THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 20, 1995 TAG: 9512200403
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MELISSA GUNDEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
My husband served 20 years in the Navy. We never used our traveling privilege for overseas travel. He passed away in March 1994. Am I entitled to any of these benefits?
Military space available travel is a privilege that accrues to uniformed services members as an avenue of respite from the rigors of uniformed services duty. Retired members of the services also are given the privilege in recognition of a career of such rigorous duty and because they are eligible for recall to active duty. This privilege is extended to eligible family members only when accompanied by their sponsor. So, Department of Defense regulations prevent widows of retirees from traveling by military Space A. For more information concerning Space A Travel, contact the Navy/Air Mobility Command Air Terminal, 444-3947 or 445-6563.
My grandfather was on the Kearsarge in World War II. I was wondering what happened to the original ship and what kind of ship it was.
The Kearsarge you are talking about is the second Kearsarge, commissioned in 1900. The ship had an interesting and successful career. It started as a flagship and was decomissioned twice and converted the second time as an engineering training ship. The third and last time, it was reclassified as a crane ship (AB-1). As crane ship No. 1, it made many contributions to the American victories of World War II. Its name was struck from the Navy list in 1955. It was later sold for scrap that same year.
During WWII, my father was stationed on the destroyer escort Bronstein. I understand it was sold to Argentina or someplace like that. I just wanted to know if it was still in existence.
The Bronstein (DE-189) was placed out of commission in reserve in 1945. It was then transferred to Uruguay in 1952 under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. In 1988, the ship was stricken and scrapped.
I'm trying to find out how I can get hold of any records for my grandmother, who was in the military during World War II, and find out what kind of awards or citations she received. I'm trying to put a shadowbox together for her.
The folks at the National Personnel Records Center should be able to help you. Write to them at 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63132. Or call 314-538-4243. Good luck with the shadowbox! by CNB