USS James E. Kyes (DD-787) Association
Mission Statement
Men and women who have served in the United States Navy share a common bond.
One of tradition and of service. There is no greater feeling than that of
knowing that you have served your country and your fellow shipmates to the
best of your ability. There is nothing special about the destroyer that was
given the name USS James E. Kyes. It is one of hundreds of destroyers that
have served our country in war and in peace. But there is something
special about the men who have served aboard the USS James E. Kyes during its
28 years of service from 1945 to 1973. These men were ordinary men who served
their country and then went back to their lives as farmers, lawyers,
electricians, doctors, and every other kind of profession. During their service,
they were every rate and rank from seaman to captain. So why is it that every
2 years, these men choose to gather again to share their experiences of being
at sea on a U.S. Navy destroyer?
Nobody who has never served aboard a destroyer can understand this. At our
last reunion in Colorado Springs, CO. I asked a full captain why he decided to
join us at our reunion. What was so special about the Kyes? After all, he
spent his entire career aboard destroyers. His answer was that the Kyes was
his first experience as an officer at sea. His memories of those days on Westpac
cruises were some of the best days of his life. This is what makes the James
E. Kyes special. It was a good ship, serving its country during a great
conflict and it helped to make men out of boys and great men out of ordinary
men.
The mission of the USS James E. Kyes Association is to document the
story of the Kyes to the smallest detail and to provide a means for Kyes
shipmates to gather and remember some of the best days of their lives. The goal
of this website is to gather information that has been recorded over the years
in photos, cruise books, letters, newspapers, videos, etc. and store it in a
digital format that can never wither or be lost. The purpose of saving this
information is so that Kyes shipmates and the children and grand children of
Kyes shipmates will always have a treasure-trove of information as a reminder
of why it is such a great honor to serve our country in the United States Navy.
After converting document after document to digital form for this website, I
have grown to appreciate the efforts of the previous association leadership,
especially Don Webb.
Roger Donnay, Secretary