GREETINGS GATOR SAILORS FROM THE USS CASA GRANDE LSD-13
The reunion announcement time is finally here for 2023.There were several reasons for the delay in getting this information out and all of them had to do with health issues from our organizers. That is all behind us now so we can focus on this year’s reunion with the Amphibious Ships Reunion group. For those who don’t know or haven’t heard, we have joined the Amphibious Ships Reunion group and disbanded the former USS Casa Grande Reunion Association. Many reasons for this but the major reason was low attendance at our annual reunions which required a tremendous amount of work to put together with little or no return for the organization. We will still maintain our website (usscasagrandereunionassociation.com) for the next four years or so check us out. All the information about the 2023 reunion will be posted on the website asap along with the attachment found in this email. Here is a little information concerning the Amphibious Ships Reunion group.
The Amphibious Ships Reunion is a joint reunion of AKAs, APAs, LSDs and other amphibious ships. Our attendance has grown from 68 people from two ships in 2016 to 160 people from 18 ships in 2019. We had no reunion in the COVID year of 2020. In 2021, we had 130 people from 13 different ships.
Our attendees have included organized reunion groups from twelve ships: USS Bayfield, USS Bexar, USS Cambria, USS Capricornus, USS Casa Grande, USS Chilton, USS Monrovia, USS Muliphen, USS Pickaway, USS Rankin, USS Telfair, and USS Yancey; most of them plan to continue coming to our reunions instead of holding their own.
We have also welcomed individuals and guests from 15 other ships: AKAs Arneb, Mathews, Union, Winston and Wyandot, APAs Lenawee, Okanogan, Renville, and Rockbridge, and LSDs Catamount, Fort Marion, and Gunston Hall, and LSMs 297 and 419. No doubt there will be more in future years.
We seek to add groups whose reunions are in jeopardy due to declining attendance, the fatigue or departure of leaders, or any other reason. Joining us is a good way to keep these groups alive and having great reunions. It also relieves their leaders of a lot of work. We also welcome men and their guests from amphibious ships that do not have active reunion groups, or that have never had a reunion.
2023 REUNION
This year’s reunion will be in Dayton, Ohio starting Tuesday, October 17, 2023 with hotel check out on Sunday, October 22, 2023. I have attached the registration form and provided you with hotel information in this email.The hotel rate is $149 for all rooms plus a tax rate of 12.75% per night for the Amphibious Ships Reunion group which includes a full daily breakfast for all attendees. The hotel is the Holiday Inn located at 2800 Presidential Drive, Fairborn, Ohio 45324.The phone number for making your reservations is 937-426-7800.Tell them you are with the Amphibious Ships Reunion to get this reduced rate.
As usual, all hotel registrations must be made by the shipmate.The cutoff date for registration and hotel is 9/17/23.
In other Casa Grande news, the former Executive Board, was directed by the Casa Grande Reunion Association By-Laws to donate any remaining funds from our treasury be donated to a 501C3 charity.After much discussion, the board settled on two 501C3 charities.The first was the Navy UDT SEAL Museum located in Fort Pierce, Fl. 34949.The amount donated was $4,312.00 on 28 February,2023. The second was a donation in the amount of $4,412.00 was received by Tunnel to Towers Foundation located in Staten Island, NY. in March of 2023. This removed all monies from the Casa Grande Reunion Association Treasury thus ending the Casa Grande Reunion Association organization.The bank account located at Huntington Bank located in Harmony, Pa. was closed on April 28, 2023 by our former Treasurer Bob Moody.
We hope to have a nice turnout of former Casa Grande shipmates so we can enjoy the comradery of fellow Gator Sailors.This is a great group of guys and those of us that have attended an Amphibious ships reunion in the past can attest.If you have never attended a reunion, you owe it to yourself to attend.We sure aren’t getting any younger or healthier so now’s the time. If you have kept in touch with former buddies that served with you onboard the Casa Grande, give them a call and invite them to attend this fun event.
Hope to see you there.
Bob Moody DC2 1966-1969
2015 Mobile AL |
2016 Norfolk VA |
2017 Savannah GA |
2018 Pittsburgh PA |
2019 No Reunion Scheduled |
2020 Annapolis, Maryland (Postponed 09/2021)
*** Reunion News Letter *** 2020 Reunion Information |
2021 Annapolis, Maryland
*** Reunion News Letter |
2022 Colorado Springs – October 9-13, 2022 *** 2022 Reunion Information |
2023 Dayton, Ohio – October 17-22, 2023 *** Click here for hotel Information |