USS Little Rock Workparty Field Day

U.S.S. Little Rock Association's

• • • Annual Shipboard Work Party(s) • • •

We are currently planning on holding two (2)Workparties in 2010.

The Spring 2010 Workparty was held May 17 - May 20th.

Check back soon to view photos....

The dates for the Fall 2010 Workparty will be published when they are finalized.

Main Deck Work

Scroll down for rosters and pictures of previous Workparties...

Work Party 2010 (May 17-20) List of Volunteers (25)
Gene Appel - Jackson, MI () John Bertok - McKeesport, PA Ava Bertok - McKeesport, PA () Wallace Cardwell - Lawrenceburg, KY Beth carpenter - Marysville, oh () Mike Cottrell - Mechanicsville, MD Betty Cottrell - Mechanicsville, MD () Jerry Dupuis - Inlet, NY John Gibbs - Jackson, MI () Rodger Joye - Mantua, OH () Bob Kreger - Jackson, MI John Landwehr - Green Bay, WI Stephanie Mann - Sturgeon Bay, WI (*)	Mike Mottern - N. Tonawanda, NY Justin O’Conney - Raleigh, NC () Bill Pearson - Bloomingburg, NY Bob Philbrick - Shawano, WI () Dan Skowronski - Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ () Ed Smiley - Nashville, NC Georgenia Thacker - Frankfort, KY () Art Tilley - Fayetteville, PA Jane Tilley - Fayetteville, PA () Jeni VanBeek - Green Bay, WI () Rebecca VanBeek - Green Bay, WI () John Yocum - Kissimmee, FL ()
(*) Indicates non-Association member

Work Party 2009 (May 13-17) List of Volunteers (19)
Gene Appel - Jackson, MI () John Bertok - McKeesport, PA Wallace Cardwell - Lawrenceburg, KY Wallace Cardwell II - Lawrenceburg, KY () Mike Cottrell - Mechanicsville, MD Betty Cottrell - Mechanicsville, MD () Russ Darrow - Endicott, NY Russ Earnhart - Mishawaka, IN John Gibbs - Jackson, MI () Bob Kreger - Jackson, MI	John Landwehr - Green Bay, WI Keri Manuri - Jackson, MI () Justin O’Conney - Raleigh, NC () Joe Pound - Lindley, NY Dale Roe - Glen Aubrey, NY () Ed Smiley - Nashville, NC Art Tilley - Fayetteville, PA Keith Wolfgang - Concord Twp., OH Emily Wolfgang - Concord Twp., OH ()
(*) Indicates non-Association member

Work Party 2008 (May 15-17) List of Volunteers (25)
Gene Appel - Jackson, MI ()* Ava Bertok - Mc Keesport, PA () John Bertok - Mc Keesport, PA Don Bixby - Irwin, PA Wallace Cardwell - Lawrenceburg, KY Jerry Dupuis - Inlet, NY Dan Eddington - Kalamazoo, MI Dianne Guido - Carlisle, PA () Pasquale Guido - Carlisle, PA Bob Kreger - Jackson, MI Mark Layfield - Opelika, AL (*) Terry Mahoney - Meadville, PA Mike Mottern - Kenmore, NY	Steven Rinfret - Ocala, FL Chuck Rudman - Wheat Ridge, CO Jake Rudman - Wheat Ridge, CO () Sean Rudman - Wheat Ridge, CO () Dennis Shiun - Jackson, MI ()* Ed Smiley - Nashville, NC Georgenia Thacker - Frankfort, KY () Art Tilley - Fayetteville, PA Jane Tilley - Fayetteville, PA () Keith Wolfgang - Concord Township, OH Sara Wolfgang - Concord Township, OH () Emily Wolfgang - Concord Township, OH ()
(*) Indicates non-Association member

