The Seaweed

USS Champlin DD-601  

Winter 2001

Thanks and Next:

Thanks to Richard I. Berman, Charles Connors, Gerald M. Cruthers, Harry W. Cuthbert, Raymond G. Dinklocker, Thomas J. Hall, Irwin J. Kappes, Francis J. Koster, Nathan R. Lerner, Powell M. Morris, and James R. Robertson for their contribution to this issue. Your help and cooperation is appreciated. However, this story is not complete until it includes your recollection. We would like to have more shipmates tell us about their memories of the typhoon off Okinawa. Those stories will be added to our web site to become part of the history of the USS Champlin.

With the help of all our members, the next issue of The Seaweed will include your memories of :

    Commissioning of the USS Champlin
    Decommissioning of the USS Champlin
    Your first time aboard the Champlin

A number of our members are plankholders. We would like to have your memories of the commissioning ceremony; some sense of what we would have seen and heard if we had been there, including when you were assigned to the Champlin, your duties prior to the date of commissioning, where you slept ate, etc. Hopefully, we will hear from Steven Anastasion, Hugh Baker, Robert Baughan, Joe Black, Robert Brady, Arthur Cerra, William Gauldin, Lou Gilbert, Lawrence Hawkins, Sidney Hotard, Archa Knowlton, Victor Lacquement, Robert Maitre, Robert McAfee, Joseph McMahon, Eugene Mitchell, Thomas Morton, Taisto Ranta, Randolph Stover, Mark Stringham and Francis Wahle. Their are only four members who were present at the decommissioning ceremony: Ted Johnson, Ernest Phillips, Arnold Simerly and John Wiebelt. Again, we would like to have some sense of what we would have seen and heard had we been there. And, again, something about your duties on the Champlin prior to decommissioning, where you slept, ate, etc.

All our members will have a recollection of their first time aboard the Champlin. Most made the trip across the gangplank, halting about mid-way across, saluting the flag at the stern and the personnel on the quarterdeck, uttering the words, "Permission to come aboard sir?" and planting their feet, for the first time, on the deck of The Champ. So, let's hear about this event - and why not start with the officers of the Reunion Group, past and present, to lead the way in this story. We ask Jack Brawdy to follow up on this idea - he did such a good job with the web site visitation! Alright gentlemen, leaders first.

Finally, thanks to Eugene Mitchell and Arnold Simerly for donating their memorabilia to the Champlin's historical collection.

Eugene's contribution included the last known commissioning pennant.

"Cans are like pretty girls, sailors never tire of looking at them."