ONE down and THIRTY-SIX (or more) to go

Darla and I paying our respects to Bill Hansen, Revere, MA. May 27, 2012

I made it through my trip to the USS STARK memorial. It was filled with all kinds of emotions. Best of all it was great to see some of my STARK mates from 25 years past. I have put some of my reunion pictures up on my Facebook page InWazWeTrust.

After following in the wake of the USS STARK's 25th Memorial Dinner and Ceremony held at Ocean Breeze on Mayport Naval Station, Florida on May 16, 2012. I now have (for the first time) a bucket-list (life-goal) to accomplish. 

I want to find and visit the hometown sites that have made memorial's to my STARK brothers that were

Killed in Action.

This Memorial Day Weekend I visited the street named after Bill Hansen in Revere, MA. Many thanks to Robert Hansen for feeding me that information through Facebook.

While I was there, I spoke with a gentleman that was walking his dog and he remembered the Hansen family. He also thought there use to be a sign posted next to the street sign honoring Bill. I looked high and low and it sadden me that I could not find a memorial plaque for him. 

I will remember you!

FC3 Bill Hansen (playing white guitar), KIA on May 17, 1987. The USS STARK band, Poison Squirrels from Hell.

I have completed 1 of 37, so please help me complete my goal. If you know of any USS STARK memorial sites across this country please forward that information to me. I will combined a list of them.

If only I could have told myself...

I had the same dream again last night as I did the night before. The dream-fairy has been working over-time on me lately. Which I find odd, because I usually don't sleep well enough to dream. When I do dream its usually, a much more violent-type nightmare that I don't remember, causing me to wake-up in a cold, wet, pillow-soaked puddle.

This dream was more peaceful and again I find it odd because its not the "normal" for me. Having the same dream over again and actually remembering it is very fascinating to me. Last night's dream was just a little more clearer the second time than what I remember from the first. I actually found myself wanting to go back to sleep and replaying it, to see what else comes to light.

The location was "someplace", USA. I don't know where this place was but it was a very rural-isolated location. It was warm, not hot, just comfortably-pleasant. The sun was out and there were lots of green trees all around, small patches of grass that looked freshly mowed and well maintained. There was no one else in my dream, it was just me and I was content with that.
In this dream, I could see myself, as myself, as I am today. A fat middle-aged man driving down a countryside back-road. The car or maybe it was a small light-weight pickup truck; I'm not sure if it was a car or truck, but it was white and clean. I was driving with both the drivers window and passenger window open and there was absolutely no wind noise as I drove. I don't know where I was heading or for how long, it was just a feeling that I had to keeping going forward.

Ahead in the distance, I could see up-coming railroad tracks and a right-handed bend in the road. In the meander of the turn, off to right, was a very old-looking deteriorated wooded shed. Maybe a train station at one time but long since made useless.

As I slowed down to cross-over the railroad tracks, I saw a young man standing tall, waiting near this rotted shed. I came to a complete stop to look at this person. He was young and in good shape, he was wearing his navy dress uniform (I don't remember if he was wearing his white or service dress blues). He was just standing there, determined to wait, STANDING! not at attention but not relaxed either. just-waiting, as if something was going to happen at any moment. In the background, just over-the-head of where he was standing, hanging on the old building was a sign that read "Wait Here" or "Waiting Station" (I'm not sure which but I think you get the point).

I could see a medal pinned to his chest and I could read something attached to his uniform sleeve, it read USS STARK (FFG-31). Seeing his unit patch made me very interested in this person. I didn't feel scared but somewhat in-reserves of approaching him. Did I know him? Who was he? What was he doing out here in nowhere all alone? I think what I wanted to know the most was What was he waiting for!

Old me decides to walk-up and ask this young sailor "What are you waiting for" The young man replied, "I'm waiting for the USS STARK". That's when I realized I was talking to myself and woke-up.

Tomorrow, I leave for Florida and I'm feeling anxious and nervous about the STARK memorial reunion. I think I need to just keeping going forward.

Hopes for a STARK Memorial Wall

I would very much like to share some information about the potential of a STARK Memorial for the USS STARK Sailors that perished on May 17th 1987. I lack the depths to explain in words the importance this would mean to me and my other STARK shipmates. Please see the letter below and help me get this information out to the Primary Next of Kin. I would be honored to help assist with this project.

Most Respectfully,
Mark Wasnock, SCPO, USN(Ret.)

The below information is from the Facebook Group USS STARK

Good Afternoon,

My Name is Dion Beauchamp and I have been working with Tony Ross to develop a plan to make the STARK Memorial Wall a reality.

It seems Tony and I have put the cart before the horse in regard to the idea of the STARK Memorial Wall. To make this memorial a reality, we need 19 of the 37 Primary Next of Kin (PNOK) to agree to a STARK Memorial Wall. (All 37 if possible) before we can be taken seriously. If you know of a USS STARK Association that already exists please forward me the contact information.

If there is not currently a USS STARK association, I would like each of you on this email to contact the PNOK of a Patriot Shipmate who perished May 17th 1987, and forward them my contact information. I need the PNOK to contact me with their relationship to the fallen shipmate and whether or not they agree to the STARK Memorial Wall Concept and if they agree to have their family members picture on the Wall. (This must be in a letter format)

Tony has done a great deal of work and research to the feasibility and cost of a STARK Memorial Wall, However, we simply cannot proceed without the PNOK support.

I am not contacting you as the Command Master Chief of DESRON 14, or as a Master Chief with any affiliation to Naval Station Mayport, but simply as a private citizen that desires to make the STARK Memorial Wall become reality.

The Greater Mayport Chief Petty Officers Association and many independent Chief Petty Officers Associations aboard Naval Station Mayport have agreed to donate/sponsor the STARK Memorial Dinner. These Associations are showing support of the Memorial dinner; however this event is not endorsed or sponsored by Naval Station Mayport.

I have to explain all of this because I want everyone to be clear on who you are being contacted by. Tony and I are coordinating this effort as private citizens and in no way want to misrepresent ourselves. We have no agreement with any organization (including, but not limited to NS Mayport), to sponsor the STARK Memorial Wall.

So here is what we have to do:

1. Make contact and verify all 37 PNOK and confirm that the WALL Idea should proceed.

2. Develop a vehicle by which all donations and monies can be tracked. This would be a board type of association or foundation that has a 508.1(C) current and in effect.

3. Appoint a project manager to put together a professional proposal, site surveys, cost analysis, work with NAVFAC and other organizations on the base to obtain permits etc....

4. Officially bring the proposal for the STARK Memorial Wall to the NS MAYPORT CO.

At this point we have proposed an idea; however without PNOK support and a true plan, we can not proceed any further. Please help us make the STARK Memorial a reality.

Very Respectfully,

Dion Beauchamp

President Reagan's Remarks at a Memorial Service for Crew members of the USS Stark in Jacksonville

The month of May is a much more difficult month than the rest of them, at least for me. It stirs up all kinds of emotions, what-if's, dreams and nightmare's related to the USS STARK. I wonder why and how the events played-out the way they did and what I could have done differently. My brothers; "I miss you and I owe all a debt of gratitude for which I can never repay. You will always be in my heart and never forgotten".