USS Towers DDG-9 Associations ‘News on the 9’ 10/10/2023
Well Shipmates, it has been a few weeks since the end of the 2023 Reunion in Bremerton, WA. I can say that we all had a ‘Super’ time enjoying the company of our Shipmates. There was a shuffling of the USS Towers DDG-9 Association’s Officers at this year’s business meeting. After some discussion by the association members, Ray Wong, who has been the Association’s President the past 23 years took the opportunity to step down and become the Vice President. He will assist the New President of the Association in continuing to move the Association in the upcoming year.
It was then that I was “Shanghaied” by Shipmate Thomas Drew who nominated me (Bob Whapeles) as the New President the motion was quickly seconded, and Ray asked that question ‘Bob will you accept?’. I paused momentarily, The voice next to me (Barry Burrow), telling me in so many words…..Just say yes, Bob. If you haven’t seen the minutes of the 2023 Business meeting, the USS Towers DDG-9 Associations Officers 2023 are as follows:
President Bob Whapeles
Vice President- Raymond Wong
Treasurer- Chris Perry
Secretary- Mark Jensen
I am humbled and a tad intimidated. Ray Wong has some big shoes that I need to fill over the next year. He and Dora have put a lot of effort into this Association, and it shows by the number of years that it has been running successfully.
Over the last few weeks Ray has been busier than a ‘One Arm Paper Hanger’ with Fleet Week in San Francisco. The Association’s Executive Board has been working to get a meeting scheduled, to go over many of the jobs that Ray has been performing for the Association and nail down who can take over some of his responsibilities.
We will also discuss how the Association can attract more members, develop an operational website, and how we can best serve the interests of our members. We know that communications are very important, and I will spearhead that effort, starting with Executive Board and Reunion updates to our Facebook page, Email updates to those who are not on Facebook and eventually a website that can be maintained by the Association. Reunion updates and Board decisions will be posted on the site.
Tuesdays are “Towers”Tuesdays for me. Not to be confused with Taco Tuesdays that I will be enjoying later today. I will be updating the membership on Tuesdays. How often has not been decided. I will see to it that it is updated often. Bear with me as I get organized, in order not to drive my fellow board members crazy.
The other task that I have taken on is contacting all our active members by March of 2024. Be prepared to be contacted by Telephone, Email, Facebook, or Messenger so that I can document all our active members and hopefully increase the numbers that come to our reunion in Dallas/Fort Worth in 2024.
For now, I am going to close. Again, I want to Thank the membership with their confidence in me and with the help of Ray and Dora this year should be a banner year for the Association.
Very Respectfully
Bob Whapeles
President, USS Towers DDG-9 Association.