U.S.S. Walton (DE-361)

Walton Reunion in New Orleans Oct, 21-25, 2009

It’s that time again!  Our forth annual Walton Reunion will be held in the always exciting city of New Orleans!  There are plenty of things to do and, of course, the food is wonderful!   Can you say GUMBO?  The icing on the cake is being able to see old shipmates and fellow Walton sailors who become new friends!  Here are the details:

When: October 21st   to  25th, 2009

Where: Staybridge Suites, 501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA, 70230, 1 (504)571-1818

Cost:  Be sure to ask for Kim and the Walton Reunion, $99 per night rate,  includes breakfast  Total Costs $400 for four nights.  Tours and cruises are extra.  The train ride and dinner are free.

Planned Events: Thursday:Tour of New Orleans and WWII museum + lunch only $32 per person.  Friday night: Autobon and Dinner Cruise, Saturday night, Train ride around New Orleans free with dinner.

For more information, you can contact:

Mary & Jerry Hudson, 4750 Co. Road 480, Tebbetts, MO, 65080, marjer67@earthlink.net   1 573-291-1922

 Jerry was a career Navy man and was aboard the Walton from the late 50’s to the early 60’s.  He retired as a Chief  BT.

Now Jerry would be the first to admit, that it’s Mary who does the lion’s share of the grunt work to make these reunions possible.  We all thank her for her efforts.  When you get to New Orleans, hers will be one of the smiling faces that you first see in the reunion area.  Thanks Mary, we all look forward to seeing you again this year.

If you’ve never been to a reunion, I highly recommend it.  It you’ve gone before, I look forward to seeing you again.  

Photos of the USS Walton (DE 361)

USS Walton in Camouflage Paint, circa 1944

USS Walton: Guns Trained Portside

Circa: Late 40’s – Early 50’s

Photos: (L to R):  Walton tied to the dock at Treasure Island, San Francisco (circa 1960); Walton in dry dock, Pearl Harbor, HI (1962); Walton anchored in San Francisco Bay (circa late 1950’s-early 1960’s)

Offical U.S. Navy Photo

Walton leaving Pearl Harbor, 1962, Also known in DE circles as the Palm Tree photo.

Mind Your Helm!

We were steaming at about 10 knots in the South China Sea in the Spring of 1962.  It was a warm day, a routine day, a boring day, if the truth be told, and I was at the helm.  I haven’t changed much over the years, and those who know me, know I like to talk….well, I was talking back then as I steered a course back and forth off the Vietnam coast. 

Over the speaking tube came the captain’s voice, “Who’s on the helm?!”

“Whitehead Captain,” I said.

“Come out here Whitehead!”

“I’m on the helm Captain.”  I replied.

“I know that. Come out here!”

So, I turned the helm over the sailor on the engine order telegraph and beat it double time up to the open bridge to see what the captain wanted.

The captain was standing toward the rear of the bridge and when I approached him, he took me by the shoulders, turned me towards the fantail, where I looked out on a beautiful, aquagreen ocean, flatter than Goldie Hawn’s chest.  There, trailing for several miles behind the ship, was a beautiful foam white wake that would go straight for awhile, then became as crooked as a snake, then straight again, and crooked again.  It was clear that as I talked, I obviously got off course, caught myself and got back on course and then wandered off again!  

The captain pointed at the wake and said, “Mind your God-damned helm!”

“Aye, Aye captain!” I replied, and headed back into the pilot house.

Chastened, I steered straight and true for the rest of my watch. The captain apparently didn’t hold any grudges toward me because I later became GQ and Sea Detail helmsman. 

In my dreams, I still remember that crooked ol’ wake.

Shipmate Information

As you already know from my welcome page, my name is Ed Whitehead, a former crewmember of the U.S.S. Walton.  I’d like this Shipmate’s page to be used to help former crewmember get in contact with each other.

In the comments section of this page (below) could you leave your name (Last, First), your Rank while on the Walton, the years you served aboard her, and an email adddress where you can be reached.

Here’s my example:

Whitehead, Ed     SN     1961 to 1963   ed@usswalton.com

I’ve made lots of comments on this site already. 

Now, it’s your turn!

Birthday of the United States Navy

13 October 1775

The Chief of Naval Operations has stated that the Navy Birthday is one of the two Navy wide dates to be celebrated annually. This page provides historical information on the birth and early years of the Navy, including bibliographies, lists of the ships, and information on the first officers of the Continental Navy, as well as texts of original documents relating to Congress and the Continental Navy, 1775-1783.

The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which the Continental Congress established on 13 October 1775 by authorizing the procurement, fitting out, manning, and dispatch of two armed vessels to cruise in search of munitions ships supplying the British Army in America. The legislation also established a Naval Committee to supervise the work. All together, the Continental Navy numbered some fifty ships over the course of the war, with approximately twenty warships active at its maximum strength. Continue Reading…

A History of the U.S.S. Walton (DE 361)

The U.S.S. Walton (DE-361) was laid down on 21 March 1944 at Orange, Tex., by the Consolidated Steel Corp.; launched on 20 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Clara Olson, the mother of the late Sergeant Walton; and commissioned on 4 September 1944, Lt. Comdr. Wilbur S. Wills, Jr., in command.

 After she conducted her shakedown out of Great Sound Bay, Bermuda, Walton underwent post-shakedown availability at the Boston Navy Yard. The new destroyer escort subsequently sailed for Hampton Roads, Va., and arrived at Norfolk on 15 November. While in that vicinity, she served as a school ship, training nucleus crews for the other destroyer escorts then entering the fleet.

 When Escort Division (CortDiv) 85 was established, Walton was assigned to it and sailed for the Pacific. She transited the Panama Canal on 7 December and arrived at Bora Bora, in the Society Islands, on the 22d. From there, the destroyer escort pushed on for the Solomon Islands, touching at Port Purvis, Florida Island, and moved thence to Seeadler Harbor, Manus, in the Admiralty Islands. While at Manus, the ship underwent repairs and alterations. During that refit, her after 40-millimeter twin Bofors mount was replaced by a quadruple-mount Bofors—a necessary augmentation of the ship’s antiaircraft battery that reflected the growing concern over the destructive attacks of Japanese suicide planes “divine wind”—or kamikaze.

Continue Reading…