Subject: New guy, from the 50th State Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 16:37:14 -0500 From: "Bill" To: Another new guy, George Mattimoe, from CV 20, george lives in Hawaii, drop him an "Aloha" gmattimoe@hawaii.rr.com Dear Bill, would appreciate hearing from you and whether you might know the whereabouts of a copy of the USSBennington's history during WWII. It is a blue covered, partially bound booklet that was printed in the Bennington's print shop. I had one but loaned it to a doctor friend on mine in Oakland CA, over 35 years ago. I guess he's not going to return it! I'm a "plank owner" and was also a member of CASU-20, and we were attached to VB-82 stationed at Wildwood NJ then at Oceana,Virginia until we were ordered aboard at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Sailed aboard her to Trinidad on shake-down, then through the Canal to San Diego and on to Hawaii. From there we went to the "gathering place" Ulithi atoll in the Carollnes. I rode the lady into Tokyo Bay and finally home to Oakland, but that's another story I recently finished a historical novel after 27 years (yet unpublished) and It has three chapters, or so, in which the Bennington as CV-20, plays a minor roll. It is pure fiction at that point. I'll never forget those dear young ladies of Bennington College who sent the crew a 5 gallon tin of Maple syrup. I hope they never learned how much it was diluted to feed a hotcake breakfast to a crew the size of the Bennington's. Let me hear from you if it is convenient, Aloha. ************************************************************************************************************************** Hey, do you stand watch over the email 24 hours a day? Thanks for the instantanous reply. No, I am not on your email list and yes I'd be delighted to be included.