vol. 2017 #11 novem er 2017 uss henry l ......1 from the 2018 reunion committee chairman - chuck...
TRANSCRIPT
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From the 2018 Reunion Committee Chairman -
Chuck Hladik, TM2(SS) G 67-70; USSVI – USS
Oklahoma City Base:
November 6th = 339 days until OKC!!!
Our location for the 2018 Reunion will
be at the Embassy Suites Oklahoma
City Downtown Medical Center.
The Hotel is ready to take
reservations!
The Reunion Registration Form is
at the end of this newsletter!
The Reunion Webpage is up for viewing!!
http://ssbn655.org/reunions/2018_Reunion10/
index.html
As our illustrious Association President says in his
article, ―The call has gone out.‖
If you know you‘re coming to the reunion please
don‘t procrastinate. Get your hotel reservations
completed now. We have a block of rooms and until
those are reserved the hotel will not allot more to us. It
would be a real shame if we were not able to get more
rooms added because shipmates waited until the last
moment to reserved their rooms. If you make a
reservation and for whatever reason you are not able
to make the reunion the room can be cancelled up to
48 hours prior to reserved date.
We are working hard to continue the tradition of
really great reunions that we‘ve had but it takes you,
our shipmates, to make the reunion successful.
If you have any questions about the reunion
location, events, registration form, etc., please contact
me via email at [email protected].
————————————————————————
From The Editor
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
USSVI MEMBERSHIP: We have another Stimson
shipmate who has joined the United States Submarine
Veterans Inc. (USSVI) membership. In September, he
became a USSVI Life Member and a member of the
Holland Club (HC). The HC consists of those who
have been qualified in submarines for 50 years or
more. Also, our Storekeeper became a HC member in
October.
USSVI is a great organization and we have many of
our shipmates who are members. They are notated on
the secure Sailing List with SV. I would like to
congratulate the following on joining USSVI:
Pat Cota IC2(SS) G 65-68 PL / SV HC
Hoosier Base
Jim Weaver SK2(SS) B 68-69 / SV HC
Corvina Base
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
THE KLAXON – Newsletter of the Submarine Force
Museum & USS Nautilus
Gerry Weeks sent me a link to this great newsletter
and once I read the first issue I was hooked. If you
enjoy reading great old and new stories about the
VOL. 2017 #11 NOVEMBER 2017
U S S H E N R Y L . S T I M S O N A S S O C I A T I O N S S B N 6 5 5 N E W S L E T T E R
A s s o c i a t i o n O f f i c e r s & B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s 2 0 1 7 — 2 0 1 8
PRESIDENT Ray [Rita] Kreul
VICE PRESIDENT Tom [Marie] Krauser
SECRETARY Nick [Linda] Nichols
TREASURER Ken [Diane] Meigs
OUTGOING PRESIDENT Chuck [Joyce] Hladik
HISTORIAN / CUSTODIAN Larry [Linda] Knutson
WEBMASTER / NEWSLETTER Nick [Linda] Nichols
CHAPLAIN Jake Morris
STOREKEEPER / SHIPS STORE Jim [Suzie] Weaver
O t h e r P o s i t i o n s 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8
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Submarine Force subscribe now! If you‘re a blogger
then there‘s even a blog you can join. Very easy to
sign up – just click on the link and halfway down the
page in the right had column you can enter your email
address to join and receive the monthly newsletter.
http://www.submarinemuseum.org/
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
THE DBF PIN
On page 10 of the newsletter there is a very good
article about the origin of the DBF pin. For those that
don‘t remember, that‘s Diesel Boats Forever. I know
many of you had the chance to serve on the
‗smokeboats‘ but unfortunately I did not. There are
times I wish I had been able to… Hope you enjoy the
article and maybe it will bring back some good
memories for some of you.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
LOOKING FOR SHIPMATE
Our online ―Looking For Shipmate‖ sailing list is
very long. The shipmates listed in this file were
stationed on the Stimson at one point. Please check
out the list to see if you know someone that you can
contact to get them into the Association. Use the same
password as you do on the Secured Sailing List.
