Gardiners Bay reunion 2011

The Gardiners Bay (AVP-39) held its annual reunion of former crew members in the Washington DC area in September 11-15, 2011. One of the ship’s claim to fame was its presence in Tokyo Bay during the surrender ceremonies along with the battleship Missouri and many more US Navy vessels. The main deck of the Missouri was the ship on which the papers were signed. The reunion celebration in 2011 included visits to the war memorials and museums in Washington DC and a tour of Mount Vernon. The following pictures document the celebration, the attendees, the festivities, and plans for next year’s reunion in New Orleans May 22-26. The ship herself was decommissioned in the late 1950s, was sold to a Scandinavian Country, and is reportedly still performing admirably over 50 years later. Refurbishing her old sailors is a more daunting task.

Marine Memorial flag raising on Iwo Jima: Mount Suribachi