Two former Navy shipmates reunite in South Lake Tahoe after 56 years

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The year was 1962, and Orly Larson and David Kramer enlisted in the Navy from their perspective hometowns. Two years later the men met when they were assigned to the USS Belknap DLG26, a brand new guided-missile destroyer.

The two shipmates were both Radarmen Second Class, specializing in the Naval Tactical Data Systems. They were both members of the original commissioning crew, also known as “plank owners."

Orly and David served together for two years on the ship, until the end of their enlistments, from 1964-66.

Orly and David hadn't seen or talked to each other until Orly found his former shipmate recently through Navy social media. They met up this week in South Lake Tahoe for the first time since July of 1966.

David is a member of the American Legion, Post 1776 in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, and Orly is a member of the American Legion, Post 795 in South Lake Tahoe.

The two Navy veterans have been seen around town wearing identical 4th of July-themed outfits and will both be in the South Lake Tahoe parade on July 4. They will be in a veteran's car, dressed in those matching red, white and blue “uniforms of the day.”