Welcome to the Farragut Ship Association Home Page where all Farragut sailors are invited to surf for past memories and pride that we all felt serving aboard one of the best ships in the Navy. View photos, find old buddies, and keep up on your reunion news and events.
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Posted July 30, 2010 (from Charles Kuralt)
Day 2 from the Reunion, many of us went to Mystic Seaport (click the picture for a larger version):
Posted July 29, 2010 (from Charles Kuralt)
Here are some pictures from Day 1 from the 2010 Reunion (click the picture for a larger version):
With only days to go before the 2010 Reunion, for those traveling, please travel safe, for those unable to make it this year, please watch this space for picture updates daily (hopefully) from the Reunion.
Posted July 27, 2010 (from Tony Gagliano)
I’d like to relay this story of my time in a rock band as it not only relates to the Navy but also involves three people that are Navy veterans. There is also a connection between the band I did join and the well known “Beachcomber Lounge whose name was changed to the Comic Book Club. One of my neighborhood as well as high school friends was stationed at Cecil Field in Jacksonville. His name is Steve Pellegrino and he was also lead singer in a rock band who played mostly around the Jacksonville area and I used to go see him sing on occasion. After my separation from active duty in 1968 I decided to take up playing the organ and to see if I could form a band. I ran into Steve at the beach one day when I learned that he too was also looking to get back into a band and resume singing. After a few auditions our group was born and we decided to name it Nirvana. This is not to be confused with the well known band “Nirvana” with the popular Kurt Cobane. (although I’ve always wondered if they stole our name after we split up). I started out with a portable organ and was still learning as I went along but apparently I was good enough to play with others. We started to really click as a band and things were starting to look up after so many practice sessions. We were starting to gel. At the time I was following a lot of well known bands around NY such as the Vagrants, Vanilla Fudge and the Soul Survivors. I was in a club while the Soul Survivors were on a break and was lucky enough to talk to one of the lead singers whose name was Richie Ingui. Next to us on the floor was a beautiful organ I was salivating over. It was Richie from the Soul Survivors that explained it was a B-3 Hammond organ which he said was the Cadillac of organs. I was sold on it and had a Hammond a week later. When I brought it to our first practice we were all astounded of the sound we now had with the new Hammond organ. We thought we sounded great and were ready to start doing gigs. We toured all over New York and were having a great time and pulling in big crowds and doing larger clubs. Clubs so big that we had to buy a new P.A. system, extra guitar amps and an extra Leslie speaker for my organ as well. Our lead singer Steve knew the manager of the Comic Book Club and we received an offer from him to come down to play in his club. He suggested we make a demo album so he can send it to his contacts in Atlanta so we followed through on that shortly after. He liked what he heard and told us he could get us good pay and do some nice clubs down in Florida. We all made the decision to quit our jobs and become full time musicians and go on the road.
We decided to add a light show and I asked my closest steaming buddy Bobby Rispoli to be our lighting technician and roadie and he jumped on it as I was hoping he would. Bobby and I were almost inseparable aboard the Farragut and we always went on liberty together when we could. So off we went to become full time musicians or bust. My first night in the Comic Book club was surreal. I was thinking of all the times I came here on liberty to listen to bands. I remember when it was at the Beachcomber Lounge I saw The Allman Brothers play there when they were the Allman Joys and did mostly Righteous Brothers music as Greg Allman definitely had the voice for it. Later on we got to jam on stage with Lynyrd Skynyrd before they made it big. At the time I thought they were really good musicians. I couldn’t understand why we had a bigger following but I guess it was because we were from New York.
Our manager who was also manager of the Comic Book Club suggested we merge with another local Jax group known as Cherry Kijaffa. His vision was for us to become a show group ala Three Dog Night. We merged, practiced together then played a few gigs together in the Comic Book Club with success. Now it was time to go on the road to Miami for the top paying clubs like the Castaways Lounge. With all the auditions, photographers appts. and traveling between Jax and Miami it started to take it’s toll on a couple of the new band members who were married. They decided to quit the band without giving it a good shot and it kind of knocked the wind out of our sails. Thinking long and hard we decided to call it quits ourselves and head back to New York and home. I really didn’t want to quit but the majority didn’t want to start all over again after being so close. I understood, and bit the bullet. But other than my job in the Navy, being a full time musician was the best job of my life. It was a good experience for a young guy. Lots of traveling, meeting people, and oh the partying on the way. They were a good bunch of guys I played with and we had chemistry. I managed to have two of the songs from our demo album put up on YouTube and will attached them here for anyone to view and listen to. I’m glad I’ll always have this memory to listen to anytime I choose.