http://ssbn655.org/sailing-
list/655_Sailing_List_LookingFor.pdf
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
DEPENDENTS CRUISE PICTURES:
Do you have pictures of your family (wife/children/
parents, etc.) when they came on the boat with you
either for a dependents cruise or just a visit during
upkeep? Do you want to share them with your
shipmates? If so, just send them to me at
[email protected] and they will be in a
future newsletter.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
EMAIL BOUNCES IN OCTOBER:
I had several emails bounce on me when I sent out
the October newsletter. If anyone has contact with any
of these shipmates please ask them to email me with a
new email address we can use for them:
Wittman, Ferdinand Stefanik, Bruce
Poss, James Zimmer, Emory
Helms, David Hendrickson, Lyle
Giambattista, Mike Helms, David
Clark, Glen
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Laure Schmuck, wife of Rodger Schmuck MT1 (SS)
G 69-71, passed away on October 22, 2017 in
Poulsbo WA. Please remember Rodger and the family
in your prayers and thoughts. For those who attended
the 2016 Charleston Reunion, Rodger is the one who
made and donated the submarine cribbage board.
Obituary: Laure Schmuck, 68, of Poulsbo, WA,
passed away on October 22, 2017. Laure was born on
January 31, 1949 in Kittery, Maine. She was a loving
homemaker and was a volunteer Captain in the
Poulsbo Fire & EMT Departments in the mid 1970‘s.
On May 18, 1990, Laure married Rodger M. Schmuck
in Poulsbo. In her spare time, Laure enjoyed growing
dahlias and gardening. Laure was also a member of
the Kingston Cove Yacht club with Rodger. She is
preceded in death by her parents. Laure‘s memory will
live on with her loving husband, Rodger; sons,
Thomas and Brian Hughes; brother, Ray Barnhill;
sister, Alice Rodriguez; and two grandchildren, Lauren
and Bailey Hughes. At her request, no formal services
will be held.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Kathy Peterson, wife of Robert ‗Pete‘ Peterson
MM1(SS) B 70-72, passed away on November 2,
2017 in Sanbornville NH. Please remember Pete and
the family in your prayers and thoughts. Pete sent the
following: Kathy passed away Thursday afternoon, 2
Nov 17. She will be buried at sea when I go. Pete
———————————————————————–--
From the Association Storekeeper -
Jim Weaver, SK2(SS) B 68-69;
USSVI– Corvina Base:
The ships store has patches, decals
and challenge coins ($5/ea + $1 flat
mailing fee). Email or text if interested.
775-750-6891/
3
From the Association Historian/Memorabilia
Custodian
Larry Knutson, MMCS(SS) B 79-81 USSVI-
Charleston Base:
One of the items in our Memorabilia
collection is a wooden card box. This
box contains the report in card on
every crewmember that served under
the command of Captain Bob Weeks.
The Association Secretary has begun
scanning these cards and emailing a
copy to anyone he has an email for. Hope you enjoy
seeing what you looked like when you reported
onboard the Stimson.
————————————————————————
From the Association
President and wife -
Ray & Rita Kreul, TM2(SS)
G 65-69
USSVI– Snug Harbor Base:
Chief of the Watch ―prepare to surface‖
Diving officer ―surface the boat‖
Navigator ―plot a course from Charleston to OK city‖
Maneuvering ―all ahead standard‖
Quarter Master ―ETA to OK city‖
Sir ―11-14 Oct 2018‖
COB Nichols ―inform all hands we have a reunion to
attend‖
Division Officer ―Muster the crew in OK City‖.
Attendance will be taken.
Well shipmates the call has gone out for all to
attend the upcoming reunion in OK city. So check with
the home site teams and see if we can out do the
Charleston event. We know that Chuck and his team
are working hard to set things up and we only have 11
months ―11-14 October 2018‖ to set our sights and
plans to attend. Time will fly by before we know it.
Remember shipmates, Chuck has arranged extra
extended dates for those wishing to arrive early or stay
a few days beyond with our special rates in effect
(special rate dates are 7 thru 18 October). Again our
event is 11-14 Oct.
Rita and I want to let all those who were impacted
by the tragic events of the past few months know that
we think about you often and hope the best for you all.
