Links To Other Navy or Military Sites I Like:
Posted 1 year ago at 5:46 pm. 2 comments
On this page, I’ll point you to some other Navy and DE websites or blogs. These are the ones I like and I hope it will make your search for DE and Navy websites that much easier. Let’s try a few of the obvious ones!
* The Destroyer Escort Sailor’s Association (DESA):
www.desausa.org
This site is strictly for those who have served on DE’s and contains an extensive history of almost everything dealing with these little fighting ships. You will also find links, many with photos, of all DE’s ever manufactured. Of course the Walton is there also. This is the place to start in your search for information about DE’s.
You can use the site for free but if you join, you have access to their annual convention, this year in KY, and several other functions. Dues are $20 per year. DESA has been very good to us during the Walton reunions donating raffel gifts for our attendees.
* The Tin Can Sailor’s -
The National Association of Destroyer Veterans. www.destroyers.org This site deals with all types of destroyers so you’ll have to look for the page link to DE’s and Frigates. TCS has a wonderful “Shipmate Registery.” TCS puts out a great 44 page newsletter, 4 times a year, which is part of the benefits of joining. Dues are $25 a year and the money goes to support historic destroyer type vessels, such as the U.S.S. Slater (DE 766) located in New York City. Plus, a membership card gets you a discount if you visit these historic ships. I’ve visited about 17 of them over the years and find the ships a good excuse to take a trip.
* Destroyers OnLine
www.destroyersonline.com This is another excellent site with an easy to use “Crew Locator.” If you haven’t gone to this site to sign up, please do so ASAP. Just type in the name of your ship (i.e. Walton) and it takes you to the crew list, where you may be able to make contact with old shipmates. This is how I first found Walton shipmates I hadn’t heard from in 40+ years! At last count, there were 37 Walton crew memebers listed. Make sure you’re on the list.
* NavSource Online:
Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of modern naval ships is pretty much here. Often links have photos as well as historic information. I have provided the link which takes you directly to the Walton page so you don’t even have to go to their home page. Enjoy!
http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/361.htm
* Some Other DE Sites:
- Every DE sailor who has ever read about our little ships, has heard of the Samuel B. Roberts (DE 413). She was sunk at the battle of Leyte Gulf and plays a role in the first book I recommended. Here is her website: http://www.de413.org/
- One of the DE’s that used to steam with the Walton is the USS Wiseman (DE 667). I have an article about her and the Walton during the 1956 A bomb tests. Here is a link to her site. http://www.sunwestmonograms.com/wiseman/
- Those of us who were on the Walton during the 60’s, remember the USS McGinty (DE 365)who steamed with us quite frequently. For those of you who remember her, her webpage follows: http://www.de365mcginty.com/pictures-50s.html
- Another of our Escort 7 DE’s was the USS Brannon (DE 446). She has a website here: http://home.1asphost.com/uss446/
- Since I referenced a book about the USS Vance (DE 387) and some of our Walton brothers also served on her, here is a link to her website: http://www.ussvance.com/Vance/DeckLogs/main_DL_index.htm
- I bet a lot of you don’t know that the ship that sank the most submarines during WWII was a destroyer escort. The USS England (DE 635)sank six Japanese subs, most towards the end of the war. That record still stands, of course, but when you think about the fact that DE’s are poorly equipted and smaller in size, compared to a full size DD, it shows what a well trained crew with determination can do. Here’s the site for the England if you’d like to learm more. http://de635.ussengland.org/
* Larry Lopez
This one is from a WWII and Korean War, Navy Vet who is also an artist. He’s in the process of writing a book about his adventures with lots of his drawings. You and I should have such talent. Give it a look, I’ll think you’ll enjoy it. Besides, it’s nice to be able to support our fellow sailors and vets. http://www.larryssketchbook.com/pages/the_goal.html
* Gene Slover
This one is from a Korean War vet with links to training films, stories about WWII, etc. Lots of interesting files for Navy folks. I’m sure you’ll enjoy these. http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/GS-USN-PAGE.html As part of this site, Gene has a nice article about the WWII DE building program. You can go directly to this article at these two links. http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/AMMUNITION/800-DES-TO-BE-BUILT.html and http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/AMMUNITION/THE-DESTROYER-ESCORT-PROGRAM.html
Anyway, Gene has lots of great Navy material on his site and it’s worth exploring. Thanks to Herb Mesler for passing this information on to us.
* Ed’s Travel Stories
OK, this last one is a bit self-serving. It’s my other website about motorcycles trips I’ve taken. It’s an old site, maybe a little out of date, but for those of you who ride, you might find it of interest. It’s a regular website, not a blog, so you can’t leave comments but you can contact me through the email function. Anyway, I hope you’ll forgive my blatent self promotion. www.edstravelstories.com
Hey you guys! Yea you guys that left a sailor behind at the Red Roaster Bar (OFF LIMITS ) in Manila, all of you on the West_Pac cruise went to Hong Kong and as the ship was going over the horizion, I was picked up out of an alley by 2 SP’s and put on a plane, a cargo C-47, and flownback to Subic Bay. Man that was the first time I had gotten that wasted. Can’t remember who I was with that night, anyone of you guys remember? I worked on the evaps making fresh water and was the engineman on the motor whale boat. I live outside of San Diego now, for the past 25 years haven’t seen any one I knew. Maybe I will see you guys at the reunion. Have fun you salty dogs and remember while you can.
Hi Victor,
No, I don’t know how many are going this year. We’re hoping that having it on the west coast and in San Diego will bring out more of our shipmates. Obviously, you should attend, it’s right next door and there may not be a better chance than this one.
Man, getting drunk and missing the ship. What did they do to you for that? I do remember you since I started out on the Walton as a BT striker. Glad to see you’re still around and kicking!
Mary and Jerry Hudson are putting this thing together. If you write her, she may know how many are going. She’s also the one who takes the money, etc.
Go to the Reunion page and there will be all the information on how to contact her. We’re all getting older so stay well and we’ll see you in San Diego in Oct.