Here are the video links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Posted June 2, 2010
Farragut Ship’s Association Shipmates:
It is about one month until we reconvene in Groton, Ct. There are many things that we, as a group, need to consider at this meeting.
Foremost, we must consider and elect a new Board of Directors for the upcoming term. This term will be until our next Reunion in 2012, location and exact time to be determined in Groton.
I have already been contacted by Tom Randall, our Secretary/Membership Chairman and Editor of the quarterly newsletter, the Farragut Flash, with his request not to be considered for reelection or reappointment to the Board of Directors. Tom is about to embark on a journey with a National Veteran’s organization that he has been very active in over the past few years. His position with them, as I understand it, will be National in scope. Thus, he feels that he will not be able to devote the time necessary to Farragut Ship’s Association and can be of more value to us in his new standing. Tom has faithfully and diligently served us well. He has maintained our Membership rolls and made certain that the Flash has been distributed in a timely fashion. With that in mind, I fully respect his judgment and his request not to be considered.
I too have served our Association as President for four years. I proudly proclaim to any and all that I am President of this great group of guys. Like Tom, I would like to step down and turn the reins over to new blood. My lovely wife, Lavelle, has supported me without hesitation in any and all endeavors I wanted to make in behalf of the Association. She climbed ladders on USS Farragut, DDG 99 at the first Change of Command in Mayport, Fl when Capt. McClay was relieved by Capt. Dugan. When Capt. Dugan was relieved two years later, I was able, with her permission and urging to be present to represent the “old guard” at the Change of Command for Capt. Sobek. She was also with me in Tampa at the 75 th Reunion of Farragut Academy where we were represented by myself and several other Shipmates. She commented to me that “one day, I’d like to take a vacation that does not have Farragut as part of it”. I don’t feel that request is too much to ask. Therefore, in Groton, I will not accept nomination for President or a position on the Board of Directors. I am proud to say that I was the first, and so far, the only President re elected to serve a 2 nd term.
I would like the membership to consider the following:
President Russ Kauffmann
Russ has served well as our 1 st VP since Cleveland. His input has been timely, well articulated and quite good. I feel he will be a wonderful President. His ideas and leadership are proven and we could not do any better than to nominate and elect Russ our President.
1st Vice President Paul Levausseur
Paul has served us on the Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008 as 2 nd Vice President. He was requested to step into that position because our Treasurer, Cesar Mujica, had to tender his resignation due to work conflicts. That left our Board of Directors short one member. Tom Randall took over the Treasury as well as his Secretarial duties and served us admirably. Paul gladly took his place as one of our Directors and served us with distinction. His input and comments were well received. It is my opinion that it is only fitting that he be nominated and elected to serve in a higher post.
2nd Vice President Robert Ursum
Robert, or Bob as most of us know him, has been part of our association for a few years. He was part of our Reunion Committee with Greg DeLong that selected our site and dates for Groton. Bob gladly took the time from his schedule to assist us in planning Groton 2010. He did so without reward other than a hearty “Well Done”.
Treasurer
We have many qualified people who would do well as the Financial arm of the Board of Directors. This man will have the responsibility to both open and maintain our Bank Accounts and disburse funds as needed where needed. Greg DeLong has done a very admirable job along with working with Bob Ursum as our Reunion Committee. This job is very important to us so we should give some thought to who we nominate and elect to this high office. As you can see, I cannot name a name and will not name a name because of its high profile. This office should almost be considered a “volunteer” status but as our By Laws state, it must be elective in nature. All attending Shipmates should give consideration to nominating and electing our Treasurer.
