together . I hope there will be a good turn-out at our 2016 reun-ion. Start working on your auc-tion items. The money is used to defray the printing cost of our" Pirate "news letter.

Paul Shepley President/Coordinator

Pam and I are doing well and looking forward to our up-coming reunion. I am disappointed we could not get reasonable accom-modations in Ashville. However, the important thing to remember is not the location where the re-union is held , but the fellowship we experience each time we get

Official Newsletter of the USS Mississippi EAG-128

Mississippi Pirate

June 2016 Volume 19 Issue 1

Special Points of Interest

• President’s • Message

• Get to know Hick-ory, NC

• DD 214s now on line

• Poem– An ode to sailors

• Continued History of MISSISSIPPI

2016 USS

MISSISSIPPI REUNION

OCT. 13-16

HICKORY, NC

CROWNE PLAZA

HOTEL

2016 REUNION CHANGED TO HICKORY, NC

By mutual consent of Paul Shepley (USS Mississippi), Gene Volcik (USS Huntington) and Premier Reunion Services, the location of the 2016 reunion has been changed from Asheville to Hickory, NC. The change was made because of the excessive hotel expense in Ashe-ville during the fall season (beautiful fall color makes this the prime time for visitors). We hope this is satisfactory with everyone. The travel distance between the two places is 77 miles. You will be able to see all the sights in Asheville with just a little extra travel. (And it’s a beautiful drive!)

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Page 2 Volume 19 Issue 1 Mississippi Pirate

ABOUT HICKORY

Hickory, NC is located between Charlotte and Asheville on I-40 in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. It has a population of around 40,000, but within the metro-politan area, the population soars to about 370,000. Hickory enjoys ideal weather and picturesque scenery with each new season. The city is located in Cataw-ba County, which was acknowledged by Readers Digest as one of the “10 Best Places to Raise a Family.” Hick-ory has been named an “All American City” three times—in 2007, 1987 and 1967. Although still home to many top-

notch furniture manufacturers, much of the furniture industry for which Hickory was known has gone to for-eign manufacturers. Nevertheless, Hickory Furniture Mart still has thou-sands of visitors every year who come from all over the country to buy well-crafted furniture from the Hickory area. Taking the place of furniture, the cable industry has replaced many of the jobs formerly filled those of the furniture industry. Now 40%—60% of all the fiber optic cable is manufac-tured in the Hickory area. Also home to Hickory are large data-centers op-erated by Apple and Google. Shurtape, manufacturer of pressure-

sensitive tape, is also a large employ-er in the area. Recreational opportunities abound in the area. Lake Hickory covers over 4,000 acres with 105 miles of shore-line and provides boating and other water sports, as well as beautiful scenery. There are multiple parks, both city and more rustic, forested parks within the county that provide hiking and picnicking areas. In addition to the planned tours for your reunion, you might want to ex-tend your visit few extra days and visit some of the sights nearby. Since the Blue Ridge Mountains are within an hour’s drive (depending on your desti-nation), you might want to visit some of the mountain areas. Blowing Rock is a quaint mountain town, full of charm that welcomes visitors from all over the country and is only an hour’s drive away. The Blue Ridge Parkway, near Blowing Rock, offers breathtak-

ing vistas of the mountains. Ashe-ville, about 1½ hours away, is one of NC’s best known areas—home of the fabulous Biltmore Estate, arts and music venues, and has become one of the country’s most trendy destinations. Although not in the mountains, Charlotte, NC’s largest city, is only an hour away and offers all the big city amenities. If you’re a NASCAR fan, you can visit the NAS-CAR Hall of Fame or the Charlotte Motor Speedway, both in Charlotte. The Billy Graham Library is also lo-cated in Charlotte, as well as shop-ping and restaurants equal to any other large metropolitan area. So, come to Hickory for the reun-ion, enjoy what Hickory has to offer and then tour North Carolina. You won’t be disappointed!

REUNION ACTIVITY OPTIONS

Since your original plans were to stay in Asheville for the reunion, a day trip to this beautiful city will be included in your reunion agenda. You will be able to visit the Biltmore House and Estate. The house is a Chateauesque-style mansion built by George Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 and is the largest privately owned house in the United

States. After touring the Biltmore Estate, the day will continue on to downtown Asheville where you can stroll through a vibrant entertainment hub in the heart of Asheville, brim-ming with independent shops and a remarkably distinctive mountain vibe. Another day’s activity could in-clude a cruise on the Catawba River’s Lake Norman on the Cataw-ba Queen, a Mississippi-style river-boat. “The Inland Sea” offers 520 miles of shoreline where you can experience the breathtaking fall foli-age on the surrounding banks of Lake Norman. On the return trip to Hickory, a quick tour of some of the

interesting sites in Catawba County can be pointed out by the tour direc-tor. Maybe the Balls Creek Camp Meeting Grounds, Old Murray’s Mill and General Store, the Catawba

County History Museum which fea-tures an authentic Revolutionary War uniform and other interesting items, or the Hickory Speedway where many of the NASCAR greats got their start. (Hickory is the home of NASCAR champions Ned and Dale Jarrett.)

