NEWSLETTER OF THE PREBLE REUNION ASSOCIATION

Change does happen, albeit at a glacial pace. Both Gene Wamsley and I have recently acquired computers and have e-mail addresses which we use to coordinate our activities.  Hopefully this will bring our phone bills down to a reasonable figure for the first time in several years. You are certainly invited to use e-mail in communicating with either of us.

Arrangements for our 1999 reunion in St. Louis are proceeding handily. Our Host, Mike Bohannon is doing a fine job, as we knew he would. Read about it inside.

As we approach a reunion year, we are all busy and the hard administrative expenses must be paid. The only source of income we have are your contributions in the form of $10.00 annual dues. This dues money is spent exclusively to promote and arrange our reunions... including newsletters. No one receives a dime in compensation for time expended or for personal expenses incurred.

As we pass the half-way mark for 1998, less than 40% of our members have contributed the requested dues. This puts us on thin ice when it comes bill-paying time and we have no surplus to be applied to "goodies" for the reunion.

We have coded your address label to indicate the year that our records show you to be in good standing. This year code appears just below your name. (No one sees your address label but you).

So.. .would you please check your address label and if it shows a year other than '98 or '99 we hope that you will help out to the extent you are able.

Please makes checks payable to Preble Reunion Association and mail to Gene Wamsley. Address to be found on the back page.

See you in St. Louis!

Bill Calhoun

1999 REUNION

Our Host Mike Bohannan has settled on the Regal Riverfront Hotel in the heart of downtown St. Louis as the site for our 1999 reunion.

The Regal Riverfront is highly regarded for comfort, personalized service and comprehensive facilities. The hotel is ideally located in downtown St. Louis, across from the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium.     Guests of the hotel enjoy panoramic views of the majestic   Mississippi River and
remarkable city skyline. Historic Laclede's Landing and the shops of St. Louis Center are just a short distance from the hotel.

Dates for the reunion have been set.. so if you need to arrange to take a vacation day or two, it would be good to get your bid in now;

Friday, July 23: Attendees arrive according to own schedule.
Saturday, July 24: Reunion activities commence.
Sunday July 25: Reunion activities continue. Banquet.
Monday, July 26: Attendees depart according to own schedule.

Mike was able to negotiate a room rate of $70.00/night (single or double occupancy). Just $1.00 more than at our Charleston reunion of 1997.

Full details and registration materials will come to you in the January 1999 Preble Yell.

Preble on the Internet

Our shipmate Tom Bateman (GMM1, '78-'82) has expended a great deal of time and energy to post an award-winning Preble Web Site to the Internet. It will be well worth your time to visit it at: http://www.usspreble.org

Preble at Philadelphia

Latest word we have is that our Preble still lays pierside at the Inactive Ships Facility, Phila. But...she has been resold, so there is no telling when she will be towed off to the breakers yard.

Shipmate CDR Jim Coltellaro (LCDR, '87-'89) informs us that he may be able to arrange a shipboard visit for our members. Suggest you contact Jim by e-mail if you are interested. See the e-mail directory for his address. If you are not e-mail capable, by phone at (215) 897-7007 (working hours only).

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