Shipates,
I want to pass along to you the status as reported by/at the last ACVA board meeting. Please read/review and pass on to your respective associations membership. THESE ARE GREAT TIMES FOR THE MEN OF THE ADAMS CLASS!

As many of you ACVA members already know, ACVA set out some weeks ago to raise the $100,000 (plus!) needed to cover the cost of having a professional Application writer prepare the ADAMS Ship Donation Application for submission to NAVSEA before the 31 MAR 2008 deadline. However, the ACVA Board has also explored other alternatives to completing the Application. As it worked out, part of the answer came from within ACVA. Support for the project has been growing tremendously, both in the Jacksonville area and across the country. The end result has been an influx of new members and supporters, many of whom are uniquely qualified in areas critical to the project. After analyzing who and what resources we had gained, ACVA Directors of City Search, James Aldrich and Bob Branco, suggested that we complete portions of the application ourselves. This is not without precedent; several successful naval ship museums have followed the same course.

A plan was laid out, detailing who would do what parts of the application, along with a timetable that would assure that we got the completed application submitted by the deadline. The Board reviewed the plan and discussed it thoroughly at the 1/15/08 Board meeting. At the end of the discussion period, the Board voted unanimously to approve the plan - that ACVA would be responsible for preparation of the Application, but using "outside sources" to complete those critical sections of the Application where ACVA did not have the expertise. The writing of the Application is already under way and on schedule.

This new plan for completing the Application is reflected in the changes to the "thermometers" on the ACVA home page. We now have 2 thermometers. That portion of the total funds needed for the application which would have gone for the professional writing of the Application, approximately $78,000, has been shifted to an "in kind" donation thermometer. This represents the value of the time and effort donated by our people who are writing the Application, which we otherwise would have had to pay 'cash'.

Even with these "in kind" donations, we still require funds for things which MUST be done by "outside sources", like the required Marketing Survey, various engineering services, and the berth design. This is reflected by the "cash" thermometer, and these donations we have received will be used to pay for the services needed from the "outside sources". We are still short in this area; the cost of the Marketing Survey and other required expenses is still not totally covered. The Board feels, however, that obtaining donations to cover these expenses is "doable" , thus allowing ACVA to submit an Application for ADAMS by the deadline.

Also at the 1/15/08 Board meeting, the resignation of Rick Watson as Vice President was accepted. The Board was unanimous in their expression of gratitude to Rick for his efforts to help get ACVA to where we are today. The Board voted unanimously to elect Bob Branco, Captain, USN (Retired) and former C.O. of ADAMS, to the vacant VP position.

Another recent addition to our ACVA Board is Bill Hunteman, who is taking on the job of Director of Ships Liaison. He will be responsible for communicating with all the DDG Ship Reps, and other interested parties, keeping them informed of our progress and providing them updates.

Since the ACVA is a “nation-wide” organization, ACVA members residing in the Jacksonville area have formed the Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association (JHNSA), so that we will have a local group which can take custody of the ADAMS, and operate the museum.

The Jacksonville City Council met on January 22, and legislation was introduced by Councilman Warren Jones containing a Resolution that supports placing the ADAMS on the south bank of the St Johns River in the downtown area at our preferred berth site. This legislation (Resolution) has been referred to two committees for review, the Finance Committee and the Recreation and Community Development Committee. The Resolution will be reviewed at two more City Council meetings (standard procedure) prior to a vote, which we expect to see happen toward the end of February. This necessary piece of support is moving along nicely !

As you caqn see we still need to raise more money, if you can spare $20, $50 or $100 bucks the Adams project can put it to good use

Hi
I'm Bill Hunteman, the ACVA Director for Ship Liasons. I'd like to tell you what we are doing. Right now the Charles F. Adams, DDG-2, is sitting at a pier at the Naval Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility, in Philadelphia PA. She is the LAST Adams can in existance in the US. The rest have been sold to foreign countries (The Hoel is currently a power barge in South America, with her superstructure cut off), scrapped or sunk as targets.

