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(1) President’s Message
During the first part of this year our publishing “Machine” has been running at full speed ahead! We have used up lots of printer’s ink and the book bindery machine has been pounding out the books! First of all, I want to thank Len Ducouer, Jerry Church and Ed McCready for publishing a Top-Notch Directory this year. It has an eye-catching cover and is full of great Saratoga history and photos right from the beginning and even includes photos of our scholarship recipients. It is truly a great publication that we can use as a great reference. Job well done!!
Secondly, I want to thank Jerry Church for the excellent newsletter that he published for us in June. Jerry puts out a very professional looking document that requires a good bit of his time. This was my first time contributing to the publication of the newsletter as an officer and it was painless, largely due to his dedication and organization. Thank you, Jerry, for your tireless efforts to put this professional document out twice a year!
Also, I want to say thanks up front to Dennis Steinhour for doing a great job getting ready for our upcoming reunion in Harrisburg, Pa. As you have seen in his published notes on our Facebook site, we have about 100 folks signed up so far. Even though it isn’t happening until October, that is just over 2 months away and it will be upon us in a jiffy!! I just want to remind each of you to get signed up if you are thinking about attending before the deadline passes you up! That rapidly approaching deadline date is 31 August 2023 so don’t let it get away from you. I think there are some fun and unique tours scheduled that Kathy and I are looking forward to seeing, and I know we have an interesting program setup for the wives’ luncheon too. If you are a CV-3 shipmate or family member, we have an interesting new donation directly related to CV-3. We now have a 10”x 5’ long framed photo of The Saratoga and her entire crew from 1933. It will be a great addition to our museum, and it will be on display in Harrisburg for the first time.
Our General Business Meeting will be a very important one at this reunion because we will be mapping out our plan for our museum and the ships store into the future. If you are interested in having a say in our path ahead, please attend this reunion and be sure to be at the General Business Meeting. As the new President, I would like to hear your comments! You can’t make a difference if you don’t attend. As in any organization run by volunteers, we are always looking for more folks who want to contribute so I ask any of you who think you would like to contribute to any part of the Association, please contact us or come talk with me at the upcoming reunion.
We have an update on the “Historian” position! Our new member, Mike Curry, has volunteered to take on the position of Historian. Mike was a History Teacher in his career and will be a great fit for Historian. The Board was very excited with Mike’s offer to take the position. He has already taken the “Bull by the horn” and is off and running organizing and managing our museum.
As far as the “Ships Store” goes, we will present a very interesting and innovative alternative to keep Saratoga items available to our members. I’m excited about what we have to offer, and I think you will feel the same. We are considering a “Fire Sale” at the Harrisburg Reunion to clear out our current inventory in the ships store, and we will be looking for volunteers to help man the store for this event.
Growing our membership is always a subject of interest for me. So far this year we have had a sizeable number of folks signing up from the 80’s and 90’s, which is great news. We welcome all new members to our association, and we look forward to seeing each of you at our reunions in the future. Growing our membership in these later years is vital to continue our organization into the future. I encourage all of you who have Saratoga shipmates that you stay in touch with, to contact them and encourage them to join us too. If every member were to bring a few new shipmates aboard we would grow significantly, and our reunions would be full of new stories!
Steve Katz and his scholarship committee have completed the sixth year of the scholarship program. We have now awarded over $30,000 in scholarships to very deserving young men and women entering college. A hearty “thank you!” to our generous members who have donated to the program, and a heart-felt “Congratulations!” to the winners!
Capt. Mark D. Kikta, USN (Ret.)
(2) Reunion Update - OCT 18-21 2023
 Harrisburg Beckons!
For the first time ever, we are gathering in the Capitol of Pennsylvania this October to celebrate our Naval service and to reconnect, remember and reminisce. Maybe THIS is the year you finally see what you’ve been missing. The deadline for early registration is 8/31/2023 without a late registration charge. (It’s a bit more afterwards). If you plan to attend, go online (www.uss-saratoga.com/reunion) and at least sign up as an attendee. That way you’ll have a name badge and will avoid those awkward stares with people thinking, “Is that guy part of the Saratoga group”? The beauty of name badges cannot be over emphasized: with a quick glance you know the person’s name, when they served and what division or squadron they were in. This is all valuable info for meeting shipmates and enjoying the experience.
