Subject: USS Blakeley (DE-1072)
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000
From: Ken Stepp
Rank: LTJG
Reported: 1970
Departed: 1973

I was the "Gun Boss" and Second Division Officer on the Blakely coming aboard at Guantanamo Bay Cuba in fall 1970. I was aboard when the ship visited Haiti, spent time in the shipyards at Charleston SC,and visited Canada, Norway, Denmark, West Germany,and France before returning across the Atlantic to the U.S.

I was proud to serve on the Blakely, and was proud to serve with each one of you that were on it.

Ken Stepp
LTJG

Subject: USS Blakeley (FF-1072)
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000
From: Richard Bourdeau
Rank: RM2
Reported: 1982
Departed: 1986

Like to say hi to all the shipmates from the Blakely. Hope everything is well with and outside the service.

Subject: USS Blakeley (FF-1072)
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000
From: Gary Cotton

Mark:

The Blakely is being scrapped by the Metro Machine Corporation in their Philidelphia Ship Yards. I have purchased the CO's bridge chair (I believe the XO's chair is still available) and 3 sound powered phone stations. (As a former IC-man, I had to have those!)

They are quickly scrapping out the ship, so if you want to obtain a piece of her, act fast! This will probably be your last chance to obtain a piece of the Blakely - I don't believe they will be offering parts of her on Ebay (Cdr. Edwards directed me to Metro when I inquired about the Ebay offerings)

Gary Cotton

Subject: USS Blakeley (FF-1072)
Date: 14 May 2000
From: Robert Jones
Rank: IC2
Reported: 1986
Departed: 1989

I left the Navy in 1995 during the "great downsizing." I am a police Officer in Greenbrier, TN.

Subject: USS Blakeley (FF-1072)
Date: Mon, 1 May 2000
From: Chuck Edwards

I am a reservist observing the breakup of the USS Blakely. We are putting a few items on E-Bay as momentos. Proceeds go to offset the cost of breaking up the ship.

Sincerely,

CDR C. N. Edwards

Subject: USS Blakeley (FF-1072)
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000
From: Chuck Czajka

To the crew; those were great years. The Blakely still plays a daily part of my life. Pictures to follow as soon as I can get some scanned.

Thank you,

Chuck Czajka

Subject: USS Blakeley (FF-1072)
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000
From: Curtis Bird
Rank: MRC(SW)
Reported: 1985
Departed: 1988

I retired in 1991 and now live in Bandera, Texas. Would like to hear from shipmates.

Subject: USS Blakeley (FF-1072)
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999
From: Richard Shipley
Rank: STG2
Reported: 1979
Departed: 1980

Great Ship. Served on her while she was in the yards at East Boston, Ma.

Subject: BLAKELY SHIPMATE
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999
From: Ralph Strunk

MARK,

I was stationed onboard Blakely from January 1987 until March 1991.

I was assigned as the Command Career Counselor. I enjoyed my tour on Blakely. I was the last Career Counselor assiged to her. I was transferred to New Orleans before her commissioning. I am presently stationed onboard Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region Four at Fort Dix NJ. I have just completed 20 years of service and plan on retirement in the year 2001.

I was also assigned to the Whipple. I was also stationed at VFA-204 and VP-64.

thanks,

NCC(SW) Ralph E. Strunk
1987-1991

Subject: Service aboard USS Blakely (DE 1072)
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999
From: Fred Bell

Hi Mark,

Hello from another Blakely Plank owner!

I am Fred Bell, served on Blakely as ETC from March 1970 until April of 1973. I reported for duty on her nucleus crew while the ship was being built by Avondale Shipyards just south of New Orleans, La. During delivery of the new ship to her homeport of Charleston, S.C., while being piloted by a civilian Master, we were involved in a high speed, midnight collision with a 47 foot sailing vessel in the shipping lanes off Ft.Lauderdale, Florida! Luckily, no one on the sailboat was killed, but it was completely destroyed, of course. Blakely's Jack staff was bent and bow was scratched a bit!

