Linn Health Resident, formerly from Rehoboth Honored by U.S. Navy Cruisers Association

Ret. U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Ed August, Sr., a current resident of Linn Health & Rehabilitation in East Providence and former resident of Rehoboth, Mass., was honored by the U.S. Navy Cruisers Sailors Association (USNCSA) for his longtime contributions to the organization.

In a ceremony at Linn Health attended by his family and fellow veterans and nursing home residents, Mr. August was presented with a citation and plaque commemorating the naming of two “Cruiser Compartments” aboard the USS Salem museum ship after him.

The rooms display historic artifacts about the “cruiser” classes of U.S. Navy warships. August, who retired from the Navy in 1971 after 20 years of service, served aboard several ships, the most memorable being the Cruiser USS Worcester CL-144. His last duty station was Newport, R.I. where he finished his career as a recruiter.

After retiring in 1992, August co-founded the USNCSA that served over 4,000 members at the height of the organization. He held several offices including president, treasurer, and newsletter editor during the 31 years of the group’s existence.

“Today is Ed August’s day,” stated James Chryst who served in the Navy from 1965-69 aboard the cruiser USS Providence (CLG-6) during Vietnam, and who traveled from Lancaster, PA to lead the ceremony. “Ed’s legacy is that he has preserved the history of United States cruiser sailors for future generations with his contributions to the museum over decades of his involvement.”

Chryst, former USNCSA secretary, was joined by USNCSA former President David Blomstrom of Houston, TX to honor August. The pair planned to visit the Cruiser USS Salem to present another plaque aboard the ship along with a check for nearly $40,000, one of three museum ships in the U.S. to share in the treasury funds of the now-defunct USNCSA. “By sharing the remaining funds from the Association with other ship museums, we will help keep the story of the cruisers going,” stated Blomstrom, who served in the Navy from 1954-57 onboard the USS Baltimore (CA-68) and USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747).

Ed’s late wife Barbara; daughters Jan Rupert (Rehoboth resident), Kelly Downs (Rehoboth resident) and Dianne Chase (Seekonk resident); and sons Ed “Skip” August, Jr. (Middletown resident) and Christopher August (Forty Fort, PA resident) were all involved in the work of the Association, helping with newsletter mailings to thousands of members and coordinating raffle prizes. They were recognized during the ceremony by Chryst and Blomstrom for their willingness to help their dad while growing up.

Family in attendance presented August with a colorful wall hanging sewn with international maritime signal flags that correspond with every letter of the alphabet. “It was my dad’s job to make the flags, as a chief signalman in the Navy,” comments Jan. “This is visually how vessels communicated long ago and they are still used today. We will decorate his room here at Linn with the wall hanging along with the beautiful plaque and citation. Today’s gathering meant a lot to him as well as to our entire family.”

Before enjoying a piece of red, white and blue-decorated chocolate cake, August posed for photos and reminisced with attendees about his military service and the Association annual reunions. “I never expected anything like this,” he humbly stated as he reflected about the honor bestowed upon him. “My family was always there for me, and still is. I’m a little touched.”