Pro-Tip: In looking at the tours available and the various meals, you may not be sure what to do. Even if you do not sign up for any tours, you probably should consider the Welcome Dinner and/or the Saturday banquet. The Welcome Dinner is great. It’s on Wednesday night, virtually everyone attends, it’s super informal, everyone is in great spirits and if you’re there for the first time, we will introduce you to our members. This makes acclimation to the group much easier, and everyone gets to know you right away. The Saturday Banquet is our premier event. Steeped in military tradition, we have a local military-based group present colors, we read the TAPS list of every shipmate who has passed since our last reunion and conduct the very moving Missing Man ceremony. Afterwards we have our meal, hold some fun raffles, and celebrate.
Chairing a Saratoga reunion is a big commitment and Denny Steinour has done a great job coordinating the event. For the Harrisburg reunion we are conducting bus tours to the Gettysburg Battlefield, Hershey Chocolate World and Amish County. If any of these are of interest, you might want to sign up. The reunion always features a Hospitality suite where sea-stories abound, and we all temporarily return to our younger selves. We have a great team of volunteers who conduct a silent auction throughout the reunion, display the complete set of cruise books as well as many museum quality artifacts and feature a ships store where you can obtain some new shirts, hats, do-dads, and whatnots.
A special shout out to Fran Gower and Nancy Hill for their continuous service manning the silent auction and raffle events. Please see Fran’s message below.
This year we will have a special feature; the Navy Memorial Organization will be present to offer attendees the chance to have their personal stories and recollections video-taped and added to their website. If you might be interested in participating, there is no cost, but you may have to sign up when you get there. It’s a shame we never had this opportunity in the past when our CV3 shipmates still attended. Their stories were amazing but unfortunately lost to time with their passing.
On Saturday morning we have a non-denominational worship service conducted by our Chaplain, followed by the business meeting. This year is critical as we will be discussing and voting on several issues including the reunion venue for 2025. (Next year - 2024 is already set – Jacksonville, FL ). Be a part of the action, let your voice be heard!
At noon, the Saratoga Ladies get together for lunch and guest speaker. This year will include an interesting guest speaker and some fun surprises.
Every year the board tries hard to put on a great reunion. Each reunion allows us to, as mentioned earlier, reconnect, remember, and reminisce. We celebrate our youth - when we were young, when we served, and when we were sailors. For God’s sake, if you’ve never attended a reunion, you’re not getting any younger, don’t wait until it’s too late.
LOCAL DISOUNTS:
It’s ALWAYS a good idea to check if a restaurant offers a Military discount. Here’s a few we heard about:
1 Hershey's Chocolate World offers our military a 10% discount on all full-price merchandise, food, and individual attractions. These discounts are available to active-duty military, reserves, retired military personnel, and members of the National Guard.
2 Hershey Houlihan's at 27 W Chocolate Ave. They offer 10% off the entire check for military/veterans.
3 Just down the street from the hotel is the Lancaster Brewing Company. They offer 10% Off dinner entrée (excluding alcohol) per each Military ID. Discount does NOT include family members.
Hand salute to Dennis Steinour for chairing this reunion and bringing it all together.
See you in Harrisburg!
(3) Ladies Luncheon Update
This year’s Saratoga Reunion “Ladies Luncheon” promises to be a special treat for all of you who enjoy gardening of any kind. Whether you have an expansive garden, a small garden, a vegetable garden, a few annuals in containers or just enjoy the butterflies, you will love our guest speaker.
We are so fortunate to host Heather Andrews, a highly respected professional in the gardening world for her knowledge and talent, particularly in the importance of pollinator gardening. (I’ve even heard that she has tips on how to cut down on weeds.) Heather is an engaging speaker who receives rave reviews for her outstanding, informative presentations, “Garden Thoughtfully”.
In honor of her Father and Grandfather who were Veterans, Heather is donating her time to share her knowledge with us. I hope you will join us for a fun and interesting Ladies Luncheon on Saturday afternoon. Everyone is sure to have an “Ah Ha” take away from this memorable presentation.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Harrisburg,
Kathy Kikta
(4) Silent Auction and Raffle Update
Once again, it’s time for the Saratoga Reunion, which also includes the Raffle & Silent Auction, which helps raise funds for the Association.
