2003 PICTURES

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REUNION 2002
KINGS BAY, GEORGIA

The following WWII, USS Weeden (DE797) crew members attended the 2002 Reunion held at the King’s Bay Submarine Base in St Mary’s Georgia:

Many crewmembers attended with their wives, friends, and other family members. We were especially pleased that the captain’s widow, Rose Tillinghast and her daughter and son in law, George & Harriet Goodrich attended the reunion as well as Ralph Kiker’s widow, Lucy and her niece, Patricia Bowman and her husband, Christopher. Everyone stayed at the Transient Visitors Quarters, located on the King’s Bay Submarine base.

First time attendees were Gene & Ruth Fogel, and Nolan Pavey who contacted the group after visiting the Weeden web site.

Wednesday – October 9, 2002
Those who arrived a day early boarded a bus at 9:00AM for a guided boat tour of the nearby Okefenokee Swamp and a barbecue lunch.

Thursday – October 10 , 2002
Boarded the bus again in the morning for a tour of St Augustine – tour of the city on the Conch train – visit to the St Augustine lighthouse – lunch at the Conch House waterfront restaurant, & time for sightseeing and visiting the unique shops on St George St. Many of the crew members including Bill Warner and Rose Tillinghast, climbed to the top platform of the lighthouse.

Friday – October 11 , 2002

This was the day to visit the submarine base. The tour started at the training facility, lunch at the sub base, and a visit aboard a nuclear submarine. Before the visit we had concern that some of the older crew members would not be able to physically cope with the steep ladders and confines of the submarine. The commanding officer of the submarine was the one to decide whether or not any of the attendies were incapable of taking the tour. But all made the tour. Both Ed Legum and John Palm left their canes on the bus and the captain allowed them to board the submarine.

That evening, dinner was at Brett’s Waterway Cafe on Amelia Island at Fernandina Beach.

Saturday – October 12 , 2002
Saturday morning the group re-boarded the bus to Jacksonville Riverwalk area where they took a 2 hour paddle wheel boat tour on the St John’s river with lunch and shopping at the Jacksonville Landings.

That evening dinner was catered at the Submarine Base’s Banquet facility. Richard Griffin was master of ceremonies.The main speaker was John Palm who reiterated recollections from the Weeden’s war years.

Click here to read John Palm’s Speech

All of those in attendance are shown below:

Everyone paid up their bills and departed. As usual, the Hansens were the last to leave.