2003 Reunion Notes.

These are some notes about the USS Charr reunion held November 6 -10, 2003 at the Holiday Inn Mission Bay/Sea World, San Diego, California. Plans for this reunion were coordinated by Jim Freitas and Lin Marvil.

Approximately 86 shipmates attended, with possible other locals who did not check in. Registration in the hospitality room began Thursday and ended Saturday. Some played golf on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with Dan Davilla setting up tee times and courses.

On Friday night, 120 alumni and family/friends enjoyed a dinner cruise in the San Diego Bay.

Saturday was an open day for visiting, sight-seeing, and taking tours.

On Sunday morning, shipmates gathered for a crew meeting. The agenda for this meeting was election of officers for the Alumni Association, and plans for the next reunion. The officers elected by the group will be found on the "Alumni Officers 2003-2005 page. The group then decided to hold the next reunion at Charleston, South Carolina, in 2005, and the actual date and location will be decided by the new officers. Information concerning this reunion will be posted on the Reunion 2005 page.

Also during the meeting, Doc Taft won a painting of the Charr, both before and after conversion, showing two of its patches.

On Sunday night, the reunion dinner was held a Tom Ham's Lighthouse Restaurant built into San Diego Bay. Shipmates and guests enjoyed a buffet dinner, and the guest speakers for the evening were five former commanding officers of the Charr. Jack Glasson was presented a "Butt Kit" can dated 1946 that will be passed on to other shipmates at future reunions. The Split-the -pot winner was Steve Liskany.

On Monday, about 75 people enjoyed a farewell buffet breakfast at the hotel.

That's it for now. If anyone would like to submit further details for this page, contact Pete Chesebrough.