21 January 1977 memorial aboard the USS Guam

Program from the 21 January 1977 memorial aboard the USS Guam. Thank you to Thomas Bornaman.

11 September 1977 memorial dedication

Program from the 11 September 1977 memorial dedication at the Naval Amphibious Base Chapel, Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia (now Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story). A carillon and a memorial plaque were dedicated during this service. Thank you to Cy Gurney. 

20 & 21 September 2017 reunion and memorial service

There is a plaque and a carillon in the chapel honoring those lost in the accident.  The plaque and carillon were dedicated on 11 September 1977.

We are planning three events.

1. A no host reception at 6:00 pm, Wednesday, 20 September, at Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Town Center, Garden Grille & Bar.  This will be an opportunity for everyone to get acquainted and reacquainted and to make sure everyone understands what they need to know about accessing the base to attend the memorial service. (252 Town Center Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, 757-326-6200

2. The memorial service on Thursday, 21 September, at noon in the chapel on Joint Expeditionary Base (JEB) Little Creek-Fort Story (1160 D Street, Virginia Beach, Virginia, VA 23459, 757-462-7427).

3. A dinner banquet at 6:00 pm on Thursday evening, 21 September at Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant (1956 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454, 757-428-3494).

Richard Felzien, USN, Survivor

“It was a nightmare but there was not any real panic except for a couple of guys,” survivor Richard Felzien of Norflolk, VA, a 1st class petty officer, told the Associated Press in 1977.

Felzien was one of 124 Sailors and Marines from the USS Guam and USS Trenton aboard a liberty boat on January 17, 1977, when it collided with a freighter in the Barcelona harbor. Forty-nine servicemen lost their lives in the accident.

 

PFC Clarence R. Staten, USMC

Remembering PFC Clarence R. Staten (USMC, CO A BLT 1/6, USS Guam), who lost his life on active duty, 17 January 1977, in Barcelona, when the liberty boat (LCM-6) he was on struck a freighter and capsized.

PFC Staten was born in 1959, and lived in Norfolk, Virginia. He died at age 17. PFC Staten was laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery, Norfolk City, Virginia.