USS John W. Thomason DD760 Association

Pre-planning for the 2014 Shipmate Reunion

to be held at Long Beach and San Pedro, California

At the 2010 reunion held at Salt Lake City the Association membership nominated shipmate Bob Soukup (ETN2 1967 - 70) to host the 2014 reunion at Long Beach California.  The following is a very early draft of what Bob has in mind for the reunion:

It is far too early to set a specific date but it most likely it will be sometime during the months of July or August 2014.  In the past our reunions have run from Thursday through Sunday, but for this reunion Bob is looking at the idea of holding the runion on weekdays only.   There are several reasons for this change .   One is that airline fares often are less expensive on weekdays.  Another is that most Southern California attractions tend to be less crowded on weekdays.  A third reason is that Bob has a special event in mind that only occurs a few times a year and co-ordinating the reunion with the special event on a weekend is next to impossible.

Those shipmates who have not visited Long Beach since their Navy days will find a very different city from what they may remember.   The Navy base and shipyard are gone, as are the rowdy night spots that catered to sailors.  The Navy base and shipyard are now part of the giant combined port of Los Angeles and Long Beach.   The old "Pike" area has been turned into a gentrified gathering place, as has much of downtown Long Beach.

The Navy shipyard closed in 1997 and was converted to a container terminal in 2003.   The Navy Mole is now used for Boeing's Sea Launch System.   The combined ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the largest container handling ports in the US.   Chances are that many of the Asian made goods you have came through the ports of Los Angeles or Long Beach.

Bob is in the process of seekig out a base hotel for the reunion.   Long Beach has many very fine hotels from which to choose.   Hopefully a hotel will have been chosen in time for announcement at the 2012 reunion at South Bend, IN.

This is just a preliminary plan!

The tour ideas listed below are the result of some very quick brain storming.  There is so much to see in the Long Beach area that many of the ideas presented here will need to be abandoned.  The organized tours to be offered should be of interest to a majority of the shipmates and their families who attend the reunion.   Shipmates and their families may wish to explore some of what is available in and around the Long Beach area on their own.

All tours will be OPTIONAL!  Shipmates who simply want to visit with fellow shipmates in the hospitality suite instead of going on tours will be welcome to do so.

Below are some possible ideas for tours.   Bob plans to give you shipmates a chance to vote on what you would like to see and/or do as the main tour.

• Aquarium of the Pacific
• The Lone Sailor Statue
• Long Beach harbor cruises.
• Whale watching cruise.
• Gondola rides around the Naples area of Long Beach (just like Venice, Italy).
• The Queen Mary
• The Japanese Garden at California State University Long Beach.
• Museum of Latin American Art
• Long Beach Museum of Art
• Rancho Los Alamitos in Long Beach
• Rancho Los Cerritos in Long Beach
• Southeast Resource Recovery Facility (if I can arrange a tour)
• Hilltop Park in Signal Hill
• Discovery Well - Alamitos No. 1
• SS Lane Victory in San Pedro
• The battleship USS Iowa.   See pacificbattleship.com
• Fort MacArthur in San Pedro
• Watts Towers in Watts
• Day trip to Catalina Island
• Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles
• Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
• Angel Stadium in Anaheim
• The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove
• The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Music Center including the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion and Walt Disney Concert Hall
• The Greek Theater in Griffith Park (Los Angeles)
• The Griffith Observatory
• Attend a taping of a TV show

The travel times shown below are only estimates, they could be considerably longer in traffic.

The Lone Sailor© statue

A replica of The Lone Sailor© statue that resides at the Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. was dedicated in Long Beach on December 11, 2004.  The statue resides in Bluff Park at Ocean Boulevard and Paloma Avenue, overlooking Long Beach Harbor.  The Long Beach statue honors all of the men and women who served in the Navy and it pays tribute to all military personnel who were brought across the country by each of the military branches to make Long Beach their home.

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 2 miles
Travel time: 5 minutes
Admission: Free
Transportation cost: ????

The SS Lane Victory

A World War II Victory ship moored in San Pedro harbor.   The SS Lane Victory makes a very limited number of cruises each year.  We will try to co-ordinate the reunion dates with one of the cruises so you may go to sea for a day aboard the Lane Victory.

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 6 miles
Travel time: 11 minutes
Admission cost to ship museum: $3.00
Cruise price (2010 season): $130.00
Transportation cost: ????

The Getty Center.

The Getty Center, is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum.  It is not to be missed.  The museum's permanent collection includes pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographs.

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 35 miles
Travel time: 40 to 45 minutes.
Admission: Free.
Transportation cost: ????

Rodeo Drive

For those who want the ultimate in shopping experiences, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is waiting.  If you are lucky you could spot a movie, music, or sports star shopping there. Watch for the paparazzi, if you see a bunch of them then a star can't be very far away.  You may want to take out another mortgage if you expect to buy something.  The stores are unique and the merchadise is for the most part one of a kind, and very expensive!

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 32 miles.
Travel time: 40 to 45 minutes.
Cost: Depends on what you may find to buy.
Transportation cost: ????

Hollywood Walk of Fame

See the famous "stars" in the sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue, and on Vine Street from Yucca Street to Sunset Boulevard.

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 32 miles
Travel time: 40 to 45 minutes driving, on the Metro is about one hour.
Cost: Free.
Transportation cost: $6.00 round trip using the Metro Blue and Red lines

Griffith Observatory

The Griffith Park Observatory.  See one of the shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and/or the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater.  The observatory has been featured in many movies and on TV, most famously in James Dean's "Rebel Without a Cause"

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 33 miles
Travel time: 45 to 50 minutes.
Admission to the Observatory: Free
Planetarium show tickets range from $3.00 to $7.00
Leonard Nimoy Theater is free for most events.
Transportation cost: ????

A Helicopter Tour

For those who really want a unique experience, how about a helicopter tour?   Island Express Helicopters offers transportation to Catalina Island and tours of Southern California.  The Island Express Helicopter terminal is located next to the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

Disneyland and/or California Adventure

Visit the original Disneyland and/or its younger sibling California Adventure.

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 25 miles
Travel time: 30 to 35 minutes.
Admission: $76.00 (as of 2010)
Transportation cost: ????

Knotts Berry Farm

Visit the Knotts Berry Farm amusement park.

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 22 miles.
Travel time: 30 to 35 minutes.
Admission: $34.99 (2010 on-line price)
Transportation cost: ????

Universal Studios Hollywood

Visit Universal Studios, take the Studio Tour, stroll Universal City Walk.

Distance from downtown Long Beach: 35 miles.
Travel time: 40 to 45 minutes.
Admission to amusement park: $74.00 (2010 on-line price)
Transportation cost: ????