WAKKEFIELD, W., MANDEL February 24, 1930 - June 28, 2010m Tucson, AZ To send a sympathy card to Chief Wakefield's family. Sign the E Guest Book for MANDEL W WAKEFIELD on Legacy.com This Guest Book will remain online until 8/17/2010 Guest Book by Legacy.com, East Lawn Palms Mortuary & Cemetery ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some Entries from Legacy.com by Chiefs Shipmates. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 27, 2010 I was a shipmate of Chief Wakefield on the Vance from '65 to '67. I didn't work for him as I was in supply, but in conversations with the men who did work with him, he knew the ship very well and he knew his job even better. He was very well thought of. When I joined the Vance Association, I found him to be a super family man, fun loving and a great person. He will be truly missed by many. Ernest Travers, Germantown, Maryland ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 25, 2010 It is with great sadness to learn of the passing from this life of a truly great sailor and patriot, U.S.Navy Chief Petty Officer Mandel W. Wakefield. I served with Chief Wakefield aboard the U.S.S. Vance (DER-387) in 1965-1966. He was highly regarded by the ship's crew and will be very much missed by all of us. I feel fortunate to have been in his company at the last Vance reunion in Tuscon. As the Apostle John said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13. Mandel Wakefield was ready and willing to lay down his life for his friends and his country. His life was devoted to serving the greatest nation in the history of the earth and the preservation of freedom throughout the world. He did this with professionalism, love, and humility. We who served with him, have been truly touched and blessed for having known him. We can all look forward to an even greater reunion with him in the glory of our Lord. Bruce W. Swanson, Chaplain, Vance Association, Newton, North Carolina ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 25, 2010 I am sure Chief Wakefield will be missed by his family, he was as I remember him a good natured and quiet man. I don't believe anyone sweat any more than he did to keep those Fairbank Morse engines up and running. I served with him from 1964-68 and found him very helpful in my service, I believe he was dedicated to the engineering division, it seemed that was what he was all about. He always had my respect. My condolences, Richard McGilvray, Portland, Maine ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 22, 2010 I just got the sad news yesterday when I opened my e-Mail. I was an EN2 (Engineman Second Class) aboard the Vance. Chief Wakefield was always available for help, advice and regular chit chat. I will never forget how helpful he was to me, and the positive influence he was in my life. I wholeheartedly agree with others, that the Chief was truly a great man. I thank you Chief for just being you. May God bless you, and may he bring soothing comfort to your family. John Campbell EN2, San Bernardino, California ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 21, 2010 My deepest sympathy to the family of the chief, he will be greatly missed and it was wonderful to see him in couple of the reunions. God bless to the family and I will think of them in my prayers. Sincerely, John Blake ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 21, 2010 We are sorry to hear the passing of Chief Wakefield. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. Bill & Aniseta French, Granada, CO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 21, 2010 Our prayers and thoughts go out to Chief's family. I am so glad that I got to see him at the last 2 USS Vance reunions. Frank & Gwen Van Norman, Greenwell Springs, Louisiana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 21, 2010 I wish to send my condolences to the Chief,s family.A little note:I knocked the Chief down in the chiefs quarters one day when we took shore fire and the Chief and I tried to get thru the rear companion way to their Quarters.I am somewhat larger than the Chief and was coming inside away from the shooting. We laughed and parted company. Chief Wakefield was a good and kind man and will not be forgotten. Brad Hagan ETR2, Cloverdale, California ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 21, 2010 I am sorry that Chief Wakefield has passed. I served with him on the USS Vance. He was the Chief that ran my Chiefs initation. I am glad I got to see him in Tuscon last year. Kent Smith, Casper, Wyoming ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 20, 2010 We are sorry for the lost of Chief Wakefield may God help comfort the family during this time. Richard and Rosemary Martinez Ship Store Operator From 1964 to 1966 USS Vance DER-387 Richard Martinez, Riverside, California ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 20, 2010 Fair winds and a following sea. Barry Relinger, Georgetown, South Carolina ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 20, 2010 We were sad to hear of the Chief's passing. Joe enjoyed receiving notes from him--they were always encouraging. He will be remembered as "an all round good guy". We will keep his family in our prayers, and his memory alive on Vance's website. Joe & Connie Betters, West Harwich, Massachusetts For those who remember Clarice Wakefield a note from the Chief. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 20, 2010 We are deeply saddened by the passing of this great man and shipmate. I had the priveledge of serving with him on the USS VANCE (DER-387) in the 1960's and enjoying reunions since 2002. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time. He will be greatly missed by all. Robert and Diana Howey, Jacksonville, Florida ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 20, 2010 We are sorry for the pasing of you father. He will be missed by his shipmates of the uss vance. We really enjoyed his company at the reunions he attended.God bless you all Jim and Tsui Ensey, cooksville, Maryland