We believe, STRONGLY, that the Adams class was, as you are aware, the turinng point in modern naval warship design. The DDG-2 class paved the way for the Spruances, Perrys, Tycos and Burkes that came after. As you know, the Adams class was to be found in every operation at sea from the Cuban Missile crisis, through the Cold War and Vietnam, up to and including Operation Praying Mantis. We were there for Mercury, Gemini and Apollo recovery operations. We even were seen doing law enforcement, during counter drug operations. All of these facts and more make the Adams Class historic and noteworthy - and their crews even moreso. Our shipmates have gone on to highly succecssful careers, both in and out of the Navy. Many Admirals, including the current Chief of Naval Operations and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are Adamsmen.

For many of us, our first ship was an Adams class. They were were many of us came of age. For some of us, an Adams class was our last ship, where we ended our naval careers. But for most of us, we remember our times on them as the most memorable time in the Navy.

We, the Adams Class Veterans Association, ACVA, are leading the efforts to save her. Our goal is to turn her into a museum that honors ALL 23 ships of the class and ALL the men who served in them.

Where are we at in our efforts to save the last Adams can?

We will have the land for her berth.

We've conducted a marine survey and a material survey and know what has to be done to her.

We've selected/have identified our desired shipyard to do the hullwork.

As part of our efforts, we've gotten a resolution before the Jacksonville city council supporting the establishment of our museum.

In preperation, to run the actual museum, we have commissioned the Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association

What we need shipmate, is YOUR help.

I would like to ask you for two things.
First, I'll be honest with you shipmate, we need financial support. We are at the point that we have bills to pay to make this work.

If you could donate 25, 50, or even 100 dollars, that would help us so much. Even 5 or 10 dollars, if that's all you can afford, would still help us towards THE goal. We, the AVCA, are an IRS 501C3 organization, so any donations are tax deductable.

Many companies offer matching gifts for their employees charitable contributions, If your company does this, please take the time to participate in that program with your tax-dedictable gift to the ACVA
You can contribute at www.adamsclassddgvets.org

If you have already donated, I and the ACVA board want to thank you for your support. If you could help us again, that would be super. But if you aren't able at this time, that is completely okay too.

Our goal for the next six months is $50 from 1000 shipmates. This will pay for the paperwork, studies and other NAVSEA requirements for the Adams to become a museum. Once all of that is complete, corporate sponsorship will begin to flow, and THAT will pay for the real expensive bills - the shipyard docking and the construction of her berth.

The second thing I would ask you to do for all Adamsmen, and I want to underscore that this museum will be a tribute to ALL 23 ships and ALL the crews that served in them, is to pass the word. We need to get the word out to as many of our shipmates as we can. Mention our cause and our dream to your friends at your VFW post, American Legion post, FRA Branch, Navy League council, whereever you think someone will listen.

Every dollar donated brings us closer to our goal - commissioning the Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Museum

If you have any questions, or want to help out with contacting shipmates for donations, please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

From Adams Class Veterans Assn., Feb 23:
They want attendees at meeting in Jacksonville, FL., Feb 25!!!


See Ken Keeler's earlier post here...

____________________________________________________________________
NOW HEAR THIS





WE ARE GETTING SO CLOSE,
I CAN ALMOST FEEL THE MOORING LINES IN MY HANDS.



This week, Adams and ACVA passed another hurdle by being endorsed by both the Finance Committee and the Recreation / Community Development Committee of Jacksonville City Government.

Our next hurdle will be a vote of the full City Council on Tuesday evening February 26. Our Team in Jacksonville believes we have sufficient City Council support for our proposal to pass and be sent to the Mayor for his signature, which has been assured by a Mayoral representative.

Writing of the Application for Donation that we must submit to NAVSEA is progressing nicely and our Application Team must be commended for their efforts.

Former Adams CO and ACVA VP, Bob Branco, led a second Survey Team back to Philly on February 19-20 to secure additional details on the condition
of Adams for inclusion in the Application for Donation.

Former Sellers CO, Bob Rumney, has been working on a Yard Availability Report just as he would have done while on Active Duty. This too will be part of our Application for Donation so NAVSEA knows what repairs we intend to make while Adams is in Dry Dock. This was a primary reason for the Survey Visit I mentioned above.

Bob Rumney has also put together an outline for our Volunteer Program, so those of you who may be pacing the deck waiting to get your hands dirty on Adams, will know what to expect. I will talk more about this in future emails / newsletters.

