12/18/2024
Well Shipmates, it is Towers Tuesday. The Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years season is upon us. I am sure that everyone is busy getting ready. I hope that I find everyone in good spirits.
First, I would like to introduce Rich Wiltshire who was voted in as our new Secretary for the Association during our Business meeting on Saturday, September 21, 2024. He replaces Mark Jensen who was unable to attend the reunion this year and could not defend himself. Executive Board for the Association is as follows:
President: Bob Whapeles
Vice-President: Ray Wong
Treasurer: Chris Perry
Secretary: Rich Wiltshire
All right since Thomas Drew and I are sponsors for the 2025 USS Towers DDG-9 Association Inc. Ships Reunion in New Orleans, LA, figured that I had better let the cat out of the bag. Tom Drew received about 70 responses to his request for a proposal from hotels that were downtown and outside of New Orleans proper. We had one hotel that had a great rate, and it is downtown New Orleans within 1.5 miles of all the attractions in downtown New Orleans. This last Friday the USS Towers DDG-9 Association Inc signed a contract with Embassy Suites New Orleans Convention Center to host the 2025 USS Towers DDG-9 Association Inc reunion from 23 September to 28 September 2025. We will be working with the Embassy Suites New Orleans to get the link set up so that shipmates can start making reservations for those who need to get their leave dates in early to your employer. Once the hotel staff get organized later this week, I will update everyone with the ‘News on the 9’ and will repeat this information on the USS Towers DDG-9 Facebook page. We will be using that Facebook page to stand up the 2025 USS Towers DDG-9 Association Inc Reunion New Orleans, LA. I will announce when that event has been established. I want to keep some of the riffraff that we had experienced before we restricted access to that page. With our USS Towers DDG-9 already locked down to members we should not have too many issues.
I can tell you now that our Group rate will be $145 a night and that includes a cooked breakfast, and the hotel has a Social every evening from 1730 to 1900 with free drinks and hors d’oeuvres. We will have more information to follow as soon as we get it from our rep at the Embassy Suites New Orleans Convention Center Group Services. The address is 315 Julia Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 so please take a look at the site and that will give you an idea of where the New Orleans attractions are located. Below is a brief list of Things to Do in New Orleans:
- French Quarter – Café Du Monde, French Market
- Jackson square – St. Louis Cathedral
- Bourbon Street (night life/bar strip)
- Frenchmen Street
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
- The National World War II Museum
- Steamboat Nachez
- Fulton Alley (Bowling)
- W.I.N.O (Wine Institute of New Orleans)
- The Howlin Wolf (Live Entertainment)
- Marie Laveau House of Voodoo
- Apres (Night club/Lounge)
- The Riverwalk (Shopping)
- The Shops at Canal Place (Up-Scale Movie Theater inside)
- Escape My Room
- Ogden Museum of Southern Art.
- Mardi Gras World
- Louisiana Children’s Museum (Typically for children under 10)
- Caesar’s Casino (Believe is was Harrah’s Casino before)
- Superdome (6 min drive via Poydras – 1.4 miles. 30 min walk)
Restaurants near the hotel:
- Emeril’s (located on Tchoupitoulas & Julia)
- El Gato Negro (located on S. Peters, behind the hotel)
- Peche Seafood (located on Julia Street, 2 blocks from the hotel)
- St. James Cheese Company (located on Tchoupitoulas, 4 blocks from the hotel)
- Domenica (located on Baronne Street, 0.7 miles from the hotel)
- Mother’s (located on Poydras, located 5 blocks from the hotel
- Legacy Kitchen (located on Tchoupitoulas, 3 blocks from the hotel)
- Cochon Butcher (located on Tchoupitoulas, 4 blocks from the hotel)
- Compere Lapin(located on Tchoupitoulas, 0.2 miles from the hotel)
- Rock n Sake (located on Fulton street, 1 block from the hotel)
- Grand Isle (located on Fulton street, 1 block from the hotel)
Restaurants with private dining:
- GW Fins
- Doris Metropolitan
- Jacques-Imo’s
- Brennan’s
- Commander’s Palace
- Copper Vine
- Muriel’s Jackson Square
- Crescent City Steakhouse
- Vyoone’s
- August
- Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard
- Arnaud’s
- Tableau
- The Pelican Club
- The Grill Room
- Gris Gris
- Tommy’s Cuisine
- Central City BBQ
- Justine’s
- Gordon
- Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant
Bars in the area around the hotel:
- Swizzle Stick Bar ( located on Poydras, 4 blocks from the hotel)
- Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar (located on Tchoupitoulas, 4 blocks from the hotel)
- The District( located on Tchoupitoulas, 3 blocks from the hotel)
- Barcadia( located on Tchoupitoulas, located 5 blocks from the hotel)
- Tout La( Located on Tchoupitoulas, located 5 blocks from the hotel)
- Loa Bar( Located on Camp Street, located 0.5 miles from the hotel)
- Ernst Cafe ( Located on S. Peters, 2 blocks from the hotel)
- Tiki Tolteca( located on N. Peters, 0.6 miles from the hotel)
- Sazerac Bar (located on Roosevelt Way, 0.7 miles from the hotel)
- Carousel Bar (located on Royal Street, 0.6 miles from the hotel)
- NOSH (located on Tchoupitoulas, 0.2 miles from the hotel)
- Manning’s (located on Fulton street, 1 block from the hotel)
I interrupt this Newscast to bring you an important update:
I have received the following from Embassy Suites New Orleans Convention Center’s Group Sales representatives who will be points of contact for the Sponsors and Treasurer in planning our 2025 USS Towers DDG-9 New Orleans, LA from 23-28 September 2025.
