Call for articles--the backlog is going down. I have a good supply from Larry Brennan, but need your input,too. Anybody have additional GWF articles?

USCGC EAGLE Festival of Sail

USPS / Rincon Finance

Attn: Philatelic Department

180 Steuart Street

San Francisco, CA 94188-9992

From the Navy News Service

1797 - Naval Regulations passed by Congress.

1800 - First convoy duty; USS Essex escorts convoy of merchant ships from East Indies to U.S.

1801 - U.S. squadron under Commodore Dale enters Mediterranean to strike Barbary Pirates.

1850 - Naval School at Annapolis renamed Naval Academy.

1851 - Naval Academy adopts four year course of study.

1911 - Trial of first Navy aircraft, Curtiss A-1. The designer, Glenn Curtiss, makes first flight in Navy's first aircraft, A-1, at Lake Keuka, N.Y., then prepares Lt. Theodore G. Ellyson, the first naval aviator, for his two solo flights in A-1.

1914 - Prohibition of alcohol begins in the Navy.

1916 - Establishment of informal school for officers assigned to submarines at New London, Conn.

1946 - First of two detonations, Operation Crossroads nuclear test.

1951 - Responsibility for the Government of Trust Territories transferred from Navy to Department of Interior.

1972 - Date of rank of Rear Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely Jr., who was first U.S. Navy admiral of African-American descent.

From the Navy News Service

1815 - USS Peacock takes HMS Nautilus, last action of the War of 1812.

1943 - 3rd Fleet Amphibious Force lands troops on Rendova Island while naval gunfire silences Japanese artillery.

1951 - Naval Administration of Marianas ends.

Don C. - Nothing in the Naval Cover Museum.

If you are not a member of the Sales Circuit then you may join by contacting me via e-mail (dd224@att.net). If the Sales Circuit does not meet your needs, you may drop out at any time.

Brof: Likewise, I'm sure!

I disagree. Intent and motive are important. If, as you suggest, there is nothing to conceal then I would suggest there is no reason not to put an identifier and date on the face of the cover. You always forget that I am an advocate of add-ons and the right of the owner to do almost anything with his/her property. When someone tries to sell covers to a third party the identity of the cover and its details become important and thus the maker/sponor has a duty to prevent others from falsely or fraudulently represnting the details. Otherwise, we could all copy Wentworths or Gow Ngs and no one could complain. You can't have it both ways and because you disagree with someone that doesn't necessarily make you or them "fruitlesss" or "narrow minded". We must all recognize that there are two sides to this argument and that discussion is healthy for the collecting population and others. Larry

Continuing Promise is a collaborative effort between the United States and military partners, non-governmental organizations (NGO) and partner-nation support organizations aimed at building strong partnerships that can be called upon in the event of a regional situation requiring cooperative solutions.

The Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) part of the mission provided partner nations in the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of focus a mobile, flexible and rapidly responsive medical and engineering capability. The HCA team conducted a number of missions and took advantage of several training opportunities in Central and South America.

"I couldn't be happier with the success of this mission," said Capt. Peter K. Dallman, the mission commander for the Pacific phase of Continuing Promise 2008. "Everyone did great across the board, and we far surpassed anyone's expectations of the overall success of this mission."

During the deployment, Boxer operated in Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru. The Continuing Promise medical contingent cared for 24,000 patients. Some of the team's work included medical or veterinarian care and education.

The assistance included dispensing nearly 40,000 prescriptions, treating more than 2,800 animals and teaching more than 120 classes in preventative medicine and industrial hygiene.

While anchored off the coasts of the three countries, almost 130 patients were flown to Boxer for shipboard surgeries. Surgeries included cyst and gallbladder removal, hernia repair and eye surgery.

"Providing access to medical information and treatment supports common medical needs in the region," said Continuing Promise Medical Contingent Commander, Capt. Louis Orosz. "The team of medical professionals this mission has brought together is top-notch.

"Their work here will last generations and will leave a lasting impression of the great things the United States can do."

Wasp-class amphibious assault ships like Boxer are designed with a variety of expeditionary mission capabilities, including rapid, projected humanitarian assistance worldwide. They also have the physical capacity to transport large amounts of medical and engineering supplies and equipment to most locations around the globe.

The same flexibility and configuration that makes Boxer an effective warship, also makes it an "extraordinarily" effective ship for performing humanitarian assistance missions. This multipurpose flexibility allowed Boxer to uniquely meet the engineering needs of the three partner-nations where U.S. teams provided structure renovations, constructions and repairs.

Seabees from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 and Navy Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, embarked aboard Boxer, renovated eight schools and a church. In addition they conducted road and drainage repair.