Now that I have gotten you excited with all the good news, I need to bring us
all back to reality. None of this activity is without cost. None of the volunteers on our ACVA Board or our ACVA Survey Teams are getting paid. Lots of money has been spent to find the Old Girl a home and more will be spent in
the near future. We have been very frugal thus far and have gotten a lot for our money. These funds have been spent to hire professionals to do Marketing Surveys, research pier locations and designs and acquire Permits.

So far we have survived on Donation from our ACVA Members and Friends but available funds are running low. We are asking once again for everyone
to dig as deep as you can and keep us moving forward. If you know of former shipmate who do not yet know about Adams and ACVA, please give them a call, drop them a line or shoot them an email and tell them what we are doing
to Save Adams. Don't forget to encourage them to donate as well.

Remember to check our ACVA web site often for updates. adamsclassddgvets.org/

Tom Crosser
President, Adams Class Veterans Association, Inc.

=======================================================


INVITATION



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The City Council of Jacksonville is scheduled to vote on the resolution to support the USS ADAMS as a naval ship museum. It will be helpful to
have as many supporters there as possible. Anyone who can be there is encouraged to attend and show support for the Adams as a museum.

City Hall is located to 117 West Duval Street in downtown Jacksonville (www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype...le&state=fl&zipcode=)

If you can attend it would be of great help. I realize that most recipients
are likely to be a little farther away than a 15 minute drive, but you MAY
know someone in the region that might be available to attend. For anyone
who anticipates attending, please arrive in downtown early. Finding parking promises to be a little bit of a challenge. There are pay-lots all around, but
few street parking spaces. The new council meetings start time is 5:00 p.m.

The appropriate council committees have reviewed and voted on the
resolution (number 2008-46). The Finance Committee voted the resolution
out of committee on a 5-to-1 vote, and the RCD (Recreation and Community Development) Committee voted the resolution out of committee on a 6-to-0 vote (and that included the councilman who voted against it in the previous committee meeting the day before).

Should the full council pass the resolution, then it goes to the Mayor for signature or veto. I have been assured by mayoral staff that the mayor
will sign the resolution.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to send me a note or contact me.

Best regards,

Bert Watson
904.363.1738

Article in Florida Times-Union re Adams Class Museum

www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/0.../met_251026198.shtml

Hope someone on this Cochrane site from Florida or nearby has their own version of the news. I'm about as far from Fla. as you can get. Someone local down there, keep us posted!!

_____________________________________________________



NOTICE
PLEASE PASS THIS TO YOU MEMBERS


WE MAY AGAIN WALK THE DECKS OF A DDG IN JACKSONVILLE

.........at 6:02 PM 2/26/08
The Jacksonville City Council voted 15 For and 0 Against and PASSED the resolution to accept the
ACVA Project to bring the USS Charles F. Adams
DDG-2 to Jacksonville, Florida.

Much work still needs to be done. The ACVA is working very hard
to complete the ship application to submit it to NAVSEA by
March 31, 2008.

WE NEED TO RAISE MORE FUNDS QUICKLY.
PLEASE SEND WHAT YOU CAN ASAP.

Make checks out to "ACVA"
Send them to
Dave Myerly
5 Bush Road
Denville, New Jersey 07834

Become an ACVA Member by going to our web site adamsclassddgvets.org/ and click on "Join the ACVA"
and fill out and submit the application. If you also send a check
for $25 or more at the same time we assign you the title of ACVA Plankowner with your own ACVA Plankowner Number.


Dave Myerly
ACVA Executive Secretary

PLANNING THE RESTORATION OF CHARLES F. ADAMS DDG-2
VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP

The Adams Class Veterans Association, Inc. (ACVA) is beginning to plan for the restoration of the CHARLES F. ADAMS DDG-2 with an "advanced sign-up" request
to Navy veterans and other interested individuals who want to help restore the various
areas of the ship and set up museum displays. We need lots of skilled help from preservation to technical skills in order to restore the ship's appearance to that of its operating days of service.

We will not be starting the restoration work until the Navy awards us the ship.
It will be a big help to have an "advanced sign-up" list that will allow us to build
a database of seriously interested individuals who are motivated to participate
in the restoration work.

Go to the "Volunteer" page on the ACVA web site and register today so that we
can begin the effort to "RESTORE THE CHARLEY DEUCE" as a representative of
all ships of the ADAMS class !! www.adamsclassddgvets.org