SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA

 

                This year’s reunion will take place in Scranton, Pennsylvania and we will have tours planned for the National Park at Steamtown, The Trolley Museum, The Lackawanna Station, The Lackawanna Coal Mine, The Yuengling Brewery at Pottsville and The Asa Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe

                Fifty rooms have been reserved at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel  We do have a special rate of $80.00 per night (plus local & state taxes) for Severn Shipmates  The rooms have two queen size beds or one king size bed.( All beds are “Sleepmatic!” )  This hotel is beautiful and will also be the location for our Banquet on October 16^th.  The hotel will also provide us with a hospitality room

                We have planned for Wednesday Oct.13^th to be registration day.

                Thursday, Oct.14^th , a tour will be available to Steamtown, and the Lackawanna Coal Mine

                Friday , Oct. 15^th, a tour will be available to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. This is small town with a great deal of history relating to the mining, lumber, and railroad industries. This tour will include a visit to the recently restored Asa Packer Mansion. Asa Packer was the founder of the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

                Saturday Oct. 16^th, a tour will be available to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, to see the Oldest Brewery in the USA., The Yuengling Brewery. (This tour will require a lot of walking and STEPS!) For those who want an alternative, you may visit the Mohegun Sun Casino (transportation will be provided) or revisit the Steamtown attractions or The Trolley Museum.  There is also a Mall at Steamtown in downtown Scranton (3 blocks away) and another Mall at Montage Mountain (One exit South on INT RT 81) and, also The Viewmont Mall north four exits on INT RT 81.

 

RECENT ADDRESS CHANGES & UPDATES

 

Charles Emerson,MM3, (66-68) 133 Putnam Drive, Carmel, NY 10512  ph 845-621-3509

Harry Kuhlman, FN?,(56-57)  849 N. Water St, Apt 212  Tiffin,  OH   44883  habkuhlman@att.net

Stepen A. Cook,ENS, (69) 4 East 95^th St, NY,NY, 10128 ph212-289-1222 stephenacook@hotmail.com

Michael Ethridge,BTFN, (73) 442 Cape Fear Blvd, Wilmington,NC  28401

Roger Roskamp,RM?(55-58?) 2021 Ter Van Dr NE #101, Grand Rapids,MI 49505  ph 616-354-9510

       rogrosko@gmail.com

 

At Colorado Springs in October 2009, the winner of the NEXT REUNION RAFFLE was. :

Gerome Gnall.   (1^st alternate was Bob Boehmer and 2^nd alternate was Don Casey)

Jerry and his wife, as winners of this annual raffle,  are entitled to free tours and hotel expenses for the entire reunion schedule. This payoff excludes travel to and from the reunion site.

 

FUTURE DESTINATIONS FOR REUNIONS AND HOSTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

2011     Paul Ecker,  Savannah, Georgia

2012     Anthony Rutkowski, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2013     Roger Usborne,   San Diego, California

 

Had a Newsletter returned from Jerry Levesque. If you know Jerry’s status, please advise

His last address was 513 Sunfield Ave, Lakewood, CA 90712

Also need a new address for Sal Randazza, last known address was 5 Washington Square, Glouschester, MA 01930

 

TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS

 

We lost a very special shipmate!  On January 3, 2010, Gilbert “GIBBY” H. Brown, FN (63-64) passed away at his home after a courageous six-year battle with prostate cancer. How appropriate it was that Gibby and Corinne were our first Reunion Raffle Winners and were able to attend the Seattle Reunion in 2008. Fair Winds and following seas to Gibby. Shipmates of The USS SEVERN, AO-61 have made a memorial contribution of $300.00 to The HOSPICE of CNY  in honor of his life and service.  Condolences can be directed to:    Corinne Brown, 4500 South St., Jamesville, NY 13078

TAPS George Hoffman,QMSN, (62-65)  DOD 12/1997

TAPS Ronald I. (Pete) Fortier, BMSN, (59-62) DOD unknown newsletter returned DECEASED

 

 NEW  ADDRESSES OR E-MAIL CHANGES:

                Ernest L Guay, 456 Alpine St, Berlin NH 03570-2700  ph 603-752-1835

                Herbert C. Kibbe, 1110 Mohawk Pky, Cape Coral,FL 33914-5720

               

Doug Ritter, 7452 Spring Village Dr Apt 513, Springfield, VA 22150-4952

 

SPECIAL REQUESTS for INFORMATION and /or correspondence:

 

Jack Dodge  e-mail  jake251@aol.com  asks for info from his father’s (HARRY E. DODGE,MM3) contemporaries on the SEVERN 1944-1946

Kelly Covington  e-mail kellycovington@embarqmail.com  asks for information about her grandfather FRANK MORE, CAPT on board SEVERN 1959-1960?

 

 

Had an interesting letter from Julian Smith. Julian is the son of (the late) HILRY H. SMITH, CSCS (67-72). He states that his granddad,  Hilry  Smith, served in the Army in WW I, His dad, Hilry H. Smith, signed up and served in WW II, Korea,  & Vietnam. His brother, Hilry Mario Smith, served in the Air FORCE in Vietnam.  And now his daughter, Kaila Nicole Smith, is serving in Afghanistan with the Seabees.  Julian says he is “proud  of his family and all who served!” And our thanks go to you with Thanks and prayers for KAILA! (Julian & Linda Smith, 1613 4^th Ave SW, Decatur, AL 35601)

 

Another News Item from the 2009 reunion was an election of new Vice Presidents!

