A USS Kawishiwi AO-146 Family
Marion A. Spilmon  MMCM  1960-65
SERVICE HISTORY
 ..
Photos  A Division  M Division  CPO's    The Chief passed away on 10-19-2010  OBITUARY

  Machinist Mate Master Chief Spilmon
Daughter
Lia Spilmon Burris ET1 (SW)
1990-1992

As ET2  on bridge to bridge phones
.Lia's Husband
Charles Ty Burris ET3 (SW)
1991-1992

See: SW Pinning Ceremony
Chief Spilmon served under:
 Lia's images:  San Diego 1990   USS Kitty Hawk CV-63   USS Midway CVA-41   Ships Master Butterfield
 MSC Crew Members  ...Ships Nurse, Mr. Sidoti    4000th - USS Ranger CVA-61
 USS Independence CVA-62   Steering while Refueling
Chief Spilmon has had 4 of his 6 children serve in the Navy, Mark, Maria, Martin and Lia. Lia was privilaged to serve aboard Kawishiwi like her dad.

Chief Spilmon remembers:
 EMCS John H. Wolters, E Div 61 - E Div 63; where each seemed to have a bit of difficulty while on board Kawishiwi. It was with the settings on the electrical generators for the ship. The generators would get out of sync and drop the power. Wolters and He left the Ship at the same time and Wolters now lives in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Lia's words: "I will always have this ship in my heart. My dad Marion A Spilmon MMCM retired, was on Kawishiwi when I was born. I was surprised by MSC pac with orders for this ship. It seemed fate. I got to be on it for its last unrep ever." View: " Lia's Experiences"

Lia's dad, Marion currently lives in Wisconsin where he does visit with other crew members. He moved up there because land was cheap and the view near the river is beautiful. Whooping Cranes, the largest bird in North America, is being raised near by in the wild life refuge.
Lia's husband is a former Crew member also. He got his SW before she did.  "He asked me out at his going away party. Then he was stationed on  USS Long Beach and left navy when it decommissioned. He is working with Omni Cell INC. as a field service engineer. It was a toss up after I retired which one of us would get a job first. I ended up being the stay at home person for my daughter. "

 "The Ships Master I remember the best was Mr. Butterfield. He had at least 2 tours on board out of the 2 years 5 months that I had on board. The normal military USNS tour is only 1 year. I extended and then I was extended another 5 months until they closed down Radio Central."
View an unofficial version of Kawishiwi's FINAL Unrep. It did not go down as planned. They had some difficulty with that one receiving station at the time. After  the Unrep Kawishiwi hooked up with another large ship and pumped out most of her fuel and went into Harbor very lightly loaded and very high off the water. The official last unrep was, Lia believes,   with carrier USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72. where Kawishiwi pumped a couple gallons and that was it.

Machinist Mate Master Chief Spilmon passed away on 10-19-2010: A note from his daughter; Lia Spilmon Burris
Thanks for Sending this too me Lia. It seemed fitting. Vern

My Dad died today. His heart quit working. He lived over 2 years longer than they gave him with Stage 4 Cancer. He fought the cancer to the last. And even suprised hospice for living several weeks longer than what they gave him. He died at home where he wanted to be in Necedah, Wisconsin.
He was on the Kawishiwi when I was born. And I was happy to have been able to serve on that ship too.
Those cancer meds almost wiped him out. Some people have allergies to the blood building meds and their effect on the kidneys espcially when kidney function is lower because of diabedes and stuff. And reactions to pain meds which kills peoples appitites. Bad also for diabetics. I guess it is nice technology will help in the future maybe to determine if a med will work or not before a person takes It. I really like the lab on a chip technologies and have hopes for them.
I am going to forward your email to my sister Marie (also a navy vet.), so maybe the news of this huge reef system with the last ship my dad was on in the service being used to help the fish and make divers happy in a reef will cheer my family up maybe a little.

Sincerely, Lia