USS Orion (AS 18) Veterans Historical...

APRIL 2012 VOLUME 24 NUMBER 2

USS Orion (AS-18) Veterans Historical Organization

Prepare to Be Amazed, Educated and Entertained

Notes and Letters …….......... 2

Orion Detachment 101 ……... 3

Reunion Schedule ………... 4-5

Chaplain, Taps ………………. 6

Recipes, Mini Reunion ……... 7

Testimonials …………………. 8

Inside

Hosts BJ and

Tony promise this

will be a fun, in-

teresting, educa-

tional, different,

sensational, out-

standing, and out-

of-the-ordinary

reunion.

We will be lodging at Best Western Plus Rio Grande

Inn located at 1015 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, in Albuquer-

que, New Mexico’s historic Old Town district. There is

easy access to I-40.

Best Western is holding a block of 60 rooms for the

USS Orion reunion until September 6. On that day we

lose our block. After that date, members may get hotel

reservations based on space available and at the hotel bal-

loon festival rate. You may cancel without penalty at the

hotel 72 hours before the reservation.

Call 1-800-959-4726 for reservations. It is balloon festival time and rooms are at a premium.

Room rate is $143 per day and does not include breakfast.

However, a 20% discount will be given by the hotel for

the breakfast buffet. The hotel offers a free shuttle to and

from the airport.

Bring your bathing suits. Best Western features a cov-

ered outdoor pool with hot tub. Guests can work out in

the Fitness Center and take advantage of the free high-

speed, wireless internet service. There is free parking.

We can park two RVs at Best Western with no hook

ups. The nearest RV Park is nine miles west.

Call 1-800-282-8885 for RV information.

Early Bird Drawing

Reunion registrations received by July 1 will be entered in a

drawing at the banquet. The winner will receive one night’s lodging free.

See REUNION SCHEDULE on Pages 4-5

Reunion sign-up form inside

THE SCUTTLEBUTT APRIL 2012

Hello Fellow Shipmates: I had to write after I read the story of Orion in the ’50s; also in St. Thom-as. I served on Orion 1955-57. How I got on the ship: Out of boot camp – down to Norfolk, Va. I was on the C.E. Piers looking for Orion. Someone said Orion was in St. Thom-as. I could work the mess in Norfolk or catch a sub down to St. Thomas. I found myself on the Sea Lion troop carrier sub with a crew of about 78 – 35 Marines and 13 transfer men. We left Norfolk headed for St. Thomas. We snaked down – 14 days. So in order to keep busy I was as-signed the After Head. Well, one of the valves did not shut tight. Guess what? Clean-up crew was “me.” We reached St. Thomas in the out-er bay. I got off the Sea Lion to go aboard Orion. Guess what! My broth-er Richard Schmidt, 2nd class Electri-cian Mate was standing duty that day.

Notes From Shipmates

Congratulations

Stan and Barb Stemp celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary. All the kids and grandkids had a din-ner for them.

Changing Officers

By Tom Pieper

OVHO President

For the last year or so Mary and Dave Peckinpaugh, for per-sonal reasons, have expressed a desire to reduce the Orion work-load that they have been carrying. Currently, besides having the secretary-treasurer jobs they also shoulder the responsibility for the Orion newspaper, the Scuttlebutt. And if that isn’t enough, they guide, direct and help with every reunion and they are also the guiding light to the president, vice president and the entire Orion reunion organization.

We have been blessed, and maybe more than we deserve, to have had them in their current roles for so many years. And again we are blessed as I announce that John Bellis has agreed to start assuming the role of secretary-treasurer. This will be interim until our next busi-ness meeting when an election can occur. These responsibilities will start being transferred over the next few months and will be finalized by the end of the year. John has promised me that he will only campaign at the reunion and will not make any telephone solicitation calls. Dave has agreed to continue publishing the Scuttlebutt. To Dave and Mary we want to express our never ending “thanks” for a job well done.

* * * Remember those DVDs that the reunion attendees have heard so much about and the men did such a good job in being interviewed. Well, they are ready and will be arriving with the April Scuttlebutt to all the Cincinnati reunion at-tendees. We have four extra ones that are available from Dave Peckinpaugh for $5.00. See you in Albuquerque in October.

I had to salute him. I served with him in his division until he was discharged in 1956. I lost him in 2005. I also was invited to join the Po-cono Base USSVI. I go as a tender vet.

—William E. Schmidt, 1955-57, FN

USS Orion (AS-18) Veterans Historical Organization

Editors: Dave and Mary Peckinpaugh 4300 E. Maple Manor Pkwy.

