USS SHELTON 2012 REUNION IN NASHVILLE, TN, SEPT. 13-15

 

OPRYLAND RADISSON TO BE HOST HOTEL FOR REUNION


     The USS Shelton, DD790 Reunion will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, Sept. 13-15, and will be hosted by the Opryland Radisson Hotel.  The Opryland Radisson is located at 2401 Music Valley Drive, Nashville, Tennessee, 37214.  The telephone is 615-889-0800 for direct contact with the hotel.  1-800-333-3333 gives worldwide reservations.  Quiana Taylor is the executive sales manager if you need clarifications.  The room rate is $109 plus tax.  Ask the hotel about discounted round trip shuttle service from the airport.

     The Radisson hotel was chosen, because the group was very interested in the Opryland Gaylord which would be very expensive.  This Radisson is part of the same Opryland system and has free bus transportation from the hotel to the Gaylord Hotel, the Wild Horse Saloon, the Grand Ole Opry, and more.  There is free parking at the hotel.  We did not negotiate a breakfast, but the Radisson has a restaurant and there is a Shoney’s across the parking lot and a Cracker Barrel across the street.   

     The Hospitality room will be open Thursday for most of the day.  People can come and register at any time of the day and visit all day and tell stories.  Also, if there are places you would like to sightsee; this would be a good time to do so.  The Opryland bus will take you from the hotel to other Opryland attractions free of charge.  I thought maybe we could all board the bus Thursday evening and eat at the Wild Horse Saloon and watch or participate in the line dancing.

     Many sailors will arrive a day ahead of time and can spend Wednesday, September 12 together.  There will be plenty of things to do.  The hotel rates are good for three days before until three days after the reunion.

Friday, September 14, 2012

     We board a bus at 8AM, Friday morning for an Experience Music City Tour.  The total cost for the tour, (lunch included) is $75.50.  It starts with a memorial service at the Nashville National Cemetery on Gallatin Road.  We will visit world-famous Music Row, the heartbeat of the music industry where hearts are broken and dreams come true.  We will stop and tour Historic RCA Studio B—Home of 1000 Hits, one of Nashville’s first and oldest surviving recording studios.  Legends such as Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers, Charley Pride, Jim Reeves and Eddy Arnold all recorded their hits at Studio B.  The most famous to record at Studio B was Elvis Presley who recorded over 260 songs in 50 Master Sessions from 1958-1071.  Learn the true secret to how Elvis created the melancholy lonely feeling in his recording of “Are You Lonesome Tonight”.  We will have a self-guided tour of the state-of-the-art Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum and a limited engagement exhibit.  “Family Tradition:  The Hank Williams Legacy” explores the connections between country music’s most iconic figure and his creative heirs showcasing family personal items never before seen by the public.  We will have lunch at the glass atrium of the Country Music Hall of Fame.  We will return to the hotel between 3:45 and 4PM. 

     This gives everyone two hours to change (if so desired) and eat at the hotel, Cracker Barrel, Shoney’s or one of the neighboring fast foods before boarding a 6PM bus.

     The Grand Ole Opry Tour ($43.50) starts at 6PM and ends at the hotel about 10PM.  We will ride together to the world famous Grand Ole Oprythe longest running radio show in radio history.  This is the #1 reason folks have come to Music City for the past six decades.  From today’s contemporary artists to legends of tomorrow, we will see and hear a host of entertainers this evening. 

Saturday, September 15, 2012

     Saturday, we will become history minded.  The $60.50 cost for the Saturday tour includes a buffet lunch.  We board the bus at 9AM and we will visit the home of the 7th president of the United States-Andrew Jackson, the Hermitage.  Guides in period costume will welcome us to the 1837 mansion.  We will see how Jackson lived and hear behind the scenes stories of Jackson’s road to the White House.  We tour the mansion, heirloom garden, slave quarters and the tomb of the President and his beloved wife, Rachel.  After the tour we will enjoy a delicious southern buffet lunch at Hermitage House Smorgasbord—Home of the Apple Fritter, a Nashville favorite.

     After lunch we will travel to West Nashville for a Tour of Belle Meade Plantation.  Conducted by period interpreters, this tour takes us through the exquisite 1853 Greek Revival Mansion filled with original furnishings and period antiques.  A century of Belle Meade’s history is told through stories of the Harding and Jackson families and the skilled labors that made the plantation one of America’s premier Thoroughbred farms.  Enjoy wine tasting at the conclusion of the tour.  We return at 3:30PM to the hotel and relax until banquet time.

