Cold War and Hot (Spiked) Coffee By Tom Gamel

Sometimes, just when I think I've written

every conceivable 'sea story' about my time

aboard Montrose, something happens to re-

mind me, “Well, maybe not!” A short while

back, I was checking my e-mails and came

across a new online address I wasn't familiar

with. Checking the crew's list was no help.

What the Hell, I threw caution to the wind and

opened it. All it said was, “No one uses

AOL anymore.” There was no indication

who'd sent it. For some time now, I'd been think-

ing of switching over to 'Roadrunner' (since it's free

with my cable bundle) and this rather brassy e-mail

was yanking Mr T’s chain.

I wrote back to the faceless, nameless upstart, “Ex-

cept me! I like to think it makes me unique. And

just who are you?” Was that salty enough? A while

later I had my answer. “I'll wager you remember

Dennis Ralph.” Well I hope to poop in your flat

hat!* Dennis, the consummate 'surfer dude'! Aboard

Montrose, Dennis was all about surfing. He ate,

breathed, dreamed, and defecated surfing. He even had a

'surfer magazine' subscription. And, Dennis looked the part. He was

trim, tanned, blond and muscular. I used to imagine he got those big

'Popeye Arms' from paddling way out, trying to catch the perfect

wave, while fending off hungry sharks.

Dennis went on to remind me we had met again in the 70's on Vermont

Avenue, in L.A., as civilians and that our last conversation had been about a “drugged cup of coffee”. It all came

rushing back; everything but whether I'd remembered to apologize for a certain accusation...long, long ago.

Despite his commanding physique, rugged good looks and fixation on “hangin' five”, I suspected Dennis and all

other surfers of smoking big, fat 'doobies' at night, by a beach bonfire. To my unsophisticated, backwoods mind,

surfers were about one step up from bongo-playing, peyote popping, poetry spewing hippies. All of this in spite of

the clean cut, all American, Annette Funicello/Frankie Avalon surfing musicals. Actually, Frankie Avalon looked like

a 'surf sissy' next to Dennis. In my old age, I've learned to be tolerant of other people...except for other people in au-

tomobiles.

A Publication of the USS Montrose Association Issue 74

Cold War and Hot (Spiked) Coffee By Tom Gamel

Sometimes, just when I think I've written

every conceivable 'sea story' about my time

aboard Montrose, something happens to re-

mind me, “Well, maybe not!” A short while

back, I was checking my e-mails and came

across a new online address I wasn't familiar

with. Checking the crew's list was no help.

What the Hell, I threw caution to the wind and

opened it. All it said was, “No one uses

AOL anymore.” There was no indication

who'd sent it. For some time now, I'd been think-

ing of switching over to 'Roadrunner' (since it's free

with my cable bundle) and this rather brassy e-mail

was yanking Mr T’s chain.

I wrote back to the faceless, nameless upstart, “Ex-

cept me! I like to think it makes me unique. And

just who are you?” Was that salty enough? A while

later I had my answer. “I'll wager you remember

Dennis Ralph.” Well I hope to poop in your flat

hat!* Dennis, the consummate 'surfer dude'! Aboard

Montrose, Dennis was all about surfing. He ate,

breathed, dreamed, and defecated surfing. He even had a

'surfer magazine' subscription. And, Dennis looked the part. He was

trim, tanned, blond and muscular. I used to imagine he got those big

'Popeye Arms' from paddling way out, trying to catch the perfect

wave, while fending off hungry sharks.

Dennis went on to remind me we had met again in the 70's on Vermont

Avenue, in L.A., as civilians and that our last conversation had been about a “drugged cup of coffee”. It all came

rushing back; everything but whether I'd remembered to apologize for a certain accusation...long, long ago.