Snow is starting to fall now and we ask that we all take
care and be safe.
From our house to yours have a happy
Thanksgiving. Ray and Rita
==========================
I have talked to Playboy in CA. I am sending off our
sympathy card to Christie Hefner via her brother
Cooper Hefner. I enclosed a short note and copy of
Playboy article with Hugh and a picture of the boat
with hatches being painted. I signed the card ―Officers
and Crews Henry L. Stimson Blue and Gold‖. Ray
28 September 2017
To: Ms. Christie Hefner
From: USS Henry L Stimson SSBN 655 Association.
Subject: Loss of a friend.
Ms. Christie, it is with a saddened heart we say
good bye to a friend. Your father was one who inspired
and comforted many submarine sailors. I hope you
remember that the Stimson carried the Playboy bunny
on her missile hatches for over 28 years and your
father was so kind to sign our Playboy bunny flag back
in 2002. Our skipper, Bob Weeks, kept the pendant in
his den until he passed away and his wife still holds it
dear to her heart.
We who sailed on the Stimson will never forget
what your father did for us. His memory will linger until
the last crew member passes away. All we have to do
is just close our eyes and we can still see the bunny
forever etched in our minds.
It is with the deepest sadness we send our
condolences and prayers to you and the extended
Playboy family.
Raymond E Kreul
USS Henry L. Stimson SSBN 655 G
Association President
————————————————————————
From the Association Chaplain:
The Rev. John K. Morris, LT G/ENG 66-69
(Jake to y‘all)
As I sat down to write about
November and Thanksgiving, the news
broke of the attack in New York. This
has been a difficult year it seems hard
to be thankful. Terrible storms in the
Gulf of Mexico, Florida and East Coast,
and Puerto Rico, and the Las Vegas
tragedy. As a resident of Napa, I have
seen first-hand the firestorms that ravaged northern
California. Through all that, however, we have
witnessed the incredible work of first responders,
individuals and organizations moving bring aid and
comfort, and resiliency of our communities. We can be
truly thankful for the country in which we live – and for
our neighbors who rise to the occasion.
And then my thoughts went to those who stand
watch on our ships around the world and what they are
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quietly doing for us today. I also think about the part
that you and I played in defending this nation. I am
thankful for your service as well as those who stand
watch today. We do have much to be thankful for.
Jake
————————————————————————
From the Association Vice President -
Tom Krauser, MM1(SS) B 72-74; USSVI -
Charleston Base
Tom’s articles just keep coming. If
anyone has a suggestion for a future
article you would like to see, please
send them to the webmaster at
Browsers and Search Engines
By Tom Krauser See Page 5
————————————————————————
RM2(SS) Martin Jay Lovelady G 68-71
Departed on Eternal Patrol September 29, 2017
[Verified by Legacy.com]
STS3 (SS) Larry Roy Hall B 65-69 Plank Owner
Departed on Eternal Patrol October 7, 2017
[Verified by call from his wife, Linda]
MMCM (SS) Norman D. ‘Shorty‘ Garoutte G 70-73
Departed on Eternal Patrol October 29, 2017
[Verified by email from David Huckeba MM B 71-75]
{{Email from David who received from Shorty‘s family:
Dearest Friends and Family,
Thank you very much for all your love and support
during this difficult time. We wanted you to know that
we have felt your love and prayers these past few
days. Shorty treasured his family and all of his friends
so deeply. On Saturday, January 13 at 1:00pm we will
have Military Honors and a Celebration of Life. We
would like you join us in celebrating "Shorty", his life,
his loves, friends and family. Below is some additional
information.
Location
Son's of Norway, 18891 Front Street NE, Poulsbo, WA
98110
Date & Time
Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 1:00p
Hotels
Poulsbo Inn and Suites: http://www.poulsboinn.com/
Guesthouse Inn and Suites: https://www.redlion.com/
poulsbo
Clearwater Casino Resort & RV: http://
www.clearwatercasino.com/
Best Western Plus Silverdale Beach: http://
www.silverdalebeachhotel.com/
Family Contact for Questions
Bryan: cell 206-972-2823; email: [email protected]
Mike: cell 509-312-9983;
email: [email protected]
Jan: cell 360-434-7798; email: [email protected]
Stacey: cell 360-979-8492; [email protected]
We would adore having any pictures sent to us that
you or your family have with Shorty. We will be putting
together a slide show for his Celebration of Life and
would like to include as many family and friends as
possible. Please email them to Bryan by December
20th, 2017.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the
Poulsbo Son's of Norway, or the Shiners Children's
Hospital in the name of N.D. "Shorty" Garoutte.