For the ladies, shopping is always a necessity, and there are many op-portunities in Hickory. The Valley Hills Mall is just a very short distance from the hotel. Also nearby is Hamrick’s. Hamrick’s offers name brand and high quality clothing, a popular shoe department, and home accessory and gift departments at affordable prices for everyone in the family. It also designs several of its own private labels Nikki, Southern Lady, Links, Company Collection and N Touch. Hamrick’s has been a pop-ular shopping place for many of our other reunion groups in Hickory, so we think you will like it also. The Hickory Furniture Mart is just down the “main drag” from the hotel also. Here you can find the quality furni-ture that Hickory is so famous for, all in one location. If you like to collect

(Continued on page 3)

2016 REUNION IN HICKORY, NC

Page 3 Mississippi Pirate

It's official; DD-214s are NOW Online. Please pass on to other vets. The National Personnel Rec-ords Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to gain access to their DD-214s online: http://vetrecs.archives.gov or try http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-

service-records. This may be partic-ularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for employ-ment purposes. NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new

one-of-a-kind souvenirs from your travels, you might want to check out some Catawba Valley pottery to take home. The area is famous for its pottery—especially its face jugs. (Some are on display at the Crowne Plaza.) You can find the

pottery at almost any craft shop, art studio or specialty shop in the area—especially in the downtown shopping area a few miles away from the hotel. Of course, as in any town, you can find

many antique stores around which feature items unique to the south.

GETTING TO HICKORY

Unfortunately there is no com-mercial airline into Hickory. The closest airport is Charlotte Interna-tional, about 50 miles from Hickory. From there you can either rent a car, arrange for a shuttle service like Hickory Hop or a limo service to take you to Hickory. If you would like to check into the Hickory Hop service, here is the information: Call Hickory Hop at (828) 327-

2340. For limo service, call (828) 327-3364. If you are driving, the Crowne Plaza is easy access right off Interstate 40.

(Continued from page 2)

TAPS

The Pirate has learned of the fol-lowing shipmates’ deaths since the last newsletter. The entire crew sends our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the deceased.

William McCall (1951-53) SHSN S Div

Died September 6, 2015

James Goudreau, Sr (1951-54) ET1 Guided Missile Unit 21

Died September 16, 2015

___________

online military personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for docu-ments must still complete the Stand-ard Form 180, which can be down-loaded from the online web site. Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for addi-tional information will be minimized. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records centers mailroom and pro-cessing time. [Source: Vet Council - St Johns Cnty FL | Michael Roth-feld | March 15, 2016

___________

FYI: DD-214s NOW ONLINE

Recalled To Duty~The Eternal Voyage

(An Ode To Sailors) By: Gary L. Edmisten

This poem is dedicated to PO1 Electrician's Mate Dwight Edmisten and all of the gallant men who served in Destroyer Division 38: USS Gillespie (DD-609), USS Hobby (DD-610), USS Kalk (DD-611), USS

Welles (DD-628).

Bon Voyage to those who’ve set sail We bid them farewell as we man the rail.

Let us be Joyous and let us not weep

For those who have now crossed over the deep. When a Sailor’s last roll call is made

His final embarking shant be delayed. So lower the Colors, let them be furled

Each time a Sailor disembarks this world. The crew onboard in Heaven awaits

The Eternal reunion of their mates. They’ll be welcomed home by those onboard

Moored in peaceful waters with the Lord. As he approaches, he’ll call “Ahoy! The ship!”

Now in safe harbor, an Eternal trip. Then he’ll hear “Sailor on deck! Hoist the flag!,”

“Help him get settled! Help stow his bag!” Be it known that it’s a Divine remand

To ship in Heaven, ye Seafaring Man. On permanent station forevermore

Peaceful duty for Veterans of war. And when he’s weighed anchor for the last time

We’ll Honor his memory so sublime. We’ll all reminisce and hoist a brew

In a Toast of Honor to the crew.

Page 4 Mississippi Pirate

Taken from THE PIRATE Vol. X No. 36 30 November 1951

USS Mississippi (EAG 128)

Editor’s Note; This is the third in a series of the complete and colorful history of the MISSISSIPPI.