Despite his commanding physique, rugged good looks and fixation on “hangin' five”, I suspected Dennis and all

other surfers of smoking big, fat 'doobies' at night, by a beach bonfire. To my unsophisticated, backwoods mind,

surfers were about one step up from bongo-playing, peyote popping, poetry spewing hippies. All of this in spite of

the clean cut, all American, Annette Funicello/Frankie Avalon surfing musicals. Actually, Frankie Avalon looked like

a 'surf sissy' next to Dennis. In my old age, I've learned to be tolerant of other people...except for other people in au-

tomobiles.

Cold War and Hot (Spiked) Coffee By Tom Gamel

All of this is, of course, a lead in to an event which took place aboard Montrose, somewhere in the middle of the Pa-

cific in late 1966. Any sailor worth his salt knows just how important 'the watch' is. It's a matter of being alert and

being able to spot silly stuff like reefs, rocky shoals, rogue waves, other ships, floating mines, etc.. I was , for the

most part, a 4.0 sailor (as verified by Don Johnston). I worked out to stay in shape, kept my uniforms neat, and tried

always to stay sharp. I was/we were, after all, protecting the 'free world'. Not a job to be taken lightly. Communists

were hiding under every rock, for God's sake! When on 'watch', I was, for sure, mentally, the Navy's poster boy!

The 'Mid-watch' was from 12:00 midnight to 4:00am and was, typically, quiet and uneventful. Seaman Ralph and I

pulled the mid-watch one dark, brutally cold night. There may have been fog but that part's still a little foggy. We

were bundled up in the warmest gear the Navy issued, but the signal bridge was, for the most part, open air. We were

slightly protected from direct wind blasts by plexiglass windows and a rubberized canvas top above. Our port and

starboard sides were totally open. In truth, it may have been the coldest place on the ship that night. Dennis and I

were swilling down coffee and making small talk in order to stay warm and awake. Every one of my Naval in-

stincts dating all the way back to wooden ships was screaming for me to stay awake but my eyelids felt unbelievably

heavy. I couldn't focus. I began to suspect Ralph (the Navy insisted we go by last names) of slipping surfer drugs

into my coffee. That had to be it! But why? For all I knew he might have been a 'Soviet Spy'. I tell you, the 'Cold

War' was in full bloom in those days! It would have been so typical of the Ruskies to give one of their sailor

spies two first names (Dennis & Ralph) just to screw with the Navy. Once I was out cold, Ivan (probably his real

name) could have used a pen light to signal one of those Russian spy trawlers that were forever dogging us. Despite

my suspicions, I couldn't resist the almost hypnotic lure to drift away...”We're drifting...and now we're drifting

deeper...and our eyes are feeling sooooo heavy...and we're feeling sooooo peaceful...and yes, the mermaid is waving

at us....”

The next thing I knew, some LTJG (can't remember which one) was rudely awakening me from my almost sexual

experience with a fish; “Wake up Gamel, wake up! You were sleeping and you're going on report!” I can't express

the dread a sailor feels, knowing the gravity of falling to sleep while on watch. Getting caught didn't help either. At

first I insisted I was not sleeping, no way, no how. Then, in righteous indignation, I tried to explain that someone

had slipped drugs, or sleeping pills into my coffee. To my everlasting credit, I didn't actually accuse Seaman Ralph.

But, then again, time plays tricks on one's memory, and fear does funny things...There is the most remote possibility,

I might have tried to rat him out. Of course, he was the only person who had been with me, so it didn't take Sherlock

Holmes to figure out who the culprit might have been. The cold, heartless, nameless officer was hell- bent on and

proceeded to write me up when he should have been doing a 'strip search' on Ralphy boy.

If the best defense is a good offense, it may have helped my case. I never changed my story and remained adamant

even when it began to have a funny odor...even one I could smell. I don't believe I'd ever been written up before, for

anything, so having no 'priors' was probably a good thing. “Your Honor, my client, Signalman Gamel, has no priors.

