January 29, 2012

• I've added some new buttons to the home page to make it easier to access those areas of the site.  The regular menus continue to work the same.

• You can now see who is currently online (logged in).  You may have to do a page refresh (F5 for PC, not sure for Mac) to update the display.

January 16, 2012

• A new Cruise Book page has been added.  The only scanned book I have is for the Mixed Manned Demonstration (1964-1965).  If you have a cruise book you'd like to add, notify me.

• I've added a chat button which will open a chat window.  You will need to enter a handle to use.  No guarantees that there will be anybody else in chat when you sign in.  I will try and be signed in while I'm "working" on the site (which I do alot), but no guarantees there either.  For now it's an open chat, meaning anybody and their brother can use it.  If I notice or receive complaints about spammers using the chat, I'll have to figure out a way to make it a bit more secure and for Biddle/CVR members only.  You can find the chat button in the upper left corner of the home page just below the CVR plaque.

• Note that you will need to have Java installed to open the chat window.
  
  

December 29, 2011:

• I believe that I have corrected problems with the 2012 reunion registration form so that it will now work in IE.  For some reason, the form seems to take a bit of time to come up, but be patient.  You can fill in the form on-line and then print it and send to Mike.  Let me know if you have any problems.

• Updated the Ship's Store page to include Captain Powers book, Save the Belknap with a link to his publishing site.

• Added a "blind" link to OS2 Preston Fitzwater (on the Save the Belknap page) so that you can contact him.  This link is primarily for those who were on board the night of 22 November, 1975, but anyone is welcome to contact him.

December 26, 2011:

• The 2012 Reunion Registration Form is finally ready.  You can find it on the Home Port and 2012 Reunion pages as a button.  You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it.  You can fill it in on-line and then print it, write your check and send the form and check to Mike Margeotes (his address is on the form).

• There is also a choice (or you may select both if you wish) of two tours, one of Mayport Naval Base and the Jacksonville area and the other a day tour of St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States.  I have also included a link to information about the tours on the Reunion page.

December 19, 2011:

• I have received an e-mail from OS2 Preston Fitzwater who was onboard the USS Belknap CG-26 the night she collided with the USS John F. Kennedy CV-67, November 22, 1975, thanking the crew of the USS Claude V. Ricketts.  I managed to get his email in the latest newsletter and I've also posted it on a special USS Belknap page which you can get too via the Ship History navigation button.

• Coincidently (or maybe not), I received email from Captain Robert C. Powers, the CO the CVR at the time of the Kennedy/Belknap collision, notifying me about his latest book, "Save the Belknap" describing the events of that night.  You can find a link to Captain Powers' publishing website and where you can order his new book on the Belknap page.

• I'm sorry that I haven't gotten to the 2012 Reunion page updates yet.  My wife and I have been fighting our way out of the nasty flu pit the past week and things I thought I'd get done have fallen by the wayside.  I'm working on the reunion page update now and will get it posted online as soon as I can.  But given this is the week before Christmas and we're doing Christmas eve at our place for our family, we both have a lot of preperation things to do that we've let slide while we've been sick and I won't be able to spend as much time as I might like on working the website.  However, do check back every so often for those updates.

• Wishing all of my shipmates and their families the most happiest of holidays and a safe and prosperous new year.

August 2, 2011:

• I jumped the gun on the family registration page and I have temporarily taken it down.  There are still things I need to get done to integrate it properly.  Look for it to reappear some time in the future.