In Memorium

Honoring our Departed Shipmates

Robert J. "Dep" Deputy, SO1

Dep passed away on 26 November 2007. He served on the Picking from 1951-53. 

He was born on 9 February 1931 in Little Rock, Arkansas and moved to Los Angeles with his parents a few years later during the great depression. He married his teenage sweetheart, Norma, in 1953 and was the loving father of two daughters Darlyn and Denise. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Andrea, Christopher, Audrey and Melanie.

“Dep” took his duty to his country very seriously and he enlisted in the Navy in 1949, completing his first tour of duty during the Korean War. He later was active in the Naval Marine Reserves as a lieutenant commander.

While serving his community as a Los Angeles Police Officer, he began his journey as a physician of 41 years when he went to Los Angeles City College as a pre-med student. His education continued at USC and then UC Irvine, School of Medicine. He completed his internship and pediatric residency at Los Angeles County General Hospital.  He was a dedicated doctor who received many honors including being nominated by his patients and recognized by Physician’s Associates as their number one pediatrician for five consecutive years. 

His avocations included competition race cars, owning race horses, attending his beloved USC games and events, running marathons (after the age of 40!), flying and was a daily visitor at the Pasadena Athletic Club.

Johnny F. Miller

Johnny Miller BT1 passed away on 3 March 2006. He served on the Picking from 1960-1965. He originally got out in 1948 but reenlisted in 1950. He completed 20 years service in 1965 and retired.  He then returned to his home state of Minnesota. He is interred at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. He is survived by a son, Jerry, who informed us of Johnny's passing.

Tom Slabowski

Tom Slabowski QM2 served on the Picking from 1954 to 1958.  Tom has been the editor of The Picking Pulse since its inception. Tom and his wife Fran attended most of the recent reunions. Tom passed away suddenly on 22 March 2006 at Levittown, NY.

The XO at the time, LCDR Guy E. Thompson sent the following tribute to Tom:

"When I was XO of PICKING I picked Slabowski, then a QM3, to fill the billet of the QMC whose time on board was up.  Slabowski was one of the most eager learners I ever had.  There were several  occasions when I was so proud of what he was doing that I told the CO -- the late CDR John J Reidy.  CDR Reidy shared my pride in Slabowski's work and learning.  He made my job easier and more pleasant and he was a huge help on several occasions when I was faced with some very real navigational problems.  During those times where I was going beyond what was shown in various manuals he was with me every step of  the way.  He was a shipmate of whom one can be proud."

LCDR Josef Seger

Mr. Seger passed away on 2 February 2006 At Palm Desert, CA. As I recall he was XO sometime in the late 50s or early 60s timeframe.

Jerry Reinhold

Jerry Reinhold served on the Picking from 1952-1956. Jerry and his wife Jean hosted the 2001 Reunion in West Reading PA. He passed away on 22 January 2006.

Robert William McKinley

Robert McKinley passed away on 14 January 2006 at the age of 85. He served on the Picking in World War II while she was stationed in the Aleutian Islands.

Neal O. Grant

Neal Grant EN3 served on the Picking during the Korean War from 1954-1956. He was born on 2 December 1935 in Bailyville, ME and passed away at home in Enfield CT on 23 December 2005.  The Grants attended the 2005 Reunion where we all had the opportunity to get to know him.

Donald G. Hale

Don served in B Division from July 1955 to January 1957. He passed away on 15 August 2005.

Joseph Tuszynski

Joseph passed away on 9  June 2005. He was a World War II vet who served on the Picking. He is survived by his wife, Marie.

Ronald D. Doll, Sr.

Ronald Doll passed away on 31 May 2005 in Kissimmee, Florida. He was born on 10 October 1921 in East Stroudsberg, PA. He was a SO1 and served aboard the Picking from 19 April 1943 to November 1945. 

