REUNIONEX ’23 Registration

REUNIONEX ’23 Overview & Costs:

REUNIONEX ’23 (Sponsored by the USS Fresno Memorial Association) will happen in San Diego, CA, on June 23-25, 2023.  We’d love to see as many of our shipmates as possible – this is open to all hands who served aboard the Frez from her commissioning in ’69 to her decommissioning in ’93.

BONUS – All activities are being paid through the USSFMA, so your registration fees and activity fees are considered donations to the USS Fresno Memorial Association, therefore… tax deductible as a donation to a non-profit. That’s a win-win, y’all (receipts provided)

Registration fees are $50.00 per person ($25.00 for USSFMA members and their spouses).  Here’s what you get for your registration fee :

Friday night reception – VFW/American Legion Ship 1774 in La Mesa, CA.

The USSFMA has rented their main meeting hall, and will provide non-alcoholic beverages (water, soda).  We’ll have a cash bar and there will be a food option available (Food Truck/Caterer/Heavy Hors D’oeuvres)

Saturday Sight Seeing in San Diego – Spend the day seeing the sights in San Diego with your old Shipmates. 

Here are some ideas:

Gun Range (See Facebook Page for details)
Sea World
San Diego Zoo
32^nd Street Naval Station
Fishing
Golf
Former RTC/NTC
Tijuana. 

San Diego has tons to see – grab a crew and go explore!

Saturday Night BBQ/Reunion – Fresno crewmember John Rhodes has invited the entire crew to his backyard catering facility in Spring Valley, CA.  BM1 is a professional caterer and has hosted parties for hundreds of people for years at his place.  He assures us our expected crowd is a “drop in the bucket” and can’t wait to feed his Shipmates.  BBQ & Beers provided – suggested that you Lyft/Uber to this function as parking options are limited

*Win this Piston from Fresno’s 1A. Removed during overhaul in ’73-’74.

You can bid to win this piston at the BBQ on Saturday night!*

Sunday Farewell Brunch – We are currently in discussion with the VFW hall to let us use their kitchen on Sunday morning to cook a brunch for everyone who is still around. More details as they become available

In addition to those three events, the USSFMA is offering the following for an additional fee:

1. SWIFT Boat Tour of San Diego Harbor – The USSFMA has funded the early reservation fee to be able to offer discounted rates on a chartered, private SWIFT boat tour.  Tours are available for $30 per person (max. 25 ppl.) Leaving the San Diego Maritime Museum at 0745 on Saturday, 24JUN23, the USSFMA has chartered a Vietnam-era SWIFT boat to give us a guided tour of the San Diego Harbor, including the Naval Station.  This tour is for ONLY REUNIONEX ’23 attendees and spouses.  We currently have one boat for 25 people reserved but will be more than happy to reserve a second if we fill the first.   Departure time for the second boat has not been determined yet. (*tips for the guide/crew are suggested at the end of the ride)

• ROOM BLOCK – La Mesa Holiday Inn – La Mesa, CA.  The USSFMA has arranged a block of 30 rooms for Friday and Saturday nights at the La Mesa Holiday Inn.  The hotel is less than a mile from the VFW Hall hosting the Friday and Sunday events.  We’ve managed to negotiate a $135/night rate for our group, which includes taxes and service fees.  That’s the best rate we could get in the area.  The hotel also has limited availability on Thursday and Sunday, but you need to let us know you’d like to come in a day early or stay a day late so we can communicate that to them to check for room availability.  Should we fill our 30-room block, the hotel may have more rooms to let us have (they have 78 total), but we’ll need to let them know.  YOU MUST PAY FOR ROOM THROUGH THIS REGISTRATON PAGE TO SECURE THE $135/NIGHT ROOM RATE.  DO NOT CALL HOTEL

(*note* the hotel is undergoing a renovation at the end of 2022, and should be finished in early June.  If there is still work going on at the end of June, they may not have many more rooms available.  They have guaranteed us 30.)

• USSFMA HQ House – The USS Fresno Memorial Association has also secured a large VRBO residence with a pool and patio area to be used as a social lounge/gathering area.  The house is in the same neighborhood as the hotel/VFW hall (La Mesa) and will be hosting “after hours” functions on Thursday-Sunday and will be open for any interested crew member during daytime hours throughout the entire Reunion.  No charge for hanging out, just BYOB and be aware that parking may be an issue.  Address will be posted closer to Reunion time. There WILL be rooms available in the house – DONATION REQURED – will post more info soon.

• REUNIONEX ’23 T-Shirts – There will be t-shirts available for the Reunion.  We are having them made in three colors – Navy Blue, Deck Green and Engineering Red.  All colors will have the same design, but you can support your department by wearing your color!  We’ll post a t-shirt link on the website when it’s ready (April of ’23).  You’ll order your shirt directly from the shop, and they will ship them straight to you.  Make sure you order in plenty of time before the reunion so you can have it in hand to bring to San Diego (est. cost – $30/shirt)

(Note – The hotel is approximately 13 miles from the airport.  The VFW Hall is less than a mile from the hotel, and the Saturday BBQ is 5 miles away.  The HQ house is just a couple of miles from the hotel.  The SWIFT Boat tour is back by the airport.  For those flying in, Uber/Lyft/Rideshare may be the way to go, as parking is limited at the Saturday BBQ and the HQ house)

REGISTRATION:

____ – # of attendees ($50 per person) *non-USSFMA members

____ – # of attendees – USSFMA Members & Spouses ($25 per person)

(List of USSFMA members or if you’d like to become a member, click here:  https://ussfresno.com/uss-fresno-memorial-association/)

____ – # of rooms at La Mesa Holiday Inn Friday & Saturday, 6/23-24 ($135/night x 2 nights = $270)

____ – # of rooms needed Thursday, 6/22 at La Mesa Holiday Inn ($135)

____ – # of rooms needed Sunday, 6/25 at La Mesa Holiday Inn ($135)

____ – # of seats on SWIFT boat tour 1: 0745 am Saturday, 24JUN23 (up to 25 max) ($30 per person)

____ – Amount of additional donation to the Reunion General Fund 

(Goes toward Friday food service, Saturday donation to John Rhodes, Sunday brunch and bar tabs at VFW/BBQ/HQ House – specify where you’d like your donation to go if you’d like🙂

___________ – REUNIONEX ’23 Total

               ______  Check – send check to:  USSFMA   5204 Roxborough Dr.  Hermitage, TN  37076

ONLINE PAYMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE NOW!