Renovation work included roofing, installing new windows and new ceiling fans. The Seabees also repaired the sewage systems and provided running water to most of the facilities.

"In the Seabee community, we always say we 'Can Do'," said Lt. Micah Kiletico, the officer in charge of the CBMU 303 detachment aboard Boxer. "But the group of Seabees I've worked with on Continuing Promise 2008 have gone above and beyond, giving 200 percent effort.

"They went the extra mile to ensure they made a big difference in the lives of the citizens of Central and South America."

The Pacific Phase of Continuing Promise is one of two HCA deployments planned for the USSOUTHCOM area of focus for 2008. The second Continuing Promise deployment will be conducted by USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) in the Caribbean.

The deployment to the region is part of the Partnership of the Americas initiative. The training, clinical and engineering capability this mission brought to the region demonstrates U.S. commitment to fostering cooperative partnerships.

"It really has been an honor to visit the Navy ship that has been making a positive impact that we can see already in our country," said El Salvador President, Elias Antonio Saca during a press conference in El Salvador. "We appreciate all the humanitarian support the United States, the Navy, the captain and the entire crew of this important ship has brought.

"We profoundly appreciate your support for our inhabitants."

For many service members embarked aboard Boxer for Continuing Promise, the deployment marked their first humanitarian mission. Continuing Promise offered them a unique opportunity to see the impact their skill sets can have in a humanitarian civic assistance role.

"I hope the people we worked with know there are people back in the United States who really care for them," said Utilitiesman 1st Class (SCW) James Kocsis. "Supporting this mission has been the greatest honor I've had in my entire Navy career."

Japan
• JDS Makinami DD 112
• JDS Haruna DDH 141
• JDS Setogiri DD 156
• JDS Kirishima DDG 174
• JDS Narushio SS 595
US Coast Guard
• USCGC Rush WHEC 723
• USCGC Kiska WPB 1336
Peru
• BAP Quiρones FM 58
Military Sealift Command
• USNS Salvor T-ARS 52
• SS Cape Gibson T-AK 5051
• USNS Guadalupe T-AO 200
• USNS Sumner T-AGS 61
• USNS Able T-AGOS 20
• USNS Sioux T-ATF 171
• USNS Navajo T-ATF 169
• USNS Yukon T-AO 202
Russia
• RFS TBA
Australia
• HMAS Anzac FFH 150
• HMAS Tobruk L 60
• HMAS Success AOR 304
• HMAS Waller SSG 75
Singapore
• RSS Steadfast 70
Canada
• HMCS Ottawa FFH 341
• HMCS Regina FFG 334
South Korea
• KDS Moonmu Daewang DDG 976
• KDS Yangmanchun DDH 973
• KDS Lee Sunsin SSK 68
Chile
• CNS Almirante Riveros FF 18
• CNS O'Higgins SS 22
Target Ships
• Ex-USS David R Ray DD 971
• Ex-USS Horne DLG/CG 30

From the Navy News Service

1813 - USS President anchors in Bergen, Norway.

1950 - To support United Nations call to assist South Korea, President Harry S. Truman authorizes U.S. naval and air operations south of 38th Parallel, Korea.

I will probably be in Canada during the August event otherwise I would be glad to have helped out.

Jim Doyle, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Guided missile cruiser Horne, which fought in the Vietnam... The Horne, named after a Navy admiral who began his caree... The USS Horne, mothballed in Suisun Bay, is scheduled to ...

A once powerful guided-missile cruiser that was built at San Francisco's Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, fought in the Vietnam War and the Gulf War, and was then mothballed in Suisun Bay, is scheduled to be towed to sea today to be strafed, torpedoed and sunk by allied forces in the Pacific.

The Horne (CG-30) was named for a Navy admiral who began his career on sailing ships at the turn of the 20th century, and will be remembered by legions of former crew members who served on the ship during its quarter-century of service. The ship's passing echoes a bygone era when San Francisco Bay was ringed with naval bases and warships were often seen.

Capt. Tim Lockwood of the fleet ocean tug Navajo said he plans to tow the Horne beneath the Golden Gate this afternoon on its final voyage toward Hawaii, where a multinational exercise is scheduled to use the cruiser's steel hull and superstructure for target practice.

"It's laid to rest," Lockwood said. "That's all I can say."

The Navajo is equipped with 7,200-horsepower engines - enough heft to tow an aircraft carrier. The 226-foot tug has a crew of 20 and a 1,800-foot tow wire that can pull a vessel of up to 500,000 pounds.
Commissioned in 1967

The Horne was commissioned as a guided-missile frigate in April 1967. With its tall bridge, Terrier missiles, helicopter deck and a huge sonar drone beneath the water line, the 547-foot warship was considered one of the finest vessels in the fleet. Its twin propeller shafts provided speeds of 36 knots. Its crew included 24 officers and 420 enlisted personnel.

