Thanks to a fortuitous contact by Phil Sacks with Commander Jason Rogers, the Captain of USS Shoup, we were able to arrange a tour of the ship when she returned to her home port at Naval Station Everett early in September, following participation in “RIMPAC” a multinational naval exercise conducted out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
We arrived at the Naval Station and after some initial confusion with base security personnel, the ship’s Public Affairs Officer, LTJG Zach Bessette delivered us to the dock through three layers of security in a Navy vehicle, where we were warmly welcomed by Captain Rogers and his command staff.
The tour included a close up look at Shoup’s main battery of one 5-inch gun and her main missile battery, the bridge, engineering spaces and even passed by the chow line as the crew was beginning lunch, (the Navy seems to eat pretty well) finishing up in the ward room, the dining space for the ship’s officers.
On the following page are several photographs taken during the tour, with more detail.
Visiting veterans are welcomed by the Captain of the Shoup, Commander Jason Rogers, USN and his command staff on the ship’s quarterdeck.
Joining the tour were nine veterans pictured including Dan White, Jeff Blossey, Rene Blemenfeld, Carl Kerfuss, Dennis Peterson, Mike Denton, Ron Clyborne, Phil Sacks and Jim Blossey. Karen Peterson and Dorothy Sacks were also present.
Looking over the ship’s 5” gun mount on the foredeck. Behind the gun mount, but not shown is the forward missile battery which provides much of Shoup’s punch.
Featured in the Shoup’s wardroom is the coffee cup rack shown below, at the top left of which is the steel cup used by General David Shoup, the ship’s namesake during WWII. Shoup was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Pacific and was Commandant of the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. (Note the 4 stars of the General’s rank above the cup)
Included in the group shot above are our very gracious hosts and guides, LTJG Bessette and LTJG Miller.