A "plank owner" is an individual who was a member of the crew of a ship when that ship was placed in commission. In earlier years, this applied to a first commissioning; since then, it has often been applied to one who was part of a recommissioning crew as well. "Plank owner" is not an official Navy term, and has consequently been variously defined by different Navy units.Plank-owner certificates are procured by and issued to crew members of the ship being commissioned; they are not officially issued by the Navy. Some ships' crews design their own, while others purchase them from commercial sources. Perhaps the best-known of these are the ones sold by the United States Naval Institute. These color certificates can be obtained as blanks; if the purchaser wishes to provide the necessary information, they can be filled in for an additional charge. As a plankowner, am I entitled to a piece of the ship when it is decommissioned?In the case of ships with wooden decks, if the veteran has a plank owner certificate or statement of service showing that he was on the ship when it was commissioned, the veteran can write to the Naval Historical Center's Curator Branch, and request a piece of deck planking. If the veteran meets the above criteria and the Curator Branch has possession of deck planking, the plank owner or his widow can receive a small section of the deck. For more recent ships with metallic decks, the Navy is regretfully unable to issue deck sections. The address for the Curator is:
Naval Historical Center
Curator Branch 805 Kidder-Breese St.
Washington Navy Yard
Washington, D.C. 20374-5060
WEBMASTER'S NOTE...
If information is incorrect, please e-mail me and will correct it.
Chuck Westbrook
ttwmaster1@yahoo.com
HONORED USS TORTUGA LSD-26 PLANK OWNER'S
ARTHUR, Albert L.*S1/c*(1945-46) 4336 Dupage Dr.
Bridgeton, MO 63044 (314) 770 2106BERGSTROM, Merrill S.*QM3/c* (1945) 4615 Jay Ave.
Northboro, MA 01532 (508) 393 8802BOYD, George C. *HC* (1945-46) 12781 St. Rte 774 Bethal, OH
45106 (513) 444 2665BROWN, Raymond G.*LCDR* (CO) (1945-46) 14004 SE 118th St.
Renton, WA 98056 (206) 255 2460 (Deceased-Jan. 10, 1995)CHASE, David J. *LT (XO-Navigator)* (Deceased Jan. 3, 1998)
RR 1 Box 116 Long Island, ME 04050-9715 (207) 766 2975CONNELL, Robert H.*RM1/c*(1945) 2942 E. Charleston Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85032-1137 (602) 971 8665CRIMMINS, Daniel T.*WT3/c*(1945-46) 735 Court St.
Clay Center, KS 67432 (913) 632 5034DIBELLA, ARMAND J. *SF3C* (1945) 11 Seton Lane, Greenwich, Conn 06831
E-mail adibella3@optonline.netDIVINNEY, Edward W.*SN*(1945-47) 1002 Eagle Lane
Doylestown, PA 18901 (215) 343 0317EARL, William G. *Coxswain, 2nd Division* ( 8 June 1945-13 June 1946 ) 1905 SE 31st St, Okeechobee, FL 34974 (863)-763-4327. (Brother's e-mail address) jearl@mfi.net
EGAN, Jim *S1/c* (1945) 3575 S Ocean Blvd. # 207 S. Palm Beach, FL
33480 (561) 540 5963..... e-mail TORTOLA11@aol.comEMANN, Walter V. (F/1C "BT") Jan 3 1945 to July 7, 1946 Deceased---1993
Son, Mike Emann E-Mail...ACEMANN1@aol.comFLYNN, Harry *S1/c* (1945-46) PO Box 278 Richeyville, PA
15358 (412) 769 5853FUGETT, Edward (1945) 1218 Frisbee Rd. Ruskin, FL 33570
FULLER Stanley W.*SK1/c* (1945-47) Greenwood Trailer Park # 53
Sparrowbush, NY 12780 (914) 856 2061 (Deceased—Dec. 13, 1995)GIESKE, George L.*EM3* (1945-46) 109 MacArthur Rd. Clairton, PA
15025-3019 (412) 655 9243GIORDANO, Frank*RM2/c* (1945) 21512 Brynmawr Ave.
Port Charlotte, FL 33952 (941) 624 3250 (Deceased 12-18-2002)GOSCHE, William R.*LTJG* (1st Lieutenant) (1945) 901 Sixth Ave.
S. St James, MN 56081 (507) 375 5163.GOZDZIALSKI, John I.*MoMM2/c* (1945-46) 5942 Cedar Fern Ct
Columbia, MD 21044 (410) 740 9084 (Deceased—Nov. 29, 2000)GRASSO, ANTHONY Armand.*SN1/C* (June 8th 1945-Oct.24th 1945) 771B Blackberry Lane, Yorktown, New York 10598
(914) 245-6205 E-mail Armand27@bigplanet.comINNES, Alan H. *MM/3* (5/45-8/46) 4851 E Hopi St. Phoenix AZ
85044-2214 (480-893-2472) alinnes5@cox.netKAZAN, Alfred (Kazukiewicz) *Ski SC1/c* (1945-46) 81 Warwick Road
Melrose, MA 02176 (615) 665 5067LOPEZ, Albert. *SN/1st* (Sbd. Crane operator) (1945-) 12781 2566 Byberry Rd. Hatboro PA.19040 E-mail: Aljill14@aol.com
McNIGHT, Lee*CQM*(45-46) 41 Lucile St. San Leandro, CA
94577 (510) 568 1576 (Deceased April 22, 1981)MEYER, Theodore (Ted) *Coxswain* (44-46) 1 Kingston Ave.