It took five years for shipfitters, pipe fitters and boilermakers at Hunters Point to build the 8,000-ton vessel. Once commissioned, the Horne was sent to Vietnam as an escort ship to protect an aircraft carrier, deter MIG fighters from interfering with U.S. bombing runs, and rescue downed American pilots in the Gulf of Tonkin.

The Horne, home ported in San Diego, served four tours of duty in Vietnam. It also saw duty in the first Gulf War to liberate Kuwait and was deployed at other flash points including the coast of Iran in 1980-1981, Libya in 1987-1988, and Liberia in 1993.

"Serving on the Horne was probably my highlight at sea," said retired Adm. Stansfield Turner, the Horne's first skipper, who later became director of central intelligence for former President Jimmy Carter. "It hurts me personally (to hear the ship will be sunk), but I can certainly understand it. A ship that old, it's just too costly to upgrade its communications and weaponry."
52 years of Navy service

The warship was named after Adm. Frederick J. Horne, who retired in 1947 after 52 years of active service in the Navy. As a midshipman, he fought at the Battle of Santiago in the Spanish-American War. As a junior officer, he used a brass mouth horn to shout orders to sailors working aloft on the Alert, a square-rigged sailing ship.

Decades later, as vice chief of naval operations, Adm. Horne played a major role in directing the Navy's efforts during World War II.

He died in 1959, and three years later, the Navy laid the keel of the Horne to honor him. The ship was launched and christened by his widow, Edythe Horne, in October 1964.

In the mid-1970s, the Horne was modified and reclassified as a cruiser. In 1994, after nearly 27 years of service and traveling more than 750,000 miles, the Horne was decommissioned by the Pentagon's budget cutters. The Horne's payroll ran about $1 million a month.
Benicia mothball fleet

The Horne joined the Suisun Bay National Defense Reserve Fleet in Benicia - a collection of mothballed warships.

"As far as I can tell, there's no other ship afloat that was built at Hunters Point," said Paul Watroba, a representative of the Navy League. "The other ship that was around for a while was the (guided missile cruiser) Halsey. I think it was already sunk."

The South Pacific has become a graveyard of once-proud warships. Since 1971, the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercises provide a month of intensive warfare training and the opportunity to test naval gunnery, torpedo accuracy and missile drills with real targets and live ammunition.
Allies involved

This year's exercise, from Sunday through July 31, consists of 35 surface ships including the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, six submarines including the South Korean sub Lee Sunsin, more than 150 tactical aircraft and 20,000 personnel from Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Singapore, United Kingdom and the United States.

Sarah Burford, a spokeswoman for the Military Sealift Command, said that the Horne is one of four warships scheduled to be sunk during this summer's exercise. The Horne was moved to a pier in Richmond in February for final preparations.

"We spend a lot of time and money to get the ship ready and to remove any environmental problems," Burford said. "We don't just tow it out there."

Apart from the battleship Iowa, there are few warships left in Suisun Bay. The mothball fleet is largely made up of auxiliary ships such as troop transports.

For sailors, a ship is more than a collection of metal and wires.
Memories of shipmates

Memories of the Horne run deep for former crew members, who cite the ship's motto - "L'Audace, Toujours, L'Audace" (Audacity, Always Audacity).

"I think a lot of people are understandably upset about it," said Joe Westerberg of Palm Springs, a former crew member who created a Web site for the Horne, www.usshorne.net. "But I was a bit relieved to hear that the ship was going to be sunk in the ocean. I think a more fitting resting place for a ship is in the ocean rather than being torn up in a scrap pile."

Some sister ships of the Horne, including the Halsey, have been torn apart at a ship-breaking facility in Brownsville, Texas.

"The USS Horne was literally my home," Westerberg said. "As a single crew member, I lived on the ship for almost three years. It really was a well-run ship - and that passed on from captain to captain and crew to crew."

• USS Kitty Hawk CV 63
Japan
• JDS Makinami DD 112
• JDS Haruna DDH 141
• JDS Setogiri DD 156
• JDS Kirishima DDG 174
• JDS Narushio SS 595

Peru
• BAP Quiρones FM 58
Russia
• RFS TBA
Australia
• HMAS Anzac FFH 150
• HMAS Tobruk L 60
• HMAS Success AOR 304
• HMAS Waller SSG 75
Singapore
• RSS Steadfast 70
Canada
• HMCS Ottawa FFH 341
• HMCS Regina FFG 334
South Korea
• KDS Moonmu Daewang DDG 976
• KDS Yangmanchun DDH 973
• KDS Lee Sunsin SSK 68
Chile
• CNS Almirante Riveros FF 18
• CNS O'Higgins SS 22

The drills involving the navies of nine countries from Canada to Chile are expected to last through July 31.

