Whether a single hitch or career Navy sailor, it is a singular honor to have served aboard any Navy vessel at the time of  commissioning.  That is what the traditional term PlankOwner represents.  That each crewman of a commissioning crew owns a symbolic piece of her deck planking in eternal linkage with the very essence and soul of that vessel. This traces back to the roots of wooden-hulled sailing ships. It refers to, quite literally, the birth and launching of a ship and,... as she slides down the ways, her newly assembled crew prepare to guide another haze gray lady on her uncertain journey, possibly into harm's way.  The following men, all were and are our USS BEXAR plankowners and we recognize them here for that.   

  AMTHOR, Richard      ETM2     (dec)

  CIVITELLA, Donato    MOMM3

  COLLINS, Clifford       BM2

  DOWNS, Thomas        SN         (dec)

  DUFFY, Clifford           GM2

  EMERSON, Wayne      PHM3

  FAUST, Thomas          RM1      (dec)

  FINO, Joseph              QM3

  FIORELLO, James       LT

  HASKINS, Freddie W. BM3

  KEWLEY, Kenneth       GM2

  LACQUEMENT, Victor  BM1

  LONDON, Jack             RM2

  LUND, Bert                   QM3

  MABREY, Robert          FC1      (dec)

  MARTINEZ, Angel        SN        (dec)

  MATTHEWS, Frank      BM3

  McENANEY, John         YN3

  MOORE, Forrest  D.      LTJG   (dec)

  SAVOIA, Anthony         PHM2

  SIDEBOTTOM, Edwin  MOMMC

  TRAINOVICH Jr., Wm. LT

  TRAVIS, Lewis              LT

  TURNER, John              MM3

  WEBB, Donald               SN

  WELLS, Donald O.         LTJG