Letters and Requests for Information

The following letters are from fellow sailors, sons or daughters,or some friends who are looking for information on past Oriskanysailors. Some letters tell us about other web sites of interest,and others may tell us about tribute pages to lost loved ones.

Feel free to respond as you deem appropriate.

Letters

Letter #1

I am interested in finding an old shipmate, David Bowen 3rd ClassABSV-2 Div in Arresting Gear. We were on the 1969 westpak cruiseon the Oriskany in the v-2 division. Contact:
Ken Haroldsen Email address: [email protected]
PO Box 1353
Duvall Wa 98019

Letter #2

Don Raby recommended listing the USSWainwright web wite (a fellow Task Force 77 ship). He also sent the followingletter (seeking input about a 20 November 1970 incident). If you have informationabout this, please consider contacting him.

DON RABY
2906 CURTIS LANE
KNOXVILLE TN 37918

PHONE:423-688-2679
E-MAIL: [email protected]

Dear Oriskany Veterans,

I served aboard the USS Wainwright DLG 28 Nov 70-Jul 72. We departed Japan and arrived in Tonkin Gulf 20 NOV 1970. Upon joining Task Force 77 we were instructed to be on alert for possible enemy attack after midnight. TF-77 consisted of Oriskany, Ranger, Hancock, Kitty Hawk, Chicago, Jouett, Wainwright, Stoddert, Lloyd Thomas, Perkins, Agerholm and perhaps others.

I am seeking contact and information from sailors who were aboard any of these ship on that night. I am researching this date because of the Operation "Back Door" in which the Navy supported the Operation "Kingpin" (the raid on Son Tay POW camp).

Letter #3

---Ray Orbin wrote:

Just wanted to say thanks for putting the pictures and informationtogether of the "O" boat. I served aboard her form Jan 69 to near theend of Sept 73..........nearly 57 months. You have brought backtons ofmemories for me...of times and friends I had almost forgotten. Itmakesme feel "homesick" to think about those days...for the Oriskany was myhome for nearly five years.

I still keep in touch with a number of guys that were on the OBoat...and some of them have been my best friends in life. That was adifficult, but special time for many of us....

I was a Second Class Petty Officer in Fox Division....when I departedand got out of the Navy. Spent 31 months in the Tonkin Gulf, wentaboard the O Boat when it was in dry dock in San Francisco, was on itwhen we dropped two or three props and had to go into dry dock inSasebo, Japan..........made a 30 line period off the coast of Koreanunder General Quarters III conditions when it was very cold....ate thosegood ole WWII sea rations......became a shellback after crossing theequator out of Singapore, and so on. Yes, I have lots of memories, andlots of pictures too....if I can find them in my boxes of collectablesfrom the Navy. Once I find some of the pictues, I would be glad toshare some of them. {editor's note: we'll be looking for a hyperlink here soon}

I would like to know when and where the Oriskany reunions areheld....for I would love to contact some buddies and come to it! Iwould also love communicating with you and others who served during thattime.........especially with anyone who was in Fox division during those years.

Thanks again for all of your work and effort. I will certainly belooking forward to any addtional pictures or stories....and hearing fromyou when you have the time.

An ole salt.......

Ray L. Orbin
South Jordan, Utah

Letter #4

Greetings shipmates, I am DS1/DSC Craig Hubbard, OE Div, and servedaboard the USS Oriskany from December 1971 to March 1975. For the pastcouple of years I have been searching for former shipmates on the net,but haven't found any until now. I retired from the US Navy in Feb 1983and have worked as a logistics engineer and technical writer for HughesAircraft Co (now Raytheon Systems Co) for the past 15 years. Wouldreally like to hear from any of my former shipmates.
An amazing coincidence. Do you all remember the night we sideswiped theUSS Nitro AE-23, during an unrep? One day one of my Hughes co-workers,Tony Cheroke, and I were shooting the breeze about Navy ships we haveserved on. To our surprise we discovered that Tony was serving on theNitro and I on the Oriskany when the two ships had their minorcollision.
I live in Corona, CA. Search yahoo.com or excite.com and you will findmy profile there. [email protected]

