Then it was Thursday night... time for a few drinks, telling stories and memories.

A special thanks goes out to Glenn and Marion Hanson for coordinating our reunion and dinner.   The spread was nice, the hospitality suite was great and the company was fantastic.   Lots of tables full of guys and gals to visit and share stories with. 


It was time to get to the reunion dinner... some kids clean up just fine... even Mac.


Maryann, Steve and J.J. Ott share a moment with Dominick Castelli, a newly reunited '46-'47 crew member.


Norm Ferland takes a moment to greet J.J. Ott.


Chuck Kennedy talking with Maryann and J.J. Ott and John Puras.


Mike Parenteau and Pat Murphy discussing finer local brews?


Mac McConnell and Tom Stratton settling a fine point of discussion... probably who buys the next beer.


Andy Elnicki and Mac enjoy a moment.   These boys clean up real good.


John Lynn and Les Jacobi.


Tom Stratton, Pat Murphy and Pat Lynn enjoy one of Tom's many jokes.


Tom and Glenn Hanson enjoy another joke but might Patti see it aimed at her?


Sam Abernathy with John and Barb Mosticone.


Paulette "Charlie" and Les Jacobi find a seat with Mike and Helen Eggleston


"Robby" Roberts talks with Don Basham and "Sy" Sybenga.


Glenn and Tom get together.

Then there was a call to the buffet...


As the line starts up, we see Ruby Ann Derderian, Sid Hoialmen and his grand daughter, Jessica
and her new husband, Matthew Link, as he reaches for a grape.


Um... we SAW Matt eat that grape but it sure looks like a candid shot among a bunch of submariners!


Judy and Charles Mueller seated next to Marion and Glenn Hanson with Wendy Lynn visiting.


Wendy Lynn, her grandmother, Mary Chebetar with Judy Mueller and Glenn and Marion Hanson.   Good joke Judy?


Jesse Hopper with Anne and Sam "Mac" McConnell must have been early in the line.
And WHO had the overflowing plate off Mac's left?


Oh, Tom Stratton... that makes sense.   And behind him is Angelo and Mary Anne Christiano with Rosemary Hopper in red.


Sy Sybenga, Andy Elnicki and Sam Abernathy with Barb and John Mosticone.


Sy Sybenga, Carol and Andy Elnicki with Barb Mosticone.


Dominick Castelli's boys, Dave and Dominick Jr.


Sam McConnell with a little bitty plate... that's what keeps his girlish figure?
(What the hell is on that plate?)


Sam Abernathy and Andy Elnicki flank John and Barb Mosticone.


The room was very nice and held our merry band easily.   A lot of you reading this should have been there..
or planning on attending the next one, because it was more fun being there than reading about it...

With dinner winding down it was time, again, to get with friends.


Our illustrious leader highlighted the mid-day Bergall Association meeting where through jury-rigged touch screens
and hanging chads, he was re-elected as our association president.   That government training comes in handy.
He then asked who would be interested in having the 2005 reunion at Nags Head, NC.


Anne and Mac McConnell join John Lynn in their vote.   Mac ain't that small... John's that big!


Leslie and Paulette "Charlie" Jacobi listen in.




At near table, clockwise from bottom, Dominick, jr., and Dominick Castelli with Nishan Derderian and Sid Hoialmen.
(Yeah Nish.. I snapped your pic... what ya gonna do?)
To the rear, left to right is Lucy, J.J. Ott, Norm Ferland, Steve Ott, Rod Lovdal, Maryann Ott, Rosemary Lovdal, Mike Parenteau with Ruby Derderian talking to Sid's grand daughter, Jessica.


Mary Anne Christaino, Rose Mary Hopper and Anne McConnell share fish stories.


Pat Lynn points out who stole Chuck's wine while Marg and Carl Weber enjoy.


Sy gets with Carol and Andy Elnicki.


Dominick Castelli talks with Nishan Derderian.


Dave Castelli, John Puras, Dominick Castelli Jr., and Dominick in the back, Sid Hoialmen, Nishan and Ruby Ann Derderian in the fore.


Sid Hoialmen and his grand daughter, Jessica, having fun.


As Nishan gets distracted, Sid makes a move on Ruby Ann.


Mike clues Nishan in and it's one more thing he can't believe. Sid did his classic, "I'm an old man and don't know a thing.",
while Jessica's husband shows his support of Sid.   Sid said this again over an incident on Friday night at a local bar with great confidence... Sid lies!


Carol Elnicki and some random visitor who crashed the party?   Must be our resident NQP and web master.


Karen, Steve, Ray and  Karen Wyatt sit with Jim Gray with Richard and Joan Roberts.


A different angle of Ray Wyatt, Jim Gray, Karen Wyatt, Maureen Gray, the Wyatt's two kids, Steve and Donna with Richard and Joan Roberts.  Up front Angelo KNOWS I can't get a good shot of him and Mary Ann from that angle!

As the dinner wound down it was time to get a few crew pictures and a funny thing seemed to happen... randomly on several cameras appeared a "Ghost of Bergall Past"... a bright, perfectly round dot, appearing to float around the crew.   Note there is a fine pattern to the dot and this was captured by different cameras.

The 320 crew took a moment for a picture... Dominick Castelli, John Puras, Norm Ferland, Carl Weber, J. J. Ott, Chuck Kennedy, Rod Lovdal, Nishan Derderian, Sid Hoialmen


and a bit brighter shot...

Then they made way for the 667 guys.  Left to right, Glenn Hanson, Jim Jackson, John Lynn, Eric Sybenga, Tom Stratton, Chuck Mueller, Don Basham, Sam McConnell, John Mosticone, Sam Abernathy, Dick Fiske, Mike Eggleston, Angelo Christiano, Andrew Elnicki, Jim Gray, Pat Murphy, Jesse Hopper, Leslie Jacobi, Richard Roberts, Ray Wyatt.

A brighter shot...


Here's a compilation from 4 different cameras that showed this "ghost".   Four cameras with many different angles and lighting... odd that the only time this "digital phenomena" occurred was at the dinner, not any other shots through the entire reunion showed this...   Someone smarter than I can explain this... in the mean time, maybe we had an extra place or two at dinner... an old Bergall sailor that wanted to join in.

Here it's at the top between Chuck and Maryann


Now it's just above the bar at back, above Andy's head.


Now above and between Jesse (off screen left) and Sam.


At very top between Dominick and Nishan.


Almost off the left side above David's head.


Do we need directions on this one?


Just above the door mantle on right.


On John Puras' right leg.


Directly above Dominick.


On Jim Gray's left shoulder.


Absolute top right corner.

Absolute top left corner.


And finally at the top left above the door closer.   Whatever it was, we always hold a special welcome for our old friends.

      page 4     

The 2004 USS Bergall Reunion in Saratoga Springs, NY !