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2026 Comearound Fantastic

BZ to Bob Zvacek (24th Company) for organizing another amazing Florida Comearound. The 88 attendees, including 45 Classmates, 25 wives and 15 widows and significant others greatly appreciated the chance to visit, savor the warm breezes from the St. Johns River and visit with a variety of land- and water-based activities.

21 April (Tuesday): Welcome to Relax Jax! A fun evening with Dixie BarBQue and special guest, magician, Todd Bogue, who amazed and delighted the 66ers!

22 April (Wednesday): A water taxi whisked 66ers to the Cummer Art Gallery for a docent-guided tour. The gallery and gardens along the river are quite beautiful.

That evening, ’66 Comearounders savored a delicious happy hour and dinner at the Chart House, an architectural gem perched on the banks of the river within walking distance to the hotel. The Lone Sailor Statue is the halfway point in the riverside amble. Interestingly, the CO and XO of the USS Carney (DDG 64) were able to join the 66ers for dinner that evening, a great introduction to the next day’s tour.

23 April (Thursday): the final day of the Comearound dawned bright and clear for the 12 golfers who squeezed in 9 holes before the ship tour.

A true highlight of the Comearound was the opportunity to tour the Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missle destroyer homeported at Naval Station Mayport.

Interestingly, the ship is named after Classmate Joe Taussig’s (30th Company) grandfather, Admiral Robert Bostwick Carney, a highly decorated U.S. Navy officer who served as Chief of Naval Operations under President Eisenhower.

Bob Z remarked on the amazing crew that almost literally rolled out the red carpet ensuring that all in attendance had a great tour culminating in a visit to the pilot house!

After the tour of the illustrious Carney, everyone boarded another vessel, a water taxi, for a sunset tour of Jacksonville complete with “Navy Grog.” The sunset cruisers were treated to a glimpse of USS Orleack (DD-886), a Gearing-class destroyer preserved as a museum ship on the downtown riverfront.