Letter #5

I'm really hoping you can help me. For several years I have been wearinga POW/MIA bracelet bearing the name of ATC Roland Pineau, who waspresumably killed in a E1B crash while he was serving on the USS Oriskany,10-8-67. Yesterday I officially "adopted" him through Operation JustCause. I am now in the process of creating a tribute page for him on mypersonal homepage and am searching for more info on him. Did you perhapsknow ATC Pineau? Or could you direct me to men who might have? Or maybeeven someone reading your webpage has a photo with ATC Pineau in it. Iwould be most interested in obtaining a copy if that is the case. Ireally want him to be more than just a name to me and to those who view myhomepage.

Any assistance you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Kimberly D. Marr
[email protected]

Letter #6

We are looking for shipmates and friends of the ex-USS Richard S. Edwards DD-950. Pleasejoin us at our online photo album at www.DD950.cjb.net . Then add your name to the crew list and sign the guestbook at the www.DD950.com Web site.

A small West Coast mini-reunion is being planned at the DD-951 Turner Joy in Bremerton, WA for late August orearly Sept. 1999. The main DD-950 reunion is scheduled for June 2000.

Full information is available at the www.DD950.com Web site. Or write me at: Jim Rossbach, POB 513, Port Angeles,WA 98362. The Voicemail number is: 1-888-TELEBOT, then Ext. 417-2190

Please help find our ex-shipmates by copying or printing and posting this message to other bulletin boards you visit.

Thank You,

Jim Rossbach

Letter #7

My husband SN Jimmy M. Dolan was killed aboard the USS ORISKANY on 8-24-69; and I have a son who was born 6-15-69. We have no pictures of him. If you can help me out for my son's sake, please e-mail me back at [email protected]. His service number was B125960.

Thank you,
Pauline Cortez

Letter #8

From: [email protected]
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 14:40:32 EDT
Subject: my brother

i am looking for info or pictures of my brother ralf chapin. he served on the oriskany from 72- 75. he is passed away now and i would just like some info

Letter #9 - June, 2003

From: "joetta depaepe" [email protected] or [email protected]
Subject: VA 152

I AM LOOKING FOR SHIP MATES OF MY DADS. J.J.BUTERBAUGH ADR2 WITH THE VA 152 ON THE ORISKANY IN 1964,1965,1966. AND DET ZULU. COULD YOU HELP ME WITH THIS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. JOETTA