The Rim of the Pacific war games, held every two years, are designed to foster cooperation among nations and units.

The aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, the Navy’s oldest active ship, will have a central role this year. It’s substituting for the carrier George Washington, which had been due to participate until a fire broke out on board last month.

From the Navy News Service

1884 - Congress authorizes commissioning of Naval Academy graduates as Ensigns.

1918 - Marine brigade captures Belleau Wood.

1959 - Twenty-eight naval vessels sail from Atlantic to Great Lakes, marking the formal opening of Saint Lawrence Seaway to seagoing ships.

1962 - Naval Facilities Engineering Command Cape Hatteras makes first Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) detection of a Soviet diesel submarine.

1973 - Navy Task Force 78 completes minesweeping of North Vietnamese ports.

From the Navy News Service

1917 - Navy convoy of troopships carrying American Expeditionary Forces arrives in France.

1950 - North Korea invades South Korea beginning Korean Conflict.

NSW Commander Departs for U.S. 4th Fleet
CORONADO, CALIF. (NNS) -- The commander of Naval Special Warfare Command (NSW) turned over command of 8,400 Navy SEALs, special warfare combatant-craft crewmen and supporting staff during a ceremony today at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado, Calif.

Rear Admiral Joseph D. Kernan relinquished command to his deputy commander, Rear Adm. Garry J. Bonelli. Kernan had served at the helm of the Navy's special operations forces since last June.

Rear Adm. Edward G. Winters III will ultimately assume command of NSW later this year. He is currently assigned as commanding general, Iraqi National Counterterrorism Force Transition Team, Multi-National Force Iraq, in Baghdad.

Kernan will go on to serve as both commander, U.S. 4th Fleet, and commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command in Mayport, Fla. U.S. 4th Fleet is responsible for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean Sea and Central and South America and the surrounding waters. The command was originally operational from 1943-1950 before it was disestablished. The Chief of Naval Operations announced its re-establishment April 24.

"Fourth fleet, along with its traditional security and high seas exercise roles, is headed for the littorals," said Kernan, "and the sailors will be going feet-dry."

Kernan's selection for command of 4th Fleet was lauded by guest speaker Admiral Eric T. Olson, commander, United States Special Operations Command. "We applaud his selection to command a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. He's the first Navy SEAL to do so – in fact he's the first SEAL flag officer to command anything outside of the special operations community."

During the ceremony, Kernan received a Distinguished Service Medal for his year of service as commander. During his tenure, one of Kernan focused on putting programs and initiatives in place to increase the number of SEAL recruits in order to meet the demanding requirements for special operations forces in the Global War on Terrorism. He and his wife, Jan, pioneered a comprehensive program focused on helping NSW families adjust to the challenges associated with combat deployments.

"He has brilliantly and energetically led this force," Olson remarked, "while recruiting and posturing for even greater success the force of tomorrow."

After assuming command Bonelli promised to do his best to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor.

"My intent during my tenure here in command is very straightforward: I will listen, I will learn and I will lead."

Bonelli's distinguished career includes two combat tours in Vietnam, command of eight Navy Reserve units, and command of SEAL Team 5, marking him as the only reservist to command an active duty SEAL Team. He later became deputy commander of Navy Reserve Readiness Command Southwest and then chief of staff for Naval Special Warfare Command. In his prior civilian profession, Bonelli served as a staff director with the San Diego Association of Governments, a strategic research, planning and transportation agency working for the 18 cities and county government in the region. He helped manage a $14 billion public infrastructure program and developed public policy initiatives for locally elected officials on numerous issues encompassing population growth, transportation, governance, housing, environmental management, economic development, public safety, bi-national coordination and military-civilian community relationships.

Naval Special Warfare Command is the Navy component of United States Special Operations Command and the special operations component of the United States Navy. The command supports, trains, equips and deploys maritime special operations forces to meet the operational requirements of combatant commanders. These special operations forces include more than 8,400 active-duty and reserve SEALs (Sea-Air-Land) and Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC) operators and support personnel based primarily in San Diego, Calif., Norfolk, Va., and deployed all over the world.

Any day that begins in the dentist chair can't be great. More discomfort from the extraction two weeks ago than the drilling today

I don't want to whine but this tooth has been a problem for a year and a half and now after it is gone still reminds me

Larry

From the Navy News Service

1833 - USS Constitution enters drydock at Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston for overhaul. The ship was saved from scrapping after public support rallied to save the ship following publication of Olive Wendell Holmes' poem, "Old Ironsides."

