USS Orleck DD 886 Association
The Beginning and the Mission of USS ORLECK DD 886 ASSOCIATION
Many people including myself, Bob Orleck, had always wondered why other ships had reunions of men who had served on them and the USS ORLECK did not. Then I he saw a letter to the editor in the TIN CAN SAILOR newsletter from a former crewman on the USS ORLECK, Phil Klotz, who was wondering the same thing. I couldn't wait to call Phil and together we started things rolling. It wasn't until another crewman, James Allison, who was very good at searching out previous crewmembers, came aboard that the group really grew large. The SCUTTLEBUTT came out of this as well and filled with photos and letters from shipmates, the organization flourished.
From the time in the 1980's until present, the USS ORLECK ASSOCIATION has continued to grow and now claims to be the 'Biggest and Best Destroyer Organization in the World." They say, "No boast, just a fact." With over 1400 members the Association meets in reunion every two years. The Association is dedicated to telling the story not only of the ship but also more importantly of the men who served in her. The task is driven by the belief that the ship was nothing more than a hunk of metal but was made what it was and is by the men who served in her. The primary emphasis is in getting the history from the men and preserving it. It is to get the essence of what gave the ship a personality, a life and if you will, a soul.
Recently the fate of the USS ORLECK has been called into question after having been struck by barges during Hurricane Rita. Many issues are having to be dealt with surrounding the lawsuit to recover damages to our ship, finding a new mooring site and even a new city for USS ORLECK. The work on these matters have drawn a great deal of energy away from our primary mission as stated above. The effect is most felt in the SCUTTLEBUTT production. I have gotten a clear message from many of you that it is important to save the USS ORLECK and that you want our Association more involved in her fate. We have had little say in her day to day operations or her future since her return from Turkey, but since the hurricane, we have become engaged in many ways. We hopefully, are going to be able to work closely with SETWM&HF to find the right solution for USS ORLECK. We have all agreed to make decisions that are "in the best interests of the ship" but we will have to see how that defines itself by the facts. EPIC* was instrumental in getting our attorney, Evan Caffrey, who is representing the USS ORLECK in the lawsuit and is funding the expenses of the lawsuit in exchange for having contol over the strategdy of the litigation. Again how that plays out, only the future can tell, but because USS ORLECK means so much to you, it means that your Association will, as long as you want us to, try to involve ourselves in the preservation and restoration of our ship. We will continue to do salvage trips, schedule field days when possible and do other things to support her survival. It needs to be stated again, however, that the men who served aboard USS ORLECK are the most important part of this Association and if our involvement with the ship has to be weighed against the interests of the men, it needs to be clearly stated our focus will always be on the men who served their country aboard USS ORLECK and any actions taken will have their interest as foremost.
Bob Orleck
Association Officers and Addresses:
Eugene Everson, Chairman
(1957-59)
3427 Eisenhower Ave.
Reading, PA 19605
Robert Orleck, Executive Director, Treasurer, Reunion Coordinator and
Scuttlebutt Editor
(Family)
P.O. Box 174
Randolph, Vermont 05060
E-mail
Phil Klotz, Vice-Chairman
(1950-53)
Box 208
Leavenworth, KS 66048
Phil King, Master-At-Arms
(1968-70)
7523 Campbell Road
Dallas, TX 75248
James Allison, Secretary
(1958-59)
Box 367
Sastroville, TX 78009
Gerald Watson, Parliamentarian
(1950-53)
3313 Redlands Dr
Bakersfield, CA 93006
Joe Correia, Chaplain
(1967-70)
817 Crespi Dr.
San Leandro, CA 94578
John Barrios, Historian & Deck Log Project Coordinator
(1970-73)
1715 Dashwood Drive
Roseville, CA 95747
916-771-4378
Board of Directors:
Ray Hine
(1971-73)
1126 Harbor Ct
Reston, VA 22091
Gerald Hannah
(1966-69)
4253 Eagles Hunt Road
Millington, TN 38053-2259
Other Board Members (information above)
Eugene Everson
Robert L. Orleck
Phil King
Gerald Watson
James Allison