Questions from an ill shipmate

LTJG Jay Edwards Kerney

Navigator USS Altair AKS -32

1967

Email: Kerney (at) spiceisle (dot) com

USA Cell Phone 757 325 0375 Good only when I am in the USA.

Home address:
PO Box 32
Saint Georges
Grenada
West Indies

Tel 473-443-5621

I am currently being treated for prostate Cancer at the University of Florida Proton Beam radiation therapy.

I was diagnosed at the Veterans Hospital West Palm Beach, Florida.

I left the Navy in 1967 but kept in contact with our Captain Len Hoke for many years. Captain Hoke lived in Virginia Beach and retired shortly after leaving the Altair. He and his wife Pat were friends for many years as a matter of fact I spoke with her today.

Capt Hoke passed away several years ago.

A. Question: Do any of my shipmates know if the Altair carried agent Orange during that 1967 time period? I was informed at the VA Hospital that agent Orange is directly related to Prostate cancer.

B. Question: If so, if Altair carried this type of cargo. How would I verify the cargo papers?

C. I would be curiously interested if any other shipmates have been diagnosed with that type of cancer?

Many thanks for your prompt reply.

Jay Kerney

PS I was unaware until today that we had a reunion and website?

Christmas Cards

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get. A Great Idea!!

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

Next three reunion sites announced!

Greetings Altair Shipmates.

Here is reunion information from our reunion Chairman John B. Thomas, Jr.:

"Our next reunion will be in Tampa, Florida, October 20-23, 2011.
Following reunions will be in Baltimore, 2012, and New Orleans, 2013."

SIDE-NOTE: Information will be sent out as soon as received to the shipmates that have email. Snail mail information will be sent out to the non-email shipmates when complete.

November 2010 by Charles Brecheisen

Captain William B. Morton, skipper of the USS Altair 1964-1965 is quite a WW2 hero! Master Chief Thomas "Mike" Smith sent me an article to the heroism of Captain Morton during WW2. I hope the "click" works.

FINANCIAL: The beginning "on hand" cash balance was $1143.13 with no income and expenses of $5.15 leaving a cash balance "on hand" of $1137.98. The beginning savings balance was $3840.37. Income from the Nashville reunion auction etc., was $1320.00 leaving a savings account balance of $5160.54. The total cash balance is $6298.35.

More later...........