Veteran’s Day Program at Kearney Hall

Around 40 people attended the Veteran’s Day program on Sunday, November 10, at Kearney Hall, hosted by the Fort Phil Kearny/Bozeman Trail Association, (FPK/BTA).

HB Puckett a former Captain in the US Navy, presented a slide show and talk on three (maybe four) US Navy ships named USS Wyoming.

Dave McKee, President of the FPK/BTA, welcomed the audience, encouraged those attending to join the FPK/BTA, and introduced the speaker.

McKee added that Puckett has also researched the Native American Code talkers of WWI and WWII and the American POW’s during the Vietnam War.

He added that Puckett was a member of the association and has given other presentations, as well as helping to set up chairs and sweeping floors.

Puckett took the podium and said that four navy ships have been named the USS Wyoming, but one was named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania, and Wyoming, in some Native American languages, means prairie or grassy plains.

He talked about the first Navy Flag, or Navy Jack, with the snake and Don’t Tread on Me lettering and the fact that was even used after 9-11 to fly on Navy ships. A Navy Jack is flown from the bow of a ship when it is moored or anchored.

He talked about the USS Wyoming BB-32, that was built in 1912 and commissioned until 1947.

He talked about the guns that the ships carried and pointed out the brass shell casing on display.

He talked about the size of the monitor, and the size of the crew that were on board.

He brought other artifacts, such as a ships lantern, a flag, and captain’s hat.

One of the Navy ships named USS Wyoming was a nuclear submarine that was commissioned in 1996.

He added that the USS Wyoming was the first submarine in 2011 to have female officers in the crew.

Sonny Reisch was the second speaker, he talked about General Philip Kearny, for whom Fort Phil Kearny was named, but that will be another story.