Why Go To A Reunion?
Planning for the 2011 Reunion (Washington, DC)
2010 Reunion After Action Report (Charleston, SC)
2009 Reunion After Action Report (San Antonio, TX)
2008 Reunion After Action Report (Traverse City, MI)
2007 Reunion After Action Report (Caribbean Cruise)
2006 Reunion After Action Report (Branson, MO)
2005 Reunion After Action Report (San Diego, CA)
2004 Reunion After Action Report (Virginia Beach, VA)
Why Go To A Reunion?
Good question! I am probably the best guy to answer that question. You probably did one tour at sea, got out of the Navy, and went back to CIVLANT. Well I was a “lifer” for 28 years. When an old MASSEY shipmate asked me if I was going to the next 778 reunion, my immediate response was “I don’t do reunions”. Well he convinced me to go and I had a great time... and have been every year since then. Why? Well the purpose of the association is to promote camaraderie and pride in your ship, your service, and the Navy. The MASSEY Association does that well! I belong to several other Navy associations and some of them get pretty “clicky”. The 50s Radarmen don’t mix with the 60s Snipes! I know! I’ve been there! With the MASSEY Association, it doesn’t matter when you were aboard or what you did. At a reunion, you will find Commissioning Crew members who fought at Okinawa in 1944 coming alongside “younger” shipmates who were there on the ship’s last day of service in 1973. Being a MASSEY sailor was and is still special.
What is a reunion all about? Well it typically starts with check in at the hotel on Wednesday for early arrivers with the Hospitality Room opening up in the afternoon. Early birds usually migrate to the Hospitality Room for some libation and light off the sea story generator. The Hospitality Room is the center of activity if you are looking for someone! Thursday and Friday typically include tours to reunion sites of interest, e.g., Williamsburg, Indian Gap National Cemetery, San Diego Zoo, etc. After the tour of your choice, it’s back to the hotel and the Hospitality Room to meet newly arriving shipmates. Dinner is usually on your own at night. The Plan of the Day for Saturday typically includes something special like a tour of a destroyer, the Sea & Air Parade, or the Gettysburg Battle Field. You’re free to do whatever you want. There’s no pressure. Saturday night is our reunion banquet and is normally a coat and tie event. Sunday is check out for most folks and often involves last good byes at a group breakfast event. The week goes by pretty fast but at the end you’ll feel good about seeing old shipmates again and meeting new shipmates. The links above will tell you what’s planned for the next get together. Check it out and we’ll see you there!
Dick Pearsall
MASSEY 64 - 66
2011 Reunion Herndon VA (Washington DC Area)
The 2011 reunion of the USS Massey DD-778 will be held at the Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport 2200 Centerville Rd. Herndon, VA 20170 from Thur. 25 Aug to Mon. 29 Aug. The room rates will be $89.00 Single or double. A limited number of rooms will be available 3 days pre and post reunion at this rate. A breakfast will be included on the 26th.27th, & 28th. Parking is complimentary and each room is equipped with a coffee maker, iron & ironing board, Hairdryer, AM/FM Clock Radio & Refrigerator. Comp. shuttle service will be provided to the Washington/Dulles Airport. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel at 703-471-6700 or online by clicking here. To get this special rate you must identify yourself as being with the USS Massey group.
Thur. 25 Aug. 2011; Check in and registration. Hospitality room will open.
Fri. 26 Aug. Breakfast in the hospitality room. 0730 board busses. 0800 Depart for the WW11 Memorial. 1030 to 1230 Visit the USN Memorial & Heritage Center. A memorial service and wreath lying will be held at this location. At 1300 hrs will lunch at Phillips Flagship Restaurant on the Potomac. This will be a buffet lunch with over 85 items to choose from. We will depart at 1430 hrs. then tour the Holocaust Museum. At 1800 we will arrive back at the hotel. Hosp. room will open and dinner will be on your own.
Sat. 27 Aug. Breakfast in the hospitality room. 0830 we will board the busses . 0900 depart to visit the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax. On display are over 2,000 firearms spanning over 600 years. Also on display are famous individuals guns and those of National Champions. At 1100 hrs. we will board the busses for a visit to the Smithsonian Institution’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy National Air & Space Museum. On display are over 335 air & spacecraft including space shuttle Enterprise, a SR-71 Blackbird, B-17 Flying Fortress, F-4 Phantom, and the B-29 Enola Gay. Lunch can be had at McDonalds at the museum. All purses, bags, etc. will be hand searched so please bring only a small purse or fanny pack to expedite this procedure. DO NOT BRING ANY POCKET KNIVES. 1430 we will return to the hotel and dinner will be on your own. Hospitality room will open.
Sun. 28 Aug. Breakfast will be in the hospitality room. A board of directors meeting will be held at 0900 and the Massey Business Meeting at 1000. This will be a free day to attend Church services, shop, tour on your own or just R&R. A cocktail hour will be at 1800 hrs. with our banquet at 1900. Entertainment by the group DC3 will be from 2000 to 2300 hrs.
Mon. 29 Aug. Breakfast on your own, say our good-byes and look forward to seeing everyone in Indianapolis in 2012
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
