(L-R) Jim Glines, Bob Malaspina, Harry Wilde, Ron Rosenberg, Dick Brancato, Tom Davis, and Dave Schlitz served aboard the USCGC Westwind in the early 60s when the cutter was homeported in Brooklyn, N.Y. Training Center Cape May hosted eight USCGC Westwind (WACB-21) veterans Sept. 24, 2010.
The group met at 10 a.m., in the Ida Lewis Auditorium to watch a short video about recruit training and an organizational video summarizing our current roles and missions under the Department of Homeland Security. All the Westwind veterans attended boot camp in the late 1950s or early 1960s and were impressed with the current training program. In the audience a few joked about the M1 rifles that our recruits still use to conduct manual of arms drills and a few vets shared stories about running around the training center with their pieces as a form of punishment.
After a tour of the regiment and a walk around the waterfront the day ended with lunch in the galley. The vets shared stories about their time in the galley mess and their stories ranged from making horrible coffee to serving their company chief lobster at a poker game.
At the end of the day, the stroll through memory lane brought back a bunch of smiles and laughs.
5 comments:
I served aboard the WestWind for 6 years starting August 1982. What a glorious cutter.
QM3 R.A. Derrick
Sorry that I wasn't at the Westwind reunion this year. I served on the Westwind in '62-'63. Was promoted to Capt. on my first day aboard (Capt of the Head). Went through Cape May from 9/15/1959 - 12/15/1959 Echo-41 same as Dave Schlitz in the picture.
Jim Taddonio BM3
USCGC Westwind – 18 months
Brooklyn Navy Yard
From March 1959 to Sept 1960
Transferred from USCGC Campbell
Art Schramm FT1
Shipmates remembered:
George Eitel ET
Jerry Gentner RM
Herb Gray GM
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