We traveled away from the city and visited the Sonoran Desert Museum and trekked through the desert on a nice walking trail.   We went into a limestone cave.  We visited the hummingbirds, the butterflies, the stingrays, and the aquarium.  We saw lots of cacti.  And we observed the bobcats, prairie dogs, coyote, black bear, and very large lizards - or were they observing us???

We visited with our shipmates in the Hospitality Suite, where we enjoyed snacks, sodas, and adult beverages.  Many thanks to Sharon States for shopping and getting all of the refreshment to the Hospitality Suite!  She literally did the heavy lifting.  She also pre-viewed the hotel to make sure the accommodations would meet our needs. And thanks to Mel Haugerud for saving the day when he produced a wine corkscrew!

Freddie and Veria Blacksher

William "Crow" Cromartie

We shopped at the Ship's Store

DJ RASHID HAMDAN provided us with music throughout the banquet

I think these two are bonding - their service tied together 37 years of sea duty.

Once again we were happy to see our "first man on and last man off". Plankowner Casey Garcia took her to sea in 1956 on her first deployment and Frank Smith brought her home in 1992.

We finally got to see our shipmates who were attending their first reunion.  We hear they wish they had started attending them sooner...

Where's that food, beer, and wine they promised us?

Keron found the wine,

Once again, we enjoyed Capt. Sell's carving

of the Mauna Kea.  

And then it was time for our farewell banquet.  

​

We paid a tribute to Dick States - the father of the Mauna Kea reunions.  Due to his tireless efforts, which soon involved the help of Jerry Mouton and Rich Letarte, the first reunion was held in 1999.  Dick not only found the crew, but he also found the Mauna Kea!  The first reunion was held in Concord, CA and included a tour of the decommissioned ship.  And since that time, the shipmates have traveled across this country to be together (visit the "Mauna Kea Bond" page on the website.)


​Thank you, Dick, for your perseverance.


A special "thank you" was said to Susan Cannon for her help keeping the crew informed through the website, emails, updated rosters, and assistance with reunion planning.  We know that she enjoyed every minute of her involvement.
















We honored the POWs, and we gave a special tribute to our own shipmates who have served their last watch.  Mike Hildebrand paid a tribute to shipmate Jack Hankins who died in a wreck while assigned to the Mauna Kea.  Eight bells were rung.















​


We continue to visit with our shipmates.  We ate, we danced, and we talked some more.



























































































We agreed to keep the website open three more years.  Even though this was probably our last large, organized reunion, we encouraged shipmates to keep in touch.  Please send any changes that need to be made on the roster to Susan Cannon, and we will send out updated copies of the roster to anyone interested.  Also, please advise her of the passing of shipmates.


If anyone wants to hold a small reunion, just let us know when and where.  Set a place and date and we will send out the information.  No reservations of large blocks of rooms, no organized banquets, no organized tours.  Just name a location (hotel) and date and shipmates can meet and go out to dinner together and do some sightseeing together.  And of course, visit and tell tall sea tales.  I think a few of these "mini-reunions" are already being discussed.


Shipmates on Tucson Liberty Call:


Elwood and Lynn Birch

Freddie and Veria Blacksher

David and Susan Cannon

William "Crow" Cromartie

John and Cathy Dunton

Larry Foss

Casey and Barbara Garcia

Clint and Susie Harris

Mel and Pam Haugerud

Mike and Lois Hildebrand

Dick and Sue Hollington

Rob Miner

Jerry and Gwen Mouton

Joseph "Bozo" Roseberry

Wayne and Sharon Shimkus

Frank and Stephanie Smith

Paul and Pamela Snodgrass

Dick and Sharon States

Dick and Shirley Steffens

Warren and Linda Stowell

John Sullivan


​









































































































We watched that full moon go down behind the mountains and experienced that feeling of being in the clouds one more time.  Some dropped a few more coins in the casino.  And then went our separate ways.

​​Liberty Call Tucson, Arizona

​October 9-13, 2022​

​

On October 9, 2022, the USS Mauna Kea pulled into the Port of Tucson. (OK, this was the desert so I guess we could say she pulled into dry dock!).  The crew and spouses convened at the Desert Diamond Casino and Hotel for three days of Liberty Call.  A good time was had by all, and we are happy to report that no one was arrested by Shore Patrol.

Some shipmates had an extra day of Liberty Call.  They made the trip to Tombstone and Boot Hill.  

USS MAUNA KEA AE-22   Reunions

And then there were the shipmates who served between Casey and Frank...

The majority of these men met fifty-seven years ago and see each other only every couple of years. Some haven't seen each other since 1969.  But when they get together, it's as though they saw each other only yesterday.  One starts a sentence, and another shipmate finishes it.  However, they all seem to have their own versions of some of the events that happened onboard.  And each tale gets a little taller.

We toured the PIMA Air and Space Museum together on our private tram and walked through the hangers together.  We saw big planes, little planes, the first plane, the latest models of planes, funny looking planes, and the Presidents' planes...

Some sat on tall chairs and listened to tall tales

We were welcomed by our Hosts Jerry and Gwen Mouton, 

and Co-Hosts  Dick & Sharon States and David & Susan Cannon









​

...and now I think the only thing missing is my glass of wine!

John and Cathy Dunton