Feb. 2002-1

U.S.S. LOWNDES - APA 154

Wm. “Bud” Kautz, CCBW - 34782 Hiawatha Trail, McHenry, IL 60050 (815)344-6326

e mail REDLABELBUDDHA@aol.com

FEBRUARY 2002 NEWSLETTER

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There were 39 attendees representing 13 states at our reunion in Nashville this year. As usual

Stan Dunn furnished the beautiful flowers for our reunion. At the business meeting in Nashville on

Saturday, October 13' 2001 Walter and Jackie Umbarger made the offer to host the 2002 reunion in

Indianapolis, IN and were whole heartedly met with approval by the members in attendance. October

was the month agreed upon. The 14^th Annual U.S.S. Lowndes reunion will be held in Indianapolis, IN on

October 17, 18 & 19, 2002 Details will be forwarded in a future newsletter as soon as all necessary

arrangements have been made. Marty and Rowana Umbarger, son and daughter-in-law of Walter and

Jackie are making the arrangements. Home base for this operation will be ihe Indianapolis Athletic Club

- 350 North Meridian Street - (317)634-4331. The room rate will be $80.00 with parking included. This

rate will be in effect for 3 days prior and after the reunion. Enclosed with this newsletter is a

stamped and addressed postcard asking for information regarding the 14^th Annual

Lowndes reunion. PLEASE indicate your intentions and return it PROMPTLY. Do not lose

it. It is important that Marty and Rowana Umbarger have this information to make the necessary

preparations for a successful reunion. Let’s not give them an ulcer as we did John and Lebby Dyer. As

noted, the cards are to be mailed to me (Bud). I will be in constant touch with the Umbargers. There has

been a delay in putting this newsletter in the mail. Marty was called up for duty in the National Guard and

had to report on December 30^th. The task has been dropped into Rowana’s capable hands, everything is

progressing very well.

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Indianapolis is the Capital of Indiana and is considered the “crossroad of America.” The origin of the name

Indiana meaning "Land of the Indians.” Nickname - Hoosier State. George Rogers Clark led American forces

against the British during the Revolutionary War. It was the 19^lh state admitted to the Union. Present constitution

adopted in 1851. Oh yeah! Official language is English. The average temperature in October is 54.8 degrees. At

one time the 41 mile Lake Michigan was one of the world’s great industrial centers. The state is a leader in

agriculture with corn the principle crop. (Will have to check this out with Jim Frieden).There are many attractions in

and around the city, war memorials, Naval armory, a cathedral and of course the famous Indianapolis Speedway

500 mile track. (Your editor of the newsletter, in Sept, 1941 had the privilege of driving around that 2-1/2 mile oval

in his ’36 Olds for the princely sum of 25 cents, of course the guide climbed into the car so we had to hold it down

to a very moderate speed.) There have been many noted celebrities born in this state, to name a few, Frank

Borman, astronaut; Hoagy Carmichael, songwriter; James Dean, actor; David Letterman, TV host & comedian;

Cole Porter, songwriter; Ernie Pyle, journalist; Knute Rockne, football coach and Red Skelton, comedian.

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There are a total of 15 eating establishments 0.1 to 0.3 miles from the club. (Walking

distance?). There is also a restaurant on the Club’s premises. The Veterans Memorial Plaza

also is close by for the distaff side of our reunion group. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is

located at 4790 W. 16^th St. between 16^th St, Georgetown and 30^th St.

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The Indianapolis Athletic. Club (See enclosed brochure) will be the home base for our operation in

Indianapolis. The Club is located at the intersection of Meridian and Vermont Streets located just across

the street from the War Memorial and University Park. Check in time is 3:00 PM - Check Out time is

11:00 AM.

(Note: Information for Ed. King: check in time 3:00 PM.)

Feb. 2002-2

Mary Fearing

Dean and I are both pretty good except

for the usual aches and pains. We sold our

house, had an auction moved into an

apartment last fall. We sure love it, it was just

too much work at the house. Have had nice

weather until December and now we got snow

and temperatures getting cold. 20 degrees in

the morning.

Bill Taylor

It was good to see everybody in

Nashville for another good Lowndes reunion.

We enjoyed the activities planned by the Dyers

as well as our stay at the hotel. Everything was

great. We had a good trip to Nashville and a

good return trip. The color changes of the

foliage was beautiful. I found it hard to believe

the big change in just those few days.

Mildred Binney

Buell and I are about the same as a

year ago. I probably wrote a year ago that

Buell had a stroke in January of 2000 and

settled at the Missouri Veterans Home in

Cameron, MO. He has held his own with “ups”

and “downs” and still enjoys eating and having

visitors. He is in the ‘D’ wing of the home. As

for me, I spend the winter near home, with son,

Jim and his wife, Deb. They take good care of

me. In April the family surprised me with a big

neighborhood 80^th birthday party. As summer

set in, I decided to try living back home on

Highway Z. Have managed pretty well, with

help from all the kids. I have gotten back into

flowers and sew for the necessities, learning

how to cook again has been fun. And of

course, my six cats eat gourmet two times a

day. My sister Kathryn lives close by and helps

me a lot. We run around and shop together.

The apple crop was good this year with over

thirty pies in the freezer. The winter weather

will probably slow me down a bit but hope I can

be busy inside. Best wishes to all for a good

2002.

Great news: Received a Christmas

card from Mrs. Florence Richards, “Am still

here, 101 plus years.

David Long

It’s always fun to see the Lowndes

gang, but every year a few more check out.