For the Raffle, we usually have 3-4 very nice items. Previous items have included: a Clock, handmade Afghan’s, a Challenge Coin holder, or a handmade blanket. Tickets are available all weekend with the drawings held during the Farewell Banquet. Tickets are 1 for $1.00 and 6 for $5.00--quite a bargain!
The Silent Auction is comprised of donated items. Some examples of past items are a blanket, items for children—t-shirts or toys-Navy related are always a hit, craft items, homemade cutting boards, books, jewelry, coffee mugs, Navy T-shirts, and baskets/bags of local items. We are always looking for items for the Silent Auction so if you have space in your suitcase bring an item for your home area! Keep in mind, attendees may be flying so it should be an item that can be packed or that the winner might be able to ship from a delivery place.
During the course of the Reunion everyone has the opportunity to place "bids" on the items. This can create lots of excitement as unique items are "hot" and everyone is watching as shipmates try to outbid each other. The Auction will close at approx. 12pm prior to the Ladies Luncheon. Once we call time, the highest bid is the winner! Then it is time to gather the items for which you had the highest bid and pay for them. Cash or checks are accepted.
If you have any questions, email me at Ltpaddle@gmail.com See you in October!
Fran Gower
"Sara Kid"
My Dad, Bill Gower, served 56-58, E Division.
(5) Scholarship Program Update
We extend our most sincere THANK YOU to each and every one who has graciously donated to this wonderful program. We are constantly amazed at the generosity of our membership and other donors. Please know our program is funded 100% by donations.
For the 2023 awards, our scoring process is still ongoing. We will make an announcement naming the winning recipients as soon as possible. With this year’s winners, we will have awarded well over $30,000 to very deserving young men and women entering college.
To learn about the program and eligibility requirements please visit the Scholarship link on our website www.uss-Saratoga.com. One of the very few requirements to apply is the sponsor of an applicant must be a member in good standing for at least 12 months prior to applying.
Shipmates, enjoy the remaining summertime, have fun, stay safe out there. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion in October.
Steve Katz
Chairman
USS Saratoga Scholarship Committee
(6)Secretary’s Message
One of the preparations for the reunion is to conduct an analysis of membership. The stats below will change slightly between now and October, but as an “FYI” here is where we stand at present:
Total active members: 1021
Life Members: 718
Dues Paying Members: 176
Honorary Members: 127
(Inactive - 338 outdated dues members)
It is incumbent upon all members to honor the commitment made by keeping dues up to date. After 3 years, any dues paying member who fails to remit dues payment is moved to the inactive list and no longer receives newsletters, directories, or email communications.
In the recent June newsletter, I created a table showing all the directory changes and corrections that were made since the publication of the new Membership Directory. I recommend saving that sheet in your directory to help assist in any contacts you may wish to make. Should you have any changes in your listing, please send me an email or use the handy “Update Information” link on the website. https://www.uss-saratoga.com/membership
I recently was contacted by a researcher working for NavSource, an online reference site that you may find interesting. I was able to submit a few photos that were requested from 1957 when Dwight D. Eisenhower visited CVA-60. Our newsletter editor, Jerry Church provided them to me, and I was able to pass them on for others to enjoy. Here is the NavSource link for the USS Saratoga:
https://www.navsource.org/archives/02/60.htm
Ed McCready – Secretary
(7) Chaplain’s Message
“Why do the Righteous Suffer?”
Chaplain Steve Bird
CAPT, CHC, USN (Ret)
My pastor, the late Rev. Edward Menaldino presented a message on suffering which I would like to share some excepts with you.
Many times, people have asked the question, “Why? Why God?” “If God is so good and merciful, why are little children starving or why does a 48-year-old husband and father of five children a deacon in the church a faithful servant of God dies of aplastic anemia? Why? Why does a minister’s wife in her thirties die of cancer leaving behind two small children. Why? The Bible does not give a simplistic answer to suffering but it suggests factors that relate to the problem.
