A chance reunion 40 years in the making
It all started with two empty seats and a friendly hello to the gentleman sitting next to us at American Legion Post 17 in Lewes earlier this spring.
When Ed Bergen introduced himself to my husband, Doug Owen, a retired captain and arson investigator from the Atlantic City Fire Department and a current Lewes Fire Department volunteer, there was an instant moment of recognition. Doug’s head perked up, the dots connected, and the stars aligned. He suddenly realized he was sitting next to his former senior chief from the United States Navy, someone he had reported to 40 years ago while they were stationed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, working on P-3s and C-130s as aviation machinist’s mates.
When Ed’s wife, Kellie Bergen, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 17 president, came out of her meeting and heard the news, she was in tears. She said it was the first time Ed had reconnected with one of his former sailors in years.
What the Bergens didn’t yet know was that Doug had maintained strong friendships with several of his old shipmates over the years. What we didn’t know was that Ed Bergen had carried his leadership forward by serving as AL Post 17 commander for seven years, where he still maintains an advisory role. Even more surprisingly, Doug and I lived just three streets away from them. Once this was discovered, plans for a Naval Division 41L reunion quickly began to take shape.
On the weekend of June 13 to 15, Navy shipmates, spouses and neighbors gathered in Sussex County from all over the country — Washington state, Florida, New York, Virginia and Delaware — to reconnect and celebrate.
Friday kicked off with happy hour at American Legion Post 17, followed by dinner at The Wheelhouse on the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. Saturday’s festivities began with a breakfast meetup at our home, then continued with an afternoon pool party and barbecue at the Bergens’ residence. The naval crew reminisced about their time together during their teenage years and early 20s under the leadership of Senior Chief Ed Bergen. Old uniforms were pulled out, photos were shared, and the atmosphere at the Bergens’ home was filled with warmth and nostalgia.
Kathy Vigiano, a retired NYPD officer and volunteer emergency medical technician with the Nissequogue Fire Department, said, “It was truly invaluable reminiscing, sharing stories and learning about the lives each person has lived since those Navy days.”
To Tom Flynn, Mark Dunlap and Rick Roberts, we missed you and wish you could have been there. To all who joined us, thank you for helping make the reunion so special and for experiencing our wonderful new community in Lewes.
To the Bergens, thank you for embracing Doug and me, and for welcoming us so wholeheartedly into both the American Legion and our Lewes community.
And to the shipmates of Division 41L: Thank you for your service - Allen Eli; Michael Bridges; Jim Leatherman; Jim Stoddard; Joe Richter; Glen Brown; Don Arnold from Michigan; Mark Lanning of Asheville, N.C.; Angelito Alaba aka Lito; Billy Bob from Birmingham, Ala.; Brimo; and Tina Hettig.
