2026 Memorial Service Updates

Aug. 20, 2024
Mike Lanier writes:
Shipmates,
I hope everyone has recovered from our Outstanding Reunion and that your summer is wrapping on a high note!
First, I want to thank Mike and Jo-Ann Gallo again for bringing us all together and for putting on another wonderful time for remembrance and fellowship.
During our time together the Reunion Association directors met to elect new officers and to discuss the future. As you will recall it was announced that our 2024 Reunion would, sadly, be our last. A motion was made and approved to dissolve the Reunion Committee. However, the discussion that followed was quite animated as none of us on the BOD and I’m sure most of our members, don’t want this to be our last gathering. As I’m sure you all know putting together our Reunions is a tremendous amount of work! It takes long term planning, etc., etc. This doesn’t mean that those involved don’t want our gatherings to continue. It's just a practical matter of time and energy. Don’t forget, the youngest of us is over 70! Yikes!!
So… What’s next?
The BOD discussed several options including hiring a professional team to do all the work but that doesn’t seem practical. An ocean or river cruise was considered where we all seemly meet at a terminal and party as a group with no real plan or agenda. A regional approach was discussed but that too, has its problems.
At this time, a Memorial Service is in the early planning for the mid-2026 timeframe. Probably in Warwick. It will be a much smaller event in terms of activities and numbers of days. The basic costs as you know are travel and hotel. Under any plan the destination cost, other than each of our hometowns, is a given. With a shorter duration we can significantly reduce the hotel portion (and food, Starbucks, Etc.) Mike and Jo-Ann Gallo have agreed to host this gathering. This Memorial Service would be in recognition of those Shipmates that lost their lives in the Turret II explosion, the Decommissioning of our Wonderful Ship, Her ultimate scrapping, and our Mates who have sailed off beyond the horizon.
There is some business I wish to share with you as well. There was an election of officers for our Reunion Association. The following Mates have agreed to serve going forward:
- Mike Lanier – President
- Herb Bernard – Vice President
- Tony Gallagher – Secretary/ Treasurer
I want to personally Thank John Noll for his outstanding contribution to keeping our Association on track over that last several years.
I’ll close with a wish that you and those you love are Safe and Healthy.
Fair Winds and Following Sea, Shipmate
Doc Lanier
Please know you can contact me at any time with questions and concerns.

July 22, 2024

Mike Gallo writes:

Attention Shipmates. I have received the go ahead from the President of our Association, Mike Lanier, to forge ahead with the Memorial Service. The following schedule, which is subject to change, follows.

Friday October 16, 2026
Arrive Crowne Plaza Hotel Warwick, Rhode Island
Saturday October 17, 2026
0700-09:00 Breakfast
10:30 Commence Memorial Service in designated area. (TBA)
11:30 Buffet Lunch
13:00 Board buses for USS SALEM
14:00 Continue memorial service with wreath ceremony
17:00 Depart USS SALEM
FREE TIME
Sunday 0ctober 18, 2026
07:00-0900 Breakfast
Free time to explore area or there might be some other activities.
18:00 Buffet Dinner ( Here is where we need some feedback. Do you want to have dancing after the meal or some form of entertainment?)
Monday October 19, 2026
07:00-09:00 Breakfast
Depart

The Ship's Store managers. Mike and Pat Prosser will have a store set up but we are not sure to what extent. When we meet in January 2025, we will make the decision about the store and the final schedule. Once that is accomplished we will have a sign-up. form on line for you to fill out and return. The cost per person will be $125.00 paid by check or through the Ship's Store. Please bear in mind that this is a Memorial Service and not a reunion in the sense that we have had in the past. To keep costs down there will not be a special pin but we will have name tags. The last reunion we did send 2600 registration forms through the mail and only had a return of 24. This was not cost effective at all. So, everything is going to be done through the web site, the two Facebook pages and your word of mouth. Email will also play a part but, if you attended the reunion you did not need to update your email address, however, if you did not attend and you wish to hear about the activities, please forward your email address msgallo43@gmail.com or ajhagopian@comcast.net
Your suggestions are welcome and will be considered. Perhaps some of our CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS shipmates could write a brief paragraph or so about what they were doing and what thoughts were going through their minds during the stand-off and point in history.

July 18. 2024

Mike Gallo writes:

We have the dates October 16- 20, 2026. These dates coincide with dates the USS Newport News arrived in Cuban waters during the missile crisis and took over as Flagship.

Here are my thoughts:

FRIDAY: ARRIVAL DAY
SATURDAY: MEMORIAL SERVICE AT THE HOTEL, BUFFET LUNCH, 2:00 PM LEAVE FOR THE SALEM, CONCLUDE MEMORIAL SERVICE WITH WREATH CREMONY. RETURN TO HOTEL 5:00 PM.
SUNDAY: BUFFET DINNER AND ENTERTAINMENT. (NO BAND, NO DANCE)
ALTHOUGH, THAT IS STILL AN OPTION. A PLATED DINNER WOULD BE TOO MUCH.
MONDAY: FAREWELL

The Crowne Plaza rooms will be $159.00 per night with breakfast included. The charge per person for the event will be $125.00. If the majority want to have a sit down dinner with dancing and a band, rather than a buffet, the charge will jump to $150.00 per person. We could still have dancing and a band with the buffet at the same price of $125.00

This is not a reunion per se, but a memorial service to honor those that are no longer with us so there will not be any excursions unless you do things on your own on Sunday before dinner. The Ship's Store will be active.
Buses will be provided to shuttle us to the Salem.

All reservations will be done as last year, print and fill out the form and mail it in. The form will be available soon. You may pay by check or by credit card through the store.

Memorial Service 2026

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