EM1 (SS) Paul F. Murray G 65-69 Plank Owner
Departed on Eternal Patrol October 29, 2017
[Verified by email from his wife, Cindy]
{{this is Cindy Murray, Paul Murray‘s wife. Paul served
on the Stimson Gold Crew as an EM1 (I believe from
1965-1969). I am sorry to report that Paul passed
away on October 29, from a massive stroke. We
attended the last Stimson Reunion in Charleston and
Paul was glad to be reacquainted with ―old‖ shipmates.
A good time was had by all. Sincerely, Cindy Murray}}
If any of you have any information about the following
shipmates being on Eternal Patrol please send it to me
at [email protected] as soon as possible.
HM2(SS) George D. Hinds, B 76-78
(possibly lost at sea)
————————————————————————
BINNACLE LIST
(if you would like to be placed on our Association
Binnacle List please send an email to
==================
**********
Bob Faulkner, MT1(SS) B/G 80-86 OVHL2
Remember Bob as he continues to find the best result
to manage Parkinson's Disease symptoms.
**********
————————————————————————
5
WELCOME ABOARD: Found & Updated Shipmates
(Shipmate has contacted us to be added or have info
updated on our Sailing List. Please check the online
Sailing List to access the shipmates contact info.)
**********
MT2(SS) Ray Cullum B 76-80
(updated info per his request)
MM1(SS) Alex Iliria G 77-81
(updated info per his request)
CDR(SS) George R. Sterner G XO 76-78
Retired VADM
(updated info per his request)
Many of our shipmates are on FaceBook but are not
listed on our Sailing List. Please check the new
‗Looking For‘ Sailing List on the website to help locate
these shipmates. When you see shipmates on
Facebook ask them if they are on the Sailing List and
please send them a personal invite to contact
[email protected] to be listed and
become a member of the Stimson Association.
————————————————————————
GREAT LINKS TO SPEND TIME WITH
(all links from “The Draft” will be on the website)
**********
655 Association Website
www.ssbn655.org
**********
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow and so it goes…
A great video of things most of us will remember well.
Turn up the speakers.
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/
QoDXTAajEzY?rel=0
**********
How the Soviet Union Snooped Waters for Enemy
Subs—Without Sonar
Newly declassified documents show that even the
most secretive submarines leaves a trail.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-
ships/a28724/submarine-sonar-soks/
**********
Submitted by Don Ort MM3 G 69-70 - MM1 B 70-74
500 High School Choir Students Sing the National
Anthem
All the kids are in a Kentucky state-wide
chorus competition and are staying at the hotel. They
come out of their room to the balconies before curfew
and sing the anthem each night they are there for the
competition. This happens every year during this
competition. 500 high school choir students sing the
U.S. National Anthem in a high-rise hotel. Each night
before curfew, they gather to sing the Star-Spangled
Banner from the balconies of the 18-story atrium at
Louisville's downtown Hyatt. This is part of the
Kentucky Music Educators convention. You can't help
but get goose bumps when you hear them sing
Amazing Rendition of the U.S. National Anthem
**********
Silent Service Play List
130 Silent Service and Submarine related videos on
YouTube for your viewing pleasure. Averaging 25
minutes each this is over 54 hours of viewing. Enjoy!!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
list=PLZgGjj9ev8IC2QYB3ccieYd2PkBuFfXZP
**********
————————————————————————
New Job In Chicago
Bob was sitting on the plane at DFW waiting to fly
to Chicago, when a guy took the seat beside him. The
guy was an emotional wreck…pale, hands shaking in
fear.
"What's the matter, afraid of flying?" Bob asked.
