I would like to thank my Honorary Shipmate Michael Brock, Dennis Power and his staff for getting the Silver Service returned to Oakland for this ceremony.

USS OAKLAND Silver Service returning to Oakland.

Date: Sat 3/15/2003 4:26 PM
To: MEABROCK@aol.com
From: sbaizer@museumca.org

Dear Mike Brock,

Dennis Power has asked me to respond to your query since I am the person in
touch with Susan Moyer regarding the USS Oakland presentation silver service.

I have the draft of the loan agreement sent by Ms. Moyer, and we are reviewing it.  We need to decide how we will bring it to the museum and set dates for that transport.  According to Susan, the USS Oldendorf has already returned it to the storage facility in San Diego.

The Oakland Museum of California is very pleased to have been contacted about the silver service.  I am sure that Oakland residents will be interested in and proud of the history of this object and its tie to our city.

Please let me know if you have further concerns or questions. 

Sincerely,

Suzanne Baizerman
Curator of Crafts and Decorative Arts

Date: Sat 3/15/2003 4:05 PM

To: Suzanne Baizerman [sbaizer@museumca.org]
From: MEABROCK@aol.com

Hello Suzanne, Dennis, and Susan,

That is great news regarding the USS OAKLAND Silver Service returning to Oakland.

Rededication of the USS OAKLAND Mast and the 60th Anniversary of the ship's Dennis I have one request. On 7-17-03 a number of the men and their families who served aboard the USS OAKLAND will be gathering here for the Commissioning. Could you please make available to this group a private viewing of the Silver Service someday around 7-17-03? There should be no more than 30 or 40 people. Thank you.

Best regards to all,

Mike Brock 

 
Mrs. Sherry Langrock
Historian of U.S. Navy Silver Service of Naval Ships

Hi Paul: Thanks for the fast reply. I have sent Mike an e-mail as well but haven't heard from him yet. Of course I will talk about the USS Oakland silver, that was 
the main reason I went back to San Diego for this trip. I could have waited until August and got a few more ships, but I wanted the photos of the Oakland silver
for the speech. It also had been bugging me for quite awhile about the incorrect appraisal that the Navy got from a "qualified" appraiser. The silver is really pretty. The supply officer aboard the USS Oldendorf was really great as was the CO. 
They got us aboard in the ship-yard when the Public Affairs Offices for Headquarters was told by the ship-yard "no way". I really look forward to
meeting you and all the men who served the aboard the USS Oakland. Sherry

Dear Paul: 

I just got back from San Diego. I got some great photographs and slides of the 
USS Oakland silver aboard the USS Oldendorf as well as several other services. I am really feeling the effects of the ladders up and down on the ships lugging all kinds of photographic gear. We get great treatment aboard the ships and a lot of help, but it is still work and long hours. Bye now - Sherry

Mr. Michael Brock 
1047-Via Bregani 
San Lorenzo, CA 94580

Dear Mr. Brock:

In reply to your 11 December letter, USS OLDENDORF does have the presentation silver service from the USS OAKLAND (CL95). The service 
includes seven pieces engraved with the seal of the City of Oakland - a tray, a coffee pot, a hot water urn, a tea pot, a cream pitcher, a sugar bowl and a waste bowl.

I thought you might be interested in the enclosed copy of a letter from the Naval Supply Systems Command regarding the transfer of the service to USS OLDENDORF, as well as a history of the USS OAKLAND presentation silver service.

Sincerely yours,

Elizabeth L. Jackson 
LT, SC, USN

From: Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command 
To: Commanding Officer, USS OLDENDORF (DD-972), FPO San Francisco 96674

Subj: Presentation Silver
Ref: (a) CO, USS OLDENDORF (DD-972) Itr DD972:06:lw 5050 Ser: 174 of 22 May 80
(b) Afloat Supply Procedures (NAVSUP P-485)

Encl: (1) History of the USS OAKLAND Presentation Silver Service

1. In reply to reference (a), your request for the USS OAKLAND Presentation Silver Service is approved. Notify NSC San Diego, Code 302, upon your return 
to San Diego to arrange for the transfer.

2. By copy of this letter, NSC San Diego is requested to transfer the USS OAKLAND silver service to the USS OLDENDORF upon its return to San 
Diego. Forward receipted copy of the itemized transfer document to NAVSUP (ATTN: 0311E).

3. Your attention is invited to reference (b) which prescribes the records, 
inventory, and reporting requirements for presentation silver. Care of presentation silver is very important to both the donor and the Navy, as loss or damage can cause considerable embarrassment to either or both parties. Strict compliance
with the procedures contained in reference (b) will assist in diminishing the likelihood of any such occurrence.

4. Enclosure (1) is forwarded to provide a brief history of the USS OAKLAND Presentation Silver Service.

Copy to: 
NSC San Diego (Code 302)

On May 7, 1943, Dr. John F. Slavich, Mayor of the City of Oakland, CA at a precommissioning party, presented to the Light Cruiser, USS OAKLAND (CL95) on behalf of the citizens of the City of Oakland, CA a 7 piece presentation silver service with a leather carrying case.

When the USS OAKLAND was inactivated in 1949, the silver was turned in to secure storage at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The set was reassigned on a loan basis to the Aircraft Carrier, USS BENNINGTON (CVS-20) in 1952 in 
accordance with Navy custom to retain these gifts intact in appropriate afloat 
units.

The silver was returned to the City of Oakland on loan for display in Dunsmuir House in 1964 at the request of Mayor John C. Houlihan.

In 1968, the City of Oakland adopted the Aircraft Carrier USS ORISKANY (CVA-34) and presented the USS OAKLAND silver service to the USS ORISKANY on 24 October 1968. The silver service was proudly displayed in a specially constructed walnut cabinet with two other valuable silver services 
aboard the USS ORISKANY. The USS ORISKANY was inactivated early in 1976 and the silver was turned in to NSC Oakland for secure storage.

On 18 May 1976 a request was received from the commandant, TWELFTH 
Naval District to place an appropriate presentation silver set on special 
Bicentennial display in the TWELFTH Naval District Navy/Marine Corps 
Museum. The USS OAKLAND silver was the only appropriate presentation 
silver set representative of of the San Francisco Bay Area that was currently available. Therefore, by special permission of the Secretary of the Navy on 24 June 1976, the Commandant of the TWELFTH Naval District was authorized to place the USS OAKLAND silver on special Bicentennial display in the TWELFTH Naval District Navy/Marine Corps Museum for the remainder of the Bicentennial Year before the set was reassigned to an afloat unit. It was returned to NSC Oakland on 7 June 1978. In response to a request by the Prospective Commanding Officer in September 1977, the silver service was assigned to the new destroyer USS O'BRIEN (DD-975) on 13 October 1978. The USS O'BRIEN returned the silver service on 30 November 1979 to NSC San Diego. 1980 the silver service was assigned to the new destroyer USS OLDENDORF (DD-972). 2002-2003 The USS OLDENDORF returned the silver service to NSC San Diego. 2003-To Present On loan to the museum, City of Oakland, for display..