2008 Work Party Photos
A view of the Little Rock from the Naval Park entrance. ( Doesn't look like your typical shipyard!)	Morning Muster	Wally Cardwell & his sister Georgenia Thacker
Ava & John Bertok	Keith Wolfgang & Don Bixby demolish an old wooden overhead. Is that a BOMB?	Dan Eddington & Dennis Shiun chip and paint a bulkhead, Main Deck, port side.
Sara & Emily Wolfgang get the 03 level, portside, looking shipshape.	Jane Tilley chips, primes and paints a winch unit on the 03 level amidships.	Mike Mottern and Jerry Dupuis ham it up for the camera between jobs.
Coffee Break on the Mess Decks. (Fruit cake compliments of the Bertoks!)	Dennis, Bob and Gene chow down at breakfast at the "Hatch "restaurant	Emily Wofgang shows off the great berthing accommodations we used to enjoy.
Gene Appel poses in between assignments.	Art Tilley titivates the OD's shack on the Quarterdeck.	Ed Smiley washes down the main deck
Georgenia Thacker chips, sand, paints, etc. on one of many hand rails on the 03 level.	John Bertok (and Ava - not shown) worked three days on replacing a "cement" deck in a passageway.	Pasquale Guido (and Dianne - not shown) cleaned and replaced lamps along outside decks.
Steve Rinfret dressed for lunch!	Sometimes we found ourselves acting as "tour guides" for visitors.	Jerry & Art met with Pat Cunningham and John Herman to discuss the new Crew Museum
Dennis Shuin and Bob Kreger clean and repair the Captain's Gig and chocks on the portside.	Chuck & Jake Rudman heading off to fix some electrical problems (Where's Sean?)	Pasquale & Dianne Guido get ready to "Hit the Beach"
Liberty Party departing via the USS The Sullivans	Don, Terry and Dan enjoying a nice meal at the Pearl Street Brewery.	Stragglers getting back aboard just before Liberty expires.
	US Coast Guard helo does a fly-over inspection.

Work Party 2007 (May 17-20) List of Volunteers (16)
John Bertok - McKeesport, PA Ava Bertok - McKeesport, PA () Don Bixby - Irwin, PA Wallace Cardwell - Lawrenceburg, KY Garry Keith - Shelbyville, KY () Bob Kreger - Jackson, MI Dennis McAllister - North Syracuse, NY Art "Butch" Siehl - Prince Frederick, MD	Kristopher Stoetzel - North Syracuse, NY () George Thomas - Hallieford, VA Art Tilley - Fayetteville, PA Jane Tilley - Fayetteville, PA () Pete Timan - Hawley, PA Keith Wolfgang - Painesville, OH Emily Wolfgang - Painesville, OH () Sara Wolfgang - Painesville, OH ()
(*) Indicates non-Association member

2007 Work Party Photos
Art Tilley, Keith Wolfgang and Pete Timan discuss the worklist while Senior Chief Bob Kreger looks on.	Admiral Dennis McAllister points in the general direction of where the work is to be done.	On the messdecks Butch Siehl and Ship's Superintendent Dick Smith discuss the fine art of making (and drinking) coffee.
Ava Bertok, the team leader of the OOD Shack maintenance crew wields her paintbrush.	John Bertok, the other team member of the OOD Shack crew paints, polishes and cleans.	Don Bixby (our work party Bos'n) relaces the canvas on the buffet tables used for USS Little Rock receptions. (Come to the 2007 Reunion to see these in use!)
Emily Wolfgang tackles the painting of the handrails on the 03 level.	Sara Wolfgang makes quick work of a gallon of "Cruiser Grey" on the deck of the 03 level.	John and Ava Bertok take a break from their work in the OOD Shack, while Emily and Sara "secretly" sneak in a nap on the 02 level. (The camera sees all!)
Keith Wolfgang masterfully applies "Talos Blue" to the two missiles on the fantail. (Bendix would approve!)	Bob Kreger paints the white detailing on the Little Rock's Talos missiles.	Jane Tilley touches up after Keith and Bob. Women seem to have a knack for that sort of thing.
Art Tilley tests his scraper on the 03 level bulkhead for'd of the Chaff Roc launcher.	This magnificent job of polishing up the bridge brightwork was done single-handedly by George Thomas.	If Wally Cardwell wasn't so tall he wouldn't need to have his paint roller on an extension pole. On the other hand, he DID do a lot of the high spots.
Kris Stoetzel uses up ANOTHER can of Brasso! The ship hasn't looked this good in a long time.	The work party crew lines up for the morning meal at the "Hatch" restaurant at 0800.	And Don Bixby and Garry Keith enjoy a second cup of coffee before turning-to.
Dinner at Pearl Street Brewery.... an Annual Ritual !!		Not quite the same as a sunset at sea, but VERY close!!

