Thanks for voting me in as President for the upcoming year. I hope I can continue to fill the shoes of our past Presidents, Jim Farrow and Dick Tremain.

I can say that all who attended the Nashville, TN, reunion this past October enjoyed a great reunion hosted by Chuck and Linda Taylor. They did a great job as "Reunion Planners" and their attention to detail deserves a thousand attaboy's. I am sure our upcoming reunion in Norfolk next October will be as great and I feel the attendance there will be increased.

To all you Shipmates out there who haven't been to our reunions, come on out and see some of your old Shipmates and swap a few "sea stories", enjoy a great banquet, have an adult beverage in our hospitality room, look over our large memorabilia table and find out what the Belknap Association is all about. I guarantee you won't leave disappointed. Check us out on our website (www.ussbelknap.com), learn how we have grown in the past six years.

Since our beginning we have had reunions in Norfolk, VA, Pensacola, FL, Charlestown, SC, San Antonio, TX and of course our most recent in Nashville, TN. All have been a success, bonding "old shipmates" together while at the same time making new shipmates and friends. We decided this year to return where it started, Norfolk. For those of you who live in the Norfolk area we hope you can get out and join us for a time you will remember. Our 2008 reunion will be held in late October in Savannah, GA. Details will be provided at a later date.

Looking forward to seeing you all there,

Dick Lemon (69-72)