Registration

JULY 1, 1999

Registration began promptly at o8oo hours. Rick Kazar and I opened the registration room and our first sign-ups began arriving around 0815. A few lulls now and then and a few crowds at times but mainly a steady flow. The hallway outside the registration room quickly became a meeting place. Jim Tincup and Tom Sugars came in later to help us get everyone signed up. We closed up registration from 1600 to 1900 in order to attend the cocktail muster hosted by the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. The cocktail muster moved back into the Holiday Inn. We took over the lounge and the registration room had become a room of sea stories and fond memories. Registration went on until 2300 hours.

Reunion caps, George Bisharat 658 prints and reunion shirts on display in the registration room.

The plaque to be dedicated at the sail on display at registration.

The cocktail muster gave us our first opportunity to be together as a group. I estimate that around 75 of us made it to the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. The museum displayed lots of artifacts from the boat and submarines in general. A video tape of the 658 during her last port call in Vallejo ran continously. The downstairs area was a sea of blue reunion caps. I was really starting to see everything come together. I stumbled through my first newspaper interview and even managed to squeeze out some words of welcome at the podium. The fellows said I did good but at the moment I would have rather been heading out of the escape hatch. Speaking is not my strong point. It was fun to watch the guys getting a feel for talking to each other again after so many years. By the end of the reunion we would be one big happy family.

Dick Pasnak and Dale Baker share some memories at the museum.

L-R, Jim Trevors, Jim Tincup, Keith Ingram and Tom Anderson at registration.

Jim Hume and Roger Shoemaker. (Thanks for the poster Roger!)