Brad, 

I'm interested in any info you may have concerning the USS Keppler, DDE 765. Its sister ship was the USS Lloyd Thomas, DDE 764 (or maybe it was vice versa?). According to a 1974 Janes Fighting Ships, that I read year's ago, the Keppler was sold to Turkey in 1972 (any further news of the ship?). I'm looking for a crew list yrs 1960 to 1962 and if any reuinions were or are planned.

After boot camp in Great Lakes, (easiest time in my farm-boy life, I went from 161 pounds to 191 while in boot camp. Couldn't believe it, I could eat as much as I wanted, and what they called work was child's play), I was at the Fleet Sonar School in Key west for six months from Oct 59 to Mar 60 and assigned as seaman (as sonar striker) to the Keppler. In 1961 the ship underwent a 'fram' conversion in the Brooklyn naval ship yards in New York, and had the old WWII SQS-4 sonar taken out and the SQS-23 installed, plus a heli hanger, etc. I was an SOG2 by that time, attended another school at FSS for the '23, and left the navy the end of 62. I was a 'Kiddy Cruiser" which meant at that time that if you joined the Navy before turning 18, you got in for only 3 years rather than 4. I remember once, years later, recieving a notice from trhe Navy that the SOG2 grade had been changed to STG2.

Any further info on the Keppler would be appreciated.

Arthur Larson
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