1/31/08

A letter of condolence: NJRGoPitt@aol.com

Nancy Raymond and family,

Our heartfelt condolences to you and your family.

Jim is now listed in the Providence Memorial. He is in the company of good men who served our country during peace and war. Our Providence Dedication is a tribute to men like him…. it reads:

"This web site is dedicated to all the families, friends and the crew members present and past who served aboard the ships named Providence. It is a tribute to the devotion to duty and tireless efforts of those who served aboard her in peace and war.  May we never forget the spirit of Providence and those who stand vigilant and strong, always ready to protect and defend our country."

Fair winds to you James “Gunner” Raymond, until we meet again.

Sam Villa, Webmaster
On behalf of the USS Providence Association

http://www.ussprovidence.org/memorialone.html

1/29/08

A letter of condolence: cweichold@yahoo.com

Clarence and family:
We are thinking of you on this sad occasion and hoping that your fond memories of Earlene will help sustain you in this time of sadness.  It was always wonderful to see you both at the reunions having so much fun together.  You seemed to always have your arm around Earlene and sharing another humorous thought. 

May your memories comfort you during this difficult time and be assured that you have friends that care about you.

Enclosed is a poem honoring a “Navy Wife” and a photo capturing a special moment. 

Sam
&
USS PROVIDENCE ASSOCIATION

Jim Chryst, Jack Reighley, Bill McCubbin and all your friends from the Providence Association.

12/12/07

Shipmates and friends:

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year.

In San Diego, we received our White Christmas in the
Laguna Mountains.

Sam/Linda Villa

--------------

9/19/07
Good Guys,
A thank you to Jim (Chryst) for sending me this great photo of Prov when she was CL82. Jim received the photo from a USS Little Rock sailor.
Here is a little info from that email:

>I recently received the attached photo from Walt Nebiker, a USS Little Rock
>(CL-92) sailor in the mid-late 1940's. It shows a highline transfer of an
>unnamed individual between the USS Little Rock CL-92 and the USS Providence
>CL-82. It may be something that you can add to your archives.  I have a high
>resolution version of this photo if you should desire it.
>
>Walt has provided me with a lot of nice info, primarily pertaining to the
>Little Rock while she was in the Med. If I come across additional pics of
>the Providence I will pass them on.
>
>Best Regards,
>Art Tilley MT2
>USS Little Rock
>1962-1963
Photo can now be seen in the Photo/Gallery section on the menu page.

Sam

3/27/2007
Good Guys,

Just received this very powerful video. Godspeed to our troops.
http://www.youtube.com/v/ervaMPt4Ha0&autoplay=1

"Big John" Decommissioned After 38 Years of Service
...check out Navy NewsStand Media

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/videodb/player/video.aspx?ID=8980

Sam

12/27/2006
Greetings to All:

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas and I do wish you a Happy
2007.

Here are a few photos from my attempted sailing adventure in
San Diego Bay. Linda and I felt it woud be a good day for sailing
therefore we drove down to the Harbor Island Yacht Club and checked
out a 32" Catalina. As we were doing this, the wind continued to build
up to small craft warnings and possible gale winds on the way.

Fair winds,
Sam/Webmaster

http://star77.com/sdtwo/index.html

------------

May 25, 2006

Good Guys,

I have just completed the 1970-72 Cruise Book. It is now online and the link is on the menu page. Thank you Phil Stanley for loaning me your book. Two Cruise Books are now online.

Also, we now have 47 Privateers online.

Fair winds,
Sam

------------

May 24, 2006

Good Guys,
Check out the June issue of Sea Classics. There is a great article on Providence that covers her tour of the Med.
I am waiting on permission from the publisher to put the article online....... Sam

------------

May 11, 2006

Good Guys,

I have now updated to Dreamweaver8. I am now ready for any new updates and new submissions to the online email list. Mail your information to star77.com as before. Sam

------------

March 2, 2006

Gene Peach (DD884) submitted a great writing by By VADM. Harold Koenig, U.S.N. Ret. entitled "I Was a Sailor Once."

I hope you enjoy it.

Sam

------------

December 25, 2005

Good Guys of the USS Providence:

I want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy and Healthy New Year and Happy Holidays to one and all.

Fair winds and following seas always,
Sam + Linda Villa
http://www.ussprovidence.org/christmas2005.html

November 24, 2005

Good Guys,

I want to share a greeting given by Chaplain Herman W. Carter. The message was given to the USS Floyd B. Parks Association and is most appropiate for this special time of year at Thanksgiving.

Sam

November 11, 2005

Honoring All Who Served...Veterans Day

October 13, 2005

Good Guys,

Today is 230th Birthday of the United States Navy. Be sure to click here to read some interesting informaton about October 13, 1775. Read remarks by the Secretary of the Navy and interesting history from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

The name Providence has a rich history.

