HAPPY 233rd BIRTHDAY , October 13, 2008, TODAY we held out 11th annual Navy Birthday Party, the American Legion Post 789 hosted the event as most all in attendence are members.

Sure hope these pictures upload, HTML was invented to torment, confuse, anger, frustate, tease, and confuse us "Old Blockheads"! It says to Click on the picture to see the slideshow, hope it works.

Navy Birthday

The day started at noon with a luncheon, one of our "old mess cooks" made the "Original" , delicious Navy Bean Soup, to go along with lunch;

At 1300 hours, the Memorial Service started with a speech which I kept short and opening remarks by the LCDR and then the prayer, the Pledge of Alligence, and then we did the 2-Bell service, during the reading of the Memorial List of 124 names, at intervals of 8 names the ships-bell was rang 2 times, a red, white or blue carnation was placed in the wreath by My Honey and her helper, after the names were completed, all those Lost at Sea, Missing, KIA/POW were honored with the empty chair,a table where a fresh red rose, glass of water, salt, pure white linen cloth, and bone china plate were placed for Honors and rememberence and all were wished----"FAIR WINDS AND FOLOWING SEAS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Then the Admiral of the Day was named who is our Post Adjutant. and in abstentia : DCFN Robert E. Montrois from the USS Vicksburg; then the offical Cake cutting by the Oldest and youngest Sailor present which was a Navy SeeBee and a Ships RP.

It was my Honor and privilege to be part of this service. It is sad to see the list increase each year and even harder to read the names of my uncle, cousin, schoolmates and friends who have passed on.

My only hope is that someday in the far off future there will be some one around who will read my name off!!!!!