Muncie, IN 47302 (765) 284-1746

e-mail: [email protected]

The Scuttlebutt is published in April, August and December by the USS Orion (AS-18) Veterans Historical Organization Inc., a non-profit organization, and has no official affiliation with the U.S. Navy. Pictures and written articles are con-tributed by members and depict activities of the USS Orion, its crew members, or persons affiliated with USS Orion (AS-18).

Tom Pieper President

3938 Ficus Court Hamilton, OH 45013

(513) 738-3499 [email protected]

Jack Prendergast Vice President 14 Gerald Ave.

Randolph, MA 02368 (781) 963-2793

[email protected]

Dave Peckinpaugh Secretary/Treasurer

4300 E. Maple Manor Pkwy. Muncie, IN 47302

(765) 284-1746 e-mail: [email protected]

Storekeeper Larry Snyder 308 Oak St.

Rowley, IA 52329 Phone: (319) 939-3668


Auditing Committee Bob Podgorski

John Bellis

Honorary Chaplain David Rodes

2004 11th Street Pl SW Puyallup, WA 98371



Orion Detachment 101 Picnic

Orion Detachment 101 on Orion 1982 Left to right: Steve Papp, EM2, Ron McArthur, EMC, and Carl Carlson, USN

Left to right: ? USNR, Frank Tessier, MM2, Chet Glen, MM1

John Kapusta, CS2 — cook

Left to right: Steve Papp, EM2, Ed Hedrick, MR1, at Adam Fife Center in Stonington, CT.

John Nettle, HT1, and Frank Laudano, TM1

Front Row: Mrs. Lucas, John Nettle, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Laudano, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Glen. Back: Mike Lucas, Ron McArthur, Steve Papp, Frank Tessier, John Kapusta, Ed Hedrick


Reunion Schedule of Events Note: You do not have to attend all the events listed

for the Pre-Tour and Tours. You can pick and choose

whatever events you want to attend.

Monday, October 8 Arrival. This is the ONLY day you will be able to get

an antique car to bring you from the airport to the hotel.

There will be an Ice Cream Social at 7 p.m. in the hos-

pitality room.

Tuesday, October 9 $13.00 per person

Breakfast.

7:23 a.m. board Railrunner Train to Santa Fe Plaza,

tour Old Town, then lunch on your own in Santa Fe. You

will be provided a map with a list of restaurants and

“musts” to visit. There are six museums within 1-2 blocks

of the plaza. Two blocks east is St. Francis Cathedral. It

was begun in 1869. Not to be missed is the Loretto Chap-

el. The staircase makes two complete turns and is said to

have been built with only a hammer, a saw, and a t-

square. It has no center support.

Please inform hosts if you are bringing a wheelchair.

It would help if we knew how many. We may be able to

arrange wheelchairs for those who might need one in

Santa Fe.

5:17 p.m. board train back to Albuquerque. Dinner is

on your own at Best Western or Old Town.

Wednesday, October 10

$43.00 per person

Breakfast.

8:30 a.m. Bus leaves for Space Ride to Sandia Peak. A

trip on the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway transports you

above deep canyons and breathtaking terrain a distance of

2.7 miles, the longest tram ride in the world. The desert

skies produce a spectacular view of the city and your van-

tage point from the observation deck atop 10,400-foot

Arrive in Style

Call for an antique car to pick you up at the airport. The cost is $5.00. This service is only available on Mon-day, October 8.

Sandia Peak in the Cibola National Forest affords an

11,000 square-mile panoramic view of the Rio Grande

Valley.

12:30 p.m. Lunch is at World’s Best Hamburgers and

Milk Shakes.

2:00 p.m. Visit the National Museum of Nuclear Sci-

ence and History. The museum is an affiliate of The

Smithsonian Institution and was chartered in 1991 by

Congress.

5:00 p.m. Dinner on your own at Best Western or Old

Town.

Thursday, October 11

$30.00 per person – morning

$73.00 per person – evening

Breakfast.

8:30-8:45 a.m. Load buses, leave for Las Palmas to

buy turquoise

9:45 a.m. Leave for Memorial Service at Kirtland Air

Force Base

10:45 a.m. Leave for lunch

11:00 a.m.-12 p.m. Lunch

12:30-2:00 p.m. Tour of Albuquerque

2:30 p.m. Arrive at Best Western

4:45 p.m. Bus leaves for Balloon Fiesta Grounds

5:45 p.m. Dinner at the Gondola Club. View special

shapes balloons and fireworks. We will dine as guests at

he Gondola Club in an enclosed, large white tent. It is a

reserved area that lets you get away from the crowds with

private seating indoors and out, delicious food and luxury

bathrooms and transportation from the tent to the midway

area.


