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Subject: BATTLE OF HUE MEMORIAL - JAN 31-FEB 02, 2014
Date: Tuesday, November 5, 2013 1:00 PM
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of our Commanding Officer, CAPT Dan Uhls, I am honored and excited to welcome you and your organizations back to USS HUE CITY for our 2014 Memorial to the honorable service of our namesake Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines who fought so valiantly at the Battle of Hue.
Now that we are just inside of two months away from the Memorial Weekend, it is time for final preparations to be made. To that end, I am requesting your assistance in coordinating some details. My lead planner for this event is LTJG Devan Gurecki, and she has done some outstanding work to ensure all of our honored guests have an enjoyable and memorable visit.
Before I get too far ahead of myself, I would like to publish our official Schedule of Events for the Memorial Weekend:
Friday, 31 January - (Bogey's Restaurant at NAVSTA Mayport, Windy Harbor Golf Course) 1730-1830 Welcome Aboard Social Hour (by invitation for group leaders and other Distinguished Guests)
Saturday 1 February - (Various locations around NAVSTA Mayport) Morning Events: Golf Tournament - Supported by 1/5 Marines Association, Spouse and Family Social Afternoon Events: Hue Memorial Picnic, Tours of USS HUE CITY
Sunday 2 February - (All Sunday events at the Mayport Base Chapel) 0900 Catholic Mass 1030 Protestant Service 1330 Battle of Hue Memorial Service
LTJG Gurecki has literally received an overwhelming response to our initial announcement of the 2014 Memorial, and in order to ensure we can accommodate as many of our namesake veterans as possible, we would like to request the following information from each of you BEFORE 25 NOVEMBER (Reply to LTJG Gurecki and LCDR Liddle only, please):
- The Veteran's Organization you represent - An initial estimate of the number of members of your group who are interested in attending (we will refine) - An estimate of the number of members (if any) who will visit us from outside of the Jacksonville Area (i.e. those who will be looking for hotel/Navy Lodge accomodations) - Finally, we are preparing a Facebook page and e-mail invite for all those who are interested in attending. If any of your members would like to receive this information, please provide us with email contact info.
Lastly, as everyone knows, we live in a very unpredictable world. As such, HUE CITY's operational schedule may change drastically and on short notice. Further, because of fiscal constraints there may be some services that were provided in the past that we simply will not be able to support in 2014. I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding in this regard, and as we approach the Memorial Weekend, we will provide many more specifics regarding the Weekend's events. Please know that we will do everything we can to accommodate our namesake veterans and their families, and we are looking forward to having you as much as many of you are looking forward to coming back to Jacksonville!
With respect and warm regards,
LCDR John Liddle Executive Officer, USS HUE CITY (CG 66)
Ship's Office: 19042511690
Hue Memorial Update
Leaders,
I am emailing out what I have so far. The dates are now set in stone. The Hue memorial weekend will be January 31- February 2014!
I have attached a hotel listing. There are several options. I have no idea how many people usually attend this; input is appreciated. I have notified the Supply Officer. There will be plenty of merchandise in store for the event. We just need an approximate headcount.
I have also attached a VERY tentative list of events. This is going off of previous memorials. I am not opposed to changing up the events. Again, input is appreciated and will be considered. Is the golfing ususally a hit? Or would something else be preferable.
I think I have established a pretty good chain of command to work through. I will be sending you all updates and will expect you to share and distribute my information accordingly. I think at this point it is more beneficial to send the invitations electronically. We will still send via snail mail.
Please pass the hotel listing on, but please be careful with the events. The times and locations are subjected to change and are NOT approved or set in stone. I am asking that you keep the events to yourself that way we can keep revision control and noone is confused on the times, locations, etc. Most of the reservations have been made and are good to go. What I am looking for from you is input and advice on the events I have listed.
If there are any guests who you think would require a CO's personal invitation, please pass the name and address along to me. We will be having two guest speakers. One from the 2/5 and one from the 1/5. I am pretty sure that I know who will be doing this but am waiting to give out names until that is confirmed.
As a side note my rank and name will be changing within the next month. My married name is Devan Kedrowski and I will be putting on LTJG here in a couple of weeks. This is just an "FYI" so that you can recognize my new signature when it changes, my email address will remain the same.
Bottom line: 1. Things that you can pass along: hotel pricing list and word that the dates are official. 2. Things I am asking for you to keep to yourself the list of tentative events for revision control. 3. If someone who I should consider a 'main point of contact' is not in the "to" line, please let me know their email address for my list.
I believe this is all that I have for you, anything for me? Please let me know. I'm here for you.
Thanks! V/r, Devan
Very Respectfully, ENS Devan V. Gurecki Administrative Officer USS HUÉ CITY (CG 66) U/W: (757) 443-8469 I/P: (904) 270-7969
1. Participating hotels on Mayport Road, 5-10 minutes outside of base. Breakfast is included. All of the following 3 hotels are right next to each other.
Quality Inn Mayport
Rate: $60.00
Address: Lakes of Mayport, 2610 Florida A1A, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
(904) 249-0313
Holiday Inn
Rate: $70.00
Address: 2040 Mayport Rd Jacksonville, FL 32233
(904) 435-0700
Best Western
Rate: $70.00
Address: 2389 Mayport Rd, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
Phone:(904) 435-3500
2. I chose the Fairfield Inn for anyone who would like to stay along the ocean front! The Fairfield Inn is right on the water’s edge and is halfway between Neptune beach and Atlantic beach; these are areas with great restaurants and bars. It’s a little pricier but it is the best price along the ocean that I could barter.
Fairfield Inn
Rate: $119.00
1616 1st St N
Jacksonville Beach
(904) 435-0100
3. For those of you who can get on base with an ID, below is the information for the Navy Lodge. Please wait until Monday (Oct 14) to call them. I am making an open group reservation under “Ensign Devan Gurecki for the Hué City Memorial”. You have to call to make the reservation due to online booking not being available.
Navy Lodge
1980 Baltimore St Mayport Ns
(904) 247-3964