HAVE YOU CHECKED THE HOME PAGE FOR THE LATEST INFO?
I have managed to resurrect some of the Guest Books from the previous FDR Websites. There are some that are lost forever but this is the best there is at the moment. There is a lot of good stuff there.
Click on the year you want to view. Click on the left arrow at the top of your browser to return to this page.
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006-09
MISUSE OF INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN COULD BE AN INVASION OF PRIVACY!
Sign in using the comment form at the bottom of the page and please leave a valid email address. It will NOT be viewable to visitors! If you want to hear from your shipmates leave your email address IN THE MESSAGE ALSO.
SO
Please put your email address in your message so your shipmates can get back to you (if they can remember you).
There is software on board that makes it unreadable to the “bots” who collect that sort of stuff.
All entries must be approved before they will appear in the book. Any inappropriate entries, as well as those with invalid email addresses, will be deleted and will not appear. I check daily so don’t despair if your entry doesn’t appear immediately.
Due to a rash of automated spam messages we now use “captcha” authentication. Just enter the “captcha” code and then SUBMIT. Don’t worry about upper or lower case….either will work. If you have trouble reading it just click the little button to the right and it will “refresh”. Thanks!
Many shipmates have told me, via email, about having visited this site. Oddly many have not left entries here for their shipmates to see. THEY do wonder how you are and probably would love to hear from you. This is a great way get back in contact.
REMEMBER….THE ONLY WAY FOR YOUR SHIPMATES TO GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU IS HAVING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR MESSAGE
For YOUR protection – No home phone numbers or addresses please. Please save that for when you make email contact.
REMEMBER….IF YOU WANT TO BE CONTACTED MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE BODY OF YOUR MESSAGE
I worked in the Public Affairs Office on the 1970-71 cruises. I hated it then but now these times are some fond memories. If you worked in Executive Division send me an e-mail at rdv@airmail.net
Gary. your Army email won’t work. I just tried!
Thanks Steve, Bob and now Larry for this Website….Now that I’m slowing down, I’m trying to put together some things for the the family memorabilia collection.
Joined FDR or ‘Rusty Rosey in mid-cruise Dec 1973 – Mar 1974. Part of VA-15, AT4. Remember the flooding in the forward areas (above the waterline) on return deployment from rough seas in North Atlantic….
Does anyone have a Cruise Book? Mine is incomplete, young (then) wife allowed kids to trash my pics in book….almost caused a divorce…..but here we are 37 years later wanting to show grandkids pics of self…..
P.S. about the army email….joined USN cause I was in last draft of VietNam Era…thought I would be “safer on a boat”, (dad was a flyboy USAF so I had a been there, done that, attitude about Air Force) oh the mis-steps of youth… Anyway, I joined the MS Army National Guard in 1990 when thoughts of retirement planning started entering my mind. Desert Storm just started when I was swearing in again…but I missed the first round with Saddam…. Well, I was to get my ’20 Year Letter’ in 2004 when low and behold I was mobilized for the second round with Saddam in OIF III and had my last ‘military vacation’ in Iraq at FOB Kalsu with the 155th BCT under 24th MEU of the 2nd MARDIV (to think of all the Marines I busted heads with as as Sailor trainee in NAS Millington and later as Shore Patrol on both the FDR & America).
I served aboard Rosie from 1966-1968, through the Vietnam cruise and the Med cruise. I was in the Marine Detachment during my tour there. Great experiences and fond memories!
These pages have been a real memory jogger! Thanks!!
Ron
Served aboard the FDR from Nov 1956 thru Jul 1959 in the OI division. A Great ship and a great crew. Many a fond memory.
I WAS STATIONED IN MAYPORT,FL IN THE EARLY 1970’S ABOARD THE DESTROYER USS BIGELOW (DD-942). IN MY MINDS EYE, I CAN STILL “THE ROSIE” SITTING MAGESTICALLY AT HER BIRTH. *ALSO THE USS YOSEMITE.* NICE WEB SITE. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.
Back in the 1950’s there was a very…”special” incident which occured in the North Atlantic. Let’s simply say it had to do with an airborne object. I’d very much like to chitchat with anyone who was on board at that time. lairdofglencairn2003@yahoo.com is the best way in which to contact me.
In 1967, when we rounded the Cape of Good Hope in tremendously heavy seas, there was an incident of another type – an incident which I can’t ever forget. What about that one?
