The Association
USS Kirk Association Officers
President: Peter Schermerhorn, scermy55@yahoo.com
Vice President: Hugh Doyle, hdoyle2439@aol.com
Treasurer: David Hyson, dghyson1954@gmail.com
This is the USS Kirk FF-1087 Association website.
We realize you might be interested in who we are, how secure the database is, and how the data is used. The whole site started out informally and we soon realized that shipmates wanted to share data with other shipmates but not with the entire world. This site is managed and operated by Kirk crewmembers for Kirk crewmembers. We will never sell or give away any information about you.
I am your webmaster – Parker (Bill) Mundy, STG2, Precommissioning to 1976. Around noon on Wednesday, September 17, 2003 I heard that Bon and Brink were trying to locate any shipmates that might want to get a small reunion together. (As it turns out, they were spurred into action by a suggestion from Sully.) By 1:30 I had registered the name, set up the hosting server, and created a few basic pages. The “official” Kirk website had begun.
At the First Reunion in June 2004, the crewmembers who were present formed the USS Kirk Association and elected officers. So now we really are official! We take the security of your data very seriously. During the 2010 Reunion, our site was hacked and deleted. The database of Shipmate information behind the site was untouched and not accessed. But it caused me to re-build the site using even stronger security than before. In fact, as of this writing, I have not found a method of securing the Shipmate Database sufficiently to my liking. So that database remains offline for now. However, please enjoy the rest of the site!
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
I wanted to pass along a big thank you to Parker Mundy for creating and keeping up with this site. It allowed me to find the Association. I know we will find the answers for keeping this site secure and when we do it will be an awesome place for us to share good times gone by and what we have become.
Thanks, David!
As founder of the idea of creating a Kirk website whereby shipmates can locate each other I am astounded by how far we have innocently come in six years.
As the crewmembers age out we have gone through an evolution of the precom through 1976 with an emphasis on those years because of the Kirk’s involvement with the evacuation of Vietnam. It is unfortunate in some respects that that story has taken on a life of its own and blossomed into a much media attention.
That, however, is not what I would like the Kirk Association to be all about. So for all the crews that are post 1975, please become involved with the Association and let us get your stories out.
Once we get the database back up, the site fully functional again, please get onboard and move us forward. We have so many more things to accomplish in the name of the Lady Kirk, who still sails with the Taiwanese Navy.
Jim “Bon” Bongaard
I was also a part of this mission on the USS Deliver. I would love to be involved in these reunions and receive news of others I have served with. I am in touch with another of my engineman, Rick Preston and we often get together. Is there an alumni list that we could be added on to. Thanks so much, Al.
Hello Al Knopf,
Welcome aboard! It is great to hear from one of our “convoy mates.” As shipmates here on the USS KIRK site, we KIRK sailors are trying to write the history of our good ship KIRK, but we all know that you fine men on the DELIVER, along with our mates on the COOK, TUSCALOOSA, ABNAKI, and LIPAN shared in that long, slow, incredible transit with us. Please post your memories of that time here on our web site, and if you are in touch with other DELIVER shipmates, please encourage them to do the same. Is there a USS DELIVER Association?
In compiling our KIRK history over the past five years, we have discovered a wealth of information (and photos!) within our own crew, no matter what their jobs were on the ship. We all shared deeply in that experience, and we found that there are incredible personal stories yet to be told. And we welcome all contacts from the crews of the other fine ships that shared our adventure. Welcome aboard, Al!
Hugh Doyle, Vice President and Historian, USS KIRK Association
(Chief Engineer, USS KIRK, 1973 – 1975)
I wanted to say that the pride I feel to have had the privledge to have served in the KIRK is boundless. I also want to give a well deserved “BZ” to Parker Mundy for his dedication and hard work in maintaining our website.
It is a profound honor to take the torch from Jim Bongaard after all his fine work in helping to organize reunions and helping to track down shipmates of ours during our time served aboard this great ship. I look forward to seeing all of you at future reunions and encourage any ideas that would enhance our association. I will work to improve our association through our three pronged approach of continuning to seek out shipmates, continue getting together and join in with our American-Vietnamese shipmates who make this association so worthwhile. Finally thanks to Captain Paul Jacobs without which we would not have this story to tell.
Semper Fi !
Great job guys I just now found this website Nov.16,2010. Looking for Rick Crawley,asroctech. been along time I am very proud of our ship and our crew.
Thanks for taking charge. Is there a way to get pictures of our commissioning the ship.
Thanks
Paul Sandoval
As we are approaching this festive Holiday Season, I would like to pass along to all of my shipmates a Very Happy Holiday Season and a Happy and Healthy New Year ! I look for ward to seeing all of you again soon and hope to see each and every one of you at our next ship’s reunion in 2012.
Peter Schermerhorn
OS3 1974-1976
President-USS Kirk Association
Served fm 76 -78. Many fun times, and long hours in the shack. Thanks to Lt Gary Casset. And all my friends on board. Felt pride when we were awarded the Green C and loved the transit fm San Diego to Yokosuka.
Feel free to e mail me, love to hear fm shipmates.
Louis
Master Chief Burwinkel,
I am currently stationed at MCAS Miramar and recently returned from my 3rd combat deployment. I was just interested in connected a little bit with you our blood lines.
