Fox Division Reunion, Frankenmuth, MI 2011
Twenty Fox division shipmates, spouses, and friends enjoyed a fantastic reunion August 21-26. The reunion began with 3 fun-filled days in Frankenmuth, Michigan’s unique small bavarian-style town, and the state’s #1 tourist destination. All commented about the town’s cleanliness, and beautiful and plentiful flowers lining the streets. While the ladies explored shopping, the men relaxed and reminisced about old times. We all enjoyed delicious and abundant food at the Frankenmuth Brewery, and dinner at Zehnders, the nation’s largest family-owned restaurant.
Then we moved on to 4 days Up North, to Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island. Highlights included a high-speed ferry to the Island to begin an Island tour by horse-drawn carriage ( motorized vehicles are not allowed on the island), visiting historic Fort Mackinac, browsing the many fudge shops and other venues on the Island, and dodging the many other tourists, bicycles and numerous horse-drawn carriages.
Some ventured to the Upper Peninsula via the 5 mile-long Mackinaw Bridge and took in other scenic destinations both above and below the bridge.
Without exception we enjoyed superior food choices, especially the suburb whitefish, outstanding home baked pies, and humongous ice cream cones. Our last evening dinner at Nona Lisa’s Italian Ristorante was truly a gourmet delight. Our Michigan weather was very favorable, with only a few hours of light mist one morning. Shipmate consensus suggested that as we get older, we’re getting better, and we are definitely enjoying our old friends company and stories more as the years grow. We hope to see our Fox buddies again at our next gathering
Fox Division Reunion – Quincy, MA 2009
Fifteen Fox Division shipmates and wives spent an informative and exciting afternoon Sept. 19, 2009 aboard the USS Salem, CA-139, berthed in Quincy, Mass.
The USS Salem is nearly identical to the Rochester, so we were able to relive the good old days of life aboard a warship. The wives expressed amazement over our ability to live under “those conditions”.
The in-depth ship’s tour included all fire control equipment and facilities. As shipmate Chuck Newsham reflected, “Even though I had been on modern Navy ships and subs, that was the 1st time since July 1953 that I had been on an old gunship like the Rochester. Going into the plotting rooms with the MK1 computers, the MK 37 directors and the MK 56 control rooms, brought back a lot of memories.”
Our tour of the Salem concluded on board with a spaghetti and meatballs dinner, definitely an improvement over the Navy chow we all remembered. The Salem visit was the highlight of our reunion weekend, which included Boston area attractions, a Boston Harbor catamaran cruise, and of course all topped off with a typical New England seafood restaurant experience.
The reunion group consists of Fox Division personnel, principally from the Korean era, who have hung together with bi-annual reunions since 1995. Our numbers have naturally declined over the years, but we still get great enjoyment from our get-togethers and the camaraderie and close fellowship that has developed. Other Fox Div. shipmates are welcome to join us. When we meet in Milwaukee in 2010 for the Rochester reunion we’ll decide on our destination for the Fox 2011 reunion.
Roland “Moose” Schneider