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Dear Arlington Shipmates As the Host of the USS Cony reunion in May, I knew what was scheduled, but I had no idea how far the Clarion Hotel Staff would go to make everything perfect for the USS Cony. I was constantly surprised at every turn. This was the USS Cony's 21st Reunion and it turned out to be the largest Reunion they have ever had, with 70 shipmates and 115 total persons in attendance. And, according to the WWII guys who started the Reunions, it was, without a doubt, the best reunion they have ever had. I cannot brag up the Charleston Airport Clarion Hotel enough for the way the USS Cony Reunion was handled, and the word "Outstanding" doesn't even come close to describing the treatment we received from the Clarion Staff. There wasn't anything too good for Cony Crewmembers. The hotel is exceptionally clean, very plush (with two pools) and extremely Military Friendly. When you leave the Clarion, you will not only know you are a Veteran, but you will truly feel like an "Appreciated Veteran". Located on the "Main Deck" by the Indoor Pool, the Hospitality Room is large with plenty of seating and an area is set up for our memorabilia. The Hotel provides (at no charge to us) plenty of ice, cups and napkins and we are allowed to stock the Hospitality Room with Liquor, Beer, and Soft Drinks, even though there is a bar in the Atrium area, close to the Hospitality Room, that opens at 5pm daily. The daily reunion room rate of $64.00 includes a delicious hot buffet breakfast every morning. I'm not talking just donuts and coffee, the buffet breakfast has Scrambled Eggs, 'Taters, Biscuits 'n Gravy, Grits, Juice, Coffee (The Works!). And, since our group was large enough, as a gift from the Clarion to the Cony Reunion, our breakfast was set up separately in a banquet room as a "Private Breakfast", so we could eat breakfast together. |
The Meals were beautifully decorated, each with a different
theme, and the food was simply delicious. The "Pig Pickin'
Luau" had Roast Suckling Pig and Baked Chicken as the entrees.
After the meal the we were treated to a Hula Dancers show and
the Hawaiian Dancers were "incredible" as well as beautiful.
Participants were selected from the audience and we got some
hula lessons! This Luau was supposed to have been held at the
outdoor pool, but Mother Nature had her way, as we experienced
our only rainy day. So the Luau was held indoors. AGMR-2's Luau
is scheduled for the Outdoor Pool area also. The Tours featured a trip to Patriot's Point where we held
an impressive Memorial Service in the USS Yorktown's Hangar Bay,
with the colors being presented and retired by the West Ashley
High School Naval JROTC unit and the message given by Rev. Harold
Syfrett, who, by the way, was an EM2 on the USS Yorktown in the
Pacific during WWII. A wreath was then cast into Charleston
Harbor as Taps was bugled by the Cony's own bugler. Not a dry
eye in the Hangar Bay! We then enjoyed a delicious meal in the
CPO Mess. (Guess what kind of dinner ware we ate off?) Our other
tour was the Charleston Harbor Cruise featuring sights of Charleston
Harbor. |
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I can't begin to tell you how much that my wife Rita and I enjoyed this years Cony Reunion. We spent so little time in our room that I have no idea if the television that was there works or even if it was plugged in. Just a minimum of time to bathe and get a little sleep. Ken and Marge Cox and Ken Jimison did a fantastic job of putting this one together and I am so glad that they have been voted in to put on the next one also. This year we had MANY new attendee's that had not been to a Cony reunion before, mostly because of Ken Cox's hard work in recruiting new members and many have told me that they were there because they had found the Cony web site. The Clarion Hotel Staff was fantastic and tried to make our every wish come true. If we ever hold another reunion in Charleston, I hope that it is held in the same hotel. This years reunion was also attended by 2 Navy Captain's,
Karl Thiele Capt. (Ret.) who was in command of the Cony in 1965
through 1967. Also attending was Thomas A. Clark Capt. (Ret.)
who served on board the Cony as enlisted. "Outstanding" does not come close to describing the way we were catered to by the Charleston Clarion Hotel. From Administration right down to the porters, Teamwork was their order of the day. The room rate included a delicious, full breakfast buffet and due to the size of our reunion group, and at no cost to the reunion, the hotel set our breakfasts up separately. The Hospitality Room was large and was kept open at all times except during tours. Patriot's Point was the main tour with a touching Memorial Service that was slightly delayed, but otherwise went off without a hitch. Ken Cox started off having to use up an hours time while the Food was being prepared and the Color Guard to arrive. WW II shipmates were asked to stand and introduce themselves to the new Reunion Attendees, the new Reunion Attendees were asked to "stand and be counted".
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After Ken Cox played stand-up comic for a while....etc...., Chaplain Syfrett came to the rescue and talked about the USS Yorktown until the West Ashley Naval JROTC arrived to present the Colors. Chaplain Syfrett (a WW II Yorktown sailor) gave the message, Ken Jimison read the names of the departed shipmates, Ken Cox tolled the bell and Jim Worth cast a floral wreath into Charleston Harbor while Charlie Liken bugled Taps. The Harbor Tour was postponed from Friday to Saturday due to the only rainy day we experienced. The meals at the Clarion were beautifully decorated and very delicious. Friday's "Pig Pickin' Luau" was an event to remember, with Roast Suckling Pig and after the meal we were entertained by the Catering Manager, Carmen (from Guam) and her two nieces (charming young beauties aged around 9 or 10). They performed well and really played to this crowd of Cony Mariners. Ken and Marge Cox were presented with hand made Leis by Carmen. Then the "Hawaiian beauties" called several from the audience in a vain, and humorous attempt to teach us how to Hula! Saturday's Banquet was a splendid meal, Roast Beef, Chicken Marsala and Shrimp Creole. After which the door prizes (A flag throw for the Ladies door prize and a copy of October Fury and Fletcher DD's in Action was the Men's door prize. Ken Cox donated a gold Anchor/Eagle pendant for the main raffle prize, and other raffle prizes included a Fletcher Class destroyer model kit (with 508 decals), Lone Sailor pewter Key Chain, several nylon US Navy wallets, a Reprint of a Betty Grable WW II poster and some frame photos of the Cony. Big Band and Swing music was played during the meal and then music from the 50's and 60's was played during the Dance, which lasted until 11 pm. The Cony sailors can't compliment the hotel enough. The hotel staff was impressed by the closeness of all the Cony sailors. They said that they were really impressed by the way our reunion group stuck so closely together when we were in the hotel, and how we treated the staff in return. It was a pleasure for Ken Cox and Ken Jimison to host this reunion, and Ken Cox is looking forward to hosting the 2004 reunion in Baton Rouge. The "Bear-huggin', back-slappin' and misty eyes" are truly the greatest reward possible for this Reunion Host. /s/ Ken Cox |