V/r
HM2 (FMF/CAC/NAC) Burwinkel, Tina
Hi
In 1978 I was an IS1 out of FISC Westpac at NAS Cubi Point when I was sent tad to the Kirk for an op near Guam. I’ve been trying to get a patch from each ship I was on in my Navy career and the Kirk is the only ship I haven’t been able to find one of. Do you know where I could purchase one? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Phil Jerominski
St Louis, MO
Looking for Bill Gornto.
36 years ago, officer Gornto came to our two yellow fishing boats which the USS Kirk rescued during the fall of VietNam. What I remember was the kindness he shown and how comforting it was for us to have his presence on our boat. We were lost souls. Now we have someone who can and was willing to help us. But most incredibly of all was the fact that Bill Gornton had gone back to ship and rallied all crew members of the USS Kirk to sponsor our family of 6 to come to the US. The sponsorship letter went to Washington DC and finally found us after we have settled in. We are so thankful for such gracious act and would like to find him. Please help us find Bill. We can be reached at 714-280-7711. Popo
I am trying to find a ship’s logo patch. Do you know where I can get one?
In 1981 I enlisted in the naval reserves. I was assigned to the USS KIRK FF-1087 unit located in St.Louis Mo. I serves 8 years ,and had to leave because of health. I performed my anual active duty on board KIRK 1982, 1984 ,1985, 1987 1988.. I met a lot of great folks there. thanks for some great memories! 8 years I was part of USS KIRK FF-1087.. I AM VERY PROUD OF IT. LOOKING FOR A FRIEND I MADE. BTC LEROY ANDERSON!
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS ALL WHO WALKED HER DECKS!!!!!
I DID SERVE ON ACTIVE DUTY 1964 TO 1968 ON BOARD USS SHANGRI-LA CVA 38 DISCHARGED IN 1970!
I served onboard Kirk from Sept 1976 until Jan 1979 as an STG3/2. I just discovered the Kirk association on Facebook recently. I haven’t looked through my “stuff” yet but I think I may have some Kirk memorobilia…somewhere. I haven’t seen any names that I recognize yet. I am interested in joining the association and attending the next reunion. I am wondering if Hugh Doyle also served on the USS Fanning. I live in San Diego and work on the 32nd St Navsta as an Electronics Tech for SWRMC…formerly FTSCPAC and NAVSEACENPAC. I left the Navy after 6 years but I’ve been fixing our ships ever since, first for GE working on Sonar and now for the DoD working on DMS which belongs to the ICMen.
Hello William O’Brien,
Yes, I went on to be your XO in FANNING during her 1981 deployment when you were STG2. I know of another FANNING-KIRK connection — LT Jack Moro, your “fleet-up” Weapons Officer in FANNING went on to be KIRK’s Weapons Officer (as a LCDR) during KIRK’s 1985/86 cruise. Small world! Welcome aboard! Please contact Jim Bongaard (our “headhunter”) so that we can get you signed up (Jim’s contact info is on our “home” page.)
All the best,………………Hugh Doyle (KIRK Association V.P.)
Even thou the 1975 year book has my middle initial wrong its me former crewmember on Kirk served during Frequent Wind and was on watch in CIC when Saigon fell. Still remmeber that long day and the trip on a tanker ship to P.I. Arrval in P.I pick by the long boat off the tanker. The visit to the camp on Guam later.
I was on the crew that decom the USS KIRK. I got onboard 1990 around july or ausgust. I am a Damage Controlman first class and i am now getting ready to retire now myself. if there is anything i can do please ask.
V/R
DC1(SW) Higgins.
Just another note on the Kirk. I was assigned to Afloat Training Group, San Diego and went to Long Beach to train on some ships we sold to Taiwan. I trained on the Fenn Yang (ex-USS Kirk). Officer in charge of the refit for the Fenn Yang was LCDR Cioni, my CHENG when I was stationed on the Kirk.
Just a small world.
As a member of the Army Navy Club in Washington D.C., I attended on a whim the showing of The Lucky Few: the Story of the USS Kirk on Sept. 15th at the club. For me, it was the most poignant, moving movie that I had ever seen. Obviously as Vietnamese refugee myself, I was proud of the resiliency, courage, and dignity of my fellow refugees. More importantly, the movie made me proud to have been part of our Navy. Our military and navy has not only been the greatest instrument of national power in the history of mankind, it has also been the greatest instrument of national generosity ever. I saw this first hand serving in Iraq as a naval physician. Finally, the movie made me proud to be an American and showed me how blessed I am to have been adopted by this great country. Sincerely, Huy Nguyen.
Great Web Site! I know that it did feature the 1980 Cruise Book at one time but it had been left off after a major upgrade. Speaking for a cadre of crew members from that time period could you please repost it?
Thanks
I was abord the Kirk from Christmas day 1990, where I met her in Panama, until November of 1991, I’m looking for old friends that I’ve lost contact with.
Parker Mundy has done a great job on the KIRK web. This web page will be the bridge to all for served in KIRK. Parker Well Done.
I hope to see you all at the 2012 KIRK reunion in Newport RI
Paul Jacobs