First, suffering is common to everyone. Matthew 5:45 states” For He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends the rain on the just and unjust.” As Christians we are a real part of the human race. Cold weather, inflation, food, and gas prices impacts those who are both believers and non-believers. Being a Christian does not make our bodies immune from illness. The advantage the believers have over non-believers is that Christ is with us in times of trouble, and we are not alone but live in the companionship of his presence.
Second, suffering may come from the consequences of our own personal mistake or sin.
If one is speeding, one is liable to receive a ticket. Those who invest unwisely will equally suffer the consequences of economic failure. Failure to take advice or exhibits wrong attitudes lead individuals in wrong directions. The individual who neglects his/her body, regardless of spiritual condition, will receive the consequences of their own neglect. i.e., working 18-hour days, 7 days a week, improper diet or other health habits that will affect the whole body such as entertaining fear or nurturing hatred. One cannot blame God if one tries to leave a heavy weight an incurs a hernia or drinks so much one develops cirrhosis of the liver. This is our own doing.
Third, suffering for Christ’s sake and the gospel. II Timothy 3:12 states, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” The apostle Paul suffered for his faith. In II Corinthians 11:24-27 states he received thirty-nine lashes five times; three times he was beaten with rods, one time he was stoned; three times he was shipwrecked and one time in jail. We Americans do not even know what the suffering for our faith is as others have experienced in other third world countries and are still strong in their faith!
Fourth, suffering is often part of the growing, maturing process. The pain of teething, and normal growth pattern in children, muscular structure. Suffering is part of spiritual growth. Tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience and experience hope and hope make not ashamed,” (Romans 5:3-4). Maturity comes by accepting the reality of the situation and learning how to manage it. This is acceptance of reality with hope that is the gift of God.
Fifth, there is a suffering which is very real but entirely of our own making. To some suffering is not having our own way. This suffering comes from selfishness, inflexibility, bigotry, and self-pity. “Happiness” for some is when they have it their own way; election goes against them their suggestion is rejected, job takes them away from family, and friends (which we all have experienced this in the Navy), and they refuse to adjust to the situation and be “happy.” This self-inflicted suffering can be corrected in a moment by a change of attitude. “I was singing the blues because I had no shoes until I met a man on the street who had no feet!” We need to be grateful in what God has blessed us with. Paul stated, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therefore, to be content,” (Philippians 4:11).
Last, there are some cases of suffering which are difficult to resolve as each seems unique to itself. In John 9:2-3, the disciples asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents? Jesus replied, “It was not that his man sinned or his parents but that the works of God might be made manifested in him.” God does not have to give an account of His actions to us. The Creator does not need to justify His activities to His creation. By what authority does sinful, finite mortal man calls the eternal, infinite God to the bar of moral judgment? It is much better to trust in the infinite love and wisdom of our heavenly Father. It is not necessary for the mind to comprehend all things for the soul to be at peace. One does not have to understand why a black cow can eat green grass and produce white milk. One does not need to understand the structure of electricity to flip on the switch to light up a dark room. One does not need a psychological x-ray of one’s spouse to love her or him to have a home. Therefore, one does not need to fully understand God to trust Him.
Let us not try to second guess God where our trial is coming from. But to focus our attention on the solution to the problem. God does not always make clear the cause of the problem. Faith does not have to pretend to believe but faces circumstances squarely. True faith does not deny the reality of suffering. Faith does not pretend or demand deliverance, it anticipates it.
I enjoy being your Chaplain! If I can be of assistance to you by an encouraging word or prayer, call, text or email me at 704-254-9271 or sbird516@gmail.com
(8) DECK LOG AUG/SEP 1972
I was just reading through 2 months of Saratoga’s deck logs the other day and just thought it would be fun to recap what Saratoga was doing 51 years ago and share that with you. This was during the Vietnam era and as you know, Saratoga was steaming off the coast of North Vietnam in the Tonkin Gulf under 7th Fleet control.
In early July she was working with the USS Kitty Hawk CVA-63 in the vicinity. Sara was generally steaming with one other small ship as her escort. The ships she steamed with were rotated and included USS Hamner DD-718, USS Somers DDG-34, USS Hanson DD-832, USS Anderson DD-786, USS Dewey DDG-14, USS Shelton DD-740 and USS Holister DD-718.