"No, it's not that. I've been transferred to
Chicago. The people are crazy there, right? Shootings,
gangs, race riots, drugs, poor schools, and the highest
crime rate in the USA."
Bob replied, "I've lived in Chicago all my life. It's not
as bad as the media says. Find a nice home, go to
work, mind your own business, and enroll your kids in
a nice private school. I've worked there for 14 years
and never had the slightest trouble."
The guy relaxed and stopped shaking and said,
"Oh, thank you. I've been worried to death, but if
you've lived and worked there all those years and say
it‘s OK, I'll take your word for it. What do you do for a
living?"
"I'm a tail-gunner on a Budweiser truck.
————————————————————————
SEA STORIES:
=====
None submitted this month
————————————————————————
Part 8 – Browsers and Search Engines
By Tom Krauser
Browsers and Search Engines
Many people do not understand the difference
between ―Browsers‖ and ―Search Engines‖. If you ask
them what ―browser‖ they use they tell you Yahoo or
Google or whatever ―search engine‖ they use to
search the internet.
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A ―browser‖ is the software program interface that
connects the computer to the internet. It provides the
connection to the internet and a user interface which
displays the websites in a format that the user can
understand. The Browser does not provide the
―Content‖ shown by each site but only formats the
display based on the content programming. Some
popular browsers are Internet Explorer (prior to
Windows 10), Microsoft Edge (rewritten in Windows 10
to replace Internet Explorer because of security issues
with Internet Explorer), Mozilla Firefox, Google
Chrome, Apple Safari, and many others.
The following link does a review of some popular
browsers by PC Magazine:
https://www.pcmag.com/
article2/0,2817,1815833,00.asp
Many of the browsers look very similar because
they are only the frame used to display the content
which is written to work in many different browsers.
Although the frame is the same for the content, there
are small differences in the way the browser menus
and browser setup look and work. For example, some
browsers allow downloads directly (such as Microsoft
Edge and Google Chrome) others download the
content to a download folder (such as Mozilla Firefox)
and you must install that program from the download
folder. The Settings menu is different for most
browsers.
The browser setup menu can be used to set the
default content font size for each browser. However,
the font can be changed on the fly by holding down the
Ctrl and using the plus ―+‖ key to increase the font size
or minus ‖-― key to make the font smaller.
Each browser allows you to save your ―favorite‖
sites to the ―Favorites‖ menu or add them to a
Favorites Toolbar for easy access later. Most
browsers show the ―Favorites‖ as a star on the Menu
Bar. What you see when you click on the Favorites
star varies with each browser.
Almost all browsers use ―Tabs‖ where you can
open multiple websites up at once and switch between
them by clicking on the desired tab. Each Tab can be
closed independently with the ―X‖ on each tab or all
tabs can be closed simultaneously with the ―X‖ in the
upper right hand corner of the browser window. Most
browsers ask is you are sure you want to close
multiple tabs if the Browser close ―X‖ is clicked. This is
an example that shows that the programmer can make
the ―X‖ do anything they want so if you have an
unwanted window such as a malicious site pop-up
window you should NEVER click the ―X‖ to close the
window because the programmer can make the ―X‖
actually install malicious code. See article on
―Removing Unwanted Pop-Up Windows‖ for more on
this topic.
To access the Browser setup menu there are
usually 3 dots or dashes in the upper right side of the
Menu Bar on the browser window. Clicking these dots
or dashes will bring up the setup menu which has
several options including the ―Settings‖ option. Some
items that can be setup are the website pages that will
open when the browser is started. Users can specify
which sites they want to be the ―Default‖ sites when
the browser is opened. The way to specify the default
sites varies with each browser.
Users can also specify the default search engine(s)
that the browser uses to locate search content.
On most browsers the ―Print‖ option for web pages
is located in the Settings Menu so to print web site
content you click on the 3 dots or dashes then select
Print from the menu.
It is highly recommended that you have more than
one browser installed on your computer. Since the
browser software is the interface between your
computer and the internet, if something happens to
corrupt the Microsoft Edge browser and make it
unusable to connect to the internet, having another
browser installed allows you to connect to the internet
and try to fix or reinstall the browser software.