Sam

September 7, 2005

Good Guys,

I finally had a chance to go aboard the USS Midway/ Museum. Here are a few (325) more photos that I took with my handy digital camera. That carrier is huge. As you may or may not know, the USS Midway is now a permanent museum here in San Diego. Hope you enjoy the photos and please excuse my excessive photos of "Old Glory."

go to http://www.ussprovidence.org/mid5x5/index.html

Sam
Webmaster

August 17, 2005

Good Guys,

Here is a pamplet on the First Fleet Story (1964) that I received from Don Oviatt.

http://www.ussprovidence.org/FirstFleetStory1.html

I believe today the First Fleet no longer exists. The Third Fleet now covers the Pacific waters off San Diego. Today the Fleet is still as strong as ever.

Always wishing the best to our military,

Sam

May 30, 2005

Good Guys,

These words from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address come to mind at Memorial Day.

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth......."

Sam

5/05/05

Dick Rector shares his photos of Roy Coast (94 years old) who served in the Navy in 1933. Roy has been collecting navy memorabilia for years and is sharing salvage records and memorabilia of Providence. Dick Rector plans on making a special plaque for plankowners of CL82 from the orignial teak decks of Providence.

http://star77.com/rector2/index.html

James L. Measom writes:

"While aboard the Providence I had the opportunity to visit many interesting places, such as Cairo and Alexandra, Egypt, Beirut, Lebanon, Nice, France, Tangiers and Algiers in North Africa, ........"

James L. Measom shares some photos and experiences aboard Providence in the 40's. Click here to read his bio and to go back in time to the days of CL82.

Sam

3/27/05

These are a few lines from the poem "Night Watch." A sailor aboard the USS Taylor DD 468 wrote and published it in All Hands Magazine in June 1967.

"This moment's mixed with sadness,
and loneliness returns,
But sadness stays not long with me;
As I survey the ocean sea,
I know my dear one waits for me,
And love's bright light still burns."

The poem brings back memories of Osredkar and myself many a time smoking and drinking coffee on the Missile House in the middle of a storm or in the quiet tranquility of a glassy ocean.

I took the liberty of adding images to help enhance the feeling of being out in the middle of the ocean in quiet thought. Hope it brings back some memories for you too.

Click here for "Night Watch."

Sam

03/17/05

Here are some great shots of Providence firing her guns off Vietnam. Ray Rudy ETR2 shares some of his photos from his WESTPAC tour. (11/66-69)

http://star77.com/fire1a.html

USS New Jersey joined us in Vietnam. Here are some photos of NJ taken from the Providence. I remember that the crew always took the opportunity to take a good look at the New Jersey. She was an awsome sight. Rudy also got some good photos of the Vietnam coastline.

Some of the images show that we got pretty close to the shore. My understanding is that it could get shallow fast. La Roque (CO) in later years wrote of this concern and the carrying of nuclear weapons aboard Providence at that time. We sometimes had to get close to shore for Naval Gunfire Support effectiveness and that created the possibility of going aground.

http://star77.com/rudy2/index.html

Thanks Rudy,
email: (rrudy@newportnet.com)

Sam

02/24/05

For those of you that miss San Diego, here are a some photos that include images around the Laguna Mountains, San Diego Bay and early morning at the Marina Village docks.

Trip to the Laguna Mountains after fire (12/2003)
Sailing with my friends in San Diego Bay (9/2003)
Photos of early morning San Diego 01/2005

(12/6/04)
I am planning to visit the USS Midway Museum soon and should have more photos to share.

(1/10/04)
Today the USS Midway made its way to the "G" Street Pier which will be a Naval Museum. It is to open sometime in late spring or early summer. Take a look at these photos that I took with my handy digial camera. (photos)

(7/2003)
Now in July 2003, we are seeing the decommissioning of the Constellation, the commissioning of the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS Midway coming to San Diego as a museum.

(3/3/03)
Today on T.V. we saw the USS Nimitiz and its battle group deploy from San Diego. We wish the best to all you guys.

Since then the USS Abraham Lincoln returned after first being visited by President Bush. A BZ to the officers and crew for a job well done.

(11/2/02)
Linda and I saw the USS Constellation depart San Diego Harbor this morning on its last deployment. It was a proud moment. This morning was rather hazy but something happened for a few moments that approximated a miracle. The City of San Diego, Coronado and the Connie were all a silvery haze gray siloquette at the same time. It was as if God were paying tribute to this grand ship. Best of luck and Godspeed.

Photo of Linda waving to Connie...

Aboard Providence: {April-1968 to Oct-1972}

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