Letter #10 - June, 2003

Hi Gerry,
My name is Ron Thomas. Although you do not know me, I served on board the Oriskany the same time you did in X-Division. I was in PAO, and the Legal Office. Also served some time in the Print Shop. I checked on board in November of 69 just after the Oriskany cameback from her WESPAC cruise. I left in April of 1972, just before the deployment. I was transferred to Barbers' Point Hawaii to serve on an Admirals staff. I saw the Oriskany several times while stationed there. Still had some people I knew onboard.
Your web page brought back a lot of memories-since many of the photographs are similar to mine. I do have the 70-71 cruise book, and you're on page 208. I'm on page 185 of the 70 book. Also I am at the beginning of the book, but all you can see is my back since I was the camera man for Phelps Hawkins who was doing the broadcasts then. I also worked on the Morning Musket for several months, while in PAO.
The Oriskany now, as you may know, sits down in Port Author Texas awaiting its fate. There is a movement by a company called Dive Miami to make a reef out of the ship. It's interesting that the ship was towed all the way from Mare Island to Texas. Must be political. I don't know if this is going to happen, since the dive industry is like the rest of the country. The economy is affecting it greatly.
After leaving the Navy in June of 1973, I came back to Omaha, Nebraska were I have lived since. I finished college that had been interrupted, and got a second degree. I started my own business in the travel industry, and have been there ever since.
In 1991, in our local newspaper, I was amazed to read an article about the Oriskany. The Japanese were going to try and buy it, and make it into the City of America Project. A retired Admiral, who served onboard the Oriskany blocked that movement. I do not have that person'sname.
I decided that year to visit the ship. I located the ship in Bremerton, Washington at the Naval Moth Ball Facility. Being in the travel industry, cost was very inexpensive for me. After making arrangements to go onboard, with the moth ball facility people, I visited the ship in August of that year. The people there were impressed that I knew my way around so well after not seeing the ship for almost 19 years. I use to give tours of the ship, and pretty much have a map in my head. Although now it would be fuzzy. The Oriskany was there with the Bennington, Bon Home Richard, and the Hornet.
I visited the ship several more times in the early 1990s, since my sister was living in Olympia,Washington. Her husband was with the medical corps at Ft. Lewis! I also got to know the ex-mayor of Bremerton, Gene Nelson, who was instrumental in getting the Hornet-CV-12 moved to Alameda as a museum. I visited that ship in 1998 at Pier 3. Gene also informed me of the impending move of the Oriskany to Hunter's Point for scrapping. That happened in August of 1996.
At the same time I was visiting Hornet in 1998, I found out that the Oriskany was sitting in the channel down at Mare Island. The scrapping company had gone bankrupt. The ship just sat there for almost 4-years. There were several attempts to save her and make her into a museum. That didn't happen. In 2000, she was towed to Texas via Cape Horn.
The Oriskany lives on in the Hornet, since the Fence antenna (Gerry's editor notes: SPS-37), and Circular Antenna (SPS-30), plus many other parts off the Oriskany, are now on the Hornet Museum. Also many of the seatsin the Hornet's ready rooms are full of Oriskany seats. The Hornet people, including a few ex-oriskanymen, made plenty of trips down to Mare Island to get those parts.
While sitting at Mare Island, the Oriskany made another movie appearance, only this time as the gate's of hell in a Robin William's movie. I don't know the name of the picture. I would rather remember it as was in: Bridges at Toko Ri.
About 3 years ago (1999) I joined the ORA - the Oriskany Reunion Association. They have a newsletter, which brings back a lot of memories, as well as a get together every year-as you do for your division (whoops, I guess I better plan an OE division get-together :o)). The gentleman's name who you should contact is Lee Puglia. [email protected]. He is a great guy! You can contact his secretary Kathy Jacobson at [email protected]. It's only $20.00 per year. Who knows you might run across more people.
Thanks again for your site. I enjoyed visiting it.

Ron Thomas
Omaha Nebr.
Thomas Tours
office 402-393-6551
web page: www.hometown.aol.com/rttours

Letter #11 - July, 2003

DEAR SIR,

MY FATHER WAS THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF VA-164 DURING APPROX 1965-1967. HIS NAME WAS JOHN SHAW AND RANK OF COMMANDER. HE FLEW OFF THE ORISKANY, AND WAS PULLED BACK TO TRAIN NEW PILOTS IN 1967; AND DIED IN A CRASH ON THE KEARSARGE OFF OF SAN DIEGO IN MARCH OF THE SAME YEAR.

I WAS HOPING TO FIND ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HIM AS I WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE OF SERVICE TO ME I WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATIVE. MY E-MAIL IS [email protected].

AS A BY-NOTE I LIVE IN OKALOOSA COUNTY FLORIDA (EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE); AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE ORISKANY AS AN ARTIFICAL REEF. THE NAVY IS GOING TO PICK ITS FINAL RESTING SPOT; AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE CLOSE.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS; AND I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

GOD BLESS,

BRIAN SHAW

Letter #12 - March, 2004

Hi Gerry. I was aboard the big O on 10/26/1966, and worked in v-3 division -- hanger deck at that time. That was a real bad day in my life, as was it was for for many others. 44 of them lost their life that day, many of them pilots. I did not have a camera that day when all this happened so fast. All of the pictures are in my mind and cannot be copied, better that way because they were not what anyone would want to see. Best to all shipmates, Greg Cunningham

