USS BOSTON Mess Decks
"Take all you want, Eat all you take."
I remember seeing that sign in the chow halls at boot camp, at service schools in Bainbridge, Norfolk and Great Lakes, and occasionally aboard ship. Back in those days I could eat all I wanted---and I still weighed 129 pounds soaking wet. What happened to those days?
In between meals on the BOSTON the mess decks and wardroom were the social centers. You could find men playing board games and card games, writing letters, doing crafts (leather tooling was popular), studying for advancement in grade, playing cards, watching movies, swapping sea stories... all sorts of activities. This was one of the first places you went to if you were looking for one of your buddies. Well, here we are again. Our mess decks have photo galleries of ships and events. We also have lists of guys who were aboard, guys we'd like to find, and those who have passed on.
Lists
There are Four lists here: On Board (current info); Lost (not current info); Memoriam (Shipmates who have passed), Taps (Shipmates whose passing that we have been informed of since the last reunion).
A Word About These Lists...
There has been a BOSTON crew serving the United States for over 225 years. Think about that. The USS BOSTON Shipmates organization takes a great deal of pride in paying tribute to our country---as well as the contributions made by our fellow Shipmates while serving aboard the ships named BOSTON. It is a proud and significant distinction, and only a few Sailors have shared in that honor. In recognition of that noble history of service to the United States, we honor USS BOSTON Shipmates both living and deceased.
These Shipmates gave years of their lives serving aboard BOSTON. They gave of their talents, skills, blood, sweat... and sometimes tears. These were heady times; indeed, the prime of their lives. For many, it was a time of exciting experiences---times that forged bonds incomprehensible to those who never walked in their shoes. For some, it was a difficult time, a time of struggle that produced some painful memories. Regrettably, others gave their very lives in the service
of their Shipmates and our country. Recognition does help heal some of these emotional wounds---scars that time does not always heal. But there were many good memories too, and this is our focus. There is one important reason why we recognize the contributions of each Shipmate in this small way: pride.
We never share our full list with anyone. It is not sold, loaned, or revealed in any way. We do share selective individual information with Shipmates whose dues are paid. A BOSTON Shipmate in good standing can request your address so that he can contact you, solely for personal reasons.
Should you desire that any contact information not be released to any third party, we will certainly respect your wishes, and we will make a note of that in our records. We do respect your right to privacy.
Your inclusion in the history of the USS BOSTON is a historical fact. This cannot be altered. We reserve the right to list your name in the historical manifest of Shipmates on the web site because it is a matter of historical record.
Turn Out and Search the Ship...
The two Shipmates lists, Shipmates On Board and Lost Shipmates, are quite big. If you'd like to perform a quick search before you hit the lists, we have two search tools right here for you.
You can search by name, rate, or year. For example, any of these will work: Hebert; or FTM; or 1958-1962. If you search for Cox you'll get all the Shipmates named Cox, and you'll also get all the WW II men who were rated Coxswains. Give the searches a try.
Please... if you haven't paid dues for this year, please don't request addresses.
Return to Shipmates Main Page.