Toms River, NJ 08753..... e-mail BriJM22@aol.comMILLER, George (1945-46) 18 Jefferson Ave. Oneonta, NY 13820
MILLER, Walter R.*MoM1/C*(1945-46) 214 Autumn Schenectady, NY
12306 (518) 355 2433 E-mail WalterM935@AOL.comMITCHELL, James C.*S1/C* (45-46) #4Box 247 Murray, KY
42071-9804 (502) 492 8626MOHN, Harold E.*S1/c* (1945-46) 360 Valley View Dr. New Holland, PA 17557
NEWSOME, George P. "RMSN" (1945-46) PO Box 696 Pine Grove CA.
665-0696 209-296-5448 geopnew@yahoo.comNOLL, Earnest K. (1945-46) PO Box 206 Montandon, PA
17850 (717) 523 6453POWELL, William B. "MM2 (1945----) 10050 White Shop Rd
Culpeper, VA 22701-8365 (540) 547-4532RASSMUSSEN, Elsworth W. *BM3/c* (1945) 113 W. Lake St.
Stanton, MI 48888 (517) 831 5597ROLFE, Kenneth R. *RM* (1945-46) 264 Farmview Dr. Macedon, NY
14502 (716) 377 4108 (Deceased 2004)SANTOS, Rodolfo A. (Rudy) *Pending* (1944-) (Deceased 1982)
Information source, Ernesto A. Santos (Son) e-mail egsantos@swbell.netSCHOBER, Robert H.*FN1/c*(1945-46) 10 Dunham Rd
Park Forest, IL 60466 (708) 481 8741 (Deceased Aug. 5, 1999)SEKEL, William A.*SF2/c*(1945-46) 246 Patterson Ave.
Bridgeville, PA 15017 (412) 221 1425STANALAND, Robert E.*F1/c*(1945-46) 7596 Watson way
Citrus Heights, CA 95610STEVENS, Wayne*RD3*(1945-46) R.R. #3 Veedersburg, IN
47987 (317) 295 2558VOSS, Albert *CS2* (1945-47) 54 A IRVING ST. ALBANY, NY 12202-1312
518-434-4996WENDTE, Morris L. *MM/3* (1945-50) 3321 E 43RD AVE Anchorage, AK
99508-5426 907-563-784 E-mail mdwendte@gci.netWILLIAMS, Charles *GMM2/c* (1945-46) 2612 Excalibur Dr.
Huntsville, AL 35803-1928 (205) 883 7572 (Deceased-July 31, 1995)WIRT, Glen M.*LT (Gunnery Officer)*(1945) 1462 Enderly Way
Sunnyvale, CA 94087-2891 (408) 739 2891 (Deceased-Dec. 28,1997)
<><><><><><>HONORED USS TORTUGA LSD-46 PLANK OWNER'S<><><><><><>
SOME INFORMATION PENDING
BROWDER, DONALD W. *EN3 A-DIV* 1990-1993
2109 Saddlebrook Ln Petersburg, Va. 23805 804-861-8119
dtbrowder@aol.comBRUCE, WILLIAM R. *DC5*
Debbillbruce@aol.comBRYAN, MARK A *NO RATE* 1990
24 WOODLINE ST. BESSEMER, PA. 16112
721-667-8808COLEMAN, ANTHONY D. (SK3/E4) 1989-1992
bigant0807@yahoo.comCORTEZ, ERIC. *RM/3* 1988-92---Eqbert@aol.com
DELONG , DAVID A. *BMSN* 2nd Div. 6/1990-6/1993
(Temporary address) 401 E. MAIN ST. SALEM, VA. 24153-4316
No current E-mail.EDGERTON, KENNETH K. *YN1 AW/YN2* 1989-92
625 SEA VALE ST CHULA VISTA, CA. 91910-1275
619-426-2580 tortola11@aol.comESTES, EDWARD KEITH. *DC/3* Aug. 88-March 92
10416 CHARPENTIER DR. MOSS POINT, MS. 39562
E-mail chiefdaddy03@earthlink.netHARDY, DUANE E. *PN3* 12/88-7/92
tugablue@bellsouth.netHARDY, JAMES T. *DK3* 12/88-7/92
hardyjtla@aol.com
*These two (twin brothers) were the first brothers to serve on the USS Tortuga.LUNSFORD, TONY L *BM3* 1988-1992
big_show@sbcglobal.netHAUGHTON, JAY B. (Rate Pending) (Dates Pending)
MCCORN, DAVID JR. *RD3* 7/89-3/93
5553 KELLY AVE #B BELTON, MO 64012
(816) 331-7292 d_mccorn@yahoo.comPALMER, CARL W. *ENC* 7/89-12/91
4421 CAMBRIA ST. VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. 23455-6552
757-456-9979 dockmaster7@hotmail.comRENNER, JEFFREY L. *DCFN* 1988-92
renner2@bellatlantic.netROMERO, JESUS D. *QM2* 1989-92
ROSS, MARK S. "EN/3" 1990-1995
65 Davenport Ave. Akron, OH 44312
Mrkross@aol.comSHREVE, WALTER *GMG1*
HC 60 BOX 22B FRANKLIN, WV. 26807-9701
altons773@aol.comTRUITT, THOMAS D. “TOM” “BM1(SW)”
15 Dec 1989- 15 Dec 1992
5332 Bryantown RD
Waldorf, MD 20601
dismountcav@aol.com
On behalf of all Tortuga Sailors, we would like to express our appreciation
to all plank owners for their loyal service in the Navy.