I loved my time on Rosie and only wish it had been longer!
Fair winds and following seas to one and all.
SERVED ON THE LAST CRUISE IN R-DIV 76-77. GENERAL QUARTERS STATION FORWARD PUMP SHOP. ANYBODY REMEMBER THE CRASH IN THE STRAITS OF MESSINA .WE GOT TO ENJOY NAPLES ITALY FOR ANOTHER WEEK
I was on the Rosie during its last Med. Cruise. I was assigned to 4 Charlie boiler room. I noticed a few names on the ships roster that I remember well, such as Stormy Waters, BT2 Ormsby and Freddie Wayne Shearin (FUGI), Also BT1 Reed, who I remember to be a great leader. My E-Mail address is apsnelgrove@bellsouth.net. If you read this and remember serving with me drop me a line to let me know how you are doing.
From the OPHIST
651012 Collided with French merchantman “Charles Le Borge” off Southern France,
little damage to FDR, bow holes above water line on French ship.
Anyone have the details of the Med cruise ship wreck of 65 with the french frieghter??
Name of the other ship etc..I remember we hit the bow and cut off 15ft then hit the side with an elevator and spun her around and cut off the fantail of the frieghter..Also knocked out a 25 ft hole in the Rosie..I had just got off the super carrier Constellation and was use to general quarters from the coast with the original attack on the rice paddy from Tonken Yacht Club in 64-65 but that was some kind of different hearing the Boatswain mate blow the pipe and sound the alarm for collision at sea.
Tom,
All those names show up in A Division during 1964-65.
i forget my div # , i worked in aux div on air compressors . chuck alderman was my first class po. ronnie mccord was 2nd class po . i was on board when we broke a prop off in the med ,. and had to come back to nj for repairs .was in cuba when the water was shut off on the base . can’t find my ship book . i really miss it now? some names i remember ,
donnie hall ,plant city fla , oscar cabanis ,barto fla. mick cossic , union town pa , buzz weber ,reading pa. i blew up the motor on the # 8 work boat . paul gish worked on the captins p boat. GOOD OLD TIMES . GOD BLESS , tom.
I served on the ship from 1969 to 1973 as an aviation ordinanceman in ships company.I made three med cruises and have a lot of memories to look back on. If you remember me, please feel free to contact me at this e-mail address. handi_bob48@msn.com.
V-4 Division; flight deck refueling crew and QC Lab operator. Served aboard Rosie from August 1976 to July 1977—yes, caught the ship in Naples. Catch myself telling sea stories of the terrible night in the straights (that sent us back to Naples) as well as dealing with Harriers and integrating them into fixed wing air-ops. In retrospect, I must have enjoyed every minute of the last med cruise (as well as the other 2 westpacs) as I often reflect fondly on shipmates from those crews. Cross-decked to KITTY HAWK and made 2 more westpacs prior to leaving the NAVY. Since my discharge, I’ve worked for the DON (NAVSEA) at PSNS & IMF as a fuels system designer and now as a Production Superintendent.
I was ships company,1961–1965. I was ships cook & baker those years.
Had a lot of good times on that ship.
My father (Miguel A. Diaz from San Juan, Puerto Rico) served on board the USS FDR from 1958 to 1961 as an electrician. He always talked proudly about his years on board. Unfortunately he died of Alzheimer’s disease on September 19, 2007. I have many photos that he took while he served and many of the Mediterranean Tour those years. I could email some of them to share in your website, all I will need is a recipient email address. Mine is: theseus444@hotmail.com
Hi,
I was just looking on NavSource at the FDR. I was on the USS Midway in ’71, ’72, ’73 and am interested in her sister ships.
HAVE A GOOD INDEPENDENCE DAY-HAPPY BIRTHDAY U.S.A.—–AND ME-7-4-54
The web site looks great !!
Hi to all you Jolly Rogers 71-73.
My new e-mail address k1919j1502@gmail.com
Thanks Steve. You gave the inspiration and new technology gave the methodology. It has become a labor of love.
Congratulations and thank you for this fabulous web site. This is so much more than I ever conceived way back when.
Great site!! Did the med cruise in 1965 on the Rosie in Heavy-10. Aviation Ordnanceman. Did final flight deck inspection and signed the birds off before launch..also served as Master-At Arms because I made rate too fast to finish mess cooking duties..LOL Would like to hear from some of the old salts out there.. shushu70454@yahoo.com