JULY 2016

USS JOHN W WEEKS DD-701 ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER
Alan Cutcher, President
The clock is ticking as we finish all the
details for our Reunion in Buffalo, NY.
Planning a reunion is a year-long
project with your Board of Directors
investing their time and effort to
make sure we have a great time
together. I am so grateful that we
have such a dedicated Board of
Directors.
As our group grows smaller, the effort to hold a reunion
becomes more challenging each year. Your Board is trying
to work about two years in advance to find a location that
has someone from our group available to help with the
challenge of all the planning involved. We will discuss our
future plans for reunions at our business meeting in Buffalo.
The business meeting will also include another auction. I
think everyone had fun at the last one. I have gathered a
number of items to auction off including a number of books
from the personal library of Captain Jean Fitzgerald who
served as our Captain from 1963 to 1965. His wife donated
the books to me and I picked some out for my own library
and set some aside for our Museum. The balance will be in
the auction. If you have something you would like to
donate, please bring it to the reunion. All the proceeds will
go to our Ships Museum in New Hampshire.
Remember to bring your Passport if you plan on going into
Canada during the reunion.

Now Hear This!

IMPORTANT: BUFFALO
REUNION
REGISTRATION/INFORMATION
EDITION

Look inside for your

Registration Form. If
attending, complete
form and send to our
Treasurer, Jerry
Wester with your check
no later than August 26.
Also, make your hotel
reservation as soon as
possible but no later than
August 21 to ensure
availability.

Shipmates!
Information on our
association founder Hal
Gross and the history of
the USS John W Weeks
Association can be
found on our website.
www.ussjwweeks701.org.

Buffalo will be a great city to visit and the tour of the USS The
Sullivans will be special. As time allows, we will be showing the movie in the hospitality

room about the five Sullivan brothers who joined the Navy in WWII and fought together
and died together on the same ship.
All the information about our reunion is included in this newsletter. We hope to see you
there.
Watch for an article in an upcoming Tin Can Sailors magazine about the dedication of the
Ships Museum in New Hampshire last summer. I think you will enjoy it.
Looking forward to shuffling off to Buffalo! See you there!

BUFFALO REUNION HOTEL INFORMATION

The Millennium Hotel Buffalo located just outside Buffalo Proper in Cheektowaga, New
York, where we will be holding this years reunion September 14-17, is accepting
reservations starting immediately. Members may call 1-800-323-3331 and mention that you
will be attending the John W Weeks reunion. For those booking via the internet, the hotels
website is www.millenniumhotels.com. Click on Book a Hotel and Destination Millennium
Buffalo, add dates and the group code 1609johnww. Click on Search and the available
rooms will appear. Reservations must be made by Sunday, August 21.
Deluxe guestrooms are $109 a night or $119 if you prefer a courtyard room. There is a
complementary hotel shuttle service to and from the Buffalo Niagara International Airport
and for other requests within a two mile radius of the hotel. The same rates will apply for
three days prior and three days following our official reunion dates. A 15% discount
voucher will be provided during our stay for all meals eaten at the hotel restaurants. The
hotel is animal friendly, there is no parking fee and the hotel is conveniently located for
those wishing to travel by train.

JOHN W. WEEKS (DD-701) REUNION BUFFALO, NEW YORK

REGISTRATION FORM AND PAYMENT
Payments must be received by mail on or before August 26, 2016. After that date, reservations will be
accepted on a space available basis. Please do not staple or tape your payment to this form.
MAIL YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO:
Jerry Wester, Treasurer
2590 Sylvan Street, Little Canada, MN 55117
DATE

COST

EVENT
REUNION REGISTRATION FEE

$36 PP

NIAGARA FALLS PARK AND LUNCH

$49 PP

FRI SEPT 16

NAVAL PARK TOUR, LUNCH ABOARD THE

USS LITLE ROCK CLG-4 AND RIVER CRUISE
ABOARD THE GRAND LADY

$83 PP

SAT SEPT 17

BANQUET DINNER

THURS SEPT 15

Filet of Sirloin

$32 PP

Chicken Francaise

$32 PP

Penne Pasta (vegetarian)

$32 PP

2017 ASSOCIATION DUES

$25

QTY

SUBTOTAL

VOLUNTARY DONATION TO THE JOHN W.