1926 - Office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy set up to foster naval aeronautics; aircraft building increased.

1948 - Berlin airlift initiated to offset the Soviet Union's blockade access of United States, France, and Great Britain to their sectors of Berlin.

Hi Brof.
Larry

meabrock@comcast.net

200 envelopes @ $36.00
500 envelopes @ $66.00
1000 envelopes @ $116.00

The 65th anniversary of the loss of PT 109 is this august. Send covers.

$31.31 + Shipping for a case of 500 #6 Envelopes.

25% Cotton Paper & Envelopes
In white with a Cockle and Imaging Finish.
25% Cotton Bond is acid free, and archival strength paper. This provides a professional look and long life to legal documents, letterheads, and presentations. The Cockle Finish provides a crisp feel to the paper, and the Imaging Finish assures a quality look for laser, ink jet and high speed copier applications.

I will probably need more by the end of the Summer. Does anyone else have some good sources for envelopes or recommendations? I've been happy with these but am open to change.

http://www.navalcovermuseum.org/

http://www.ussny.org/commissioning.html

On a different collecting topic, I also received a very interesting Operation Iraqi Freedom Postcard from Baghdad postmarked Military Post Office 09316. Where the stamp would go on the back, the postcard is pre-printed FREE MAIL inside of a small sqare and there are lines beside for Military Personel to fill out their information. I met the sender at our Family's Bed and Breakfast. I learned she was stationed in Iraq and asked her if she'd drop a Postcard in the Mail to me when she got back. True to her word, she must have done it the second she got off the plane. 7 Days from Iraq to Virginia, USA.

I wish some of my Ship mail came back that fast. I'm in a cover recession with quite a few out right now. They'll all hit home at once and I won't know what to do with myself.

The computer is a valuable tool to the Hobby. Without it, we wouldn't even have the simple pleasure of this forum. We will continue to find ways to enjoy research and collecting through technology. Mail Merge has been my God send. I use it to automatically address all of my envelepes, and personalize my Letter of Request. Select the Ships you want to send to and print. The "Printer God" is hungry....Must have more envelopes!

Elgin. I put notes on the reverse of covers I send. Ship hull numbere dates sent and received and mission/deployment. Larry

From the Navy News Service

1898 - USS Charleston captures island of Guam from Spain.

1945 - Okinawa declared secure after most costly naval campaign in history. United States had 30 ships sunk and 223 damaged, mostly from kamikaze attacks, with 5,000 dead and 5,000 wounded, while the Japanese lost 100,000 dead.

When you get down to it it really is nobody's business what we do to a naval cover in the privacy of our own home, but out of respect for the hobby and U.S.C.S. we should identify it properly.

Brof. Coffee and donuts would be fine. Just tried to get a cup of tea at a bakery and the line was too slow and the price 50 % higher than mid town Manhattan. I'm going to buy paper cups and lids or recycle MC Donald cups for the train.

On the subject of add-on cachets...In the preparation of my own covers, I like to think of myself as a purist. 1.) I believe that a cover should be addressed. It is the mark of the collector as an authentication. Recent articles about Karcher go to show how important it is to know the point of origin in our hobby. I'm proud to put my name on them. When I see an unaddressed cover, my first impression is that it is a "Cover for Profit" especially in modern covers. It is frustrating to see event covers come up on Ebay before mine have even arrived. 2.) I reserve all other space for markings from the ship itself be it Hand-stamp, Signature, Type 9, Auxillary Markings, whatever. I preserve them as they are returned to me.

I get quite a few back with nothing but a postmark. I actually stopped requesting Ship's Cachet Hand Stamps as most strikes I had been receiving were worn out or over-inked. I love my "plain" envelopes and rue the day that anyone would print something over them.

Do I buy covers with add-on cachets? Sure I do. I picked one up today with an event cancellation I had missed. I've even generated a couple myself on a series of Seabee covers I sent out last year. There are a couple of USCS Members out there who do a very good job with the computer generated add-on cachet and they are a good way of preserving the history behind the cover. The problem with them is that they are typically printed in small number with no indicator of the artist.

My biggest pet peeve with the add-on cachet is that it not interfere with the cancellation itself. I have seen whole covers that have been printed on like a photo and other add-ons that were poorly placed so as the postal clerk had no option but to overstrike. It has always boggled me why these people don't add the cachets after-the-fact. "Quicker Return on Investment."

There is obviously a demand for these covers with Hand-Drawn, and computer generated cachets. Someone must be buying them or why would people continue to generate them? Whether these are tomorrow's Karl Lewis or Crosby Cachets is the subject of debate.