Once you are connected to the internet by the
browser of your choice you can use a search engine
such as Yahoo search, Google search, Ask, or many
other search engines available. Typing a topic into the
search engine window will perform a search and
display thousands of items that match some part of
your search criteria. Be very careful that the website
you choose from the search window is a legitimate
website. One way to check the website is hover your
mouse over the suggested link and ensure that the site
displayed is the actual site shown at the bottom of the
window. Some search engines take you through the
search engine provider site so the link displayed at the
bottom of the windows may not make any sense at all
as to where clicking on that link will actually take you.
Google search show the actual final location on the
bottom of the window so many people prefer that
search engine to some others.
Car/Store Analogy
To help understand the difference between
browsers, search engines, and web content I like to
use a car/store analogy.
Browsers are like cars sitting in your driveway.
Once bought (installed) they are just sitting in your
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driveway waiting to be used. You can have as many
cars, Ford, Dodge, Chevy, Toyota, etc., in your
driveway as you want. Each car functionally has the
same purpose, to get you somewhere you want to go.
Most of the basic features on each car are very similar
but the controls, although they have the same basic
function, can vary by each car model.
Unless you actually start them they are just sitting
there taking up space in your driveway (hard drive).
They are not using any fuel (memory) or power
(processor speed). If you only had one car (Microsoft
Edge) and that car would not start (corrupted or
damaged by a virus) then you have no way to get
somewhere to try to fix the problem. If you had multiple
cars in your driveway you could just start another car
and go somewhere to research and try to fix the
problem.
Search engines are like flyers in your newspaper
where you do research to help decide where you want
to go once the car is started. You can research almost
anything on the internet today by just typing in a few
words. There are many different search engines
available to you to help your research.
Once you have decided where you want to go you
enter the address (web site address) into your GPS
(address bar) or click on the desired site in the search
engine web site address and go to that site (future
cars may actually drive you there themselves) to open
the actual web site (content).
Browsers have Tabs (different stores) so you can
open as many sites (mall stores) as you want
simultaneously (like a mall) and go back and forth from
one store to another as you desire.
————————————————————————
"Fear the Blackfish." USS Washington Creates
New Traditions
As It Joins Submarine Fleet
Brock Vergakis, The Virginia-Pilot, October 6
When Cmdr. Gabriel
Cavazos took command of the
new Navy submarine
Washington during a ceremony
in April, he improvised the
conclusion of his remarks with
a message for U.S.
adversaries: "Fear the
Blackfish."
"Blackfish" is what Native Americans in the Pacific
Northwest call orca whales, commonly known as killer
whales. "Blackfish" also is the crew's unofficial
nickname for the Washington, which will formally join
the fleet and add USS to its name during a
commissioning ceremony Saturday at Naval Station
Norfolk.
The Navy is a service steeped in tradition, but the
crew of each new vessel has the rare opportunity to
forge its own. Many of the Washington's still-forming
traditions revolve around the use of the term and
visual representation of "Blackfish."
When the Washington is underway, sailors who
have earned their submarine warfare pins known as
"dolphins" wear a version that is all black instead of
the typical gold or silver.
"It's a point of pride amongst the crew," Cavazos
said.
The phrase "Fear the Blackfish" quickly embraced
by the Washington's crew is now a rallying cry aboard
the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine.
Whenever a member of the Washington's
leadership triad addresses the crew over a public
address system, they end the message with "Fear the
Blackfish." The crew responds in unison: "Prepared for
war."
The phrase "prepared for war" comes from the
Washington's motto, "Preserving Peace, Prepared for
War." That motto was derived from a quote by
Washington state's namesake, President George
Washington, who said, "To be prepared for war is one
of the most effective means of preserving peace."
"Just knowing that we‘re all working together and
we all hear what‘s going on at the same time, and we
all say it at the same time together, gives you that little
weird feeling on the back of your neck that we‘re
growing as a family," said Petty Officer 2nd Class
Giovanni Garcia, a Washington torpedoman serving
aboard his first submarine.
"It‘s a neat experience. You know that you‘re
building tradition and new things that are going to go
on through decades."
