June 2007
USS Manatee shipmate:
Like many of you I’ve been fascinated with the Manatee stories told around the hospitality room tables at the reunions. My big regret is that I didn’t write them
all down at the time. Now those senior moments have taken hold and I’ve
already forgotten many of the details.
So, in preparation for our May 6, 7, 8 (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) 2008 reunion in Reno, Nevada (the organization’s 20th) I would like (with your assistance) to intermingle these stories with a ship’s history in a booklet or small book format. The goal: to have it ready to give out in Reno. If we don’t get a good participation, however, the project will either have to be delayed or abandoned altogether.
Because time is of essence, I hope every former shipmate will be able to submit something immediately, regardless if you are planning the Reno trip or not. If you have other stories later, send them in as you remember them. These stories can be about yourself or other crewmembers, on ship or on liberty or just remembrances (good & bad) of your years on the ship.
Type them or write them up in longhand and mail them to me. You can e-mail them if you want. Or you can give me a call and I’ll take notes on the telephone. Everyone should have at least one story in them, if not more.
What we’ll need is a photo of yourself in uniform as you looked during your Manatee years. Then we’ll need the approximate day, month or year the event or events happened and where they happened. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling or format. Just put it down like you were telling it at a reunion. I’ll do the fixing if it needs it.
Now, should you just not want to participate with a story, at least send us a photo (in uniform during your time on the Manatee). These photos can be returned after their use.
As some of you know, before I reported aboard in 1962 I was a daily newspaper reporter in Portland, Oregon. After I left the Navy I became a managing editor for daily papers in California and Arizona. In addition I’ve had some 300 national magazine articles and a book published. So, I hope you can trust me with your stories. I’ll be careful so not to get any of us in trouble with the law, the Secret Service or most important: our wives.
Joe Kraus, P.O. Box 55328, Stockton, CA 95205
Home: (209) 473-0570 FAX: (209) 957-4954 E-mail: chldstar@c-zone.net