Current Officers

Allen Zellers, President

Robert Di Monte, Vice President

Lance Wagner, Treasurer

Lloyd Friedli, Secretary

Greg Plante, Editor

USS LEXINGTON CV 16 ASSOCIATION

      The Association is a not for profit organization formed in 1978 to provide a way for sailors who served on-board the USS Lexington CV 16 to renew old, and form new, friendships. Over the years it has been expanded to include shipmates of all hull designations of the USS Lexington hull number 16, including air groups, and marines that served on board while the ship was commissioned in the United States Navy. We now make annual donations to the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay and the U. S. Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. We provide support for the Pea Coat Memorial located at the Lake Orion Michigan Veterans Memorial and the Lexington Lion Club Memorial and Plaques in Lexington, Massachusetts. Additionally we provide an annual scholarship to a deserving high school senior who is a family member of an Association member.

      The founding father of the Association was Roland King and one of his first recruits was Charlie Ryberg, These two men are credited with organizing the Association and planning the first few reunions in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981. The 1980 reunion was held in Pensacola Florida and included a day cruise on board the USS Lexington which was the fleet training carrier at that time.

      At this point the foundation had been laid and an annual reunion has been held each year since that time. The 2011 reunion will be in Las Vegas Nevada and the 2012 reunion is scheduled to be held in Branson Missouri. Chairman of the 1982 reunion held in San Diego was Tom Reese and the 1983 reunion held in Nashville Tennessee was hosted by Billy Wilson. And so we have gone from that great beginning. Other men who have been instrumental over years, listed in alphabetical order and their position shown if they had one are:

Joe Bryan
Barney Carmen, Fellowship Chairman
Don Curtis
Morris (Bud) King
Gerald Landry
Theron Main
John Miller, Secretary and Editor
Benny Montalbano
Richard Morland
John Oparowski, Signature Book
Robert Potter
Charles Quale
Dominick Rivara
Charles Robinson, Chaplain
Al Rogers, Treasurer
Bill Royer, President
John Schmidt
Walter Trahan
John Troutman
Jim Wass
Bill Wheatley
Joe Zikewich, Storekeeper