Dave was born and raised in Wisconsin.

He joined the Navy on 27 September 1951 and was sent to the
Great Lakes Naval Training Center.
Following his graduation on 29 September 1951, Dave was assigned to the
USS Helena CA-75.

From 1952 - 1955 he was on the CA-75 with the K Division, the Radar Gang.
His rank upon discharge was RD2.

Dave married his wife Gerry on 19 September 1956 and
they were together for 65 years until her death in 2022.

Dave joined the USS Helena Organization in 1991.

I have been unable to determine when he first put together the
USS Helena Organization web site.
The first entries in the Questions section are from 2006.


My first contact with Dave was in early 2013 when
he guided me to places to learn more about the CL-50.

* * * * * * * * *

Dave's daughter writes:

He really loved working with everyone on this project !
He enjoyed it so much, it was truly his passion.

He was definitely a perfectionist.

His entire office room walls were covered with various military pictures.
It was a life long commitment for him.

Alton Leroy Bertschinger
CA - 75
S2 CS2
1952 -1956

13 January 1932 - 27 November 2024
  Obituary

 Obituary

photo taken at the 2019 San Diego reunion
Cecilia Comella

Bobby Lee Brown

CA - 75
M Division
MM 2C
1952 - 1955

23 March 1933 - 23 December 2023

Margaret and Jan

photo taken at the 2015 reunion
Quincy, Mass

Jan Lowell Abernathy
CA-75
OR RM2
1960-1963

24 July 1941 - 29 July 2023

Online Obituary

Harold M Daron
CA-75
SN CIC RADAR
1948 - 1949

4 November 1929 - 15 January 2023

Carlton Kendall Aycock

CA 75
6th Division
S1c
1952 - 1954

10 October 1933 - 10 November 2022

  Obituary



From Jim McNamee :

He was the one that put my name in the hat for president at the reunion in Mobile AL.

SO I have him to thank for my honor to become president of the HELENA ORG.
JIM

GRAVE MARKER
HILLCREST CEMETERY
DEER LODGE, MONTANA

source: Sandy Barker

David Alvin Thomas
GM3C

CL-50
April 1941 - July 1943

11 July 1922 - 7 October 2022

Louis J Duwel

CA -75
3rd Division
BUL3

1951 - 1954

2 March 1932 - 16 August 2022

Online Obituary

   Obituary

source: San Diego Police Historical Association

USS Helena CA 75
1960 - 1961 Cruise Book

source:
USS Helena Organization web site

Stephan E Plough
CA 75
BT3
BRAVO DIVISION
1961 - 1962

22 August 1941 - 17 February 2022

Online Obituary

Allen P DeShields
CA - 75

Gunner S1

1952-1954

11 May 1933 - 29 August 2021

  Obituary

source: USS Helena Organization
2015 Reunion
Quincy, Massachussetts

James Henry Phifer, Sr
CA - 75

E Division
EM2

1954 - 1957

3 October 1936 - 9 March 2022

 Obituary

source: Karen Hovatter

source: 1961 USS Helena Cruise Book

Charles (L) and James (R)
Photo taken 2001

Vic and Betty Brelje

Photo taken at the 2017 reunion in Kansas City, Missouri

Victor L Brelje
CA - 75
OR Division
RM3c
1954 - 1957

17 September 1936 - 26 June 2021

   Obituary

above photos from Tina Jackson

Carl Strickland
CA - 75
3rd Division
SI
1955 - 1956

9 February 1936 - 14 June 2021

Online Obituary

Connie and Jerry Fort
taken during 2015 Quincy reunion

Taken on board the USS Salem CA - 39
2015 Quincy reunion

Gerald Kenneth Fort
CA - 75
6th Divison
SN
1958 - 1960

2 September 1939 - 30 April 2021

  Obituary

source: USS Helena web site
taken at 1989 reunion
Fred Buser ( Vice President ), Tex Lowrance, Unknown, Bill Bunker ( President )

Fred Julius Buser
CA - 75
SC Division
SM-3
1946 - 1952

15 June 1926 - 16 March 2019

source : Find A Grave

Earl Sydney Pullin
CA - 75
1st and 2nd Divisions
GMG2
1956 - 1963

4 February 1936 - 13 October 2019

  Obituary

Alfred Martinez, Sr
CA-75
SSM3
4th Division
1949 - 1953

25 October 1931 - 9 November 2020
  Obituary

Photo taken during
2015 Boston / Quincy Reunion

Verne Horton
CA - 75
SN
1960 - 1961

1 February 1941 - 19 October 2020

  Obituary

source: legacy.com

Carl Louis Mistric
CA - 75
7th Division
1950 - 1954

19 August 1931 - 10 August 2020

  Obituary

May also be viewed online

source : Gephart Funeral Home

Francis M MacMillan
CA - 75
FT1
1952 - 1955
30 December - 3 July 2020

   Obituary

Frank Bernard Rinchich
USMC
CA - 75
1956

14 Janurary 1937 - 3 October 2018

  Obituary

Andrew St Ann, Jr
CA - 75
R SF3
1955 - 1959
8 May 1938 - 24 December 2019

  Obituary

Photo courtesy of Covington Leader

Bill Jim Davis
CL-50
E EM1c
1939-1943

31 August 1920 - 18 August 2018

Obituary

At the main USS Helena Organization web site
Dave Brouchoud has put together three pages
for Bill Jim Davis

Ruggles Harrington
CA - 75
7th BMGC
1950-1952

27 April 2018

Fair Winds and Following Seas

Photo taken 19 September 2017
During USS Helena Organization reunion
Kansas City, Missouri

Obituary