By Dawn Burleigh

dawn.burleigh@orangeleader.com

ORANGE — An unexpected reunion between two Navy veterans at Kroger’s, 1600 16^th Street in Orange, left one man searching for contact information.

“I was at Kroger’s Service Center wearing my Navy hat,” Richard Starkey, of Orange, said. “I saw a gentleman in a motorized chair wearing a Navy hat and we got to talking.”

The two served on the USS Constellation CVA-64 at the same time in 1962.

“What are the chances we would run into each other,” Starkey said.

In the excitement, Starkey neglected to get the fellow sailor’s contact information so the two could stay in touch.

Starkey served as 2^nd Aviation Mate and recalls the other man served 20 years in the U.S. Navy.

“We were involved in sea trials,” Starkey said of his time on the ship. “We did fore drills, atomic bomb scares and drills. You name it, we did it.”

Starkey hopes the gentleman will contact The Orange Leader with his name and contact information.

The information may be sent to dawn.burleigh@orangeleader.com