After leaving Nashville we drove to Gatlinburg,

Tennessee, then through the Smokies to

Asheville, NC.

Mary Schaffer

I’m doing as well as expected, it gets

better every day. I hope to make some of the

reunions, maybe next year. My oldest

grandson is staying with me, he’s going to

graduate school for his masters degree, it’s

nice to have someone in the house to cook for,

it’s not as lonely.

Clark Martin

Went to Hawaii for the 60th Anniversary

of Pearl Harbor. A long tiring trip, still

recovering.

George E. Pataki

As Governor of New York I want to

thank the U.S.S. Lowndes shipmates for their

recent generous contribution to the Relief

Fund. Your donation will be invaluable in our

efforts to help the families of the victims of the

September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. I

appreciate your generous support of our

recovery efforts making a difference in the lives

of these families. Although they may never

have a chance to thank you personally, you

can be certain that each of them will be forever

grateful for the way in which you and your

fellow citizens came to their aid in the hour of

greatest need.

This contribution was made for the

ribbons passed out at our Nashville reunion.

Our daughter Pam Hennessey was part of a

group in Madison, Wl that made these ribbons.

Thanks Pam.

Joyce DuBois

Frank’s Alzheimer’s disease is

progressing very slowly. We sure missed going

on the last trips, but we hear from Walt and

Jackie Umbarger that they had a good time.

We wish Frank well and hope to see

him and Joyce soon.

Bill Taylor

When I saw this puzzle, my first thought was that

some of the Lowndes crew might enjoy it as I have. I

would have had trouble remembering the names of WWII

Battleships, but the listing at the bottom helped. Amelia

and I are doing well. The holidays were enjoyable, nothing

real exciting, time spent with the family enjoying our

grandchildren, plus hearing from old friends. What could

be better? Lebby and John Dyer did a great job arranging

everything, particularly considering that they had to do

everything long distance. I thought the hotel

accommodations were very good. We are looking forward

to the reunion in Indianapolis.

Feb. 2002-7

Bit of Trivia

OUR NATIONAL

ANTHEM

The Star Spangled Banner is a relative

newcomer as our national anthem. It’s only

been that way for the last 70 years, since

March 3, 1932, When President Hoover signed

it into law. While Francis Scott Key wrote the

words, the origin of the music goes back to

1780. John Stafford Smith, an Englishman,

wrote the song, titled it Anacraon in Heaven,

and presented it to the Anacreon Society,

which was a drinking club! It took another two

years to repeal the Volstead Act. There was a

time when everyone would stop whatever they

were doing, stand, and place the right hand

over his/her heart, whenever the Star Spangled

Banner was played. It was played so often on

the radio, during the months following Pearl

Harbor, that President Roosevelt issued a

proclamation that it was no longer necessary to

do so. He did this because people driving cars

would literally stop the car, get out, and show

their respect until the anthem was over. People

working in war plants, would also stop and

show their respects, thus interfering with war

materials production.

Salute to the American FSag

I was born a long, long ago...I was small at

first, and had only a circle of 13 stars...I have

grown a lot since then, and now have 50 stars

shining in my bright blue background...! am seen in

every land where your sons and daughters guard the

freedom of our country...I am a mirror—a

reflection to each person on his own ideals and

dreams...I am an inspiration to small children

everywhere of what they want their lives to be...I

am also a memory to the elderly of all that life has

been...! stand for your history; I stand for your

principles and your government; I stand for hope

and peace. I stand for dreams and brotherhood; I

stand for new achievements...my colors are bright

and strong. I will ripple proudly in the breeze as

long as you entrust me with courage, faith and

strength. I am loyal and I am true. I cry when

people wish me harm. I arn freedom and I am

democracy. Please stand and place your hand

over your heart and join together in a salute to

the greatest flag and this country in which we

live.

FOR I AM YOUR AMERICANFLAG

Author Unknown

In 1998 Stan and Mona Dunn hosted our

10^th annual reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was

at U.S.S. Bowfin (the Pearl Harbor Avenger)

that Stan furnished the banquet meal of Rock

Cornish Hen and a beef roast that he prepared.

We visited the Arizona Memorial and were

invited to enter the Bowfin submarine for an on

site tour. In the movie “The Hunt for Red

October,” a visit to the World War II submarine

will be quite a shock, comparing it to a modern

submarine is like comparing a beat up jeep to a

sport utility vehicle. Modern attack submarines

are about 33 feet in diameter, 360 feet long and

displace 7,000 tons. The Bowfin and other

Hellcat submarines from World War II were but

16 feet in diameter, 312 feet long and displaced

a mere 1,800 tons. Submarines of the Bowfin

era were only for the stout of heart. As any

submarine veteran will attest. No class of ship

was more decisive during World War II than the

sub, nor risky. A waterfront memorial at USS

Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park pays

tribute to the 52 submarines and 3,500

submariners lost during WW II. Launched a year

to the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor,

Bowfin made nine combat patrols during WW II,

averaging 44 days each. It was sent to the

mothball fleet in 1971 and opened to visitors in

1981

Thanks to Stan it was a very rewarding

experience, both to visit the Bowfin and the Arizona

Memorial. Ed McKeller hosted a lunch at Pokai Bay. The

very beach that the Beach Party spent nights in foxholes

while training for future landings on enemy beaches.

Learned much later that it was two Jima and Okinawa.

The USS Missouri had been towed to Pearl Harbor

previously and although it wasn’t open to the public a few

of our shipmates managed to get aboard.

In 1945 Congress officially recognized the Pledge

of Allegiance.