Secretary/Membership Chair
This office as stated in our By Laws, is our “clerical branch”. The person we nominate and elect to this office will be concerned with keeping our records, maintaining our Membership Rolls and all group correspondence as needed. With the departure of Tom Randall, the publishing of the Farragut Flash will also fall upon this office. There is no doubt that it will not be an easy job. There are some very large shoes to fill.
There is also some new business that we must deliberate. The matter of Life Membership was discussed in earlier Reunions. Is it a good idea? What would LM dues be if we so choose? There has been some discussion among the present Board of Directors, all positive, that I recorded, that we might consider granting Life Membership to any Shipmate who served on DD 348. This Life Membership would be offered for “services rendered” to our County. I personally do not feel that this is too much to offer, to the contrary, I feel we, both as an Association and a Country, can never offer these gentlemen enough.
I’m sure there is much other new business that we will called upon to consider and vote on. Each Member should feel that he has much to offer to our Association and as such should not be hesitant to speak up.
I would also like to take the time to remind all Members of the Association that we are a social organization, not a political one. There are enough members that it would disturb me greatly to find that we ALL hold the same political position. It is just not possible. With that in mind, please do not bring politics to our Reunion. We are all friends and friendship should not be tossed aside over political arguments. In our group, they wont solve anything but can ruin longtime and long held feelings. Please, park your politics at home and just bring yourselves and family.
Posted 2/05/10
100201-N-7088A-048 GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 1, 2010) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) and an SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42, participate in a training evolution. Farragut is part of Combined Task Force 151, a multinational task force established to conduct anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Allen/Released)
Click picture for larger version:
Posted 1/25/10
New Farragut Flash posted....click here to view it....
RSVP Form for 2010 Farragut Reunion....click here to download it....
Posted: 1/05/10
Hi Jerry,
I wanted to let you know that my Dad, John A. Sinacola, passed away today, on his 72nd birthday, after a two-year battle with cancer. Dad served in the Navy from 1957 to 1961, first aboard the USS Sullivans, and then on the USS Farragut, DLG-6. He was a plankowner in Division R at the time of the commissioning, Dec. 10, 1960. His obituary will be available Monday at www.telegram..com, or www.mulhane.com. A photo is attached, which you are welcome to use.. I am not sure how many of his former shipmates might still be around or remember him, but I wanted to let you know if case anyone remembered him. He was a blessing to his family and community throughout a long career as an electrician. A wonderful family man, nature lover, fisherman and beekeeper, Dad often and fondly recalled his days in the Navy, and was an inspiration to his grandson, now in the Marine Corps.
Sincerely,
Chris Sinacola,
Millbury, Massachusetts
Posted: 11/09/09
Fellow Shipmates:
Since the first part of this year a disturbing trend both among our Shipmates and our Country itself is showing signs of a divisive split in our ranks. I am speaking of the numerous emails of a political nature that are very upsetting to some of us. Several Shipmates have brought this out in ways that range from simple requests not to be included in these to outright resignation. I would hope you can see and understand what is going on.
It seems that these emails run the gamut from political truths and facts to downright out and out lies and misinformation. The tone of these letters, if such a thing can be divined from them, also range from a simple stating of facts to full blown raging storms. We have all served our Country to protect each individual and his/her right to express themselves but this right of expression has gone beyond in many cases.
I do not blame people for wanting to share their views because, as I said, they have that right. What they, and I am using the collective to include all of us, myself included, do not have is the right to indiscriminately broadcast damaging content. I want to paraphrase a well known collegiate football coach, Darrell Royal, and his comment about why he chose to run the football so much. Coach Royal said something to the effect that when you throw the football, three things can happen and two of them are bad. I think his comment applies to such emails. One thing that can happen is that your message will be sent to and read by someone who agrees with you. In this case, you have done nothing more than satisfy yourselves. This is good. A second thing that can happen is that the person the item is sent to reads it, uses the DELETE key and its gone. This is bad because you have accomplished nothing. The third thing is that the person who reads your email disagrees with you and gets mad, causing his/her blood pressure to rise and totally agitate them. This is bad.