The ship was commissioned at Charleston in July of '70 and eventually was sent to fight in the Viet Nam Campaign in late '72. Noteworthy was the weekend fuel stop in Manzanio, Mexico, where the crew relaxed during this unscheduled, surprise voyage to our assignment in the Pacific Fleet. The V/N campaign was over in early '73 so our tour was cut short and we returned to Charleston via the Panama Canal. We of the CPO mess (as well as the rest of the crew) had some memoriable liberties in Pearl Harbor, Hong Kong and Panama City on that cruise.

We had a super crew and were serving on a great ship of that era and we all knew it and were proud of it! My ET gang's performance was second to none during those days, with a truly cool EMO, Ltjg Joseph Waddell. ET2 Bob Hayes, Bill Shank, John Kellogg and the rest of the gang worked hard and played hard ....ah, the parties on the Isle of Palms!

Those days are gone forever but the memories live on....and it doesn't get any better than that!

Thanks for puttin' together a great website

Fred Bell

From: Rudy Ogden
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 1999

My name is Rudy Ogden and I was on the net and saw the Destroyer Online page.

I served in the US Navy from 1969 -1973. I saw the page for the USS Blakely DE1072, when I was on it. I am a plankowner of the Blakely and served on it until 1971 as a machinist mate in the main engine room. I am not sure if the ship is still in service.

Several years ago it came into Boston for a few days. I brought my children down to see the ship. When I told the officer of the deck that I was a plankowner, he gave my children and me a red carpet tour of the ship. I was amazed at how old she looked. I probably look old too. I also served on the USS Glennon DD840.

Thanks for the time and work that you must put into this.

Rudy Ogden

Subject: USS Blakely (DE 1072)
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999
From: Dennis Pittsnogle

Mark: I am a plankowner of the USS Blakely DE 1072, being a member of the original commissioning crew, serving from 3/70-6/72. I was originally an E-3 boatswainsmate, but later transferred to ships barber for the final 6 mos. of my tour until my seperation.

Our C.O. was Capt. Frank Carelli. We took our PRECOM school in Newport for the first 3 months then were home-ported in Charleston S.C.

I have some pictures, including some of the Commissioning Ceremony, but don't have the capability to E-mail photos yet. I would like any info on crew members serving during that time that you come across.

My e-mail address is: denpitts@intrepid.net

Nice site!

Sincerely,

Dennis C. Pittsnogle

Subject: USS Blakely (FF-1072)
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998
From: Loney Mellott

Mark,

I have just recently come across the DOL site. I have much experience with the Knox class frigate. I was assigned to Fleet Training Group GTMO in the early seventies when the Knox class were being commissioned and had the opportunity to train most of the atlantic fleet Knox crews on their "shakedown" cruises.

In 1985 I was assigned to the USS Blakely (FF-1072) just after she was transferred to the Naval Reserve. I did three years on her as LCPO of OE division.

In 1992 I was assigned to the USS McCandless (FF-1084) as her Command Master Chief. I was with her until she was decommissioned and transferred to the Turkish Navy. I notice that the McCandless is not active on the DOL site and would be willing to provide you with any information you require to get her active.

If I can help in any way please let me know.

Loney Mellott
ETCM(SW)
USNR(TAR) Ret.

Subject: USS Blakely DE/FF 1072
Date: Fri, 25 Dec 1998
From: Gary Cotton

Mark;

I have a cruise book the Blakely, dipicting our Med Cruise of 1974. There are many photos in the book; from "everyday" life onboard ( unreps, "fantail" picnics, inspections, etc.), to what I would describe as "tourist shots" of various ports we visited. I would be happy to scan as few or as many as you would like, but only want to send you the types of pictures you are most interested in. Let me know.

The book also has a full listing of the ships company during the cruise. Is this something you would be interested in?

Gary Cotton
(ICFN, USN 1973 - 1977)

Subject: Served aboard the USS Blakely (FF 1072)
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1998
From: Mark Hurst

Hi Mark,

I was just surfing one day and found DOL. Cool site. I served onboard the USS Blakely (FF 1072) from September 1973 to May 1974.

Because of a family situation I transferred to the USS Holland ( AS-32) and then to the USS Hollister (DD-788). I served my time from July 1973 until October 1977 and was discharged into the Inactive Naval Reserves.

If you get emails of anyone serving on the Blakely during my time onboard I sure would like to email them back.

Again, thanks for the site.

Mark R. Hurst