Letter #13 - July, 2004

Love your Oriskany site!! Some of my first memories are of my time in Alameda as a 4 year old in 1971. I was wondering if you could post this letter with the others as I'm hoping to make contact with sailors who served with my father, the late CWO3 Tony Bunosso, who served aboard the "Mighty O" from Feb '71-Apr '74. He was in electronic warfare for most of his career. . I'm looking to connect with sailors who served with my father for remembrances, stories, etc.... Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Tony Bunosso
Database Administrator
U. S. Surgical - a division of Tyco Healthcare
150 Glover Ave., Norwalk, CT 06856
Phone: (203) 845-2761
Fax: (203) 845-4581

Letter #14 and a Request - November 2004

Jessica Donalson ([email protected]) wrote:

Hello,
I found your website about the Oriskany aircraft carrier while searching the internet for information on the history of the ship. My father, JamesSidney Donalson, was part of the Naval crew that served on the Oriskanyduring the Vietnam War. My father had several tours of duty on the Oriskanyas an Assistant Air Operations Officer; including service in the Gulf ofTonkin, dating 9/16/66 under Capt. John H. Iarrobine and Rear Admiral Walter L. Curtis Jr., and service beginning on 7/6/67. He was aboard the shipduring the fire dated 10/26/66.

I am trying to track down some of the people who were on the the ship withhim. He is attemtping to secure a military service-connected compensationdue to a mental illnes he has suffered from for the past 25 years.Documentation from people who served with him during Vietnam, will increasehis eligibilty for the compensation claim.

Please let me know if you can help me with this matter. I greatlyappreciate any help or direction you can lend me.

Sincerely,
Jessica Donalson

Letter #15 and a Request - December 2005

Scott Jacobs Studio wrote:

Dear Gerry,

I really enjoyed perusing your website - it is one of the best I've seen related to the MIGHTY O. I am the son of LTJG Ramon Allen Copple who was one of the 44 officers killed in the '66 fire. I was only 9 years old when he perished. My dad left behind a beautiful wife and another son and daughter as well. I'm wondering if you can help me locate his roommate whom he awoke that fateful morning and who he helped get out of harm's way. My dad actually went back down into the fire to find his commanding officer, LCDR Walter Merrick and other shipmates to try and assist them also and he never made it back out after general quarters were ordered. I understand from speaking with other shipmates who were involved in rescue, that both my father and LDCR Merrick were found next to an air conditioning duct by a locked door.

The roommate came to our home several months later and told my family the story and we never saw or have heard from him since. I don't know the best way to go about this. I am an honorary member and have attended a reunion but was unable to find any info about this gentleman. I would also be interested in any written documents related to the fire and its circumstances. Thank you very much for your time and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Holidays.

Cheers,

Ron Copple
Scott Jacobs Studio
303-431-4453 www.scottjacobsstudio.com

Letter #16 - March 2006

Hi, My brother served on the big O from 1968 to 1972. His name was Allen Douglas. He died in 1983 at Mt Rainier natl park. His rank was SHR3, and he worked in supply I think. If anyone remembers him, I'd like to hear from them at: [email protected]

Thx, Ed

Letter #17 - September 2006

From: Jim Yandell <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2006 2:26:41 PM
Subject: Anyone drawing disability

My name is Jim Yandell, and I served aboard the Oriskany from the fall of 1964 to Jan.31, 1968. I was aboard for the 65, 66 and 67 West Pac deployments. I worked in V-2 Division, catapults, on the flight deck. On October 26, 1966 we fought the fire which started on the hanger deck starboard side forward along with the majority of the crew, but sad to say we lost 44 of our shipmates.

Do you know of anyone that is drawing any disability for exposure to asbestoes, or lead based paint toxins, or PTSD as the results of the fire. I have had a rough time filing for disability, and am presently appealing the VA's last decision. If you know anyone can you help me contact them or if you know of a web sight please let me know.

Jim Yandell

12100 Riverview Rd.

Oklahoma city, OK 73173

(405) 745-3790