USS Albany Commander, Grand Marshall
2011 Memorial Day Activities in Albany, New York
Albany Arriving!!
USS Albany SSN 753
Makes Namesake City Visit!
Commander TR Buchanan, crewmembers and families visited Albany, New York on Memorial Day weekend.
5/27/2011 thru 5/31/2011
Friday evening, they arrived in Albany about 1545 and was greeted and escorted by two Albany Police Department cruisers, from the NYS Thruway to their quarters at the Cresthill Suites hotel. Thank you to the Albany PD for this special welcome.
They were greeted at the hotel by Harvey Martel, Commander of the Albany County American Legion, Wayne & Judy Van Amburgh from the USS Albany Association and various members of the Sub Veterans organizations.
Saturday was a busy day with a Parade in Ballston spa and a dedication and ground-breaking ceremony of the NYS Sub Veterans memorial scheduled for dedication in the fall of 2011. That afternoon they visited the Capt. John J. McKenna IV Military Courtesy Room at the Albany County Airport and the 911 Memorial at the NYS museum followed by a cookout hosted by Tim & Cathryn Doyle
Sunday, they were at the Rural Cemetery planting flags and a Memorial Service at the President Chester Arthur gravesite. Tour of the USS Albany Heritage Exhibit, Lunch was provided by the USS Albany Association at the Albany Pump Station. Lunch was followed by a little sea time onboard the Aqua Ducks
Association members in attendance where President Bart Hutchins, Newsletter Editor Dick Desrochers, BOD member Bob McConnell, Heritage Exhibit committee, Wayne & Judy Van Amburgh, Al Bursi and Sue Cleary.
Following the tour of the Visitors Center and Heritage Exhibit, those in attendance retired to the Pump Station for lunch and a presentation of the
Boat & Sub Squadron 6 Sailor of the Year award by CDR. Thomas Buchanan and Chief of the boat FTCM (SS/DV) Joel Propst to MM1(SS) Travis Winchester.
Following Lunch, the crew toured the City of Albany with a little time on the Hudson aboard the Aqua Ducks.
Monday, Memorial Day, Commander Buchanan was the Grande Marshall of the Albany Memorial Day parade and Speaker at the Albany, NY Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Lafayette Park. After this ceremony, they visited the USS Slater DE-766 and afterward, were the guests of the Joseph E. Zaloga Post for an open house.
Honoring our Fallen!
Tuesday, they prepared for departure to Norfolk. They visited and enjoyed breakfast with Mayor Jennings before departing Albany, NY
Executive Officer LT. CDR Mark Picard
Although LT. Picard was not in attendance he was given the difficult task of making all the arrangements for the Commanding Officer’s visit to Albany, from 600 miles away. He is to be commended on his planning and execution of the final program.
” Job Well Done ” Thank you!!
USS Albany Namesake Visit Supporters
City of Albany, Mayor Gerald Jennings http://www.albanyny.org/home.aspx
Albany County American Legion (Harvey Martel, Commander)
Albany County Convention & Visitor Bureau http://www.albany.org/
Albany Pump Station (Evans Family) http://www.evansale.com/
City of Albany Office of Special Events http://www.albanyevents.org/
City of Albany Police Department
CrestHill Suites (John Giordano) http://www.cresthillsuites.com/index.php
Joseph E. Zaloga Post 1520 (Mark Blank, Commander) http://zalogapost1520.org/
Marine Corp League http://www.marines.mil/unit/mclbalbany/Pages/default.aspx
Martel Restaurant (Roger Martel) http://local.yahoo.com/info-27842427-martels-restaurant-at-the-new-course-albany
Memorial Day Parade Organizers (Larry Wiest, Adjutant)
North Albany Post 1610 (Larry Wiest, Commander) http://northalbanypost1610.org/
NYS Submariners Memorial Committee http://subvetmemorial.com/
Saratoga Sub Veterans http://www.albanysaratogasubvets.com/base-bylaws.htm
Tim & Cathryn Doyle
Tri County Vietnam Veterans (Joseph Pollicino, President)
USS Albany Association https://ussalbany.org/
USS Slater DE-766 http://www.williammaloney.com/Dad/WWII/DestroyerEscortSlater/index.htm
VFW Post 358 http://www.vfwwebcom.org/ny/post358
On behalf of the USS Albany Association we would like to extend a big
“Bravo Zulu”
To those individuals & organizations that participated in welcoming the Commander,
his crewmembers & families during the Memorial Day weekend visit.