I recommend bail be set at 50 cents.” Some of the 'higher up' officers liked me because I volunteered for fun things

like working on cruise books, and so, went to bat for me (Oh thank you higher up officers; thank you, thank you,

thank you!). The (mere) Lieutenant JuNIOR GRADE who wrote me up was right, of course. They should have

thrown my ass in the 'brig' and fed me bread and water. Then I could have dreamed about something useful...like

food! (Hmmm, wonder if Mermaid could be construed as ‘Fish Filet’??) As it turned out, all I received was a severe

butt chewing, a seriously stiff warning, and the promise of a court martial if it ever happened again. Visions of Leav-

enworth still dance in my head.

It may have been just after, that the Navy started buying a richer, stronger Colombian coffee or maybe the Cold War

started winding down just a bit, but you know, 'Soviet Surfer Seaman Ralph' never slipped me another 'Mickey'

while on watch. Now that they've torn down “The Wall”, I hope 'Comrade Dennis' and I can now enjoy a new, re-

vitalized 'Perestroika' and 'Glasnost'. I'm sure there's a bottle of 'Stolis' around here somewhere!

* A variation of an old saying commonly used during and after the time sailors wore whitehats.

Marlin Spiked JoeBy Dennis Ralph

Well, my memory is not as good as it once wasbut as I recall, it was beyond years ago, pos-sibly a flashback from some bad dream, like

a scene from ‘The Caine Mutiny’. I remember re-lieving the watch and he, Tom Gamel, was all overme like red lead on a bulkhead. My sea faringfriend was blowing tubes. On me like a wet mop on a painted deck!Something about me putting something in his coffee! “Say what?” Iexclaimed. “What are you saying? Something in your coffee? WhatI put in your coffee was coffee!” “You spiked it!”, he said. “What-ever you put in it made me ill.” I thought, “This aggression willnot stand, man; this aggression will not stand!”

I disregarded Tom’s accusations, chalking it up to an over-active paint brush or possibly not enough rack time. Giving himthe best inane look I could muster, I did a one eighty and wentbelow. Over the next few days I took a lot of flack about the ac-cusation but managed to stow it and as time went by, it becameless and less important, eventually dropping off the radar.

Many years later, long after exiting the Navy, the war in Viet-nam over, my life running at battle speed, I was waiting fora light to change at some remote corner in Los Angeles. Andthere he stood; no way you could miss him! It was as ifhe had just stepped onto the quarter deck, with a presencelike ‘Jim Rockford’; a flash, every time he smiled. We stoodthere staring, quite surprised at this chance meeting, what,some 12 or 13 years of water over the bow, and the firstthing Tom says is, “What did you put in my coffee?”“Nothing; absolutely nothing!”, I answered. And now you know the rest of the story!

• Please note, the 2013 Reunion Information and sign up form are included on the

front and reverse side of the ‘free floater’ page. Time is short, so be sure to register

as soon as possible. It will be a great help to our hosts, Russell and Donna Mac-

Donald.

TAPSWe regret to inform you the passing of our friends and shipmates.

Bill Kaiser, O-Div., ‘44 – ‘45, Plank Owner

Jack Hawes, OR-Div., ’54 –‘58 • Norm Fronckowiak, OR-Div., ’55 – ‘57

Our prayers and thoughts are with their families and loved ones.

until we meet again, Rest In Peace

resident’s Letter

Let me start by saying I am getting very excited about our upcoming re-union. Mac is doing a wonderful job getting things organized. Please getyour reservations in, as it will make Mac’s job a whole lot easier

when it is known how many plan to attend.

