USS CALCATERRA (DER 390)
Fleet Post Office
New York, 09501
6 May 1970
Dear Calcaterra Friends and Relatives,
As I promised in the last family-gram I do have some information on our schedule. It now looks like we will finish our overhaul the last of May. We expect to remain in the Norfolk area for about two weeks after that to finish up on our post repair trials, load stores and ammunition, refuel, and take advantage of the excellent training services that are available in Norfolk. We will probably get back to Key West on or about the sixteenth of June. After that we expect to remain in port or operate locally until the first of July. After that I don’t know what our schedule will be. The next quarterly schedule should come in late this month or early next month, so maybe I will have more information available for the next family-gram.
We have just about completed our renovation of the messdecks. Ship’s force personnel, with some help from the shipyard completely rearranged the mess decks, installed air conditioning, and a new ice machine, sheathed the galley overhead with stainless steel, replaced the galley deck, installed a false acoustic tile ceiling and retiled the mess decks. I think everyone agrees with me that the results are beautiful and that we all owe a sincere vote of thanks to those who put so much time and effort into the job. I hope I don’t neglect anyone in listing these men: Commissaryman First Class Eugene Harrison, Chief Engineman James Schipman, Engineman First Class Delbert Reeve, Machinery Repairman Second Class Thomas Plew, Shipfitter Second Class Robert Black, Electricians Mate Second Class John Bell, and mess cooks David Andrews, Kenneth Buckless, and Raymond Sinick. I hope that we can have an open house or dependents cruise some time this summer so you can see our new mess decks and some of our other improvements too. If we are able to schedule an open house or dependants cruise, I’ll put the word out in a family-gram.
On Monday, 20 April Radioman Second Class James Montovan reenlisted for four years. He is now in Key West enjoying his thirty days re-enlistment leave.
During April we were unhappy to lose some of our shipmates due to transfer or return to civilian life. We were fortunate, however, to receive some excellent reliefs. Radarman Third Class Noel Outlaw, Engineman Second Class Barry Mathews, Radarman Third Class Charles Kwast, Machinery Repairman Third Class Michael Fontana, Seaman Kurt Schumacher, Fireman Salvatore Licastri, and Electricians Mate Third Class Joseph Saunders were discharged. Radarman Third Class Jay Porter was transferred to Vietnam and Radarman Third Class Clarence Hooker was transferred to the Destroyer Tender PIEDMONT homeported in San Diego, California. Engineman First Class William Phillips was received from Great Lakes, Illinois; Storekeeper First Class Jimmy Rogers from USS K. D. BAILEY (DDR-713); Engineman Fireman James Good from USS SIMON LAKE (AS-33); Seaman Apprentice William Mase from USS NORTHHAMPTON (CC-1); and Quartermaster Seaman John Lettier from Newport, Rhode Island.
One other new arrival was Radarman Third Class Ronald Farrington’s new son. At last report mother, baby, and father are all fine.
Again, if I may be of any assistance to you, or if you have any questions, please feel free to write or call at any time.
Sincerely
Signed: (Howard B. Graff)
Commanding Officer