She also spent a lot of time alongside replenishment ships getting necessary food, fuel and ammo. Ships she replenished with included USS Kansas City AOR-3, USS Wichita AOR-1, USS Camden AOR-2 and USS Sacramento AOE-1.
In August there were numerous class “C” fires onboard that were all extinguished quickly. At one point there was a 45” tidal wave alert entered in the log but I never saw that it ever materialized.
On August 6 an A-7 from VA-105 was shot down by a SAM with Lt James Lloyd as the pilot.
Then on 17 August another A-7 from VA-37 was shot down by a SAM and it was reported by another aircraft that they saw a good chute. The Pilot was Lcdr Raebel.
On 25 August, Saratoga tied up at Leyte Pier at the Subic Bay Naval Station. She remained in port until 1 Sep when she again got underway. While in port on 30 August, the Admiral’s Barge caught fire and was destroyed. The fire was reported to have started in the engine compartment.
This time while underway in early September, Saratoga was working with the USS Midway while on station.
On 6 September an A-6 Intruder aircraft was shot down. Lcdr Lindland was the pilot and Lt Lerseth was the navigator.
Then on 7 September an F-4 crashed in the Tonkin Gulf and the Pilot Cdr Bardone and RIO Lt J. Findley were recovered and returned to Saratoga by helo.
 
The above 2 photos were taken as the helo touched down and the pilots were escorted off the flight deck.
On 17 September Saratoga began working with USS America CVA-66. Three days later, on 20 September, Saratoga returned pierside at Subic Bay Naval Station and remained there until 28 September.
As you can see that was a busy couple of months For Saratoga. I hope you enjoyed some of these highlights.
Capt. Mark D. Kikta, USN (Ret.)
(9) Welcome aboard!
I wanted to introduce Mike Curry in this issue of Midrats so we all could get to know him better. Mike has volunteered to be our new association Historian and will ensure that we have our memorabilia at future reunions. I’m sure you will all agree that is welcome news.
Mike was born in Greenville, S.C. and lived there until he was three years old. As part of an Army family, his father was transferred to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Tx. where he grew up until enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1971. Mike enlisted in the Navy on the Buddy Plan and before getting his High School Diploma, he and his buddy were off to Boot Camp in Orlando, Fl. After boot camp, his buddy went off to USS Roosevelt and Mike was sent to Saratoga in Mayport, Fl. Upon checking onboard 11 December 1971, he was sent to OL Division in Lookouts. He was soon transferred to 1st Division and worked in the Anchor Locker in the F’ocsle.
Looking to do something different, late in 1972 Mike got himself transferred to OI division for the remainder of deployment working in Combat Information Center (CIC) as a Radar Operator. Upon return from deployment, he was sent to OS “A” school and returned to OI Division where he remained until returning from his next deployment in 1975. He did go TAD to the Master at Arms near the end of that deployment.
Mike left Saratoga on 29 July 1975 on an early out and enrolled at the University of Texas-El Paso where he got his GED and played football. After several months, Mike got hurt and could no longer play football, so he soon moved to Alaska where he coached soccer and earned his bachelor’s degree in education and history. Mike then taught High School History and Math and coached High School Football. At the same time, he owned several water/waste water treatment companies and simultaneously entered the foster care program where as a single adult male, he fostered difficult high school age males. Mike says he got lucky when he met and married his wife Kathryn in April 2002. Mike and his wife left Alaska in 2020 after residing there for more than 43 years. They are both retired and currently enjoying life in Frisco, Texas.
Capt. Mark D. Kikta, USN (Ret.)
(10) Member Spotlight – Dennis E. Steinour
Greetings Shipmates …
My name is Dennis Eugene Steinour Sr. Some of you will know me as Steiny from our Navy days together and others will know me as the Saratoga Association 2023 reunion Host/Chairmen. But on another subject, to say the least, the past 48 hours have really been a whirlwind of excitement and unexpected news!
But let me begin by telling you a bit about myself...
I am a native of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Although I didn't finish my senior year in High School, I later received my GED through the Navy and Big Bend Community College in Washington State. Later in life I reconnected with my HS graduating class of 1972 and today maintain communication with many of them and attending class reunions every 5 years.