Work Party 2006 List of Volunteers (17)
Gene Appel - Jackson, MI () Mickey Cahoon - Weaverville, NC* Wallace Cardwell - Lawrenceburg, KY Jerry Dupuis - Inlet, NY Bob Kreger - Jackson, MI Mike Mottern - Buffalo, NY Chuck Rudman - Wheat Ridge, CO Jake Rudman - Wheat Ridge, CO () Sean Rudman* - Wheat Ridge, CO (*)	Art Siehl - Prince Frederick, MD Art Tilley - Fayetteville, PA Jane Tilley - Fayetteville, PA () Carl Wetterling - Bordentown, NJ* Carl Wetterling Jr. - Bordentown, NJ Keith Wolfgang - Painesville, OH Sara Wolfgang - Painesville, OH () Emily Wolfgang - Painesville, OH* (*)
() Non-Association Member !!*

2006 Work Party Photos
During a break in the weather, Art Siehl and Wallace Cardwell work on getting the ship's Med Lights operational.	Chuck Rudman shows where the new red lights are being installed on the Flag Bridge.
Sean Rudman pulls new cable to be used in powering new lights on the ship's bridge.	Art Tilley works at removing paint and dirt from lights in Admiral's passageway.
Jerry Dupuis and Bob Kreger go through the chow line (again?) at breakfast on Saturday.	Emily Wolfgang, Art Siehl, Carl Wetterling Sr., Keith Wolfgang, Sara Wolfgang (hidden) and Wallace Cardwell enjoy a meal.

Serendipity !! On Saturday while the work party was engaged in their field day, the Naval Park had a ceremony dedicating a new statue to Lt. Thomas Michael Conway, a 37-year-old Catholic priest and Navy chaplain on the USS Indianapolis. The Indianapolis was sunk on 30 July 1945. Survivors floated in the Pacific for three days before being rescued. During that time Fr. Conway swam between groups of survivors encouraging them and praying with them. Fr. Conway died of exposure just several hours before the remainder of the crew was rescued. Pictures.... Above: Knights of Columbus and Sea Scout Color Guard. Right, the statue of Lt. Conway. Below left: the singing group "Friends of Harmony" from Buffalo warming up in the Admiral's wardroom. Below right: the Sea Cadets presenting The Colors.

Jane Tilley shows of her newly buffed deck and painted ladder between the 01 and 02 levels in the Flag spaces.	Mickey Cahoon, Wallace Cardwell and Art Siehl relax after and early breakfast at "The Hatch" just a short walk from the ship.
Jane Tilley, Gene Appel and Bob Kreger pose for after-breakfast picture just before heading off to continue ship's work.	Emily and Sara Wolfgang share a plate of pasta on Saturday evening after a hard day of polishing brass in the 5"/38 mount.
Refueling operation on Saturday evening. Jake Rudman, Chuck Rudman, Carl Wetterling Jr., and Jerry Dupuis.	And last but not least...Mike Mottern !! Mike is an Associate Member of the Little Rock Association. And although Mike is not an ex-crewmember, he has faithfully worked alongside work party volunteers for two years running. In addition Mike was a key player in our 2005 Reunion in Buffalo. It's guys like Mike that keep the Association running like the well-oiled machine that it is. Thanks from all of us Mike !!

2005 Work Party Photos

Some of 2005's Work Party Participants Left to right: Bob Hinckley, Randy Nimtz, Chuck Rudman, Jake Rudman, Wallace Cardwell, Michael Mottern, Keith Wolfgang, Sara Wolfgang, Bob Kreger, Jerry Dupuis Art Tilley (Photographer)
Keith Wolfgang demonstrates chipping and painting techniques around the base of an antenna mount above the bridge.
	Jake and Chuck Rudman flew in from Denver for four days of turning-to, and still found time to pose atop the 6" turret.
Bob Hinckley adds a much needed coat of hazy gray painting to the port side look-out wing above the flag bridge.
	Chuck Rudman and Sara Wolfgang enjoy some gourmet dining at Shang-Hai Red's.

2004 Work Party Photos
	Some of 2005's Work Party Participants Left to right: Bill Shultz, Don Bixby, Art Tilley, Chuck Rudman, Paul Zimmerman, Bob Hinckley, Bob Kreger, and Kenny Skidmore. Absent are: Jerry Dupuis & Larry Wallace (who took the picture)
	Bell Polishing 101 Chuck Rudman works the Ship's Bell over with an electric buffer and LOTS of Brasso. Funny, we always thought it was supposed to be green!
	Old Salts at Work (?) Bob Kreger, Bob Hinckley and Don Bixby team up to: (pick one of the following): 1. Tell sea stories 2. Read the instructions, BEFORE they fix it... 3. Take it easy after a tough morning of chipping paint.
	Hey Guys Listen Up! Larry Wallace shows us: 1. What a WT Door combing is? 2. Where NOT to bang your head? 3. What part of a WT Door is never painted? 4. ALL of the above !!
	Clean Sweep Down Fore and Aft Bob Hinckley and Bob Kreger clean teak decking after repainting the Quarter Deck OOD Office. We always try to leave the ship cleaner than when we arrived.