From Embassy Suites New Orleans Convention Center, 315 Julia Street, New Orleans, LA
On behalf of Embassy Suites, we are thrilled to extend our warmest thanks for selecting our hotel as the venue for your upcoming USS Towers Reunion. We are excited to host such a special event and look forward to making it a memorable experience for everyone involved. I have attached your booking link for your guest to start booking.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION! PLEASE READ BEFORE USING THIS LINK!!!
Press down control key and Left click to activate the link. You will get the following which covers the 3 days before and the 3 days after the reunion dates of 23-28 September 2025. You will press the Edit Stay and put in the dates you plan to attend. Below is an example of the window.
Once you have updated your information with the dates you plan to attend and how many guest you will have, press the Update button and follow the prompts and make your reservations. If you want to come earlier or stay later then you will need to contact Embassy Suites @ 504-378-4032 and work with Embassy Suites New Orleans Convention Center staff. I am sure they will work with us. Shipmates we have until August 21, 2025 to get your reservation in using the Group Rate of $145 a night.
Banquet/Auction information will be forthcoming as soon as we can hammer out the $$$ details. I will let you know when the Association Website has been updated with the cost of the dinner and made operational.
We will have half of the Banquet area 24/7 during the week as our Business Meeting/Hospitality Room. I have pictures below of the Hotel, Atrium/Bar area, Banquet Room and Suites.
The hotel has 24/7 Valet parking. The hotel is going to give us $10 off the current rate of $48 per day. Those of us that will be driving to New Orleans will have a safe place to park our vehicles and have 24/7 access to your vehicle. Parking in New Orleans is a serious business. I am advising you now that if you park your vehicle illegally, in a manner of moments after you leave your vehicle it will be towed. Hundreds of dollars will be needed to get your vehicle out of Hauck from the Tow company and on top of that if there are fines, that will have to be paid prior to you getting your vehicle from the Tow company who will charge you Storage fees. I do know that some of you will question that parking rate. Here is the logic: I lived in New Orleans, parking in New Orleans proper is difficult and if you can find parking there is no guarantee that your vehicle will be safe. Some may ask why we must stay in the city, because everything we want to see is within 1.5 miles from this hotel. If we were to stay at a hotel that is outside the city that has free parking and could accommodate the number of Shipmates that come to our reunions, we still would need to drive 30 minutes one way and find parking and pay whatever rate they ask for.
Those Shipmates that are flying into New Orleans would just need to pay for a shuttle/taxi/uber to the hotel. After that all the attractions are nearby.
I will need some time to get our Facebook page updated and the website as well. If you have questions, please feel free to shoot an email to the Association’s account.
Roster Update: I am going to continue with sending the ‘News on the 9’ as an email to everyone that I have a confirmed email address for and have also confirmed as a qualified member of the Association. The USS Towers DDG-9 Association Inc. will use usstowersddgnine@gmail.com for the Association’s business. If you do not get the ‘News on the 9’ please send your Email address, First and last name, what years you served to our new email address. Please do not assume that I know everyone so please provide that information and I will get you on our roster and distribution list. Shipmates help me out and contact any other USS Towers shipmates and have them get their information to me. I really would appreciate your assistance.
Again, 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 New Orlean in 2025.
UPDATE on Website:
I will be updating our website with the latest information on the 2025 USS Towers DDG-9 Reunion New Orleans, LA. I will also continue to update the site with updated pictures and information.
See you next Tuesday when I pen ‘News on the 9’!!!
Very Respectfully
Bob Whapeles, President
USS Towers DDG-9 Association Inc.
usstowers.com
