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To:  Members and Friends of Island MCB 7 at Large

From:  John Blaisdell, Secretary/Treasurer, Island MCB 7 at Large

Subject:  National Conventions and MCB 7 Reunions

I met Ed Monoscalco in the airport in Houston.  We had to take a bus between terminals, as there is still construction under way.  After a brief wait, we entered the airplane, only 50 passengers, taxied out to the runway, listened to the engines roar, and returned to the gate.  “We have a blinking red light.”  Ed said they just get up in there and cut the wires….no more blinking red light.  And an hour later we left for Gulfport, MS, flying through tall columns of cloud.  Really a pleasant flight.  However, it rains every day in Mississippi.  It was raining when we landed.  Thunderstorms every afternoon with a dew point of about 88: the outsides of the glass entry doors fogged up from the heat and moisture.  And the bus to CBC Gulfport is NOT air-conditioned.

My buddy, Adolph Wurzbach, from Texas, said never squat with your spurs on.

One morning we loaded busses, drove along the coast road, which the hurricane took out since our last visit, entered the Home of the Seabees at Gulfport, CBC, MS.  We had an active duty guide who was very informative regarding the base, the current status of the Seabees, a brief history of the Gulf Coast, and helpful in arranging stops at the museum, the dining hall, and at the ship’s store.  As we entered the museum, we saw four mounted plaques, NMCB 1, NMCB 7, NMCB 74, and NMCB 133, the current active units departing Gulfport.  Seven is currently in Bosnia.  A very interesting stop, the museum, and one every Seabee should visit.  Our Seven is mentioned.  (Recommisioned in 1985)  There was some discussion regarding the logo and it seems a new CO came aboard, questioned the new logo, held a vote, and the original logo (The one by Ray Leeden) was reinstated.  Good shopping at the museum and Navy Exchange.  But the food at the dining center could have been a little better.  No stainless steel trays, no 20 man tables.  Civilians now operate the dining center.

Why did kamikaze pilots wear helmets?  What was the best thing before sliced bread?

The National Convention and Reunion was held at the Imperial Palace Casino in Beloxi, MS.  I have to say that I would think the NSVA would have learned after the Riveria in Las Vegas that a Casino is not a good place to hold a convention.  All activities that take place include a trip thru the casino.  The hospitality room was in one wing, the meetings in another, and rooms in yet another.  Rather disorganized.  I tried to find those persons from Seven who were registered.  I found a few, and I am sorry I missed the rest but I blame it on the Hotel.  Attending from Seven:  Paul Arceneau, James J Becker, Ansil Brown, Vance Bryson, C T Green, Cecil Howard, Max Mills, Ed Monoscalco, Ed Palaszewski, Nelson Reynolds, Ralph E Shaffer, Jim Sorenson, Lee Stevens, Steven P Watson, Ken Wendt, William S Wilcox, and myself.  Whatever the problems, I believe we all had a pretty good time.  And Ed and I wore our neckties.

We left Gulfport in a thunderstorm, a late departure.  Then circled wide of Houston, finally landed with about ten minutes to bus and to the other terminal and catch a plane.  Ed and I just made it as they were closing the doors.  (This airplane stuff has a purpose)  Really great to get back to cool and clear St Paul.

Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.

The trip from Minneapolis to St Louis via Northwest Airlines takes about an hour and ten minutes.  Hardly time for a soda and eight peanuts.  Warm and pleasant in St Louis when I arrived and caught a shuttle to the Holiday Inn with Lee and Lucy Stevens.  Check in, dropped the bags in the room and checked out the hospitality room.  A much nicer arrangement than at the National.  I visited with many old friends, made a few new ones, had some nice snacks and some cool beverages and listened to some of the adventures being retold.  The hotel provided a very nice cheese and fruit tray with an assortment of crackers and chips.

Morning brought a tour of St Louis which included a trip to the Jefferson Expansion Museum and Arch.  Incredible construction feat.  Have to see and ride this one.  We rode a car up thru the leg of the arch, the cable setup a combination of elevator and ferris wheel.  Very cleverly done.  The museum includes a theater with film to show both westward expansion and film to show how the arch was constructed (for those who chose not to go to the top).  We went to Union Station for lunch.  The station is now a shopping center with neat shops, a food court, and several interesting features from St Louis’ past.  After lunch we traveled to the world famous Budweiser brewery.  We watched tv commercials which included the lizards, the frogs, and of course, the Clydsdales.  We toured the brewery, (1885 cans of Lite per minute) and afterwards visited the hospitality room.  A pleasant day in a pleasant city.

We again rode the busses, this time to Grant’s farm, an animal refuge and home to some of the Clydsdales, including a young colt.  Most of the animals are exotic types but there is also a children’s petting zoo.  The farm at one time was operated by Ulyses S and family before he became a general and eventually president.  Couldn’t help but think it would be a nice place to take my grandchildren.  In the evening we were again on the busses, this time headed for the Station Casino in St Charles.  We even had some winners at this sporting event.  St Charles was the staging area and jump off point for Lewis and Clark when they made their way up river in 1804.  Much of the history of this area and St Louis reflects the expansion taking place during this period, bearing on the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase.  And the Wagon trains departed from St Louis in Later years.

Famous Quotes:  (from Missouri)  “It’s nice to be wanted”.  Jesse James, 1889

At midnight Friday the pilots of Northwest Airlines decided to go on strike.  I told you the airplane stuff was significant.  I called to see what kind of arrangements I could make to get back to Minneapolis.  “Afraid we don’t have any seat on any carrier for Sunday”.  What are my alternatives?  “Maybe we can get you something on a Monday flight”.   And if not?  “We’ll try for something on Tuesday”.  It was my good fortune that our friend and mentor, Ken Burnette, had driven to the reunion.  I told him that I had found someone to keep him company on the trip back to Minnesota.  ME!  So I made the return trip from St Louis with Ken, in a Chevy Pickup, in about eleven and a half hours.  I could still be in St Louis. Fly Northwest!

Only in America:  A man orders a Quarter Pounder with cheese, a large fries, and a diet Coke.  And why are there handicap parking spaces in from of the skating rink?

The latest information from Ken Burnette regarding the reunion of 1999 is that they are trying to locate a reasonably priced hotel with accommodations to suit our purposes.  The problem is the reasonably priced.  The guys are checking most of the communities in the San Francisco area to find something which suits our needs.  If anyone has any helpful information they can contact either Ken or Smokey Peters

The NSVA National Convention for 1999 will be held in Albany, New Your.  There was some chatter about the racetracks at Saratoga for those who would be interested.  The Convention in 2000 will be in Buffalo, New York, for those who would like to visit the falls at Niagara.  I am happy to announce that the probable site for 2001 will very likely be St Cloud, Minnesota.  I can drive to that one.  The “Can Do” will have further information as the months progress.

If man evolved from apes, how come we still have apes?

I must get this into the mail before the ghosts and goblins make their move.  Or as they say in Minnesota, before winter, which could very well be tomorrow.  Keep in touch guys.

Yours in the Can Do spirit,
 

John Blaisdell