Food for thought. The Krispy Kremes sound good about now!

From the Navy News Service

1813 - Fifteen U.S. gunboats engage three British ships in Hampton Roads, Va.

1815 - Trials of Fulton I, built by Robert Fulton, are completed in New York. This ship would become the Navy's first steam-driven warship.

1898 - U.S. forces occupied Guam, which became first colony of United States in the Pacific.

1913 - First fatal accident in naval aviation, Ensign W. D. Billingsley killed at Annapolis, Md.

1934 - Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet Adm. Frank Upham reports to Chief of Naval Operations that based on analyses of Japanese radio traffic, "Any attack by (Japan) would be made without previous declaration of war or intentional warning."

1944 - Battle of Philippine Sea ends with Japanese losing two aircraft carriers and hundreds of aircraft.

Former Sailor Interred at USS Utah Memorial

FORD ISLAND, Hawaii (NNS) -- Pearl Harbor survivor and former crew member of USS Utah (AG-16) had his ashes returned to his former ship during an internment ceremony held at the ship's memorial on Ford Island, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, June 11.

Petty Officer 1st Class Jimmy Oberto's ashes were taken by National Park Service divers and one Navy diver who placed the remains inside the sunken ship to rest with his lost shipmates.

Oberto is the seventh crew member of the Utah to have his ashes interred inside the ship.

Oberto's family members flew to Hawaii from Arizona to fulfill his last request. In attendance were his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

"His family made it all possible," said retired Master Chief Yeoman Jim Taylor, liaison for the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. "The Navy performed, as its usual outstanding self rendering honors to him, along with the National Park Service divers and the Navy diver."

"He gave me all the information before he passed away and said that after he was gone, I was to follow through and complete this for him," said Oberto's daughter, Leean O' Malley.

"It's just a big deal," said Oberto's grandson, Raymond O' Malley. "It's something he asked me to participate in and do, which is why I received his flag here today. It's just a very big deal to me."

Oberto who was getting ready to go on liberty so that he could attend a music festival, found himself instead on his ship when it was attacked by the Japanese on Dec. 7, 1941.

"He scrambled to safety to the main deck from the third deck and somehow managed to get off the ship," said Taylor. "He ended up sliding across the side and the bottom of the ship, which ended up cutting him pretty badly because of the barnacles on the side of the ship."
Oberto then swam to shore, mostly underwater to avoid strafing bullets from the Japanese aircraft, according to Taylor. When Oberto reached Ford Island he ran to safety and was placed on another ship where his injuries were cared for.

"He witnessed tragedy with dead bodies all over the place and even dead bodies being towed," said Taylor. "It was something he remembered all his life."

Oberto served four and a half years in the Navy in which he was crew member on both the Utah and Brooklyn-class light-cruiser, USS Honolulu (CL-48).

He survived the Japanese attack on his ship at Pearl Harbor and was a veteran of thirteen naval battles across the Pacific Theater.

After the Navy, Oberto saw his time spent as a disc jockey, a musician in the Chicago Orchestra, a cook, and a music teacher.

He passed away April 16, 2007, at the age of 85.

Brof, precisely. I'm so old that I now have three of them. Larry

Kitty Hawk will then proceed to Bremerton, Wash., to complete her decommissioning on schedule. George Washington's schedule has not yet been determined.

The Chief of Naval Operations has directed a Manual of the Judge Advocate General investigation headed by the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, headquartered in Pearl Harbor, to determine the cause of the fire. Additionally, the Navy is conducting a Safety Investigation Board by the Naval Safety Center, Norfolk. The Navy is accumulating lessons learned on this incident to be shared with the fleet.

The U.S. Navy assessment of the mechanical, electrical, electronic and structural systems affected by the May 22 fire aboard George Washington is substantially complete. Damage to George Washington is primarily electrical in nature with limited structural and mechanical associated damage. Fire and heat affected electrical cabling and components in approximately 80 spaces of the more than 3,800 spaces on George Washington.

The repair work is being performed by U.S. Navy Shipyards and by private-sector shipyards in the San Diego area. An estimated completion date, as well as an estimated timeframe for George Washington's arrival in Japan, has yet to be determined.

The Navy is working with crewmembers from USS Kitty Hawk and USS George Washington and their families to minimize the impact of these events. This is the Pacific Fleet's top personnel priority.

What do you think of computer cachets that are called photo cachets on eBay?? I see this quite a bit. To me a "photo cachet" is a Crosby, Weigand or some other "real photo" and not a computer generated picture.

It is my belief that add-on cachets should be clearly marked and should only be added on during the era it was postmarked.
In other words it is disrespectful and damaging to our hobby if people add on a computer or hand drawn cachet in 2008 to a cover cancelled in 1948.