WEEKS MUSEUM MEMORIAL ROOM
TOTAL

PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:

NAME/RATE (On Name Tag) ________________________________________________________
Years Served ____________________________________________________________________
Spouse _________________________________________________________________________
Guest(s) ________________________________________________________________________
Address ________________________________

City _________________St. ____ Zip________

Phone (Home) ____________________ Phone (Other) __________________________________

Email Address____________________________________________________________________
Emergency Contact_________________________________Phone__________________________
Do you require hydraulic wheelchair assistance to board bus? (PLEASE NOTE THAT WE CANNOT
GUARANTEE AVAILABILITY) Yes ___ No ___
Are you staying at the hotel Yes__No__ Method of transportation: Car__Plane __Train __RV__

Arrival Date _________________ Departure Date _________________

Notice: You should make a copy of this form for your records.

NIAGARA FALLS AND LUNCH PACKAGE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
We will meet in the Lobby of the hotel and board the Gray Line bus at 9:00 am. You will be
transported to Niagara Falls USA to discover the State Park and natural wonders of the
Falls at your own pace. You will be given a map and information about sites around the
park that may interest you. For $3 you can board the trolley that will take you around the
park loop and you can get on and off as you please. There will be nominal charges at
several of the sites that you will pay on your own. Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds at
Goat Island and Bridal Falls are some sites you may want to explore. Be aware that some
walking will be required and that the trolley cannot board wheelchairs. You will also be
provided with a meal voucher that is redeemable at the famous Hard Rock Caf. No
reservation is required. Food options include the Lil Rock Burger, Cheeseburger, Bacon
Cheeseburger, BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Sandwich,
Pasta with Marinara Sauce, and Chicken Caesar Salad. Voucher should also cover you for
a chocolate chip cookie. All will be picked up at the Hard Rock Caf Bus Turn at 2:30 pm
and be returned to the Millennium Hotel by 3:00 pm.

ERIE COUNTY NAVAL AND MILITARY PARK AND MUSEUM TOUR, LUNCH AND
AFTERNOON CRUISE ON THE NIAGARA RIVER ABOARD THE GRAND LADY
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
We will meet in the Hotel Lobby and board the Gray Line bus at 9:30 am. We will be
transported to the Naval Park and will be given the first tour of the day at 10:00 am. The
tour will include boarding the USS The Sullivans (DD-537), the Guided Missile Cruiser USS
Little Rock (CLG-4) and the Gato Class Submarine USS Croaker (SSK-246). You will also
explore many other military exhibits representing all branches of the U.S. Military. At 11:45
am, we will sit down for lunch aboard the USS Little Rock to enjoy a catered lunch from the
Pearl Street Grill. It will be a hot lunch buffet that will include Beef Tips in a Merlot Sauce,
Chicken Cacciatore and much more. At 12:45, we will return to the USS The Sullivans for a
brief ceremony of remembrance of the Sullivan brothers and the other 682 sailors who lost
their lives aboard the USS Juneau (CL-52) that fateful night during the Battle of
Guadalcanal. There will be some time after the ceremony for members and loved ones to
explore the Park some more.
At 2:15 pm, we will depart the Naval Park and board The Grand Lady that is docked
nearby. At 3:00 pm, we will commence our afternoon cruise on the Niagara River. We will
return to the dock at 4:30 pm where we will board the Gray Line bus that will return us to
the hotel at 5:00 pm.