Albuquerque 2012 Friday, October 12


$26.00 per person – evening buffet banquet

Breakfast.

9:00 a.m. Bus leaves for Native American Cultural

Center

10:00 a.m. Native American Dances, Museum

Lunch will be privately served in the Silver and Tur-

quoise Banquet Room. World renowned Native American

dancer Fabian will present The Eagle Dancer, not often

seen in full regalia. Morningsong will provide original

songs on her hand-carved flute.

5:00 p.m. Business Meeting at Best Western Hotel

6:00 p.m. Buffet dinner at Best Western

Saturday, October 13


$30.00 per person – evening banquet

5:30 a.m. Bus leaves for Balloon Fiesta Grounds

5:45 a.m. Breakfast at The Gondola Club

6:30 a.m. Visit The Midway – art exhibits / booths

7:00 a.m. View Mass Ascension of balloons

9:00 a.m. Leave Fiesta Grounds to return to Best

Western Hotel OR continue with optional Antique Car

Tour to Train Restoration yard

6:00 p.m. Cocktails

7:00 p.m. Farewell Buffet Banquet (cowboy casual attire)

Native American dancers perform

OPTIONAL TOUR

Antique Car Tour to the Train Restoration Yard

Make reservation on the form inserted in the newsletter.

10:00 a.m. Leave from Best Western by antique car,

tour train restoration yards of the Albuquerque Locomo-

tive and Rail Historical Society. During a 2-hour hard

hat tour, we will view the historic 2926 steam locomo-

tive, the largest 4-8-4 ever built, and at nearly one mil-

lion pounds, the heaviest.

1:00 p.m. Lunch at the Old 66 Diner

3:00 p.m. Return to Best Western

REFUND POLICY Refunds for cancellation will be on a case by case basis for extenuating circumstances only.


Frederick Hansen, Jr. 1946, S2/c, 1st Div.

Frederick Hansen, Jr. of Greenlawn, N.Y., passed away on December 27, 2011, at the age of 84 years. He was the beloved husband of Carolyn, loving father of Di-ane (Wayne) French, Rick (Mary Jane) Hansen, and Janet (Dan) Roddin. He was the cherished grandfather of Jason, Bobby, Paul, Kristin, Daniel, Shannon, Natalie, and great-grandfather of Adriana, Jonathan, Justin, and Evan; also dear brother of William Hansen. Fred was retired from the New York Telephone Com-pany, past president of Paumanack Chapter of Telephone Pioneers and past president of Life Member Nesconcet Club. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #694 and VFW Post #9263 Elwood-Commack Memorial Post.

* * * George E. Greenwell, Sr., 1944-46, S1/c, 2nd Div. – newsletter returned marked deceased.

* * * I am sorry to report my father, Charles M. Osborne, 1951-54, ICE2, 8th Div., passed away on 22 January, 2012. – Richard D. Osborne

* * * I had some news regarding the passing of David Brown. He had cancer for a long while. He lived in Maryville, TN (the town where I was born in 1924). He came aboard a few years after WW II and served as an electrician. We were very close during our entire lifetime. I will miss him a great deal.

— Vernon J. Smith, 1943-45, TME1, 13th Div.

Raising Our Hopes

Taps

By David Rodes Honorary Chaplain

As a father I’ve always enjoyed attending my kid’s events. I’ve sat through concerts listening to sounds of a band that will never make a recording. But that doesn’t matter. It’s my kid there playing the clarinet! I’ve watched them run cross-country races, one of only a few spectators, waiting for a glimpse of my teenager among the many runners in the 3.1 mile race. Last month we traveled through snow, rain and sleet to watch our 17-year-old daughter run in a track meet. We sat in the cold from 10.45 a.m. to 4 p.m. to watch her run in three races. Since she is a sprinter, the races were over quickly. All that time to watch Aimee run for 2 minutes and 13 seconds in three events! Why do we do that? Be-cause we love to watch her run! She’s our kid. A lot of life is waiting. We stand in line at the store, we wait for doctor’s appointments, we wait for another job or a break in the weather. We can wait in a way that discourages us or we can wait in a way that keeps hope alive. We get discouraged when we wait with our regrets, failures and wounds. We get angry when we wait rum-maging through the failures of others or the injustices that have happened to us. All of us have lived long enough to be upset. But there is another way to wait. We can wait with love in our heart, knowing that we are loved. Each year after winter gives way to spring, and comes the amazingly good news of Easter. When God raised Jesus from the dead, he was telling us we no longer have to be slaves to the past, live under the burden of the pre-sent, or fear the future. In Jesus Christ there is hope for each of us. Through him we can live well in spite of diffi-culty or disappointment. Cancer and death don’t get the last word. The last and greatest Word is that God has made it possible for all of us to be reconciled to him. So, go ahead. Get your hopes up. With Jesus at the center of your life, even waiting becomes an opportunity to enjoy God’s love in the present. Enjoy the springtime … and “straight ahead!”

