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                         USS Whitehurst Logo by: Pat Stephens, Webmaster, DESA

June 22 - 26, 2004 at the Choo Choo Holiday Inn, Chattanooga, TN

Reunion Hotel: The Chattanooga Choo Choo

Hosts: Roy Dean & Jack Nettles Assisted by their XOs Betty & Mary

              The First Combined Reunion of All Whitehurst Veterans

26th ReU of the WWII Crew and the 18th ReU of the 1950 and Later Crews

Dunlap,   Dean      Graham, Cowden, Leslie, Dethlefsen

Plank Owners, "First Crew" Members of USS Whitehurst

Doug Smith

Doug was the only member of the "Second Crew" attending the reunion.

The "Second Crew" came aboard to relieve "First Crew" members after the ship returned to Pearl Harbor for repair of battle damage caused by the Kamikaze attack during the Battle of Okinawa, April of 1945.

Business Item:

At the 2003 reunion of the 1950 and Later Crews, a drive to raise funds for the installation of a Whitehurst memorial on the Plaque Wall at the Navy Memorial in Washington was begun. Al Crawford QMCM USN Ret. was chosen to head the effort. It was announced that excess collections would be used for a non-profit, Navy related, enterprise. Well before the date of the 2004 reunion, more than the $2,500 needed for the plaque had been donated by Whitehurst veterans. Treasurer, Arnold Pettijohn, sent the $2,500 check to the Navy Memorial.   A modest portion of the excess collection was spent on a duplicate plaque for display at reunions. The duplicate was delivered in time, and was on display during this Combined Reunion. A business meeting was called and it was decided to donate the remainder of the fund to the USS Slater, a Museum ship, similar to Whitehurst, in Albany, NY.   The Treasurer sent a check for approximately $1,300 to the Slater organization.

Activities:

Many thanks to the Dale and Shirley Johnston for the awesome billboard which welcomed Whitehurst veterans to Chattanooga. Shirley is Roy Dean's sister. She and her sister, Bea Deck, were hostesses for an excellent luncheon in the fellowship room.

There were several, optional, and enjoyable recreation activities available to reunion attendees. Many visited Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain, Rock City, and Civil War Battlefields. Most enjoyed Dinner and a show on a Paddle Wheel Riverboat. Hosts, Roy Dean & Jack Nettles, deserve the big E for their work in organizing the reunion.

Jim Bruffet served as auctioneer for the fourth consecutive year. Funds from the auction were placed in the treasuries to be used as needed for coming reunions. Dick Cromer has agreed to host the 2005 reunion of the 1950 and later crews in Albany New York in late September, 2005.   The 27th reunion of the WWII crewmen of Whitehurst will be hosted by Gordon Leslie, and Jim Lawrence, in Knoxville TN. All Whitehurst veterans are welcome at either reunion.

On the last evening, a banquet was attended by all but a few who had to leave early. A professional photographer was on hand and a book with photos, both candid and professional was ordered by many. The formal photos shown here were taken from the Memories Book made by DCI Reunion Services of Theodore Alabama. Not everyone had a formal photo made. I have manipulated a few snapshots and used older some photos in order to show as many faces as possible but a couple are still missing.   Please contact me with corrections or other feedback.   Thanks Max Crow.   E-Mail Site Author

Whitehurst veterans and wives/companions present at the 2004 ReUnion

Aden, Wayne & Dottie Avery, Gene & Jayne Billingsley, Jim & Marion

Bruffett, Jim & Jo Bufford, Jake & Bernice Cowden, Louis

Crawford Al Crow, Max & Chris Davis, George & Dorothy

Dean, Roy & Betty Dethlefsen, John Dixon, Richard & Sally

Dunlap, Carl & Irma Evelo, Sissie & Bill Filipiak, Adrian & Stasha

Gentry, Bobby & Elizabeth Goldston, Don & Doris Graham, Roy & Ryth

Harris, Addison Hasty, Roy & Alice Holmes, George & Gloria

Houser, James & Annie Lawrence, Jim & Rosalie Leslie, Gordon & Miriam

McCawley, John Nettles, Jack & Mary Penny, Robert & Ruth

Pryor, Wayne & Sally Smith, Doug & Wilma Wakefield, Duane & Jackie

Whitehurst, Ken & Eleanor

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June 22 - 26, 2004 at the Choo Choo Holiday Inn, Chattanooga, TN

