| 71st Transportation Battalion Vietnam Veterans 2014 Reunion Charleston, South Carolina June 18 - June 22, 2014 Friday Morning, June 20th, 2014 - Day Three - Patriots Point Tour |
| The USS YORKTOWN (CV-10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy. |
| Heading For The USS Yorktown |
| More Photos Of The USS Yorktown |
| More Photos Of The USS Yorktown Below - Photos Of The USS Laffey |
| The LAFFEY (DD-724) was named for the first LAFFEY (DD-459), sunk at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942. |
| USS Laffey |
| USS Laffey |
| The second LAFFEY was built as an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer by Bath Iron Works (Maine). Commissioned February 8, 1944, LAFFEY supported the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944. Late that summer, LAFFEY transferred to the Pacific Theater to join the US offensive against Japan. While operating off Okinawa on April 16, 1945, LAFFEY was attacked by 22 Japanese bombers and kamikaze (suicide) aircraft. Five kamikazes and three bombs struck her, and two bombs scored near misses to kill 31 and wound 71 of the 336-man crew. LAFFEY shot down 11 of the attacking aircraft and saved the damaged ship. LAFFEY's heroic crew earned her the nickname: "The Ship That Would Not Die." LAFFEY was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and earned five battle stars for service during World War II. LAFFEY was repaired and was present (as a support ship) for the atomic bomb test at Bikini Atoll in 1946 (Operation Crossroads). On June 30, 1947, LAFFEY was decommissioned and placed in the reserve fleet. Re-commissioned in 1951, Laffey earned two battle stars during the Korean War. LAFFEY underwent FRAM II (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization) conversion in 1962 and served in the Atlantic fleet until decommissioned in 1975. LAFFEY, the only surviving Sumner-class destroyer in North America, was added to the Patriots Point fleet in 1981, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Info taken from the Patriot Point website. Photo Directly abouve was also taken from the Patriots Point website. |
| Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown |
| Randy Richmond On Board The USS Laffey - His Dad Was On The Same Class Destroyer In WWII - I'm Sure His Salute Was For His Dad |
| Randy Having Some Fun Here - Not Exactly The Safest Place To Be During An Attack |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - F/A-18A Hornet |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - E-1B Tracer |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - A-7E Corsair II |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - A-6E Intruder |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - F-4 Phantom II |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - F/A-18A Hornet |
| Rose LeMoine |
| Carol & Jan Waving From The USS Yorktown Flight Deck |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - SH-3G Sea King |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - F-4 Phantom II |
| Keith Rowell On One Of The USS Yorktown's Guns |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - S-2E Tracker |
| Aircraft On The Flight Deck Of The USS Yorktown - A-6E Intruder |
| Vickie Reckers Checking Out The USS Yorktown |
| Tom Reckers On The Hangar Bay |
| USS CLAMAGORE It's the only GUPPY III submarine preserved in the United States. |
| The CLAMAGORE (SS-343) was built as a Balao-class submarine by Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT. Commissioned too late for action in World War II, CLAMAGORE would serve 30 years during the Cold War. In 1948, CLAMAGORE underwent GUPPY II conversion to improve underwater performance. GUPPY was the term used by the Navy for its Greater Underwater Propulsion Program. CLAMAGORE was one of only nine submarines converted to GUPPY III (1962-63). A 15-foot (55 ton) section was added (forward of the control room) to accommodate upgrades in technology. This would be the ultimate upgrade for World War II era diesel-powered submarines. CLAMAGORE was decommissioned in June 1975. Added to the Patriots Point fleet in 1981, CLAMAGORE is the only GUPPY III submarine preserved in the United States. In 1989, CLAMAGORE was designated a National Historic Landmark. Info taken fron the Patriot's Point Wensite. |
| A Few More Photos Of The USS Clamagore |
