Entry 399
Date: Thursday, August 7, 2003, 09:52 PM
Email=
Name= Ross W. Wright, CDR UNS (Ret)
Served= 1963 to 1965
Ship / Unit= USS Vance DER 387
Age= 77
City= Wakefield
State= Rhode Island
Zip= 02879-2225
Country= United States
Phone= .(401) 783-8895
A URL to share= No
How did you find this site?= Someone told me about it
Reasons for reading about the Vance= Served aboard, To find shipmates
Comments= I would like those crew members who served aboard Vance during my tenure to know how much I appreciate the magnificent efforts they made to bring this fine ship from number 10 in a squadron of 10 ships to a tie for number 1 in the competitive standings.

(Commodore Henry broke the tie with Wilhoite, whose CO claimed he got the nod because he was much better looking).

Of the 3 ships I commanded in the Navy, and 4 in the merchant service, Vance was by far my favorite. You may know that many of the derogatory comments made about Vance by those who tried to cover up the blatant cronyism that sullied her name could be fairly applied to her at the time we came aboard in the shipyard in 63. The outstanding performance of you crew members who brought her from the bottom to the top in a matter of less than 2 years has long been the highlight of my naval career.

The wardroom (Les-the finger-Horne, Lee Cole, Tom Jaras, Hoppy Mason, Tom Williams, yes, Salt and Belmonte too, etc); The Chiefs, (did you really spank that SN Chief?) who really turned the ship around; and all of the splendid crew (even the BM1 who left her adrift in Hong Kong harbor) deserve nothing but the highest praise for what they did. You are the people who made Vance the ship I will always honor, no matter what the hubris ridden cronies and their syncophants have said to cover up their sorry actions.

I salute you all.
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