MISSISSIPPI of the “Roaring Twenties” was a proud ship, and she had good reason to be. Besides be-ing one of the showpieces of the Pa-cific Fleet she won the award for gun-nery and engineering efficiency many times. And she was as outstanding in athletics then as she is today—the “Iron Man”, famous trophy of the Fleet Athletic Championship, was held aboard her for six consecutive years. Her reputation as a crack fighting ship, combined with her known high morale, had made her an enviable duty assignment for both officers and men. It was during those years of train-ing that the “Missy” showed she could take it. Near noon on the 12th of June, 1924, as the ship was en-gaged in firing Advance Practice Baker along with the TENNESSEE and the IDAHO off San Pedro, Cali-fornia, the incident occurred. Salvo after salvo was slammed out of the immense rifles of the three ships. In the right gun of Number Two Turret the seventh 14” salvo had been fired, the guns returned to loading position, and the plug opened. There ap-peared to be some trouble but no one was sure about what it was, ex-cept that the gun captain was heard to make some remark about the air pressure. Stating he would fix it, he picked up a wrench. Meanwhile, the shell was rammed home, four bags of powder were placed on the span-ner tray, and also rammed into the gun. And the accident occurred. The survivors said that immediately after the rammer was withdrawn a small grayish ball of smoke and flame emerged from the breach, followed by a large flash. Flame and gases immediately filled the gun compart-ment, passed through the safety doors above the shell table, into the other two gun compartments, and through the peep doors to the turret officer’s booth. All who escaped the

inferno in the turret did so by means of the exits into the lower handling room. But, 45 men and 3 officers did not escape the gas-filled turret—they lie dead of burns and asphyxiation. The USS MISSISSIPPI continued to fire her other three turrets until the exercise was over and then requested permission to drop out of the battle line to fight her fires. Within a short time she rejoined the formation and proceeded back to port in the usual manner. President Calvin Coolidge prompt-ly dispatched a message to Com-mander Battleship Division Three, of which MISSISSIPPI was a member, which read: “I have heard with deep regret of the accident on board the MISSISSIPPI today. Please extend my sincere sympathies to the injured men and to the families of those who lost their lives in the performance of their duty. “ There followed this disaster an inquiry into the cause and subsequent experimentation by scientists to make a recurrence impossible. In 1933 the ship was modernized, together with her sister ships of Bat-tleship Division III, IDAHO and NEW MEXICO. Her cage mast was re-moved, her armament improved by the addition of a modern fire control system, all engineering installations, and many alterations made in the hull design. This considerably improved the ship’s combat potential and she rejoined the Pacific Fleet proudly dis-playing her new 5-inch guns. The MISSISSIPPI was again one of the most potent pieces of American sea power.

Part Four to be continued in a later issue.

Financial Statement

Balance after 10/15 $810.33

Funds collected since 10/15 $0

Funds available for 06/16 $810.33 Funds expended 06/16 $141.68

Balance for 10/16 $668.65

The Pirate is mailed only to those who returned the coupon to receive the newsletter by mail. Others may access the newsletter from the web site at: www.mlrsinc.com/eag128. Send contributions and stories for the newsletter to Premier Reunion Ser-vices at PO Box 11438, Hickory, NC 28603.

The PIRATE is the official publication of the USS MISSISSIPPI Association. From now on it will be published quarterly in March, June, September, and December, subject to receiving sufficient funding. The Newsletter is funded by voluntary contribu-tions from the membership. All members are encouraged to support the voice of the MISSISSIPPI. A financial statement appears in each issue of the newsletter. The newsletter is intended to be a vehi-cle for the members to express opinions, make suggestions and especially share experiences. Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions printed in the newsletter are those of the article’s writer, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Association leadership or the Editor of the Newsletter. All letters and stories submitted will be considered for publication, except unsigned letters will not be published. Letters request-ing the writer’s name be withheld will be honored, but published on a space available basis. Signed letters with no restrictions will be given priority. Letters demeaning to another shipmate will not be printed; letters espousing a politi-cal position will not be printed. Premier Reunion Services is not respon-sible for the accuracy of articles submitted for publication. It would be a monumental task to check each story. Therefore, we rely on the submitter to research each article. The editor reserves the right to edit let-ters to conform to grammar, and/or space limitations. You are encouraged to actively partici-pate in the newsletter family by submitting your stories and suggestions.

__________

STATEMENT OF PUBLICATION

Published by: Premier Reunion Services

PO Box 11438

Hickory, NC 28603

Phone: 828-256-6008

Fax: 828-256-6559

On the web: www.mlrsinc.com/eag128

Our Reunions Work So You Don’t Have To