dentry
2026 Reunion of the USS Lynde McCormick DDG-8 All-Hands Association
This was the 13th Reunion of the USS Lynde McCormick DDG-8 All Hands Association. The reunion was held at the Wyndham San Diego Bayside September 21-24, 2026. It was the second time we had the reunion at the Wyndham San Diego Bayside. This was a very good location because everything we were going to do was within walking distance, so we did not have to hire a motor coach. The weather during our reunion was the typical perfect San Diego weather – cloudy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon with light cool breezes.
We had 37 shipmates, and 33 guests.
21 September – check-in day, so no activity besides the attendees checking in. When they checked-in, they received a USS Lynde McCormick bag, a ship’s ball cap, a USS Lynde McCormick Challenge coin, an engraved Lynde McCormick metal ink pen.
22 September – At 10AM 29 people gathered in the hospitality room then walked to the USS Midway and toured the ship. It was a self-guided tour, so people broke up into their own groups and toured at their own pace. The afternoon was free, so we scheduled the All hands meeting at 3PM where we disclosed our finances and chose new officers of the association. At 6PM the doors opened for the buffet dinner. We had the Vivo Italiano buffet that included Tuscan White Bean Soup, Caesar salad, Chicken Picata, Chianti Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs, Potato Gnocchi, sautéed Tuscan Vegetables, Warm Focaccia, Tiramisu and assorted Italian pastries.
23 September was a little busy. We walked down to the boat docks by Broadway Street and boarded the Flagship Cruise line for a 2-hour tour of the San Diego Bay. Lots of ships in port at 32nd Street and one ship at the North Island Ammunition pier. We got back at 1230PM and then mustered in the Hospitality room at 130PM and walked to the Navy SEAL Museum on Kettner Street where we toured the museum, experienced the 3D Virtual Reality Mission. That was really cool! After that we all went back to the hotel, rested, cleaned up and got ready for the Plated Banquet dinner. The doors opened at 6 PM and they started serving at 630PM. We all had a Ceasar Salad, then either Lemon Sage Chicken with Lyonnaise Potatoes and a Blueberry Mustard Glaze, or a Grilled Pacific Salmon with Yukon Potato Puree, Pickled Red Onion, Dill and Lemon Chimichurri. Dessert was a New York Style Cheesecake.
24 September was departure day. We all had a great time, said our goodbyes and pledged to meet up again in 2028.
The following people attended the Reunion:
Captain Donald and Karyn Berkebile 1976-1981
FC3 Lance, Amanda and Georgia Berry 1990-1991 – Decommissioning Crew
MM3 Johnny Boles 1981-1983
ETR2 (EWCS Ret) Manny and Lourdes Buttner 1969-1974
Brad and Brandi Chalk – Honor Family representing SKSN Charles (Larry) Chalk 1967-1968
YN1 Duane Choquette 1985-1990
GM1 Kris & Michaele Cisewski 1983-1988
SH3 Eric Crawford 1973-1976
HM3 Gregory & Jennifer Faulk 1976-1977
LCDR J. Paul & Diana Goldenstein 1974-1977
MM3 Glen & Connie Grewing 1974-1978
MM2 Phillip Grueter 1986-1990
BTFN Roger (John) & Terri Hamm 1973-1977
FC2 (FCC Ret) Barry & Kathy Hardman 1983-1987
LT Greg Hermanson 1986-1988
Dr. Carolyn Huntley – Sister of Barry Hardman
LTjg (LCDR Ret) Kenneth & Gail Ivary 1973-1977
OS2 Ross Jackson 1985-1989
ETR2 Thomas Kelly 1974-1977
SH3 Eric Kelly 1973-1976
BT1 Michael & Laura Lang 1979-1984
Luke and Sherri Leissner – Sister of Kathy Hardman
CDR Fred & Colleen Mallgrave III – Commanding Officer 1990-1991 (the Last CO)
GM1 Brain Manuel 1984-1988
Captain Sheldon & Elizabeth Margolis – Commanding Officer 1983-1986
STG1 Michael & Sheryl Matulewicz 1984-1989
GM3 John & Sherri Miller 1985-1989
BT2 Ronald and Willa Moretti 1985-1990
SM1 Jorge Padilla 1983-1987
MM1 Jim & Donna Purchiaroni 1983-1987
SH3 Pedro Ramirez 1988-1991
BT2 Carlos & Margarita Sanchez 1970-1971
Captain Brian Sibold 1966-1969
MM2 (AOCS Ret) Miguel & Catherine Silva 1989
