USS Enterprise (CVAN/CVN-65) Association

2021 Historian’s Annual Report

Submitted: 09 September, 2023

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This report covers activities of the Historian from the period since the last reunion last fall in Las Vegas, Nevada to this date. This year also marks my 25th year as the Association Historian.

 Again, the historian’s desk has been rather quiet this past year. Other than multiple postings on our Facebook page about the upcoming reunion, I have had some communication with the Navy History and Heritage Command (NHHC). That discussion was primarily regarding the status of the ship’s chapel that was removed when the ship was placed out of service. I also submitted an article for our newsletter about the history of the chapel.

 I’m sorry we will not be able to attend this year’s reunion. Our travel plans have been, for the most part, curtailed and limited. Since the reunion in Las Vegas I have been dealing with sciatica problems in my left leg. Between PT for four months, MRI’s, doctor visits, and the possibility of back surgery I’ve not been able to do too much. Wife Linda has also been having difficulties with balance, walking and energy. As a result, she has also been spending a lot of time over the past year with doctors and ongoing PT.

Since last year’s reunion I have modified the truck with a home built “shell.” I couldn’t afford a new/used one, but was able to build my own for several hundred dollars. Perhaps not too pretty, but functional. The idea was to be able to make the shipping boxes holding memorabilia easier to protect, handle and not so heavy. At the time I fully planned and expected Linda and I would be able to make the reunion.

 I understand the disappointment of those expecting to see a memorabilia room, but our ability to bring it to/from the reunion site, setup/teardown, provide for the care, handling and safe keeping of the memorabilia, along with the problems and cost of commercially shipping the materials (currently about $2600, to ship 480 pounds in 8 boxes: REF: UPS/Fed-EX). When it became apparent we would not be able to travel, the chairman, Don Thiry, and the reunion coordinator, Bob Smith, were notified in August to give them time to make reunion adjustments.  With that development I contact our Chairman, Don Thiry, and arranged to send him several Association flags/banners.

As for submitting an expense account, I have decided not to submit one this year.

 Bill Slupe, Association Historian