| USS Yorktown Showing Vietnam Service and Campaign Ribbons |
| USS Laffey From The USS Yorktown |
| Below - Lunch On The USS Yorktown's CPO Galley |
| Tom & Rose LeMoine |
| Dean & Elaine Thome & Dave Covert |
| Randy & Jan Richmond |
| Joseph & Marjorie Harris |
| Bradley & Doris McInnis |
| Dale & Sharon Taylor |
| Richard & Carolyn Caswell |
| Boyce & Margaret Irwin |
| Melvin & Deloris Craver |
| Doug & Sandy Elliott |
| Manual & Mary Quintanilla |
| Tom & Lilia Poston |
| Michael Patrlja |
| Larry & Carol Neuman |
| Roland & Doris Voyer |
| Gene & Cheryl Linn |
| Carlos Sisneros |
| Keith & Sue Rowell |
| Al & Holly Krabbenhoeft |
| John & Kay Shook |
| Nelson & Lorraine Ouellette |
| Stan & Denise Chisholm |
| Gerald Mahon |
| Rick & Brenda Rawlings |
| Charles & Nancy D'Arcy |
| Vernon & Joanne Allen |
| Rose Prado & Tony Bracero |
| Bob & Diane Udeck |
| Randy - Jan - Carol |
| Bob & Rich |
| Group Photos |
| Medal Of Honor Museum On The USS Yorktown |
| Group Photos |
| Manny -Tom - Mike |
| Jerry - Dave - Stan |
| Joanne - Marjorie - Joe - Jan |
Roland Voyer - Jim O'Keefe - Mile Patrlja - They All Served Together With The 372nd At The Same Time
| Anne Simicsak - Ann O'Keefe - Margaret Boyce |
| Roland Looking After The Girls - LOL |
| Jim Carter & Bob Udeck |
| Rich Morawa & Tom LeMoine |
| Mary & Manny In The Chow Line |
| Mike Patrlja Showing The Victory Sign |
| Rose LeMoine Trying To Cool Off |
| Larry Neuman |
| Jan & Carol Waving To Someone |
| Enlisted Aft Head |
| Rich Being Rich - LOL |
| Are We Still Eating ? LOL |
| I Guess We Still Are Eating - LOL |
| Mel Craver |
| Taking A Break Before The Next Tour |
| Boyce Irwin & Keith Rowell |
| Looking At The Arthur Ravenel Bridge - Opened In 2005 |
| Looking At The USS Yorktown & USS Laffey From The Entrance Of Patriots Point |
| Leaving The USS Yorktown - Heading To Somewhere In South Vietnam |
| Patriots Point's Vietnam Naval Support Base Camp features many of the various craft used to combat the dangers of patrolling the jungle and rivers throughout the Vietnam War. |
| This true-to-scale exhibit shows the operational and living areas of a U.S. Naval Advanced Tactical Support Base (ATSB) during the Vietnam War. Visitors are reminded of South Vietnam (1965-71) when the US Navy supported ground troops and counterinsurgency operations throughout a vast network of waterways. The primary mission of the "Brown Water Navy" was to block the movement of insurgents and their supplies into South Vietnam. The exhibit features a rare Mark 1 River Patrol Boat (PBR) dedicated to Medal of Honor recipient James Elliot Williams. Above photo and info taken from the Patriots Point website. |
| Somewhere In South Vietnam - Naval Support Base |
| Patriots Point Vietnam Naval Support Base Camp Photos |
| Under construction as BON HOMME RICHARD, this new Essex-class carrier was renamed YORKTOWN in honor of YORKTOWN (CV-5), sunk at the epic Battle of Midway (June 1942). Built in an amazing 16-½ months at Newport News, Virginia, YORKTOWN was commissioned on April 15, 1943, and participated significantly in the Pacific Offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. YORKTOWN received the Presidential Unit Citation, and earned 11 battle stars for service in World War II. Much of the Academy Award-winning (1944) documentary "The Fighting Lady" was filmed on board YORKTOWN. In the 1950's, Yorktown was modified with the addition of an angled deck to better operate jet aircraft in her role as an attack carrier (CVA). In 1958, YORKTOWN was designated an anti-submarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle stars for service off Vietnam (1965-1968). The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968). YORKTOWN was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve; and in 1975, was towed from Bayonne, NJ to Charleston to become the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. Info taken from the Patriots Point website |
| Below - More photos I Received |
| Tom & Lilia Poston |
| Aircraft Info |
| Aircraft Info |
| Mel & Deloris Craver |
| Aircraft Info |
| Diane - Lilia - Mel - Deloris - Bob |
| Lilia |
| Diane - Lilia - Mel - Deloris |
| Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carriers |
| Lilia Checking Out The Aircraft |
| Medal Of Honor Museum On The USS Yorktowm |
| Congressional Medal Of Honor Society Museum |
| Back Down To The Hanger Deck |
