ALL THE WAY FROM OHIO - Robert Caley of Cadiz,
Ohio, shows off the model of the USS Uvalde
Thursday he brought from Cadiz to the USS Uvalde
crew reunion in Branson, Mo., then to El Progreso
Memorial Library, Archives and Museum. (Staff
photos by Margaret Palermo)
Robert Caley of Cadiz, Ohio, walked into El Progreso Memorial
Library, Archives and Museum Thursday morning with a ship.
Caley was one of hundreds of Navy men who served, at one time
or another, aboard the USS Uvalde, an amphibious assault ship
named for former Vice President John Nance Garner's hometown.
The surviving crewmembers of the USS Uvalde had a reunion in
Branson, Mo., and Caley took the model there first, then
brought it directly to Uvalde.
The USS Uvalde AKA88, commissioned Aug. 18, 1944, was a busy
little ship during its heyday. It was used in the American
occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1953, was stationed in China,
took part in the French Indochina Passage to Freedom in 1954
and was stationed at Tourane Bay.
It took part in the invasions of Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa in
1945 during World War II, and from 1950 to 1953 during the
Korean War was stationed at Sakcho Ri, Pusan, Paongyung Do and
Wansan. The USS Uvalde took part in the Cuban Missile Crisis
in 1962 and the Dominican Republic Intervention of 1966.
The ship was 459 feet long and 65 feet wide at the beam, with
a draft of 26 feet. It had a top speed of 16.5 knots.
Caley's ship was a scale model of the USS Uvalde, a commercial
model made for him. Caley served as a cook aboard the ship
during the Korean War form 1952-1955.
But Caley's model was not the only model of the USS Uvalde
that was to arrive here. There was a second model that was to
have arrived at the same time.
"He was supposed to be coming down with Don Renner, who had
also served on the USS Uvalde," said library staff member
Nancy Feely.
Feely said she met Renner five or six years ago when the
veterans who had served on the USS Uvalde at one time or
another had a reunion in San Antonio and came to visit Uvalde.
"They came to El Progreso Memorial Library to see an exhibit
of memorabilia from the ship that was on loan at that time
from the John Nance Garner Museum," said Feely.
"In the course of visiting with the members who were attending
the reunion, we told them about our plans to build the new
library, which was also to be the museum and archives," she
said.
She said the men were excited to learn of the archives and
were even more excited to learn that Uvalde was interested in
learning more about the ship named for the city. The veterans
told her they were worried about their artifacts being lost
because their own children were not interested.
"Many of them said they would like to see El Progreso Memorial
Library become the official archives for the ship
memorabilia," Feely said.
"It was at that time that Don Renner told me that he had made
several models of ships and would like to do one of the USS
Uvalde to be placed in the new facility," Feely said.
She said Renner did make the replica and sent photographs of
it and posted them on the USS Uvalde Web site. "He had made
plans to attend the grand opening July 31. Unfortunately, he
was hospitalized at the time and was unable to come," she said.
Renner died last week.
Caley said he left the reunion in Branson before a final vote
was taken, but a paper ballot indicated that the USS Uvalde
veterans might meet in San Antonio again in two years.
Feely said there is a possibility that Renner's widow may make
the trip to Uvalde at that time to present the model made by
her late husband.
Pictures of the Renner model can be found in the "of interest"
section on the ussuvalde.com Web site along with the ship's
history, reunions and rosters.