Reunion Hotel: The Chattanooga Choo Choo



Hosts: Roy Dean & Jack Nettles Assisted by their XOs Betty & Mary The First Combined Reunion of All Whitehurst Veterans 26th ReU of the WWII Crew and the 18th ReU of the 1950 and Later Crews
Dunlap, Dean Graham, Cowden, Leslie, Dethlefsen
Plank Owners, "First Crew" Members of USS Whitehurst

Doug Smith
Doug was the only member of the "Second Crew" attending the reunion.

The "Second Crew" came aboard to relieve "First Crew" members after the ship returned to Pearl Harbor for repair of battle damage caused by the Kamikaze attack during the Battle of Okinawa, April of 1945. Business Item: At the 2003 reunion of the 1950 and Later Crews, a drive to raise funds for the installation of a Whitehurst memorial on the Plaque Wall at the Navy Memorial in Washington was begun. Al Crawford QMCM USN Ret. was chosen to head the effort. It was announced that excess collections would be used for a non-profit, Navy related, enterprise. Well before the date of the 2004 reunion, more than the $2,500 needed for the plaque had been donated by Whitehurst veterans. Treasurer, Arnold Pettijohn, sent the $2,500 check to the Navy Memorial. A modest portion of the excess collection was spent on a duplicate plaque for display at reunions. The duplicate was delivered in time, and was on display during this Combined Reunion. A business meeting was called and it was decided to donate the remainder of the fund to the USS Slater, a Museum ship, similar to Whitehurst, in Albany, NY. The Treasurer sent a check for approximately $1,300 to the Slater organization. Activities: Many thanks to the Dale and Shirley Johnston for the awesome billboard which welcomed Whitehurst veterans to Chattanooga. Shirley is Roy Dean's sister. She and her sister, Bea Deck, were hostesses for an excellent luncheon in the fellowship room.


There were several, optional, and enjoyable recreation activities available to reunion attendees. Many visited Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain, Rock City, and Civil War Battlefields. Most enjoyed Dinner and a show on a Paddle Wheel Riverboat. Hosts, Roy Dean & Jack Nettles, deserve the big E for their work in organizing the reunion. Jim Bruffet served as auctioneer for the fourth consecutive year. Funds from the auction were placed in the treasuries to be used as needed for coming reunions. Dick Cromer has agreed to host the 2005 reunion of the 1950 and later crews in Albany New York in late September, 2005. The 27th reunion of the WWII crewmen of Whitehurst will be hosted by Gordon Leslie, and Jim Lawrence, in Knoxville TN. All Whitehurst veterans are welcome at either reunion. On the last evening, a banquet was attended by all but a few who had to leave early. A professional photographer was on hand and a book with photos, both candid and professional was ordered by many. The formal photos shown here were taken from the Memories Book made by DCI Reunion Services of Theodore Alabama. Not everyone had a formal photo made. I have manipulated a few snapshots and used older some photos in order to show as many faces as possible but a couple are still missing. Please contact me with corrections or other feedback. Thanks Max Crow. E-Mail Site Author
Whitehurst veterans and wives/companions present at the 2004 ReUnion

Aden, Wayne & Dottie	Avery, Gene & Jayne			Billingsley, Jim & Marion
Bruffett, Jim & Jo		Bufford, Jake & Bernice	Cowden, Louis
Crawford Al		Crow, Max & Chris	Davis, George & Dorothy
Dean, Roy & Betty		Dethlefsen, John	Dixon, Richard & Sally
Dunlap, Carl & Irma		Evelo, Sissie & Bill	Filipiak, Adrian & Stasha
Gentry, Bobby & Elizabeth		Goldston, Don & Doris	Graham, Roy & Ryth
Harris, Addison		Hasty, Roy & Alice	Holmes, George & Gloria
Houser, James & Annie		Lawrence, Jim & Rosalie	Leslie, Gordon & Miriam
McCawley, John		Nettles, Jack & Mary	Penny, Robert & Ruth
Pryor, Wayne & Sally		Smith, Doug & Wilma	Wakefield, Duane & Jackie
Whitehurst, Ken & Eleanor