USS Perry
DD-844

Newsletter

Issue #3
November 1999

Editor: Steve Silk

REUNION PLANS

Virginia Beach, VA

April 7 - 10, 2000

Thanks to Kendall J. Chapman, Cdr. USN (Ret.) arrangements have been made for our first reunion. Ken was Executive Officer of the Perry during the FRAM I conversion in the Boston Navy Shipyard, and was Skipper of the USS The Sullivans (DD-537). Ken and his wife Frances (retired Navy nurse), live in Virginia Beach and have hosted reunions of the The Sullivans and other ships there. We are fortunate to have the benefit of Ken's experience and generosity.


Ken did the hard work, now it's up to all of us to spread the word to our Shipmates not yet on our contact list, so that we can have a memorable first reunion. Anyone wanting to attend the reunion, or wanting to be placed on our contact list, should get in touch with Joe Malmendier, P.O. Box 606, Boiling Springs, PA 17007, phone (717)258-9695, Fax (717)258-9497, e-mail: joemal@epix.net. E-mail messages can also be sent through the USS Perry web site: http://www.netword.com/perry844 .


Schedule: Arrival - Anytime, make your own reservations, but Howard Johnson Hotel (see below) is providing a Hospitality Room and an excellent room rate. All tours depart from and return to Howard Johnson Hotel.
Bus Tours - Pricing for 30 passengers (46 seats), payment due March 23rd.Gratuities for tour guide and driver not included in prices.

Friday, April 7, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., (or Monday, April 10).
Colonial Williamsburg Overview & Jamestown Island, $33/person.
Saturday, April 8, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m
.
Virginia Beach/Ocean & Chesapeake Bay Shores/

Norfolk Naval Base & Ship Visit
(if a ship is not available, Hampton Roads Naval Museum), $22/person
.


Banquet - Saturday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. - Cocktails, 7:30 - Dinner, Angelo's Restaurant. Need final head count by March 6th.
Price & menu to be determined.
Bus Tour & Luncheon Cruise - Sunday, April 9, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Norfolk City/ MacArthur Memorial/Spirit of Norfolk Lunch Cruise/MacArthur Center (new world class shopping mall), $46/person.


Departure - Anytime
But on Sunday evening you may want to join your Shipmates and their Significant Others to shoot the breeze in the Howard Johnson Hospitality Room, or to check out Virginia Beach.


Commitment Deadlines: March 6 for banquet; March 23 for tours & Ho-Jo Hotel.

Rooms/Rates: Howard Johnson Oceanfront Hotel North, 3705 Atlantic Ave.,
Virginia Beach, VA 23451; Phone (757)428-7220, Fax (757)428-0310.
Check out Ho-Jo online 40 Oceanfront rooms reserved for Friday, April 7 check in, and Monday, April 10 check out; additional nights negotiable. Check in at 4:00 p.m. Check out before 11:00 a.m. Oceanfront rooms have: balconies, refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers, 25" TV. Hotel has non-smoking rooms, laundry facilities, oceanfront pool and a Hospitality Room for us at no charge. Adjacent to Angelo's Restaurant, with banquet facilities.


Reservations: Be sure to mention USS Perry Reunion, Group G-1503.
Flat rate for Singles/ Doubles/ Triples/Quads: $54.90/room/night (taxes included). All reservations must be guaran-teed by a major credit card, or one night's deposit. All checks must be received 16 days prior to day of arrival. Credit cards are authorized 72 hours prior to the date of arrival. Reservations using declined credit cards will be canceled. Rooms not reserved prior to March 23, 2000 will be released from the group block. Cancellation of individual room(s) must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. on April 4, 2000 for refund of deposit.


Capt. George Ball, Perry Skipper (1956-57) may join us. He has the distinction of also serving aboard the former USS Perry DD-340/DMS-17 during the Pearl Harbor attack. He recently lost his wife and was sent flowers on behalf of all Perry Shipmates.


Information: Virginia Beach Visitor Information Center, 2100 Parks Ave., Virginia Beach, VA 23451; phone (757)437-4848 or (800)446-8038. Web site:http://www.vbfun.com/ Also see http://www.norfolk.va.us/home.htm Average April temperatures in Virginia Beach are: high 67, low 50. Ken Chapman, (757)464-4915, would also be pleased to answer your questions. Visit Virginia Beach On Line


TRANSPORTATION An Amtrak train connection is available in Newport News, a neighboring city to Virginia Beach. Greyhound and Trailways Bus Lines operate in the area. Virginia Beach is served by Norfolk International Airport and the Newport News/Williamsburg Inter-national Airport. The airports are a 20 minute ride from the oceanfront and are serviced by almost every major U.S. carrier.


USS Perry (DD-844) Reunion Association
Self appointed officers are: Steve Silk, President; Ken Chapman, Program Chairman; Joe Malmendier, Secretary/Treasurer. We will form a democratic organization at the reunion and will provide for broader participation in determining the future of the association. At present all expenses have been borne by Steve, Joe, and especially Ken, who has made all the deposits necessary for the reservation of the accommodations and events. Steve has also had some expenses associated with setting up the USS Perry web site.


The present officers want the association to be successful, but need evidence of interest by our Shipmates. To continue, we need to recover our expenses and build a fund for future activities. The best evidence of your interest is your financial assistance. We are asking each Shipmate to contribute $15 (or what you can spare). If you intend to be at the reunion, we ask that you contribute an additional $10 (total of $25). Any necessary adjustments will be made at, or after, the reunion.
Please make checks payable to: USS Perry Reunion Association

and mail your contribution to Joe Malmendier (address above).

We would like to hear from all Shipmates, even if you'd rather not contribute to fund now.


 It is vitally important that we identify and contact more Shipmates. You can help by sending Joe the names and addresses (postal, e-mail, phone, or Fax) of any that you know of. Send the information to Joe even if you have contacted a Shipmate about the reunion yourself. We want to log him in for future communications. You can also send names with hometowns if you remember any. We may be able to find some Shipmates with that information. A list of the Shipmates for whom we have some sort of an address is attached.


Thanks for your help! We are looking forward to meeting you in April. If you can't make it then, we'll see you at the Second USS Perry (DD-844) Reunion.