USS CHIVO Binnacle List

CHIVO's Binnacle List

A binnacle was the stand on which the ship's compass was mounted. The binnacle list gets its name from the ancient nautical practice of posting the ship's sick list on the binnacle each morning for the captain.

Remember - a card, letter, email, or phone call would do wonders to cheer up your friends and shipmates. Contact me at Justan2@earthlink.net for their addresses.

And be sure to let me know if any of our shipmates need to be included on the CHIVO binnacle list.

(18 August 2008) Robert W. Rourk MM2(SS) 64-66 - Joan has had to move Bob into an assisted living facility due to his worsening Alzheimer's disease. You can send cards and letters to him at Bob Rourk, Longwood Plantation, 1687 Longwood Dr., Orangeburg. SC 29118.
Stan

(06 July 2008) Michael L. Gore EM3(SS) 56-59 - During a phone call with Mike, I learned that for over a year he has been on the waiting list for a kidney and liver transplant, and that he recently had a heart bypass operation. Mike and Bonnie are planning on coming to our next reunion. You might want to give them some encouragement at: gore25 (at) tx.rr.com
Stan

(03 July 2008) Earl H. Kelley YNC(SS) 62-64 - Ann Kelley sent me this information about Earl:

    Earl has dementia and has had for a few years. This year he had a good part of his colon removed, and that really set him back. There was a tumor in the colon that could not be removed during a colonoscopy. It was benign but questionable, so the surgery was necessary. He is a good deal better now and can be out some.
    Earl would like to receive E-Mail from shipmates. He can not respond but would if he could. He particularly remembers the Northern Run and going to Cuba early on. He speaks of the warheads not being armed and someone, John Clark I think, working 30 some hours to make them ready. I will pass along any mail that he gets.

    Thanks to you and all his shipmates. God Bless.
Ann Kelley

You can email Earl and Ann at SaltandBoss (at) aol.com
(18 June 2008) Joanne Hedum, wife of John Hedum TM2(SS) 52-56 - On Mothers' Day this year, Joanne was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. John just sent me this update on Joanne:

Stan,

Joanne is doing better, but a long way from being her old self. With the medicine and physical therapy 3 times a week the neurologist says she will get there. She is getting around without the walker now and able to stand to take a shower by herself. We have gone out to eat a couple of times, she is careful about what she orders so as not to "embaress" me. I still do most of the cooking and housework but she is helping more all the time.

We hope to be able to attend the next reunion, but first we are trying to get to Texas this fall to see our new and only Great-Grandchild, a girl born 4/22/08.
John

You can email John and Joanne at jnjhedum (at) bellsouth.net
(18 June 2008) William "Bloodhound Bill" Rader ETR2(SS) 62-63 - Bill had open heart surgery on 03 Aug 2007 to replace his aortic valve and perform a couple of bypasses. I just got this email update from Bill:

Stan,
Thanks for your concern. I'm doing very well considering I had my 68th birthday Saturday. I was having some difficulty walking up stairs and hills, so I went to see a lung doctor. He sent me to pulmonary rehab. I have been going 2 times a week. Mostly what I do is walk on a treadmill, do 25 reps of about 10 exercises with 5 pound weights and ride on a stationary bicycle. I could do the same thing at home, but I wouldn't get around to it. The rehab makes me actually do something.

Also, I have been playing golf twice a week and working one day a week at the golf course so that I can play for free.

Sandy and I are going to Springfield Ohio, this weekend for my 50th reunion. They have a full weekend planned for us. I will be the MC at the Saturday evening dinner/dance. I have to give a twenty minute talk mostly about what the committee needs from the other attendees. I will talk a little about all the things that have changed or disappeared since 1958. I haven't even started to write my speech yet. I have a lot of info, and all I have to do is put it in some kind of format. Of course, if need be, I could just ramble on for 20 minutes extemporaneously.

Then in October Sandy and I are going to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji for almost a month. We are really excited about that.

Again, thanks for your concern. See you in Myrtle Beach.
Bill

You can email Bill at Billrader (at) aol.com

(07 February 2008) James R. Townsend EM1(SS) 64-68 - Jim sent this update and new email address:

Hello Everyone,
Here's my new E-mail address: jamestownsend1 (at) verizon.net - just got it today. I'm doing better, but still going to therapy 3 times a week yet. My left arm is still very weak, but I'm getting better everyday as long as I keep working out. Take Care,
Jim T

(30 January 2008) James R. Townsend EM1(SS) 64-68 - Jim just sent me this email:

Stan,
Just wanted to let you know that I had a stroke on the 20^th of Nov. I was at my place, alone but was able to get a call out for help. I'm getting usage back in my left arm, but it's coming along very slow and is very weak yet. So my typing is very slow. I'm going to therapy three time's a week and staying up in Virginia Beach, VA at my friends place. She and her daughter won't let me go back down to my home by myself anymore, but that's ok as I'm still not driving. Take Care,
Jim Townsend

(21 August 2007) Jack C. Ganzel RM2(SS) 49-51 - Jack has been living with Alzheimer's for quite some time. His wife, Kay, says that Jack is not able to read or do much of anything anymore. It sounds like Jack's Alzheimer's has progressed to the point where he is just no longer with us. What a terrible disease! Let's all hope and pray that Jack has found a calm place in his mind with only "Fair Winds and Following Seas" Stan.

(22 June 2007) Orem A. "Soupy" Campbell EN3(SS) 49-51 - Soupy has been diagnosed with prostate cancer which the doctors believe has metastasized to the bones. I talked to him at his home yesterday. He has finished a series of 42 radiation treatments and is now getting regular chemo treatments. Soupy is weak and sick for several days after each chemo treatment, but he is in good spirits and continues to work on a reunion for the USS Angler in Myrtle Beach this fall. Stan.

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