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Eugene Claude Ipox, Jr., TM1
to remember
Buss, Randall Dean, CWO2 USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Pierce
Date of Passing Sep 25, 2012
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Randall Dean Buss, 71, passed away at Sunrise of Countryside in Sterling, VA on Tuesday September 25, 2012. Born on December 29, 1941 in Pierce, NE, to the late Ernest and Inez (Kettler) Buss, Randy grew up in the Pierce and Norfolk, NE areas and enlisted in the US Navy in 1959 as a seaman recruit. He served his country for 20 years first as a submariner and later on the USS Guam. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer Two in 1979 after completing a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Atlantic University and assumed a career as a Technical Training Program Manager until his retirement from Lockheed Martin. Randy married Patricia Edgehille of Quincy, Massachusetts in 1967 and raised two children in Herndon, VA. He was an avid fisherman and member of the Redeyed Bassmasters of Virginia, and a member of the American Legion. Randy attended and ushered at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Herndon for many years and when he moved back to Nebraska in 2005 he became a member again at Zion Lutheran Church, where he was baptized as a baby. At the time of his death he was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk, NE. He is preceded in death by his wife Patricia (Edgehille) Buss, one sister Leo Nina Jones, and his brother Chester (Chet) Buss. He is survived by his his two loving children and their spouses: Kathleen and Rob Carlson of Richmond, TX, and Sean and Kerry Buss of Herndon, VA. He is also survived by his two devoted sisters: Jerdine (Mrs. Delmar Luebe) and Karen (Mrs. Don Hogendorn) and three grandchildren: Dorothy Carlson, Gavin Buss, and Colin Buss. Services will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
USS Guam (LPH-9), an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship, was laid down by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 15 November 1962; launched on 22 August 1964, sponsored by Mrs. Vaughn H. Emory Green, and commissioned on 16 January 1965, Captain N. E. Thurmon in command. She was the third US Navy ship to carry the name, after the Battle of Guam.
Decommissioned in 1998, she was the last of the Iwo Jima class in service.
General characteristics
Class and type:
Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement:
19,217 tons
Length:
603 ft (184 m)
Beam:
84 ft (26 m)
Draught:
30 ft (9.1 m)
Propulsion:
2 × 600 psi (4 MPa) boilers, one geared steam turbines, one shaft, 22,000 shaft horse power
Other Memories After fitting out and builder's trials, the new amphibious assault ship joined the U.S. Atlantic Fleet on 21 April 1965 and sailed for Norfolk, her homeport. Arriving Hampton Roads the next day for training off the Virginia Capes, she departed Hampton Roads for underway training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Guam returned to Norfolk on 5 July 1965 for intensive amphibious training. She sailed from Hampton Roads on 29 November 1965 to participate in amphibious and anti-submarine warfare exercises en route to the Caribbean. On 10 December 1965, Guam joined the Amphibious Ready Squadron in the Caribbean as flagship for Amphibious Squadron 12. There she operated at peak readiness to protect the peace and security of the Caribbean and Central America. From 16 February to 28 February 1966, Guam patrolled south of the Dominican Republic ready to land forces on the volatile island of Hispanola if necessary. She conducted amphibious exercises until entering Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 1 June 1966 for post shakedown availability.
She departed Philadelphia on 2 August 1966 and prepared for service as the primary recovery ship for the Gemini 11 space flight. On 18 September, at 0959 EDT, Guam recovered Astronauts Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon 710 miles east of Cape Kennedy. From 28 November to 12 December, Guam participated in Exercise "Lantflex 66", and on the latter date became flagship of Amphibious Squadron 8 and Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group.