MM2 Craig & Mary Stokes 1974-1978
BT3 Tom & Rose Strunk 1980-1983
LT Mike Walsh 1984-1988
Captain Bob Wefald 1965-1967
GM3 Al Wieting 1961-1962 – Plank Owner
Michael Weiting – Son of Al Wieting
Seargent Brett Wieting USMC – Grandson of Al Wieting
Mark & Connie Williams – Sister of Kathy Hardman
QM2 Alban Williams 1974-1977
1991
[/price_info] Change of command – June 1991
[price_info cost=”CDR Daniel N. Esposito”]- Jun 1991 – Oct 1 1991
[/price_info]
[/pricing_column]
[pricing_column title=”Executive Officer”]
[price_info cost=”LCDR Paul C. Cassani”]
[/price_info]
Change of command – January 25 1990
[price_info cost=”LCDR Paul C. Cassani”] [/price_info] [/pricing_column] [/pricing_table]
The USS Lynde McCormick is decommissioned on 1 October 1991. She is then stripped of all weapon systems and all electronics including everything (superstructure) above the main deck. She was sold to a power company for conversion to a power barge and may have been converted, but ultimately, she was returned to the Department of the Navy through a default by the power company. The McCormick was then used as a target vessel and sunk.
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1990
[/price_info] Change of command – January 25 1990
[price_info cost=”CDR Fred Joseph Mallgrave III”]- Jan 25 1990 – Jun 1991
[/price_info]
[/pricing_column]
[pricing_column title=”Executive Officer”]
[price_info cost=”LCDR Paul C. Cassani”]
[/price_info]
Change of command – January 25 1990
[price_info cost=”LCDR Paul C. Cassani”] [/price_info] [/pricing_column] [/pricing_table]
no history has been provided for this year
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1960
The second guided missile warship ever built on the Great Lakes ( USS Lynde McCormick DDG 8 ) ( Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Michigan ) heads toward the Atlantic Ocean via the recently completed St. Lawrence Seaway.
Harry Defoe, (primary owner of the Defoe Shipbuilding Company), conceived of a unique roll-over process of hull assembly, which was credited with reducing production costs sharply by conserving space, eliminating scaffolding and cutting labor expense.
Construction of the hulls DDGs started upside down on a flat deck on which bulkheads are placed. Hull plates, set by overhead crane, lay in position by their own weight and permitted downhand welding which was half the cost of traditional overhead welding. Labor man hours was cut to one-third or one-fourth of the total man hours needed by previous conventional methods.
When the hull was completed, two 50-foot eccentric steel wheels were clamped into position. Actual roll over, controlled by a single locomotive crane, requires but five minutes and the work of only a dozen men. The two huge wheels rolled on tracks to upright the hull thereby setting it in position for other work needed before launching the ship by sliding it sideways into an adjoining slip.
When a DDG was delivered, it would have from twenty to thirty Navy sailors aboard with her who would make the trip from Bay City to Boston and who would then be assigned to the DDG upon its commissioning.
Leaving the yard was always a thrill. The DDG would leave the slip and go into Saginaw River with a few blasts of the horn. The proud yard workers would wave good-bye to the ship they on which had labored and crafted.
After a short amount of time, the DDG would be in Saginaw Bay and then out into Lake Huron. The DDG would leave Lake Huron and go through Lake Erie and then through Lake Ontario and the recently completed St. Lawrence Seaway on her way to Boston. The trip included a company for the shake down exercise of the ship, running at full speed forward and then reverse, rapid turns and all those different maneuvers to make sure everything was running right. The trip from Bay City to Boston via the Great Lakes is about 1,500 miles. The ship probably averaged about 15 knots an hour and the trip to Boston took about 4 or 5 days.