I just saw this post on Ebay, a plaque of the USS Calvert from the 1997 reunion in Houston, TX: http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-S-S-Calvert-PA-32-1942-78-Fighter-Carrier-1997-Reunion-Wooden-Plaque-GREAT-/251702708096?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a9aa68780
I’m a year late posting these photos from the 2013 U.S.S. Calvert Associates Reunion, but better late than never 🙂
Many thanks the Seyes family for hosting the reunion in Des Moines, IA.
Working to restore power at the hotel, 24 hours after we lost power.
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My wife, youngest son, and I were excited to attend the 2014 USS Calvert Associates reunion, held this year in Dallas-Ft. Worth from October 1st to October 4th. Saretta Rowland (wife of Gerald Rowland, ’51-’54) did a wonderful job organizing the reunion in her home town area.
The Dallas News, Irving Blog posted a brief article highlighting the Irving Mayor’s visit with the group on Thursday evening.
Here are photographs highlighting the events and attendees.
The welcoming sign at the Hilton Garden Inn DFW Airport South
Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne presenting dedication and Texas flag flown on July 4th 2014 to the USS Calvert Associates.
Texas State Flag Certificate Presented to the USS Calvert Associates
City of Irving Proclamation: Thursday, October 2, 2014 is USS Calvert (APA-32) Reunion Day
Day 1, Stop 1: Texas School Book Depository Building.
Day 1, Stop 1: Grassy Knoll, Texas School Book Depository Building (left).
Day 1, Stop 1: Grassy Knoll
Day 1, Stop 1: View from corner, 7th floor, Texas School Book Depository Building
Day 1, Lunch: Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse
Day 1, Lunch: Ready to chow down.
Day 1, Lunch: Tasty!
Day 1, Stop 2: George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Dallas
Day 1, Stop 2: George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Dallas
Day 1, Dinner: Candlelight dinner at the hotel tonight (cold-cut sandwiches) due to no power at the hotel tonight. An exact repeat of events from last year’s reunion in Des Moines, IA: The first full day of the reunion (Thursday), same approximate time (4pm).
Day 2, Ft. Worth Stockyards
Day 2, Ft. Worth Stockyards
Day 2, Lunch: Joe T Garcia’s Tex Mex
Day 2, Lunch: Joe T Garcia’s Tex Mex
Day 2, Lunch: Joe T Garcia’s Tex Mex
Day 2, Lunch: Joe T Garcia’s Tex Mex
Day 3, Dallas Cowboys / AT&T Stadium
Day 3, Dallas Cowboys / AT&T Stadium – Cheerleaders’ Locker Room
Day 3, Dallas Cowboys / AT&T Stadium – Cheerleaders’ Locker Room
Day 3, Memorial Service
Day 3, Memorial Service
Day 3, Memorial Service
Day 3, Memorial Service
Day 3, Memorial Service
Day 3, Memorial Service
Day 3, Banquet
Day 3, John Regan (left) and Bill “Hunky” Habrat (right) – WWII-era Calvert crew members and Veterans Challenge Coin recipients.
Day 3, ’50s and ’60s Veterans Challenge Coin recipients. I am pictured with these fine men, representing my grandfather (Sterling Funck, ’41-’45).
Challenge Coins presented to the USS Calvert Associates’ 2014 Reunion attendees by Saretta Rowland.
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The following pages and photographs are taken from the book To All Hands: an Amphibious Adventure by John Mason Brown. This book covers the life aboard a troop transport during the invasion of Sicily. The book was published by Whittlesey House in late 1943. The last few chapters were written while aboard the Calvert and many of the photographs in the book are of the Calvert and her crew. ** The contents of this book are now in the public domain.
The author was a drama critic before joining the Navy. During Operation Husky (the invasion of Sicily) he was attached to Admiral Kirk’s staff. A Lieutenant at the time, he read the daily announcements and news over the public address system while aboard Kirk’s flagship. The transcript of Lt. Brown’s announcements form the bulk of the written content for this book.
Kirk’s command ship en route to and during the invasion was the USS Ancon (AGC-4), code named Spelvin in this book. Admiral Kirk (“The Flag”) joined the Calvert in Oran, North Africa after the invasion for the voyage back to Norfolk, VA. Here the Calvert’s code name is Bond. Many of the pictures below were taken aboard the Calvert. My Grandfather, Sterling Funck, annotated his copy of this book with the notes I’ve added below.
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The following chapters are transcripts of Lt. Brown’s announcements aboard the Calvert en route back to Norfolk, VA.
