. Victorian style, built in 1821 for Savannah Mayor and later Supreme Court Justice James Wayne, and then home of four generations of the Gordon/Low family. Elegantly restored to reflect the 1880's and furnished with original Gordon family furniture. Currently owned by the Girl Scouts as their " birthplace", Museum and tribute to their remarkable founder. Savannahs first National Historic Landmark.
          Return to hotel for free afternoon.

Afternoon - Free time.

1700 -   Depart for a southern low country family style dinner at Ms. Wilkes Dining Room. Normally only open for lunch, (they don't take reservations at all); they have agreed to open especially for our veteran group. This Condé Nast Traveler distinguished restaurant, operated by the same family for over 60 years with third-generation cooks is a Savannah Landmark and Paula Deen's (they would not agree to accommodate us) only rival. We will pass bowls of 3 delicious southern entrées and 10 sides plus dessert and biscuits around tables of 10. I have eaten there, so I know you will talk about this meal for years.  

1900 -   Go to Savannah Theater for hours of unforgettable live high-energy, dance and comedy skits featuring country, rock 'n roll, Broadway, pop and jazz music rolled into one amazing show. Another Savannah historic building, the oldest operating theater in the US opened in 1818. This venue is so popular there were only 80 seats left for this date when I made reservations in February. Work off dinner by walking one block to the hotel.  

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

0900 -   Business meeting with next reunion site the main topic so put on your thinking caps for suggestions. Current suggestions are Long Beach and Chicago area (like Philly). 

  Afternoon - Free time. 

1730 -   Pictures, cocktail hour, banquet and raffle. 

Thursday, 14 October 2010

  Noon Check-out and goodbyes.