USS THE SULLIVANS Field Day Much work was done, including deck chipping and painting; painting the exterior of Mount 52; polishing the brass plaque showing the 11 engagements for which the ship was awarded battle stars (it now looks like new); polishing the five inch mount barrel covers (they also look like new); repairing and painting the hatch to the after engine room; repairing electrical and intercom lines. The weather cooperated so that it was possible to accomplish this work, since most of it was done on the weather decks. Those participating from THE SULLIVANS (DD-537) were: Ron Glessner (51/55), Plainfield, IN; Bob Benson (57/61), Ozark, AL; Ron Black (52/55), Washington, IL; Jerry Brouillard (52/55), Waterbury, CT; Bill Baird (53/54), Denver, CO; Joe Fugalli (63/65), Bayside, NY; Bud Lehner 43/46), Latham, NY; Don Smith (55/57), Painesville, OH; Clarence Woods (60/61), Westland, Ml; Jim Brown (45/46), High Falls, NY; Harry Nelson (52/54), Charlestown, NH; Bruce Belling (54/56), Amherst, NY; Ed Holmes (52/56), Sanbornton, NH; Johannes Born (57/58), Flensburg, Germany. Others participating were: Dick Anderson, San Diego, CA, USS BRADFORD (DD-545); Larry Armin, Aurora CO, ex-U.S. Army; Jim Burzynski, Safe Harbor, FL, USS PERKINS (DD-877); Dick Dark, Pottstown, PA, USS PERKINS (DD-877); Joe Dorsey, Parma Heights, OH, ex- U.S. Army; Adam DeSimone, Mechanicville, NY, Grandson of Bud Lehner; Don LaRoche, Plainfield, IN, ex U.S. Army; Dennis Hartle, Titusville, PA, USS ROGERS (DD-876); Lou Lacava, Austintown, OH, USS HAZELWOOD (DD-531); Dave Marcus, Palmyra, MI, USS BRISTOL (DD-857); Bill Minnick, Medina, OH, USS ROBINSON (DD-562); Noel Nichols, Norwich, NY, USS HOPEWELL (DD-681); Lee Rush, Shortsville, NY, USS INGERSOLL (DD-652); Leonard Revard, St. Louis, MO, USS RICHARD L. PAGE (FFG-5); John Jackson, Warren, OH, USS ABBOT (DD-629); Harold Pratt, Albion, NY, USS PERRY (DD-883); Don Tanner, Tecumseh, Ml, USS BRISTOL, (DD-857); Keith Thompson, Monroe, Ml, USS LAWRENCE (DDG-4); Peter Meurer, Flensburg, Germany, ex-USS RINGOLD (DD-500); Marvin Shevel, West Farmington, OH; W. G. Rocky, Marietta, GA; Mannie Gentile, Grand Rapids, Ml; Hugh Simpson, Brookville, FL.; Ron Jones, Parma, OH; Dave Reynolds, Virginia Beach, VA. These men traveled on their own time and at their own expense to come to Buffalo and work on THE SULLIVANS. The only free-bee was the use of a bunk and a head on the LITTLE ROCK. It is hoped that when the ship is moved to her new permanent berth later this year, that electricity, water, etc., will be connected and will be available for the next Field Day, so that those who come will be able to use THE SULLIVANS for all their needs. Two of the participants in the Tin Can Sailors Field Day on board USS THE SULLIVANS (DD-537) traveled to Buffalo from Flensburg, Germany. Johannes Born is a retired Commander in the German Navy. He also is a member of the USS THE SULLIVANS ASSOCIATION. He came to the United States in December 1957, to Newport, Rhode Island, as a Seaman Apprentice, part of a group of 27 German sailors who were sent here to train on Fletcher Class destroyers. He was one of 9 assigned to USS THE SULLIVANS (DD-537). He served on THE SULLIVANS in 1957-1958. He returned to the U.S. later in 1958 and again in 1959 for more schooling, and then was a member of a crew that sailed a Fletcher back to Germany. He returned again in 1965 to Norfolk for more training after which he was promoted to Chief Radarman. In 1966 he was selected for Officers Candidate School and became a LT (jg) in 1969. He has commanded Fast Patrol Boats, served as Executive Officer and Commander of a FPB Squadron, and was a Training Center Commander. In 1986 he was assigned as Public Affairs Officer of the German Navy Department. After the collapse of the East German Government, he was assigned as Commander, East German Naval Training School and in 1992 he became Operations Officer for the Naval Command facility at Rostock. He retired in 1994 after 39 years of service. In 2001, Johannes and his wife Ursula came to Jacksonville to attend their first SULLY reunion. Peter Meurer served in the German Navy from 1958 to 1961. He came to the U.S. in 1959 for schooling and was part of the crew of the ex-USS RINGOLD (DD-500) on its return to Germany as ZERSTORER 2 (D-171). He also served on the ex-USS Wadsworth (DD-516) after it was transferred to the German Navy as ZERSTORER 3 (D-172). Peter has been a very well known Restauranteur in Flensburg for over 30 years where he operates a restaurant in a home built in 1635.  He has entertained some of Europe's Royalty and also some of Europe's elected Heads of State. Peter is now semi-retired and his son operates the restaurant.                     It is obvious that these two gentlemen got their early naval training aboard U.S. Navy ships. Both love to chip and paint, they are very good at it, and they did a lot of it during the Field Day. Terry Miller of TCS sent the Tin Can Sailor caps to Ron Glessner to be presented to Johannes and Peter as a token of appreciation for making the trip from Germany to work on THE SULLIVANS. Submitted by Harry E. Nelson Photos by Don LaRoche