We are very happy to announce that Bill Bachman and Gene Heiselman  have accepted and are now serving on our executive board and will be voting on all items brought before the board.  So if you have questions, ideas, complaints, etc.,  you can now contact a new V P!

 

Please remember to notify Gerald Kersey ( gekers@comcast.net ) if you have changed your e-mail address or provider. Also if you receive SNAIL mail and want your newsletter via e-mail, let Wayne Or Gerald  know.  If we lose you with this mailing, you are gone!

 

REMEMBER MY CONGRATULATIONS IN THE LAST NEWSLETTER?             Well I goofed!

Bradey ( sic BRADY) is our newest NAVY recruit born 10-27-09. (I misnamed him Bradley! ) Bradey Michael King is the son of Megan Barber King and Joe King and he is Dave and Candy’s grandson! Hope to see them all in Scranton! 

TOURS AND ACTIVITIES

OCTOBER 13,14,15,&16, 2010

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13.

                GREETINGS AND REGISTRATION WILL BE IN THE HOSPITALITY ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR FROM 3:00 PM UNTIL “WE ARE TALKED OUT ‘

 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14^TH.

                AFTER BREAKFAST, WE WILL BOARD A BUS FOR THE LACKAWANNA COAL MINE TOUR.. UPON ARRIVAL YOU WILL ENTER A MINE CAR AND DESCEND 300 FEET BELOW AND BE GUIDED BY A MINER WHO WILL EXPLAIN ABOUT “HARD COAL, MOLE BOYS, NIPPERS, A MONKEY VEIN, A DEAD CHUTE, ETC”. THIS MINE WAS OPENED IN 1860 AND THE TEMPERATURE IS A CONSTANT 53 DEGREES.” WEAR SOMETHING EXTRA!” AFTER THIS YOU CAN VISIT THE ANTHRACITE HERITAGE MUSEUM AND HERE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE LIFE AND THE HARSH WORKING CONDITIONS OF THE MINING AND TEXTILE INDUSTRIES. OUR NEXT STOP WILL BE THE NATIONAL PARK AT STEAMTOWN. HERE YOU CAN VISIT THE REPAIR SHOPS AND ROUNDHOUSE AND SEE AN OPERATING TURNTABLE ALONG WITH MANY OTHER ARTIFACTS, AND RESTORED FREIGHT CARS, PASSENGER CARS , STEAM ENGINES AND DIESELS TOO.

YOU WILL ALSO ENJOY A SHORT STEAM TRAIN RIDE.

IF YOU WANT TO RIDE IN THE CAB? A SPECIAL DRAWING WILL BE HELD FOR ONE PERSON TO EXPERIENCE THIS RIDE. THE PRICE, $10.00 SENT TO WAYNE BEFORE 09-10-2010! DO THIS SEPARATELY AND IN A SEPARATE ENVELOPE! THIS IS A RAFFLE AND THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE WINNER! THE EXCESS PROCEEDS WILL GO IN THE REUNION FUND

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15^TH.

                AFTER BREAKFAST WE WILL BOARD A BUS FOR A SHORT TRIP TO JIM THORPE, PENNSYLVANIA. THIS IS A QUAINT LITTLE VILLAGE THAT WAS NAMED AFTER THE GREAT NATIVE AMERICAN OLYMPIAN. ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS “MAUCH CHUNK”, THIS TOWN FEATURES THE HISTORY OF RAILROADS, MINING,(REMEMBER THE MOLLY MGUIRES?) AND WATERWAYS USED TO TRANS PORT COAL AND LUMBER TO THE EAST COAST CITIES. TODAY YOU CAN VISIT AND EXPLORE THE UNIQUE SHOPS AND CAFES AND HISTORICAL JAIL AND CHURCHES. A TOUR OF THE ASA PACKER MANSION, BUILT IN 1860, WILL BE FEATURED. THIS WAS ERECTED AT A COST OF $14,000 FOR THE INDUSTRIALIST / PHILANTHROPIST WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY RAILROAD AND LEHIGH UNIVERSITY

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16^TH.

                AFTER BREAKFAST YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING TO POTTSVILLE, TO TOUR THE YUENGLING BREWERY. OR FOR THE “GAMBLER” YOU CAN JOURNEY TO THE MOHEGUN SUN CASINO. BUSES WILL BE PROVIDED. OR, YOU CAN RETURN TO STEAMTOWN NATIONAL PARK  AND ADD A VISIT TO THE TROLLEY MUSEUM. THIS CAN BE A DAY WITH FREE TIME TO SHOP, TOUR, REST, OR PREPARE FOR THE BANQUET SATURDAY EVENING.

 

ALL LUNCHES AND DINNERS WILL BE ON YOUR OWN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SATURDAY NIGHT.

 

ALSO, REMEMBER TO BRING A $5.00 TO $10.00 WRAPPED GIFT (FROM YOUR HOMETOWN AREA?) FOR THE RAFFLE (TICKETS $1.00) WE ALSO WILL HAVE THE GRAND RAFFLE FOR PAID EXPENSES AT 2011 REUNION. (TICKETS $5.00)

 

Registration Form