SAN DIEGO - Ward Boston, a former Navy attorney who helped investigate the 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty that killed 34 crewmen and years later said President Lyndon Johnson ordered that the assault be ruled an accident, has died. He was 84.

Full article can be found at:
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9632566?source=rss

What can we do to get people to visit and chat here. It is getting quiet and lonely.

PS small medals on tuxedos are ok

From the Navy News Service

1864 - USS Kearsarge sinks Confederate raider Alabama off France.

1944 - Battle of the Philippine Sea begins ("The Marianas Turkey Shoot").

1948 - Chief of Naval Operations assigns three destroyers to U.N. mediator for the Palestine truce.

Carl Vinson Engineers Restoring Vital Services

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the Engineering Department aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) are working hard this June to restore critical heating equipment and services in preparation for the aircraft carrier's crew move aboard (CMA) evolution scheduled for later this summer.

A special task force of Sailors, known as the steam and heat team, are repairing and bringing back on line water heaters, pre-heaters, and convention heaters, which are critical to the operation of facilities such as the ship's galleys, ship's laundry, heads, and showers on board. This work will have a big impact on quality-of-life for Sailors moving on the ship during CMA.

"Our work on ship's service water heaters is essential for crew move aboard," said Machinist's Mate 1st Class Marc Landry, a member of Carl Vinson's Engineering Department. "By ensuring all of the systems are maintained and in prime working condition, we are also ensuring that Sailors will have the highest quality of life possible once they start living aboard this ship."

To ensure facilities are working properly, Carl Vinson's engineers inspect and repair shipboard equipment regularly. Sailors assigned to Carl Vinson's steam and heat team explained that preventive maintenance and procedural compliance are equally important in the effort to restore key services, and keep them up and running for the long-term.

BARRANCA, Peru (NNS) -- Peruvian officials bid farewell to USS Boxer (LHD 4), June 15, during a closing ceremony in the town of Barranca, marking the end of the Pacific phase of Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.

CP is a collaborative effort between the United States and partner militaries, non-governmental organizations (NGO) and partner-nation support organizations to build strong partnerships that can be called upon in the event of a regional situation requiring cooperative solutions.

During the six-day operation in Peru, Boxer's embarked military units worked side-by-side with partner-nation military and civilian professionals to provide medical, dental, optometry and veterinary care along with renovation work at two schools.

"CP has highlighted the importance and value of providing assistance and training to our friends and neighbors in Latin America," said Mission Commander for CP, Capt. Peter K. Dallman. "It also reflects and reinforces the strong friendship our two countries share."

Medical specialists from Boxer, Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5 and the U.S. Public Health Service worked together with Peruvian medical professionals to conduct more than 4,000 dental exams and procedures, nearly 1,000 optometry exams in addition to giving out 900 pairs of eye glasses. The team also provided nearly 3,000 patients primary medical care and dispensed more than 11,000 medications at several sites in the area.

While anchored off the coast, FST 5 performed 22 surgeries on Peruvian citizens aboard Boxer.

"Overall there have been over 18,000 patient encounters here in Peru, and I can assure you that these numbers would not have been possible without strong support from you, our host nation counterparts, as you worked elbow-to-elbow with us," Dallman said while he addressed the Peruvian dignitaries.

Seabees assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 and Navy Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 teamed up to complete renovation projects at two schools. The work included major plumbing and electrical upgrades, roof replacement and replacing windows in addition to painting and landscaping.

"Our time here in Peru has been a very busy and very rewarding experience," Dallman added. "The work that has taken place here has laid the foundation for future cooperation between the United States and Peru."

Boxer's mission exemplifies the U.S. maritime strategy which emphasizes deploying forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests.

Embarked units and organizations aboard Boxer for CP include Amphibious Squadron 5, FST 5, U.S. Public Health Service, Navy Seabee CBMU 303, Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 764, Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, Special Marine Air Ground Task Force 24, Helicopter Sea Combat Support Squadron 23, Assault Craft Unit 1, Fleet Survey Team, Maritime Civil Affairs Team 205 and Beach Master Unit 1.

PS I don't think New Jersey has been in a war zone since the Revolution with the exception of the Long Tom Explosion in WW I.

Are there any covers or postmarks to be had from the USS Trenton from 1938 to 1940. A man I know who served aboard the ship is 91 years old and it would be nice gift to give him If I could locate a cover.

From the Navy News Service

1812 - U.S. declares war on Great Britain for impressment of Sailors and interference with commerce.

1942 - First African-American officer, Bernard W. Robinson, commissioned in Naval Reserve.

