USS HUGH W. HADLEY (DD-774)

Highlights

This was our 19th reunion. A total of 61 attended the banquet, which included 12 shipmates. Another first, was the attendance of two families with four generations in attendance. We were also honored with the presence of Rear Admiral John Shepharo and his son. The Admiral was married to one of Hugh W. Hadley’s daughters. We attended the Mission Church of San Jose, the fort at Sam Houston, visited the Riverwalk and enjoyed the barge ride on the river. We dined at the Republic of Texas Restaurant, visited the Texas Museum and the restaurant made famous by Teddy Roosevelt, The Buckhorn Saloon for lunches. The group was honored by a presentation by Ryan Richardson 514 a member of the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. His talk and the responsibilities of the Honor Guards, was well presented and respectfully received by the attendees. This was our second visit to the San Antonio area. Another honor was given to the HADLEY by the Nimitz Museum of the Pacific. In our previous visit we presented that portion of the bridge containing twenty-five symbolic Japanese flags. This was the number of enemy aircraft destroyed by the HADLEY, 23 of them in the battle of May 11, when these planes were shot down in 90 minutes. Our latest honor was rendered when the USS HADLEY was informed that the Combat Information Center of the HADLEY was to become a permanent exhibit in honor of our victory on May 11, 1945. The room was dedicated to the HUGH W. HADLEY as an additional honor. Good-byes were said and honors rendered to retired Capt. Doug and Jeanne Aitken for all their work over the years. Marty Weible was also honored for attending all 19 of our reunions and to Frank Boffi for all his work with the Navy Union on our behalf. Future reunion plans have been turned over to the next generation and arrangements will soon be underway for our next reunion in 2014 at a location to be determined.