There are several items we will be discussing at the reunion; one of them is our re-lationship with Montrose, CO. I would like to take a minute to talk about some won-

derful contacts we have made with folks from Montrose, CO. in the past couple ofmonths. The Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans, locally known as Welcome Home Mon-

trose (WHM), is a grassroots community initiative inspired by the determination and courage of Corporal Todd Love,his father Gary Love, and USMC Sergeant (Retired) Jared Bolhuis. Their goal is to make Montrose, CO a “nobarriers” city and invite America’s wounded troops to live in this community where they can have the opportunity tothrive. It is entirely volunteer powered and thrives on donation funds. Our contact with WHM is Melanie Kline whoas an active volunteer is making a big difference. I have had the honor of talking to the Mayor of Montrose, Ms.Files, and the city of Montrose is very excited and fully supports the WHM programs. They would love to have theUSS Montrose involved. I invited the mayor to attend our reunion; unfortunately her schedule does not allow thetime. I would like to ask each of you to visit the WHM website, http://welcomehomemontrose.org/, to learn aboutthis wonderful organization and its accomplishments. We hope to have more information at the reunion, including avideo about WHM. In the course of my conversations with the mayor we talked about a Mini USS Montrose Reunionin 2014 in Montrose, CO. The tentative date is June 17, which corresponds to the date the keel was laid for the USSMontrose. There will be more surprises that will come to light at our reunion in Las Vegas concerning the proposedmini-reunion.

The next item is on a sad note. As you know Tom Gamel and Bill Forbes have been the driving force of this newsletterfor many years, but have decided it is time to lay down the pencil. There is no way to thank them for all they havedone. I do know I will miss their way with words. Now there is the task of asking for some help. To keep the newsletteron the street, maybe not in its present form, I need someone to step up and help put a newsletter together. Anyonewho is interested, please contact me. As you can imagine this will also be a hot topic at the reunion.

I am so looking forward to seeing everyone in Vegas. Until we meet, be safe.

Bob

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W elcome to the USS Montrose 2013 Reunion in beautifulLas Vegas, Nevada, October 13-17. There are so manywonderful activities to enjoy while you're here, it's

impossible to list them all but each newsletter will try to list a fewjust to whet your appetite. If you have never been to Vegas, you're infor a real treat, and, if you haven't been here in a while, you're in forsome exciting new ones. Everything is splashier, bigger, brighter andmore colorful. If you're into getting rich quick, what the heck, put itall on the line; it's only money!

There are a lot of other ways to spread your money around ifgambling's not your thing. Why, there's a four story buildingdedicated to M&Ms Candy, where you can find everything fromsouvenirs to serious collectibles; key chains and charms bracelets,mugs and glasses, clothing for you and even your pet. You can evenbuy an M&Ms guitar. It goes without saying, you can still buy a va-riety of M&Ms candy, along with candy dispensers. Go ahead, diginto that chocolate; “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

How about a Coca Cola store, with more collectibles, decorativeitems and one of a kind art pieces. Quench your thirst for just abouteverything. You can even “buy the world a Coke...” if you like!Admission is free to the 'Fremont Light Show'; over 2 million lights,enhanced with 550,000 watts of sound and special effects,presented every night in downtown Las Vegas. It's OK to wearyour 'Foster Grant's'!

When and if you need a break from all the hoopla, take a break;take one of the great bus tours to the Hoover Dam or the GrandCanyon National Park. These tours include a nice complimentarybreakfast. Everyone should be so lucky to start the day with bigsites and a big nutritious breakfast! Tell your friends and bookahead, online. It's a great way to save for you and your group!

While you're thinking ahead, be sure to book reservationsfor our beautiful 'Orleans Hotel' at (800) 675-3267. The hotelfeatures 11 restaurants, a huge casino, a 70 lane bowling alley,an 825 seat theater with live shows, 18 movie theaters, beautysalons, barber shops, and child care facilities. Parking is free andso is the hotel's shuttle to 'The Strip'. All this for only $32 pernight plus fees! When you call, be sure say you're with the USSMontrose Group Reunion for this special rate. You can alsomake reservations online at www.orleanscasion.com. Be sureto enter our reservation ID# A3UMC10. Do it today! Notime like the present! See you there!

Little Town, Big HeartBy Bill Crowden

I've always thought the real heart ofAmerica is its little towns and villages.One of those towns has recently been

considered for nomination as the "AllAmerican City." This nomination isn't re-ally the story, but how it came to be is.

