THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604120289
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
About 80 former pilots, riggers, crane operators, divers and shop foremen who are retired from Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth enjoy a breakfast once a month of hot coffee, sausage biscuits and lots of reminiscences.
Fred L. Turner, a 40-year veteran of the shipyard, and some of his friends put out a call about a year ago to former co-workers to get together to remember old times.
Now, on the second Thursday of each month, 130 former co-workers gather at 9 a.m. at the McDonald's restaurant on the corner of George Washington Highway and Victory Boulevard. Sometimes there are men with more than 3,000 years of combined experience sipping coffee and swapping stories at the Chesapeake restaurant.
``There's no dues, no records, no official meetings,'' Turner said. ``Just show up and join in with the other old coots.''
This week, Jacob Mitchell and Hudson E. Manly rode in from South Mill, N.C.; James T. Beale came from Suffolk; and Robert L. Gilliam pulled in from Virginia Beach to join Chuck W. Cronin, William P. Hearndon, Clinton A. Wiggins and Norman M. Barnes from Portsmouth.
Waiting for them at tables pushed together were Virgil L. Diehl of Norfolk, Morris L. Young of South Norfolk, George H. Reich of Great Bridge and H.M. Jackson of Deep Creek.
James V. Gallup of Norfolk retired in 1967 after 31 years as a rigger and diver. He said the breakfast session gives him a chance to reunite with friends and co-workers he had not seen since he left the docks.
``Many of us worked together 10 to 12 hours a day for more than 30 years,'' George W. Pallette said. ``That was often more time than we spent with our families.''
Sidney W. Sutton of Norfolk said he started work as a common laborer in 1939 and retired 52 years later as a rigger. Now he doesn't miss a meeting.
``It was very hard work,'' Sutton said. ``But I was lucky, sometimes it was work when others were not working. I learned as I went, and I made lifelong friends.''
``I'm always here at the meetings, '' Lawrence A. Tucker said. ``It's a good feeling to be with friends.''
Now breakfast companions, Henry Van, Frank W. Webster and Arthur H. King were once loft riggers in the shipyard's Shop 72. They made rope and cable and safety-tested lifting equipment and splicing repairs.
Red L. Taylor was a diving supervisor during his 36-year tenure. He told tales of barges and boats during 1936 and the raising of the tug, Helen, during 1942.
Taylor took great delight in sharing tales about his friend Derwood E. Gallop of Grandy, N.C., who put in 35 years as a diver. Gallop assisted with the raising of the tug, ``Virginia,'' and worked on the bottom of the S.S. United States when it was in dry dock in 1952. Gallop also was officially commended by the Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet when he assisted in the dive to place pontoons under the Missouri to float it after the ship ran aground in the Chesapeake Bay in 1950.
Because the breakfast session has proven to be so enjoyable, Percy R. Williamson is planning a July picnic for his fellow retirees and their families.
Turner issued an open invitation of all shipyard retirees to join the breakfast club and the summer picnic.
``If you are not here, you are missing a good time,'' Turner said. ``and besides, if you are not here, we'll probably talk about you.'' MEMO: For more information about the breakfast meeting call, Fred L. Turner at
488-4818 and for information about the picnic call Percy R. Williamson,
487-5801. by CNB