31 October 2007

Hi Dick:

Thank you for the letter and the application for the Grand Haven meeting. Much as I would like to be there medical reasons keep me from it. I wanted to et to the meeting in Seattle/Renton but my son was out of town and he has to drive me to events.

I am glad that Dave Webb got to the meeting. He only lives a mile from here and we use to get together every once in awhile. Have not seen them for quite a while. We first met that at a reunion in Santa Cruz, CA.

I was Chairman of BSPAV in 1991 and was nominated by Morrie Kmbarn. I think the name change is a good idea. It is getting back to the name we had for years. Orignially only the ones that had sailed the Bering Sea could join.

In 1938 I was a boot seaman on the ARIADNE not know what to expect. Boy did I learn. It was cold up there and wet. There is not too many still around of the start of the Bering Sea meetings. I think it was in the early fifty’s that Hurlin Hurt and Ohmer Raye got the first meeting started. They lived in Santa Cruz CA and that is where the group started. Besides myself, Jake Ridley is still going and Ralph Hackerson.

I will miss seeing the group but know it will be a great gathering as usual.

Best Regards,

TONY