Throughout history we've seen how oneperson can make a difference. This smalltown example positively affects the lives ofmany in a profound way. In this case it’s vet-erans who are returning from Iraq andAfghanistan with injuries both physical andpsychological. Those injuries require treat-ment and rehabilitation. Even after beingreleased from treatment there remain wounds both physical and emotional which affect their abilityto cope with everyday life.

This problem was recognized by one person over a year ago. Business woman Melanie Kline begana grass roots campaign to bring her community together to provide an environment for returningveterans to continue to heal. This effort includes programs for veterans, not only in her town butfrom across the country. The aim is to place the veterans in a "No Barriers Environment" and pro-vide job and recreational opportunities in one of the finest natural areas of the West. The entire com-munity has fallen in line, taking up her quest, providing support and most importantly,funding.

What started out as a pie in the sky idea has mushroomed into realty for Tim Kenney, who waswounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. He returned home to Montrose, Colorado with thatfeeling of being lost in the weeds. He returned home with PTSD and the inability to reconnect withfamily and community. Melanie Kline peppered him with questions about how returning vets couldbe helped to return to a semblance of normalcy. She is the brain child behind “Welcome Home Mon-trose” or WHM. Tim Kenney found that he could not only be helped through WHM but that his ex-perience would allow him to reach out and help other veterans struggling to overcome theirdisabilities. He does this through his hunting guide business in Montrose. Tim is only one exampleof the impact that WHM has had on returning veterans through support provided by the commu-nity.

That community, Montrose, Colorado, is supporting Ms. Kline and the organization shefounded, Welcome Home Montrose. The affiliation between the USS Montrose Association andMontrose, Colorado does not require explanation but our need to support this worthy effort cannotgo unrecognized. Please go to www.WelcomeHomeMontrose.org. Familiarize your selves with theirobjectives, goals and programs. Let's support "Operation Montrose". We can make a difference.

The Magic Touch

MontroseFor The AgesIsuppose most of us have thought from time-to-time that it would

really be great if we could visit USS Montrose (APA 212) again.I know I have. Montrose was my second ship. My first ship, USS

Everett F. Larson (DDR 830), is now a museum ship in SouthKorea. It was given to the South Korean Navy after we decommis-sioned it and it was renamed Jeonbukham (DD 916). I visited thatmuseum ship last year in Jeongdongjin, South Korea. I gotta tell you,I was excited to see that ship again. I just had to touch her.

For those people who have never had the privilege of serving theircountry on a Navy ship, they couldn’t know my excitement. Can I everrevisit USS Montrose? Well…sort of.

Association President Bob Hahn is always in contact with Tom Gameland me to discuss newsletter issues. We have been discussing the re-commissioning of Montrose…sort of. It seems there are severalanonymous shipmates in our ranks who have taken on the project ofcommissioning a company to build a scale model of our beloved Mon-trose. The still evolving plan is to let us all see it at the Las Vegas re-union in October. After that, the plan is to present it to the goodpeople in Montrose, Colorado where it will be on display, we wouldhope, in perpetuity.

Bob tells me he is sworn to secrecy as to the donors of this Montrose model. But he is as excited about thisproject as I was to see my first ship. I am also excited to see the second coming of USS Montrose, whateverthe size. Bob tells me that he has been in contact with the Mayor of Montrose, Colorado. Apparently theMayor has already chosen an honored spot for the USS Montrose model in City Hall. There are rumorsthat a move is afoot to have a mini-reunion at some appropriate time in Montrose, CO in 2014 for the pres-entation. If it’s true, Bob will tell us about that.

In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion in Las Vegas. I’m also looking for-ward to seeing the second commissioning of USS Montrose (APA 212). Hey, does this mean we’ll be plankown-ers?

From The EditorA hand salute to our shipmate, Dennis Ralph, for ‘Marlin Spiked Joe’, an only slight difference from theway Tom Gamel remembered the poisoning…uh, Mickeyfying…uh, spiking of a particular cup of coffeeconsumed nearly a half century ago. Whether or not Dennis actually did it (and we all think you did) isirrelevant. What’s important is that it made for a dandy little story. Thanks again Dennis! Keep ‘em com-ing!

