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
Washington Monument as seen from WWII Memorial
Gardiners Bay WWII veterans: Mauch, Anderson, Bonda
WWII Memorial looking toward Lincoln Monument
East entryway to WWII Memorial
WWII Memorial looking north
Korean War Memorial soldiers and reflecting wall
Two of eighteen soldiers in open field: Korean War Memorial
Korean War Memorial reflecting wall
Korean War Memorial: Reflections and embossed images
Lincoln Memorial
Viet Nam Memorial: West wall
Korean War Memorial: North wall
Abe Lincoln and admirers
DC Capitol and dome across the mall
Navy Memorial: Capsule recovery
Navy Memorial: Sailor on vigil
Mount Vernon southeast elevation
Ray and Carol Bonda, Dale Cox
Pauline and Jerry Chatelain: Reunion coordinator
Anderson, Hamilton (?), Mauch
Edrie and Carl Anderson
Martha and Bob Mauch
Air Force Memorial
Moon Lander: Air and Space Museum