The Spring Field Day '01 crew gathers portside by Gun Mounts 54 and 55.
Spring Field Day '01: Held April 12-15, 2001. Nineteen (19) participants attending including two (2) former KIDD crew members. Those attending came from ten (10) different states: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
This field day coincided with the Easter weekend, allowing five young people to come aboard during their spring break holiday. Matthew Hendrickson (age 13) and Clay Burris (age 9) came aboard with their grandfathers (Richard Truman and Carlous Burris, respectively) to learn a little bit about shipboard life. Amanda Hovey (age 12) joined her father David (DDG-19) with the same goal in mind. Melissa McGee joined her brother Richard Jones and parents Mike and Robin McGee for the trip to Baton Rouge to assist in the KIDD's restoration.
Paintwork was the plan of the day for this field day. Tim Hayles, whose father served aboard the USS LINDSEY (DM-32) when it was sunk at Okinawa, took the opportunity to experience the conditions that his father lived in during World War II. He joined George Gordin (DD-661) in the aft fireroom with KIDD volunteers Rick Worley (DD-576) and Bob Allen (DD-659), doing paintwork and restoring lighting. Barre McGowen (DD-686), David Hovey, and Amanda Hovey joined KIDD volunteer Dick Findlay (SEABEES) in the forward engineroom for cleaning and more paintwork. The "below-20" crowd, consisting of Richard Jones, Melissa McGee, and Matthew Hendrickson, tackled the painting of the torpedo tubes. Mike and Robin McGee took on the task of chipping and painting the deck on the foc's'le, as well as the anchor chains and gear.
A few lucky souls escaped the paintbrush. Richard Truman (DD-661), Carlous Burris (DD-677), and Clay Burris spent the weekend sprucing up Radio Central and Emergency Radio and tracking down electrical problems with KIDD volunteers Garret Lynch (DD-474) and Frank "Beef" Lewis (APA-31). They even fabricated two status boards for the radio rooms listing call signs, signal frequencies, and such.
Troy Poteet (DDG-12) and son Dennis McCarty (CVA-66) fabricated screen covers for vents on the portside forward, dogs for the chain pipes, and flange rings for the paint locker. John Ellsworth (DD-591) lent an assist on the chain pipe dogs, in addition to drilling and tapping guards for the firefighting foam cans. Dan Turnbaugh (DD-761) and Jesse Rustin (DD-657) conducted a good bit of housecleaning and brasswork.
Members of Cub Scout Pack 88 from Clinton, Mississippi came aboard on Friday night for an Overnight stay and were able to meet with some of the veterans and ask about their experiences.
Our galley crew this time around consisted of Stan and Neoma Nahill and Jerry and Bobbie Pugh--all members of Fleet Reserve Association Branch 371 in Baton Rouge--and Bob Hillborn (4009th U.S. Army Garrison). They provided a wonderful array of meals for the crew throughout the weekend. Breakfast on Sunday morning was provided by McDonalds of Baton Rouge.
This field day was sponsored by both Tin Can Sailors, Inc. and the Fleet Reserve Association, with Troy Poteet (DDG-12) helping to advertise the event with the FRA in the Houston area.