To my shipmates,
   All the men in the following pictures were on the Leyte, in V3-Ordinance Division, except for
   my Brother Reggie.
   Reggie was on the USS Valley Forge CV-45, as I was also, before transferring to the Leyte
   in January, 1951.
   Picture # 1- Myself, taken in spring of 1951, shortly after returning to Norfolk from the Korean
   cruise.
   # 2 Taken at Murrays Tavern in Norfolk, in 51, oe 52.
   L to R-Billy Free, Waitress, Red (Moose) Walsh, Riley Lintz,Myself, Galakoski, and Dick
   Bowman.
   # 3- Taken at Clarice Cafe, at Atlantic end of Panama Canal, returning to Norfolk, from
   Korea.
   L to R- Myself, Bugs Jorde, John Carr, Ruft.
   Don't know why these old salts took this 18 year old with them on liberty.:)
   # 4- Taken in 1985, in Derry, NH.  Babe Gallien, his Grandson, and myself.
   Gallien was a good buddy of mine from V-3, and I spent many weekends at his home in
   Derry, NH, while the Leyte was in Boston.
   # 5 left- Taken on the same trip in 1985, in North Adams, Ma.
   L to R-Myself, Bullett's ladyfriend, my Wife Vernita, and Ronnie Bullett, also previously in V3
   Div.
   # 5 Right- 3rd deck ordinance crew, taken in 1952.
   L to R- Front- squatting- Kenny Mayhew, 2nd row- Bob Horner,myself, Gary Naethe, Riley
   Lintz.
   Back row- Aurthur Almond, George Crespy, & Lou Tursi.
   Mayhew, Lintz, and Crespy were killed in the explosion in October, 1953, just six weeks after
   I was discharged at the Fargo Bldg. in Boston.
   # 6- My brother Reggie, and I, taken in Sasebo, Japan a month before my 18th birthday,
   while we were both assighed to the USS Valley Forge.
   Reggie was a radioman in VC-3 Squadron, and was a crewman on an AD Skyraider flying
   many times over Korea.
   I stood condition 3 (4 on and 8 off) watches on the quad 40 MM guns, aft on the island
   structure, and I had quite a few anxious moment watching Reggie's plane coming in for a
   landing, especially during heave seas.
   Thinking back, it never occurred to me, that he could quite possibly have been shot down
   over Korea.
   # 6 Right- Myself, on flight deck, in 1953.
   Sincerely Yours
   Clair H. Fletcher
 
                                                                                                              Posted as received 10/01/02DRR
 
 
 

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