REUNION 2013 IN PHILLY!

The next Picking Reunion is now been firmed up to a degree. Hosts are Tony and Flo Cellucci.

It will be held in Philadelphia, PA, from 2 to 5 September 2013. Loew's Philadelphia Hotel, a four star establishment, located in the middle of downtown Philadelphia has a special rate of $125 a night for Picking attendees. You can contact them at (215) 627-1200 (use "Picking Destroyer Reunion" to get the special rate) or on the internet at http://www.loewsphiladelphia.com (use the online reunion code of PIC913 to get the special rate).

Tony advises that the optional day tours. One will be going to Gettysburg to tour the battle field and have lunch at one of the area's oldest restaurants. Another will be going to the battleship USS New Jersey for a ship's tour and lunch and show. 

Tony and Flo will issue a letter sometime in June or July with more specific information. You can reach them by email by clicking TONY .

I posted the 10 minute video clip of the Picking refueling from the Oriskany in 1964 on YouTube. You can view the clip at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTGhhkYmwvI

This was sent to me by an Oriskany sailor who wanted us to see an airdale's perspective on smaller surface ships!

INFORMATION REQUESTED ON JOHN A. BENNINGHOFF MM3. He served on the Picking sometime from 1956 to 1960 (I see him on the ship's roster in 1957 at least through the end of 1958) and he passed away 12 years ago. His daughter Karin is looking for a photo of him in uniform. Hopefully one of you all will remember him and better yet have a photo of him. Please contact Karin at: karinb@qualitytitleagency.com

INFORMATION REQUESTED ON Robert Melvin "Andy" Anderson who was on the Picking 1967 to 1970. He was from Florida. Help was requested by Tom Howell. Please contact Tom at tomh@affiliatedmovers.com

I am in the process of converting the Picking's wartime log for World War II. The log was originally posted on an extinct website (www.nobadlie.com). Fortunately Paul Whitfield printed out a complete 128 page copy in 2003. He loaned the document to me and I have scanned and did optical character recognition scanning of the document. I will continue the updating until it is complete. To visit it go to WWII LOG button to the left.

Tin Can Sailors is a national organization of veterans who served on DDs, DEs, DDEs, DDRs, DLs, DLGs, other destroyer class warships, and even ADs. They sponsor many events around the country and provide monetary support to the DDs that are moored as historical ships around the country. I would recommend that you consider joining. Their website is http://www.tincansailors.com/

Remember the USS Liberty, the electronic intelligence ship that was attacked and almost sunk in 1967? Visit their website.