     The banquet will be a buffet with cheesy beef la- sagna and southern fried chicken. Tentatively 6:30PM

 

USS Shelton. DD790 dues $10.00

     Dues for 2012 remain at $10.00, this covers postage and printing of the newsletters, unexpected expenses that arise at the reunions, and this past year we sent a donation to the Tin Can Sailors in memory of Tom Mark who planned so many reunions for us.  Please make checks out to USS Shelton and send to Dick Petrowich at 308 S. Jackson, New Athens, Illinois, 62264.  Also, please help us find USS Shelton sailors that we don’t have on our mailing list.  We especially need sailors from the 1960’s and early 70’s.  We are losing many from the 1940’s and 50’s.

Eugene, Oregon Reunion Very Rewarding

     The Eugene reunion turned out to be very satisfactory.  We toured Sea Lion Caves, rode dune buggies, saw the University of Oregon, ate in a railroad diner, had Andrew Sisters impersonators sing at the banquet and had a lot of fun.  We had a smaller number at the reunion than we usually have because of several unavoidable situations.  With the economy as it is today, hotels are becoming more rigid in their contracts.  We now have to guarantee a certain number of rooms over the six day period. If it fits into your schedule and budget, coming for an extra day really helps the quota.  We want you at the reunion, even if you would camp or stay at one of the cheaper hotels in the area, but you do not help the quota.  We get reduced rates when we meet quotas.

San Antonio, Texas Site of 2013 Reunion

     The USS Shelton, DD790 voted at the 2011 reunion to let San Antonio be the site of the 2013 reunion.  It is just a little bit east of the Rocky Mountain time zone, but we thought it would make a nice location.  We will vote in Nashville for the 2014 reunion.  The only city that has been nominated so far is Charleston, So. Carolina.  I would like to give the group three choices to vote on.  Would you like colonial New England as a choice?  Would you like to maybe go close to Niagara Falls?  Or you maybe have somewhere else in mind.  Please keep us informed. 

Help Leon celebrate 100 years!

     Leon’s daughter, Candy sent us this message on Jan. 29: “I wanted to let you know that we are celebrating Dad's 100th birthday on February 18, 2012 (his actual birthday is Sunday, the 19th) at Eagle Cliff Manor in Billings.  We are planning cake, balloons, a local politician to garner a newspaper story and his favorite thing ever, live music.  Many grand and great grand children will fly in as well as some old family/friends.” 

     Muriel’s note: I’m sure he would love to get some cards from Shelton sailors.  His address is Leon Shelton, 1301 Hardrock, Billings, MT 59105.

Cut-off Dates for Reunion.

     The Opryland Radisson will honor the $109 rate until August 14.  The bus tour company would like to have their final payment within 35 days of the reunion.  Please try to make reunion reservations no later than June or July to lower Dick Petrowich’s stress level.  Let’s set August 1 as a final cut-off date.  We will send you back a refund in most cases, and if you cannot make reservations until later in August we can probably get you registered.  Just call 618-475-3248.

     We can send updates throughout the year by e-mail, but many of you do not keep us informed when you have changes in e-mail addresses.  Also, if you are ever travelling through southern Illinois, look us up.  You are always welcome in our home and the state where the former governors make our license plates.  Come visit.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USS SHELTON REUNION

SEPTEMBER, 13-15, 2012

RESERVATIONS FORM

Please send to:

DICK PETROWICH

308 S. JACKSON

NEW ATHENS, IL  62264

Phone: 618-475-3248

 

                                                                                                No.              Total Cost

Registration fee $15.00/ person                                                                                                                

 

Dues (if not already paid) $10.00/ sailor                                                                                                   

 

 

Friday, Sept. 14, 8 AM tour $75.50/ person                                                                                               

            Includes bus, Experience Music City tour

            Lunch, and more

 

Friday, Sept. 14, 6 PM evening tour $43.50/ person                                                                                             

            Grand Ole Opry tour, this is the # 1 reason

            Folks have come to the region for the past 6 decades

                       

Saturday, Sept. 15, 9 AM $60.50/ person                                                                                                   

            Includes tour of The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson’s home),

            Buffet lunch at the Hermitage house smorgasbord, and

a tour of the Belle Meade Plantation.

 

Saturday, Sept. 15, banquet, 6:30 PM $35.00/ person                                                                              

            Buffet with Cheesy beef lasagna & Southern Fried Chicken

 

Grand total (tours and meals)                                                                                                                      

 

*Sunday, Sept. 16, breakfast and farewells

*You might want to make a copy of this for your own information

 

**Remember to make your hotel reservations with The Opryland Radisson, located at 2401 Music Valley Drive, Nashville, Tennessee, 37214.  The telephone is 615-889-0800.  Tell them you are a part of the USS Shelton reunion.  Also, ask the hotel about discounted round trip shuttle service from the airport, if it is needed.  Please try to make reservations by Aug. 14.

 

Names for nametag purposes.