2002 Hospital Ship Reunion

The USAHS Thistle, the USS Comfort and other US hospital ships of WWII have completed the arrangements for our next reunion  in 2002 which will be be held in Seattle, WA September 11 to 15, 2002.  The itinerary is now  finalized and presented below.  So mark your calanders and we will see you there.

We all, as usual, had a wonderful time at the Charleston reunion in 2001. Nine US hospital ships (of the 42 Army and Navy hospital ships of WWII) were represented:  USAHS Thistle
USS Comfort
USAHS Blanche F. Sigman
USAHS Dogwood
USAHS John L. Clem
USAHS John J. Meany
USAHS Larkspur
USAHS Louis A. Milne
USAHS Marigold

We hope to have even more this year. All who served on the US hospital ships of WWII and their freinds and family are invited to these reunions.  Come and share your memories, pictures and stories.   Hosts for the 2002 reunion are Floyd and Carol Kennedy and Ray and Shirley Seiple. Details of the reunion are now available and they are presented below:

   ITINERARY FOR SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
 HOSPITAL SHIPS OF WORLD WAR II REUNION
 SEPTEMBER 11 TO 15, 2002 

September 11: Upon arrival at the SEATAC Airport, take the shuttle bus to the “Sleep Inn”, just a few blocks away.  Notify the Inn that you have arrived and they will send a shuttle bus to pick you up.  Call (206) 878- 3600.  Refreshments and snacks will be waiting for you at the hospitality room.

September 12: Complimentary Continental Breakfast.  At 08:30 AM we will board the bus for transportation to the Pike Palace Market.  The market sells fish, meat, veggies, jewelry, art objects, paintings, clothing and other things.  At 10:30 AM we will board the bus for a visit to the Hiram-Chittenham Locks to observe the glass lighted windows of the fish ladder and watch the Salmon swim up the ladder to Lake Washington.  At 11:30 AM we will board the bus for return to the Inn.  Refreshments and snacks in the hospitality room. The rest of the day is on your own.

September 13: Complimentary Continental Breakfast.  At 07:30 AM we will board the bus for transportation to the Ferry Terminal.  (BE SURE TO BRING A COPY OF YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND A PHOTO ID)  At 08:30 we board the Ferry, the Victoria Clipper, for a trip to Victoria, B.C.  The Victoria Clipper is a jet propelled catamaran with a restaurant on board.  We will arrive at Victoria between 10:30 and 11:00 AM.

 Following our arrival at Victoria, BC, we will proceed to the Empress Hotel for a special luncheon (included in reunion fee).  After lunch you have free time to explore and shop in Victoria, or visit the famous Butchart Gardens. 

 As you leave the Empress Hotel you will probably be besieged by vendors touting a tour of the Butchart Gardens.  Busses leave every hour.  You can return on any bus that is leaving for Victoria.  Be sure you return to Victoria in time to catch the ferry (the Victoria Clipper) for the return trip to Seattle. The ship departs at 7:00 PM sharp.  Do not be late.

 For those of you who love antiques, all the shops and malls are located on Fort Street, just a few blocks from the Empress Hotel.

 The rate of exchange is about as follows: $1.00 American can be exchanged for $1.40 Canadian.  This is a big advantage for American shoppers.  There are many shops and stores in Victoria.

 There are many modes of transportation to help you make the most of your time spent in Victoria.  Besides the traditional walking, there are taxis, bicycle cabs and horse drawn carriages.  The choice is yours, but whichever method you chose, you will have a delightful time in Victoria.

The Ferry will depart Victoria, BC, at 07:00 PM and arrive in Seattle between 09:00 and 09:30 PM.  We will board the bus and return to the Inn.

September 14: Complementary Continental Breakfast.  This is a free day to use as you wish.  At 04:30 PM we will board the bus for transportation to  the Chinook Restaurant.  This will be our farewell dinner.  The meal will be served at 05:00 PM.  We will board the bus at 06:30 PM and return to the Inn.  At 07:00 we will assemble in the hospitality room for a meeting to discuss where and when we will have the next reunion and also identify the host/hostess.  This is a tradition that goes back a long way.  It is one of the benefits of attending the reunion, all who attend have a chance to voice their opinion on where and when they would like to have the next reunion.

September 15: Complimentary Continental Breakfast. Say our goodbyes and depart for home.

PRICE INCLUDES: 

4 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION AT THE SLEEP INN, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 

DAILY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

DAILY SNACKS AND REFRESHMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY ROOM

SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM SETAC AIRPORT
BUS TRANSPORTATION FROM THE INN TO THE PIKE PALACE MARKET

BUS TRANSPORTATION  FROM MARKET TO THE HIRAM-CHITTENHAM LOCKS

BUS TRANSPORTATION FROM THE LOCKS TO THE INN

BUS TRANSPORTATION TO THE VICTORIA CLIPPER
FERRY RIDE ON THE VICTORIA CLIPPER FROM SEATTLE TO VICTORIA, B.C.

SPECIAL LUNCH AT THE EMPRESS HOTEL IN VICTORIA, B.C.
FERRY RIDE ON THE VICTORIA CLIPPER FROM VICTORIA, B.C. TO SEATTLE 

BUS TRANSPORTATION FROM SEATTLE TO THE SLEEP INN

BUS TRANSPORTATION FROM THE INN TO THE CHINOOK RESTAURANT

FAREWELL DINNER AT THE CHINOOK RESTAURANT

BUS TRANSPORTATION FROM THE CHINOOK RESTAURANT TO THE INN

LOCAL SHUTTLE SERVICE, INCLUDING SETAC, PROVIDED BY SLEEP INN

THE REUNION FEE IS AS FOLLOWS:

SINGLE OCCUPANCY_________$535.00
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY________$847.00 (PRICE PER PERSON IS $423.50)

PLEASE MAIL A DEPOSIT TO FLOYD KENNEDY IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE-HALF THE TOTAL FEE ($267.50 FOR SINGLES AND $423.50 FOR DOUBLES) BY JUNE 1, 2002. THE BALANCE IS DUE BY AUGUST 1, 2002.

For additional information you may contact:

 Floyd or Carol Kennedy 
60 East Detroit Dr.       
Allyn, WA 98524                
Phone: 360-275-2827          

Ray or Shirley Seiple
6233 Cassady Way
Carmichael, CA 95608
Phone: 916-944-2461
Fax: 916-944-7273
E-mail - rseiple766@aol.com

or visit website:

 HOSPITAL SHIPS OF WWII  JOINT REUNION 2002