The most dangerous thing that can happen is that when the FORWARD key is used, we have little or no control over where that email goes. It becomes something like a ping pong ball tossed about by the wind. It goes where it goes with no control over it. Along the way it is seen, read, and re-forwarded by person or persons unknown whose intentions and motivation are also unknown. Some of these are the same people who have made simple life in our Country a minefield. Such people do such things as put needles in Trick or Treat candy, contaminate medicine bottles with poison and numerous other things to cause trouble and pain for people they don’t even know. Shipmate Tommy Anderson can vouch for this.
Our Association was founded to be a social group that has the aim of keeping in touch with former Shipmates and meeting once every two years to “hold a bull session, swap sea stories and hoist a few and kind of return to our youth“. I’m sure our wives and girlfriends will agree with this. My wife, Lavelle has told me on several occasions that the Association is just that, a group of old guys reliving their youth and I’m not sure I disagree with her. With that in mind, politics has little if any place within our group.
I know and understand that not all of us share the same politics. If we did, I would be the first one to be amazed. We, as a Nation, are just that, very much politically varied. It is just that large range of views that has made our Country the great Land that it is. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your viewpoint, science has caught up to and passed a lot of us. It is so easy to use the internet to send things anonymously to a lot of people with little or no chance of being “taken to task” for what is sent. I take to task not only Shipmates who have done this and I include myself in that group, because we have all done it at one time or another . I further call on all Shipmates to stop sending or forwarding what can be considered divisive or politically structured emails and to remain the social group that we were founded to be. At the same time we can do something to keep such “ping pong balls” out of the hands of those who would do us harm. As I said, we served in the Military to preserve peoples rights to their politics and the freedom to speak out but we also have the right to be free FROM the effects of misuse of that Freedom.
I thank the Shipmates for this opportunity to address this issue.
Jerry M. O’Connor
President
Farragut Ship’s Association
Posted 10/13/09
Greg,
I am sorry to tell you that my husband, RADM John (Jack) F. Shaw died on May 28, 2009. We always had wonderful memories of the time he had command of FARRAGUT, even though he wished he could have gone to sea more instead of being in the ship yard.
Jan Shaw
When you call in just tell them that you are reserving for the dates above and the "CODE" is
"USS FARRAGUT ASSOCIATION"
If any one has any questions i will be glad to answer them if i can, i can be reached at my email
I look forward to seeing you all
Greg DeLong
USS Farragut Assoc, reunion chairman & treasurer
Jerry
I am sorry to tell you that Jim Marshall passed away on June 2, 2009. he had waged a long and courageous battle against heart disease. My husband had many fond memories of you both and his Navy experience.
I don't know whom to notify at the Farragut Association but if you would kindly pass on the information, it would be appreciated.
Eileen Marshall
Here are some photos taken during the Admiral Farragut Academy 75th Luncheon (click the photo for a larger picture):
Posted 4/28/09
Admiral Farragut Academy 75th Anniversary News (Click Image Below for Downloadable PDF Version)
Posted 2/01/09
New Farragut Flash News Letter Posted.....Click Here to View It!!
Click Here to View Photos of the Farragut Anchor Dedication Ceremony
"NAVY BLUE"
Let me tell you what it's been like being a Navy Veteran today. Out in public I always wear my Farragut hat and a Navy patch jacket with a 1st class crow on it. Although I was only a 3rd class it was a gift and certainly accepted. I find now that people in the outside world are generally more curteous to me, hold open more doors and thank me for serving my country as I know most of us in the association say to others in the military today. I even got out of 2 speeding tickets because after all, what's closer to the military than law enforcement. I usually obey all traffic laws but once I wasn't paying attention and the other I was on the way to Evansville reunion and the excitement gave me a heavy foot. But you know what shipmates, I relish the new found attention and adoration from the public today. Any one serving in the military in the Viet Nam era as I did will remember it wasn't such a good time to be military in this country. Our soldiers were harassed and spat upon by war protesters and belittled for doing their job and serving their country. It was shameful and disgusting to see from any veterans standpoint. I'm just sorry it took 911 and a war for people in this country to realize we enjoy serving our country, we just want appreciation and recognition. So my shipmates, if you too are experiencing the improvement in public perception of the military, cherish it, appreciate it, and never forget it.
Tony Gagliano - BT3/Oil King 1966-68