REUNION AGENDA
Wednesday, September 14

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Reunion Registration

Hallway
outside
McKinley

3:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Hospitality Room Open

McKinley

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Welcome Reception
Speaker: John Branning
Senior CPO, USN (Ret.)
Superintendent, Naval Park.

McKinley

Food can be brought in from

the Hotel Restaurant Waldens.

Thursday, September 15
9:00 am - 10:00 pm
(If needed)

Hospitality Room Open.

McKinley

9:00 AM

Board bus for Niagara Falls USA.

Lobby

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

View the Falls and explore all

the State Park has to offer on
your own and at your expense.
For $3 the trolley will take a circular
route around the park and you
get off and on as you please.
Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds
at Goat Island and Bridal Veil
Falls are some sites you may want

to explore. Be aware that some

walking will be required and the
trolley cannot board wheelchairs.
On the bus, you will be given a map of the
Park and a short explanation of the sites
you can walk to from the trolley.

Upon arrival, you will also be given a

food voucher for the Hard Rock Caf.
Use it when you wish, no reservation
is required. Options include Lil Rock
Burger, Cheeseburger, Bacon CheeseBurger, BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich,
Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Sandwich,
Pasta with Marinara Sauce, Chicken
Caesar Salad plus a chocolate chip cookie
for a lite dessert.

2:30 PM

Board bus for hotel

3:00 PM

Arrive at Hotel

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Board Meeting

Hard Rock
Caf

Hard Rock Bus

Turn

Filmore

Dinner on your own

Friday, September 16
9:00 am - 10:00 pm
(if needed)

Hospitality Room Open

McKinley

9:30 AM

Board bus for Naval Park

Hotel Lobby

9:45 AM

11:45 AM

1:00 PM

Arrive at Naval Park for tour

Lunch
Hot Lunch Buffet from Pearl Street Grill
that will include Beef Tips in Merlot
Sauce, Chicken Cacciatore and much more
for you to enjoy.

USS Little
Rock (CLG-4)

USS The
Sullivans (DD537)

Brief Ceremony

2:15 PM

Depart Naval Park to board the

Grand Lady

3:00 - 4:30 pm

Afternoon cruise on the Niagara River

5:00 PM

Return to Hotel

Adjacent to
Naval Park

Dinner on your own

8:00 PM

Flix Night "The USS Fighting Sullivans"

There will be other showings including a
documentary as time allows.

McKinley

9:00 am - 11:00 am

Business Meeting

Kennedy

11:00 am - 5:00 pm

Hospitality Room Open

McKinley

Saturday, September 17

Lunch on your own

See Buffalo on your own

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Cocktail Hour

Courtyard

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Dinner

Waldens

8:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Auction

Waldens

9:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Social Time/Farewells

Waldens

10:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Cleanup

McKinley

BEWARE: THERE ARE CASINOS AT NIAGARA FALLS AS WELL AS IN BUFFALO

SEE YOU IN BEAUTIFUL BUFFALO!

USS John W Weeks

Association
1118 Lincoln Ave.
Port Huron, MI 48060

We are on the WEB!

www.ussjwweeks701
.org

Directors:
Bob Michaels - (757) 898-1650 remichaels@cox.net
Phil Varner - (856) 464-1727 tobosopv@yahoo.com
Ray Goodmuth - (410) 758-6596 raygoo@live.com
Director Emeritus - Earl Thomas (301) 987-6347 ewtpearl@aol.com
President:
Alan Cutcher - (810) 984-4670 wc1996@aol.com
Vice President & Assistant Chaplain:
Dave Kurtz - (717) 366-4610 davejudy55@gmail.com
Secretary/Treasurer:
Jerry Wester - (651) 483-4252 shirjer99@juno.com
2590 N. Sylvan Street
Little Canada, MN 55117
Chaplain:
Kathy Michaels - (757) 898-1650 kfmichaels@cox.net
Newsletter Editors:
Dave Kurtz & Ray Goodmuth
Web Master:
Len Budzynski

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