……………...............………………………………………………………………………………………….

Many thanks (once gain) to our good buddy, Bill Crowden, for ‘Little Town, Big Heart’, directing ourattention to the WHM, “Welcome Home Montrose” organization, established by Melanie Kline of Mon-trose, Colorado. Any efforts which aid our returning veterans in any positive manner are always worth-while and deserve our participation. A hand salute to Ms. Kline as well.

……………...............………………………………………………………………………………………….

What can we say to our anonymous shipmates who have reached deep into their hearts and pockets tobuild a scale model of USS Montrose except “Hooray and well done!” The editor, for one, feels thesegentlemen ought not to remain anonymous, so we could each give them a hug and a handshake. You de-serve it!

All Good Things MustCome To An End

Uh oh, what’s happening? We, meaning TomGamel and Bill Forbes, believe it doesn’t have tobe a bad thing. The good thing that is coming toan end, from our perspective, is that our time put-ting out the Ramblin Rose newsletter was justthat, a good thing because we enjoyed it so much.You are reading issue number 74. Tom has editedevery one of those issues. That’s nearly 19 yearsof meeting the deadline four times a year. Bill hasbeen assisting Tom for six years. You might think that only six years of meeting deadlines isn’t much, but Bill has beendoing that for more than 40 years; first as a news reporter, then a script writer for Navy videos and now the newsletter.It’s time to relieve the watch.

We will soon be gathering in Las Vegas for our biennial reunion. We are hopeful that a volunteer will step forward tocarry on Ramblin Rose. It doesn’t have to be a quarterly publication. It doesn’t have to be in the same format. Itdoesn’t have to be as many pages. These are all things we hope to discuss at the reunion business meeting. Please givethis some thought. The newsletter is our link to shipmates between reunions.

Just so you know…The ‘Memorabilia Page’ has been discontinued for this issue only, due to space re-quirements. Should you wish to make a purchase, it is our understanding, you will be able to do so bygoing to www.ussmontrose/Association.html.

U.S.S. Montrose AssociationP.O. Box 55Dauphin, PA 17018

Forwarding & Return Address Requested

OFFICERS… … … …PRESIDENTRobert Hahn7512 Pon KanPunta Gorda, FL 33955(941) 575-9597

VICE PRESIDENT Stephen Spohn 1079 Deerpath Ln. Dauphin, PA 17018(717) 921-8712

ARCHIVIST Mike Campbell 9 Pond RoadCanton, CT 06019-2624(860) 930-5882

VETERANS AFFAIRS Andrew Garraghan 1441 S. 68th St., Apt 248 Milwaukee, WI 53214 (414) 607-0182

MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMANStephen SpohnP.O. Box 55Dauphin, PA 17018

NEWSLETTER Tom Gameltomgam6@aol.com(626) 369-5344Bill Forbesskyforb@roadrunner.com(760) 994-7981

SECRETARYKeith Marlatt4228 Encino Dr.Ft. Wayne, IN 46816(260) 447-5927

TREASURERLarry Terracino2724 Astaria Ave.The Villages, FL 32162(352) 750-1712

SHIP STORESWayne Lamond511 Devon Rd.Norwood, PA 19074 CHAIRMAN, BY-LAWS Arnie Wegher23836 Currant Dr.Golden, CO 80401

CHAIRMAN, REUNION 2013Russ McDonald10072 Bonser AvenueGarden Grove, CA 92840(714) 636-6267

FIRST CLASS MAILUS POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT # 289ORANGE CA

You know, Dennis, up here with all thefresh air, that beautiful, endless oceanand sky, sometimes I feel downright high.

Wait’ll you get a cuppamy coffee, dude!

Dennis Ralph and Tom Gamel on theSignal Bridge