Ernie Cruz

Nicholas Gaglio

Nicholas Gaglio, a WWII Picking shipmate, passed away on 18 March 2005 after a long bout with Parkinson's disease. Nicholas had not be able to attend reunions in recent years due to his health. He is survived by his wife, Theresa.

Robert "Doc" Bushman

Doc Bushman passed away on 8 February 2005 according to his daughter. Doc was a World War II veteran who attended every reunion as far as I know. He had signed up for the 2005 Reunion. 

Richard E. Barker, ET2, USN

Richard Barker of Alvord Texas passed away on 5 November 2004. He served on the Picking from 1957 to 1960. He is survived by his wife Sandra and his children Richard Jr., DaLynn, and David Barker. He is also survived by his older brother Alvin who is a Navy Pearl Harbor survivor (who served on the Oklahoma, Louisville, and the St. Paul), and two sisters Harriet and Kathryn. He lost another brother in 1953 who was Navy, Charles who served on the Bunker Hill.

Virgil Hodges

Virgil Hodges of Portland Oregon passed away on 8 August 2004.  Virgil was Gunnery Officer when I was aboard the Picking in the late 50s. 

Fred D. Bakken, BM1

Fred Bakken passed away 3 June 2004 at age 76. Fred was a real gentleman who served in the Deck Gang. He retired from the Navy as a Senior Chief Bosuns Mate after having served from 1946 to 1967. He met and married his wife in Sasebo, Japan. They raise five kids and have 3 grandchildren. His daughter, Shirley Hammond passed on this sad news. Shirley is looking for any stories about Fred or pictures of him that she can share with Fred's  grandkids.  Contact Phil Finkle for her contact information.

CDR Raymond Keough, USN

CDR Raymond F. Keough, United States Navy, Retired, passed away in June 2003 after a brief illness. Commander Keough was born in Portland, Maine on September 17, 1925. He graduated from the Maine Maritime Academy and the University of Maine. He was a highly decorated veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, having re­ceived the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device for action in Vietnam as the Command­ing Officer of the USS Picking, DD 685. His last duty with the Navy was as Commanding Officer of the Fleet Training and Mine Warfare School in Charleston, SC. Following his retirement from the Navy in 1973, Commander Ke­ough became the Chief Engineer for the Port of Miami where he remained for twenty years. After retirement from this position, Commander Keough and his wife returned to live in Mt. Pleasant.

He is survived by his wife of over 51 years, Millicent and one son, Kevin Keough, two daughters,  Kimberly Dierks and of Manhattan, Kansas and Karen McCay of Mt. Pleasant, SC, and his wife, Mary-Ruth Keough of Aubrey, Texas. Also surviving are three grandchildren, Amy McCay Polk and her husband, Kevin Polk of Charleston, SC; Michael McCay of Columbia, SC and Kate Ann Keough of Aubrey, Texas. He also leaves one great grandson, Tyler McCay Polk of Charleston, SC.

Ralph Gibbons

Ralph Gibbons passed away on 25 Sept. 2002. He was one of our WWII veterans.

Pat Zitnik, GM

Jack E. Kelly, MM2, USN

1940s                                             1960s

Jack Edward Kelly (born Aug. 8, 1924) boarded the USS Picking Sept. 21, 1943, in Brooklyn and served throughout WW II on her as far as we know.  Jack attended one reunion - in Indianapolis, I think - before he died suddenly June 11, 1966, leaving a wife,

His widow and his daughter would love to hear from any of his old shipments. They can be reached at:

Barbara Kelly Sjerven

504 Cornell Place

Tyler, TX  75701barbosc@cox-internet.com

Susan Roomberg skrassociates@cox.net

Edward McCue Dullen

Edward Dullen served on the USS Picking from 1943-46. He passed away on December 22, 1953. He was born on June 10, 1926 and lived in Beech Creek, PA. Was honorably discharged as a Seamen, First Class, V-6

World War II

Edwin Lukesh

SM2 Edwin Lukesh (1943-1945) rested his oars on January 5, 2008.  He is survived by his wife of 51 years and 4 children.  He was 82 years young. He loved his time in the Navy and regaled anyone who would listen with his tales of adventure while on the Picking. He will be laid to rest at the Idaho State Veteran's Cemetery on January 9, 2008.

