David O. Allen (Big Al)
i would like to express my sincerest condolences to patsy and the minze family. billie (pappy) and i served onboard the uss white plains (afs-4) in the early 70's and again at nattc millington, tn in the late 70's . he has been to my house in kingsland ga and i have been to his there in anacoco and when he was in the yards in bremeton wa.\r\nwe kept in touch over all these years. he was my sponsor in the masonic lodge in millington.\r\nand he was at my wedding at my parents house in 1999 outside nashville, murfreesboro tn. i deeply appologize that i can not be present to share some memories with you during this time. he was my shipmate, my brother, and my friend. i know that he is in a much better place now in heaven with God and that he will never suffer again and i know that i will see him again when God calls me home. i know that he loved his family because he talked about you guys to me many times over the years. i wish God's comfort to you now and a \"fair winds and following seas\" to my shipmate.\r\n\r\ndavid o. allen (big al)\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nge of at thab