Springtime . . . Ready to Ride

On the left: David Rodes (Honorary Chaplain) poses with friends.

USS Orion 50th Anniversary Book

Books are black and white copies of the original.

We can have more copied if we have at least 5 pre-orders.

$26.00 Includes Shipping

3 Available

Make check payable to OVHO

Send to:

Dave Peckinpaugh

4300 E. Maple Manor Pkwy.

Muncie, IN 47302


CINCINNATI CHILI

Makes 8 servings Prep 15 minutes SLOW COOK on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 pounds ground beef

1 pound spaghetti, cooked

Finely shredded cheddar cheese and diced white onions (optional)

1. Whisk together broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, cinna-mon, cloves, allspice, salt and pepper in the base of a slow cooker. Add garlic and yellow onion, and crumble in beef; mix. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours.

2. Ladle chili over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with finely shredded cheddar cheese and diced white on-ions, if desired. PER SERVING: 325 CAL; 12g FAT (5g SAT); 28g PRO; 24g CARB. 3g FIBER; 654mg SODIUM; 74mg CHOL.

We Need Your Help

The Orion Vets had plans to pub-lish a cookbook of favorite recipes of the local cuisine from all over the country. To date I have not received very many recipes. I need your help. Send your recipes to:

[email protected]

or mail them to:

Frances Wright 1404 Canterbury Road

Tarboro, NC 27886

We plan to have the cookbook available at the 2013 reunion. Send as many recipes as you would like – we need lots! The deadline is October 2012 (at our next reun-ion) but try not to wait until the deadline. We would like to get started on assembling them.

Several ladies at the reunion requested the Cincinnati Chili recipe.

I finally found it in one of my cookbooks.

– Jean Holt

3-Way, 4-Way, Your Way

Visiting Friends

Ken Larsen, Wayne Ehmen, Mary Lou Larsen

Jean Ehmen and Mary Lou Larsen

We had a good winter and we are both well. We traveled to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, Las Vegas, Laughlin and Arizona. On our travels we stopped and spent the day with Ken and Mary Lou Larsen in Bloomington, Minnesota. We had a good visit. They have not been able to travel long distances.

See you in the fall. — Wayne and Jean Ehmen


NEW ITEM

Metal

License Plate

Holders

$$

18.0018.00

Includes shipping

Send your check to:

Larry Snyder

308 Oak St.

Rowley, IA 52329 ——

Make check payable to:

USS Orion Store

Ship to: Name _________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________

City ___________________________________ State ______ Zip ________

As Jon and I were fixing to leave from the beauty sa-lon where I get my hair fixed, a fella came by and said he had come from the back of our car and saw the Orion tag holder and asked Jon if he had been on the Orion. Of course, Jon proudly said “yes” and told him what years. The man said he was on Orion from 1989 to 1993 when it was decommissioned. I asked him if he had ever been to a reunion and he said no, so I told him about the upcoming one in Albuquerque. — Lucille West

* * * Stan’s Version

You are not going to believe this story . . . All because I have my Orion sticker on my car’s bumper. Barb and I were going to the store, and behind me is this reckless youth speeding and blowing his horn, disturbing the peace, and waving furiously. I see in my mirror as I stopped at a stop sign that this fellow jumps out of his car. I thought I might have a flat tire or was dragging some-

Testimonials thing, so I hesitated till he ran up to the side of my car. He asked me, all out of breath, if I was on the Orion. Natural-ly I said yes and I thought that just maybe he was also and wanted to tell me that he had served on the ship. His chest blew up and, with a great big smile, he said, “My father was on the Orion.” And he emphasized loudly that he was a Plankowner! Well, I responded that I was also, and asked him what was his father’s name. He said Dusty Rodes. I absolutely could not believe it, but he looks so much like his dad I had no doubts. He lives two blocks from me. He also is a pastor, of a church nearby, and has a son who is an assistant pastor of the same church. So I will say again and again, it pays to advertise. – Stan Stemp

Editor’s Note: This letter appeared in the December 2001 Scuttlebutt. The reckless youth referred to is none other than David Rodes, our honorary chaplain. So shipmates, let’s get those orders in for the new li-cense plate holders.

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