Local veterans pitch in to raise funds for USS Missouri commissioning

Community Bank President Dave Cramer, left, is sporting one of the commemorative baseball caps currently for sale at his bank. The caps, which are a fundraiser for the commissioning of the USS Missouri submarine, bear the vessel's name and an embroidered image of a sub. Charlie Guthrie, right, is on the commissioning committee for the submarine, and he is wearing his own U.S. Navy hat.
(Sydney Stonner/Democrat-News)

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In selling the caps, bank President Dave Cramer, who used to be in the U.S. Army, is partnering with an old schoolmate, Charlie Guthrie of Slater, a retired Navy man.

Guthrie is on the commissioning committee for the new submarine, the seventh of 30 Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines the U.S. Navy plans to build by 2020.

Guthrie said about $300,000 must be raised before the vessel can be commissioned.

He plans to attend the ceremony, though, which will be some time during the summer of 2010.

The caps, which cost $15, are also available at Slater's City Pharmacy, Video Visions and Slater Food Lane.

For more information, contact Guthrie at 660-529-2420.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net