USS Taylor Reunions
USS Taylor DD/DDE 468 had one of the most outstanding war records of any ship in the US Navy from the early days of World War II to Vietnam. She was a “lucky ship”, and never lost a man in battle. But beyond all that, she inspired an emotional attachment among her officers and men. This, more than anything else, drew hundreds of them to twenty reunions all over the country between 1977 and 2018.
There may still be future reunions, but on a much smaller scale, and probably as part of a Tin Can Sailors National Reunion (destroyers.org). The first of these Tin Can Sailors/Taylor reunions was held in Norfolk, Virginia in late September 2025. Attending were: Jim O’Neill, Jerry Petersen, Wayne Burgess, Wil Ridington, Vic and Linda Masillo, Ray and Marcia Fink, Bob and Dana Cashin, Skip and Shari Dyck, Peggy and Laurie Zipf. More information about the Norfolk TCS/Taylor reunion will be posted here soon.