The motto appears on the Virginia-class
submarine's crest, which prominently displays a
submarine surging from the waters of the Puget Sound
with a paint scheme that resembles Native American
art depictions of an orca.
In the officers' wardroom, where meals are served
and meetings held, a Native American depiction of an
orca carved on a wooden plaque hangs from a wall.
There are other nods to Washington state in the
wardroom, including a picture of the Seattle skyline.
But whenever Cavazos enters he said he focuses on
that wooden plaque and a corkboard near it that holds
the "Blackfish" version of the submarine warfare pins
for officers who have not yet earned them.
There's no better representation of his crew's
8
philosophy for Cavazos than the Blackfish.
"They‘re very fierce predators, and they also look
out for one another," he said. "They travel in pods and
they certainly maintain the family cohesion, and so
that‘s one of the things that‘s big on board.
"Everyone on this boat is family. Everything just
seemed to fit."
————————————————————————
Submarine 101: Life Aboard The John Warner
Hugh Lessig, The Daily Press, October 2
Petty Officer 1st Class Jacob
Neutz joined the Navy after the
recession hit. He was working
as an in-home dog trainer while
attending the University of
Minnesota and had to ―make
the tough decision to keep
myself from going bankrupt.‖
Neutz chose the submarine
force, and to hear him tell it, it turned out well for a
couple of reasons. As a machinist‘s mate, he‘s gained
valuable skills that will serve him well whenever he
decides to re-enter the civilian world. The undersea
service also suited his personality.
―I decided to do submarines mostly just because
I‘m more of an introvert than an extrovert,‖ the 28-year
-old said. ―I thought it would be a better community for
me. Rather than working with 5,000 people on an
aircraft carrier, I get 140.‖
Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark McCulloch told a
similar story. He couldn‘t decide on a college major
and feared racking up debt. Getting paid while learning
seemed like a good deal. But that would be true
anywhere in the military, so why subs?
―I was attracted to the submarine force because of
the smaller community,‖ said the 22-year-old
Tennessean. ―I like the brotherhood of it. We‘re a lot
closer.‖
Neutz and McCulloch sail aboard the USS John
Warner, the first Virginia-class submarine based at
Naval Station Norfolk. During a recent trip from Norfolk
to Groton, Conn., crew members shared a boatload of
stories on the sneaker-wearing, cribbage-playing,
slightly quirky world of submariners.
Describing the community as close takes on a
couple of different meanings. It could be as
McCullouch described — a close-knit bunch of sailors.
They are also physically close, as in shoulder to
shoulder. With cramped quarters, crew members must
adapt to an unconventional world.
―You‘re in a steel tube with a nuclear reactor, full of
live weapons,‖ said Senior Chief Mark Eichenlaub, the
assistant navigator. ―But we try to make it normal.‖
―Nowhere to go‖
A Virginia-class submarine is 377 feet long and
can move through the water in excess of 28 mph. To
hold a crew function — a training session or briefing,
for example — the boat offers two basic choices.
Sailors can assemble in the crew‘s mess, a row of five
restaurant-style booths that seat six or eight sailors
each. Or they can gather in the ward room, which has
a table that seats about 11. That doesn‘t include the
commander‘s chair, which belongs exclusively to
Cmdr. Burt Canfield, a Pennsylvania native who has
led the crew since September 2015.
Like his sailors, Canfield said the unique culture of
the submarine force attracted him.
―Everybody knows everybody. It‘s like ‗My Big Fat
Greek Wedding,‘ ‖ he said. ―You have the conflicts, but
most of us recognize we are family to a large degree
and we have to get along.‖
The close quarters might be the biggest
adjustment. Coffin-style bunks are stacked three high
in berthing areas that are perpetually dark due to
rotating shifts. Hallways and ladders are narrow. It can
be difficult to simply stand out of the way.
―You can‘t get away,‖ Canfield said, smiling. ―You
cannot get away. There‘s nowhere to go. There‘s no
safe haven. You can‘t even jump overboard. That does
add a big stress. That‘s probably the biggest thing for
new guys to overcome.‖
Some sailors bring along digital collections of
movies and music to get away, if only virtually.