1957 - Chief of Naval Operations approves ship characteristics of the Fleet Ballistic Missile submarine.

Larry

Thanks the Noa is something we need to publicize and put in the postmark catalog

Running out early
Larry

"Your bid is for a space cover in excellent condition. It's postmarked Feb 22. 1962 and commemorates the USS Noa, the recovery Ship for the first manned space flight. Theres an illustration of the ship, with the space capsule in the foreground. The cover says U.S.S. Noa, DD-841 / Recovery Ship for the First U.S. Man in Space. In smaller letters, under the picture : This commemorative cover was a part of the first mail dispatch from the destroyer U.S.S. NOA following recovery of U.S. astronaute Lt Col. John H. Glenn, Jr., USMC, and Mercury Space Capsule "Friendship Seven". It's is postmarked U.S.S. NOA (DD-841) and has a 4c Project Mercury commemorative stamp. Postage is 1.50"

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mandy Hunsucker, Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group Public Affairs

RHODES, Greece (NNS) -- Former President George H.W. Bush visited the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) to say thank you for the crew's service, June 15.

Bush and some of his family members were on vacation in Greece when they found out that Ashland would be visiting Rhodes, while the ship was returning from the Persian Gulf. Bush quickly adjusted his schedule and made a detour just to stop by and talk with the crew.

"I want you all to know it is a joy for us to see this ship, to be on board and be able to show the respect that we have for the Navy and those who serve there in," said Bush.

Bush presented eight awards and re-enlisted two Ashland Sailors during his visit.

"To be re-enlisted by former President Bush was an unbelievable experience," said Damage Controlman 1st Class (SW/AW) Tim Taylor. "I was extremely honored to have this opportunity. It's definitely a once in a life time experience."

"It was very kind of former President Bush and his family to take time out of their vacation to watch the ship moor and then come on board to talk to the crew and thank them for their service," said Cmdr. Jeffrey Ward, Ashland's commanding officer. "It meant a lot to the crew to be able to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Bush, shake hands, and pose for pictures. It was a great start to our visit to Rhodes, and it is a day the Sailors will never forget."

After the ceremony, Bush and his wife, former First Lady Barbara Bush, sat down with some Sailors and enjoyed refreshments while the rest of his family toured the ship.

"Mr. Bush was very down to earth and he had a great sense of humor. He joked with us and his wife made us all laugh," said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Jivette Taylor. "It was really neat that he came to the Ashland. It meant a lot to the crew."

At the conclusion of the family's visit, Mr. and Mrs. Bush posed with numerous Sailors and Mr. Bush gave out several prized autographs.

"It was an honor to have the former President of the United States visit our ship and address the crew," said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW/FMF) Chris Ebert, who got his pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution signed by Bush. "It really reaffirms our mission as a just cause, and it boosted the spirit of our Sailors."

Ashland is part of the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, currently operating in the Navy's 6th Fleet area of responsibility to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.

Just checked out your Washington Cover, the second high bidder at $65.75 is the same bidder who was bidding against me for the VF cover, like I said think it is the cachet maker they want, more than the ship.

I picked up a Valley Forge Commissioning cover done by Staehle, cachet was of Halsey & Nimitz, last year for $4.50 on E-Bay, the first of this month I bid on another Staehle Commissioning cover from the VF with a different cachet, go out of the bidding when it hit $12.00, seems Staehle cachets are getting some high bidding lately??
MHO is it is the Cachet maker rather than the ship that these high bidders are going after, at least what I've seen on E-Bay it appears that way??

From the Navy News Service

1898 - U.S. squadron bombards Santiago, Cuba.

1965 - Navy Department schedules reactivation of hospital ship Repose (AH 16), first hospital ship activated for Vietnam conflict.

Some Karcher free Franks were sent thru the mail. In my July log article my figure one will be a fraudulent Karcher free frank not from a war zone but with a 6 cent postage due rubber stamp from wedderburn.

Larry

Today I was in Astoria, Oregon to see the USCGC EAGLE for the first time. Beautiful ship...great tour. Best part was no waiting in line to board. The USCGC STEADFAST WMEC-623 was also open for tours at the same pier, along with the Lightship COLUMBIA.

Have no doubt about the cancel being legit, as have a few other VF covers from that time frame to compare the cancel with. Why the cover is questionable is the franking of that cover is done by Fred, not a NAvy Mail Clerk.

KARCHER covers with type 7s may be legit not fake postmarks but all locations are questionable. If VF was at Da nang free mail was authorized?

Stand by for more about KARCHER frauds and fakes in July log.

Very good article on Fred Karcher's fake covers by Capt. Bob Rawlins.
I have a good number of Karcher covers and a