Joseph Waclawski (5 Aug. 2004)

Leroy Steiner (19 May 2004)

Harold Sikula (June 2003)

Matt Mirantz (22 Mar. 2003)

Hal Sikula (2003)

Steve Malecki (2002)

Ralph D. Gibbons (2002)

Emerson Jones Jr. (2002)

Edward Sisson (2001)

Lloyd St. Ours (2001)

Joseph Bouschor (2001)

John Smouse (2000)

Kenneth Cowlin (2000)

Bernartd Vanderriner (1999)

Robert Maher (1999)

Robert Brooks (1998)

Robert Frey (1997)

Joe Mulally (1989)

Eddie Boye (1973)

Ray Carl

Hugh "Pappy" Clark

Fred Bowman

Roman Jablonski

Milton Rolle

VADM P. J. Semmes, Jr.

David R. Gardner - Kansas City, Mo.

John F. Gulliford

David C. Hall - State College, PA

John D. Hammonds - Pasadena, CA

Edward R. Inglis - New York, NY (6 Apr 1960)

Lee. E. Johnson - Albuquerque, NM (Jan 1962)

George L. Kielty - Luzerne, PA

Leon Krautman - Brooklyn, NY (10 Feb 1954)

John Otis Kirgan - Columbus, IN (15 Mar 1965)

Jack E. Kelly - Corpus Cjristi, TX (11 June 1966)

LCDR Wynkoop Kiersted III

CRD Raymond Starr Lamb

Norman E. LaBrie - Riverside, RI (12 March 1959)

Carl S. McCoy - Palisades Paekm NJ (Feb 1964)

Willard P. Scott - Ponce de Leon, FL (22 July 1945)

Robert L. Starr - Decatur Ala

Douglas V. Smith - Shreveport, LA (Dec 1965)

Robert L. Scherrer - Durant, OK (14 Sep 1965))

Robert E. Woods - Eagle Rock, CA (2 Mar 1959)

Joe B. Worsham - Temple, OK (1 Nov 1947)

Bernard F. Wantz - Woodborn, OR (11 Apr 1963)

Richard Schmidt - Minaketo, MN (26 May 1972)

Edward E. Boyd - Staten Island, NY (21 Sep 1977)

Walter Chowning - Indianapolis, IN

Marvin Coon - Cockeysville, MD (7 Sep 1981)

Ray W. Carl - Reading, PA

Carl Eidel - Valencia, PA

Robert W. Sabders - Greensburg, PA (Dec 1982)

Joseph M. Ferreire - Corning, NY

Kenneth G. Hopper - Peru, IN

Heister Hower - Kingston, PA

Vinko J. Juricich - Besser, PA

Richard Kephardt - Minneapolis, MN

Stanley E. Makuch - Fall River, MA

Charles K. Meyers - Indianapolis, IN

Stanley J. Wozniak - Martins Ferry, OH

Stanley Kowalozyk - New Britain, CT

Post World War II

Norman Asman (March 26, 2004)

Lyle Davis (2003)

Wilford G. Burns (2003)

Warren Siddons (19 Feb 2001)

Harry Dalton (2001)

Alva Effrick (2001)

Willard Kimber (2001)

Jack Manley (2001)

Elliott Sherman (2001)

Thomas L. Davies (2000)

Donald Mitchell (2000)

Robert Patton (2000)

Irving Swartz (2000)

Emile Toups (1999)

Sterling Clark (1998)

Ernest Gifford (1998)

Frank J. Zakashefski, Jr.  (25 Sep 1995)

Rocin Lee Beckins (1966)

Orvil Winters