A major find.... The French explorer, La Salle's shipwreck, "The Belle" in Matagorda Bay off the Texas coast. Visit Raising The Belle-La Salle's last ship to find out all about it.

Van Zandt County, Texas Lookups : a collections of old sites in this historical county.

Visit The Texas Czech Storyteller This lady has a lot to say about South Texas. I have talked with her, there is a genuine feeling she has for her roots, her Czech heritage. Drop into her site, I know you should like it. This area of Texas I live in was settled by many of these people. In my childhood I also went to school with them.

I stumbled on this very interesting link today. It is the second ship of the 2 Destroyers(the other was the USS Dale DLG19) I served on when in the US Navy. My last almost two years were aboard this vessel. Here is the fantasic 1971 cruise listed in order as it happened, I was on during my time on the(Joey P.) Kennedy

Taken from Mr. Helmboldts personal diary
Date(s) NOTES
16 APR 1971 Underway from Newport, RI.
25 APR 71 Passed near the Azores. Whales.
28 APR 71 - 02 MAY 71-Med-moored at Lisbon, Portugal.
05 MAY 71 Big storm, big 45+° rolls.
10 MAY 71 Anchored in Cawsand Bay, England.
11-13 MAY 71 Anchored in Plymouth, England.
13 MAY 71 North through English Channel. 158 radar contacts.
15 MAY 71 Skaggerak, Kattegat into Baltic Sea. 191 radar contacts.
21-24 MAY 71 Tied up in Kiel, West Germany.
26 MAY 71 Through Kiel Canal, south through English Channel.
31 MAY 71 Through Straits of Gibralter.
04-11 JUN 71 Med-moored in Naples, Italy.
19-24 JUN 71 Med-moored in Villefranche sur Mer, France.
30 JUN 71 - 06 JUL 71 Tied up in Barcelona, Spain.
07 JUL 71 Through Straits of Gibralter.
11 JUL 71 North through English Channel. 209 radar contacts.
12-19 JUL 71 Tied up in downtown Rotterdam, Netherlands.
20-25 JUL 71 Tied up in Bremerhavn, West Germany.
08-11 AUG 71 Tied up in Faslane, Scotland.
12 AUG 71 MANY big whales north of Scotland.
17-19 AUG 71 Anchored at Rosyth, Scotland (Firth of Forth).
24 AUG 71 Crossed the Arctic Circle at 002° 18' E. Long.
31 AUG 71 Passed 73° N. Lat.
07-10 SEP 71 Tied up in LeHavre, France. VERY high tides.
Change of command ceremony.
10-14 SEP 71 Tied up in Southampton, England.
17 SEP 71 Crossed the Arctic Circle again.
22-25 SEP 71 Tied up in Bergen, Norway.
28 SEP 71 Crossed the Arctic Circle again.
29 SEP 71 Group picture with HUKGRU, 6th Fleet and British Home Fleet.
01 OCT 71 Beautiful Aurora Borealis.
05-07 OCT 71 Anchored at Greenock, Scotland (Firth of Clyde).
15 OCT 71 Tied up at Newport, RI.