e military reunion news
New life for WWII ship’s bell acksonville (Florida) in Bikini Atoll in 1946 and deployments around the world, from the MediUniversity’s Navy ROTC terranean to the Caribbean. Her final call to duty was during the Vietnam (JU NROTC) Unit is home War, where she and her air group launched combat strikes into North to the bell originally slated Vietnam from Yankee Station. to ring on the deck of the USS Shangri-La started her career homeported in San Diego, Califoraircraft carrier USS Shangrinia, and completed her service at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, La (CV-38), but was from 1960 until she was decommissioned on July 30, 1971. damaged in a fire and later Members of the JU NROTC say they are honored to be selected as found rusting in a farmer’s the new home for Shangri-La’s originally cast bell. They will host the field and given new life by USS Shangri-La Reunion Group so its members can see their beloved loyal former shipmates. ship’s bell. The ship’s bell fell into For more about the USS Shangri-La, visit http://cva38.havoc-creative. the hands of the USS com/ or http://www.kellycrawford.org/ShangriLa/; about the Naval Order Shangri-La reunion group visit www.navalorder.org. by pure happenstance. The USS Shangri-La’s rusting bell as it was found Reported by Phillip J. Milano, farmer in Hudson, Florida, Director of News and Publications at Jacksonville University. in Hudson, Florida, before restoration. spotted a man wearing a USS Shangri-La ball cap. They struck up a conversation, and the farmer said he had the USS Shangri-La’s bell lying in a field on his farm. The USS Shangri-La reunion group recovered the bell and begin restoration. After two months, the bell was in pristine condition. The ship’s reunion group and representatives from the Naval Order of the United States’ Florida First Coast Commandery delivered the nearly half-ton restored bell as a permanent loan to the JU NROTC. USS Shangri-La was commissioned in September 1944, and by April 1945 she and her attached air group launched their first combat missions in the Pacific theater. She took part in numerous operations With the refurbished bell of USS Shangri-La (CV-38) are, from left: Roderick Forrester; John Lanse; John Lyons; Al Miller; Bob after the war, including atom bomb testing Whitkop, Capt., USN (retired), JU’77; David Jasso, Cdr., USN; and Matt Tuohy, Capt, USN (retired), JU ‘75.
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his is from the military reunion planning fair sponsored by the Branson (Missouri) Convention and Visitors Bureau. Participants are pictured with “Ollie,” the US Navy jeep that belongs to Jody Madaras, producer of 44 REUNIONS v reunionsmag.com
Branson’s “All Hands on Deck!” show. Ollie is Jody’s mascot for the show that tells the story of the Hollywood Victory Caravan of WWII. The picture was taken in front of the Branson Auto and Farm Museum.
Contact Julie Peters at Branson CVB, jpeters@bransoncvb.com; 417-243-2117, about the next military reunion planning event.
Photos courtesy JU NROTC.
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