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.

License Plate Presentation

Chief of the boat: FTCM (SS/DV) Joel Propst, his wife Jackie

MM1 (SS) Travis Winchester, his wife Monica

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

EM1 (SS) Harold Riedel, ET2 (SS) Michael Schubert, ET2 (SS) Nicholas Fisher

STS2 (SS) Jason Wear, FT2(SS) Jonathan Cheser, CS3(SS) Angel Lopez

Commanding Officer: TR Buchanan, his wife Kelly, and children Brian & Anita

CDR. Buchanan, Wife Kelly & Judy & Wayne Van Amburgh

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.

2011 Memorial Day Grand Marshall

CDR. Thomas Buchanan

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.