I enlisted in the Navy on May 1st 1973, did my basic training at Great Lakes, IL, and then Aviation Boatswain Mate (ABH) AIT school in Lakehurst, NJ.. From there I received orders for the USS Saratoga that was in dry dock in Portsmouth, Va. My first visions of the Saratoga have never left my mind. I have never seen a “boat” that big. And for the first couple of weeks there after I kept asking my 21-year-old self what the hell did I get into. Today, some 49 years later I realize that those were some of the best years of my life. I never left Saratoga during my 4-year enlistment. I was assigned to V-1 Division, and my first official duty (after then Division Yeoman Ed McCready introduced me to my division officer) was spending the next 6 weeks Mess Cooking...Go figure. When I returned to my division, I was assigned to the Division Gear Locker and flight deck blue shirt duties (whenever needed on the flight deck). Upon being promoted to Petty Officer I assumed the duties of Division Supply Petty Officer and Fly Two Aircraft Director. I made the 74-75 and 76 Med cruises and Sea Qualifications cruises to St Thomas and Guantanamo Bay. But the life I had on-board her and the friendships I made and still retain today have given me some of “the best time of my life” memories.
I left active duty thinking that my Military life was over and civilian life as a man was beginning. Little did I know that 2 months after leaving Saratoga, I'd be working for the Navy again but this time as a Federal Employee and spend the next 28 years working with FBM Submarine Weapons Systems. I retired from the Federal Government, spent several years living and working part-time in Pennsylvania. I met my now beautiful wife Susan in 2007. We started dating in 2015 and were married in 2018. We are a blended family of 7 children and stepchildren, and we have 11 wonderful grandchildren. Sue and I relocated to Chapman, Kansas in September 2018 to be nearer to our grandchildren and are now within a 10-hour drive of 10 of them.
When I found the USS Saratoga Association website by accident while web browsing and saw my shipmate and BLF (best-liberty-friend) Ed McCready was secretary, I just had to register for one of their reunions. Sue and I attended our first reunion in 2015 at Norfolk, VA. Since that first reunion, I joined the Association at the San Antonio reunion (TY to Brad Senter who got the ball rolling) and then became a life member at the Charleston reunion.
I have made many new association friends and reconnected with some of my closest shipmates. To date my shipmates and I stay in contact throughout the year and we all make it a point to reconnect at each year’s reunion. Believe me...when you read one of Ed's columns and he says “you really don't know what you’re missing” until you attend a reunion... He's right!!!
So, two days ago I was notified that I was elected temporary Vice President of the USS Saratoga Association, a position that I hope I can fill and gain the respect of the membership. I look forward to working with each member of the Board, and since Mark Kikta is also now somewhat new to the position of President, together he and I can keep the momentum of our predecessors going and see the Legacy of the USS Saratoga in to the future.
Sail on Cool Breezes....Carry On,
Dennis (Steiny) Steinour
(11) Special Thank You
The Board would like to thank Bill Lack for his service to the Association. Bill was instrumental in transitioning the Association to where it is today and championed some of the new innovations that have made us a successful enterprise. We wish Bill the very best and look forward to seeing both he and Linda at our reunions.
(12) Membership Challenge
Working on the very solid base established over many years, we have continued to grow. We are now positioned to operate far into the future, however that future depends on growth and growth is only possible through increased membership. If each member could reach out to ONE SHIPMATE that you served with ‘back in the day’ and invite him to join the Association, our ranks would swell to a level we haven’t seen since 1994 when we enrolled a ton of sailors from the decommissioning crew (most of whom never attended a reunion). We have over 4 thousand Facebook members but barely 1,000 active members. We realize Facebook requires no commitment but if we could only turn one quarter into actual members our ranks would double.
As we all know, the USN is not making new “Saratoga” sailors. As much as we try, our efforts to have the Navy exercise good sense and name another warship correctly have fallen on deaf ears. It’s up to us to keep this boat floating!
Wrap Up
Thanks for making it through this edition of Midrats. As mentioned earlier, if you would like to submit an article for the next edition, please send it as a “Word” file to Ed McCready (emc0853@yahoo.com) .
We’re getting close to the reunion cut off date, if you haven’t yet signed up or made your reservations, take a few minutes today to make your arrangements.
See YOU in Harrisburg!
Non sibi sed patriae / Semper Fortis
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