Help Is On
Way For
Fabled Ship
The USS Laffey is Going to be Saved
The USS LAFFEY DD724 is going to be saved to share her history for a long time to come.
Through the hard work of all of the employees of PATRIOTS POINT, led by PAUL JEFFERS, the ship will be sent to the shipyard on August 19th, 2009 to have 150,000 lbs of steel replaced in her hull.
I must take this time to personally thank all of YOU that sent donations to the "Save the Laffey Fund". These donations were very important to show everyone that we all care and want the ship to live and continue to display the history and patriotism of prior and present generations. The LAFFEY will be there to teach the young people of our country the importance of honoring our flag and the sacrifices the crewmembers made to save the ship from the attack of 22 Kamikaze aircraft at Okinawa during World War II.
The LAFFEY is the last SUMNER CLASS destroyer left afloat in the world. Many destroyer sailors of all ages love to come aboard and remember their times aboard their ship.
Signing of the loan agreement
John Hagerty, Chairman of Patriots Point Development
Authority
Treasurer of South Carolina, Converse A. Challis
III, also pictured
This has all been made possible by the hard work of Dick Trammell, new executive officer of Patriots Point, Bob Howard of Patriots Point, John Hagerty, Chairman of Patriots Point Development Authority, Senator Chip Campsen, Representative Chip Limehouse and one of our own members, SC State Representative James Smith, who's grandfather, Captain Paul Smith was the Gunnery Officer during the battle at Okinawa.
We especially thank State Treasurer Converse A. Chellis III for his untiring effort to make the funds available to Patriots Point to save our ship. I met Treasurer Converse and had the pleasure to give him a tour of the ship before he made his decision. He went right into the forward fireroom and down to the bilges to see it first hand.
We then went topside and saw the bridge, CIC and other various
points around the ship before he had his press conference.
We have chartered the catamaran Charleston Explorer, which has a capacity of
65 persons, to ESCORT the LAFFEY upriver to the shipyard. As
of this date I have about 25 persons interested in making the trip.
If you are interested please contact me at
soncher724@comcast.net or call
410-515-3223 to book your seat.
(Laffey Association Members have first call for seats).
We will be staying at the Quality Inn and Suites at Patriots Point.
Please call 843-856-8817 for your room.
Toll Free (800) 704-4480
Be sure to tell them you are with the USS LAFFEY to get our special rate.
I must close with the words Ari Phoutrides used on the History Channel
program, we also had a lot of "HELP FROM ABOVE".
Sonny Walker, President
USS Laffey Association