―I have ‗Planet Earth,‘ the TV series,‖ said Petty
Officer 2nd Class Patrick Reilly. ―I‘ll put that on when I
go to the rack so I get to listen to the outdoors. It
actually works pretty well.‖
Because space is at a premium, the same room or
piece of furniture might have multiple uses. Take the
big table in the ward room. It can accommodate the
ship‘s fine china for a sit-down dinner or laptops for a
training session. If someone needs emergency
surgery, it‘s also an operating table.
The simple act of storing food becomes a strategic
decision akin to deploying forces. Packing provisions
requires a food load plan. Spaces are crammed so
tightly they cannot be unpacked.
―You literally eat your way to the back,‖ said Lt.
Cmdr. Justin Hardy, the executive officer. ―If you put
nothing but oatmeal in the front and cream of wheat in
the back, you don‘t get any cream of wheat until you
eat through all the oatmeal in the front.‖
In less traveled areas on the lower deck, sailors
will place 10 cans of food on the floor and cover them
with plywood.
―Now the ceiling just got 12 inches lower,‖ Hardy
9
said.
Communication control
A submarine survives on stealth. To that end,
communication between the crew and their loved ones
is limited and monitored. Emails are sent and received
in bundles. As time passes between hearing from
loved ones, sailors must learn to live with a lack of
information from home. They can choose to have
some bad news kept from them to avoid distractions.
―We don‘t want to remove the ability to
communicate, but sometimes there are benefits to not
being able to communicate,‖ said Eichenlaub, a
veteran sailor. ―More data is sometimes not as good
as less data.‖
That said, if the bad news is life-changing, the
command would not let them go for weeks or months
without knowing.
Quirks
Submariners wear sneakers. It‘s a practical
approach considering the narrow ladders and the
noisy clunking heavy boots would bring. Sailors can
customize their footwear to a degree. Sneakers must
be leather, lace-up models with rubber soles. Some
sailors have functional old-style sneakers while others
opt for running shoes or tennis shoes. It becomes one
small way for submariners to express their
individuality, as long as they don‘t take it too far.
Canfield once received a tip that he should check
out one crew member‘s new underway shoes.
―They have strobe lights around the bottom,‖ he
said, smiling now at the episode. ―I‘m like, ‗No! I don‘t
want to make a rule that you can‘t have light-up, gold
metallic, silver-metallic — just stop!‘ I have to draw the
line there, and they found the boundary.‖
If sneakers are the submariners‘ footwear of
choice, cribbage is the game of choice. Players use
various combinations of cards to score points, and
they keep a running tally on a board with wooden
pegs. Submarine-shaped cribbage boards are the
style for the undersea service, and the Warner is no
exception. Crew members in the ward room play on a
wooden replica of a Virginia-class boat with their own
house rules. For example, a combination of 785 won‘t
help you much in cribbage unless you‘re playing on
the Warner, a boat also known as SSN-785.
The importance of cribbage is tied to World War II
and the submarine USS Wahoo.
According to Navy lore, a perfect cribbage hand in
a game between the ship‘s commander and executive
officer presaged a highly successful mission, ending in
a record number of Japanese ships sank.
Culture
A sneaker-wearing, cribbage-playing, close-
quarters atmosphere has an effect on the boat‘s
culture, crew members say.
―You will see an E-4 (Petty Officer 3rd Class) tell
an officer how to do his job,‖ said Eichenlaub. ―And
that‘s expected.‖
Canfield said he encourages questioning attitudes.
―It‘s easy to say sit down, shut up and color,‖ he
said. ―But that is not success. I want them to question.
They need to understand why they‘re doing stuff. They
may be the only guy in the room who sees the right
answer.‖
That informality extends to pranks and ribbing.
Don‘t like to talk about a particular sports team? You‘ll
be asked about it. Again and again. And remember:
There is nowhere to go.
―Yeah, we give each other ribbing,‖ Canfield said.
―It‘s part of the growing process. If you don‘t like
something, people will zero in on it until you crack and
you get over it.‖
It‘s not hazing, Eichenlaub said. And no one is
immune. During the trip from Norfolk to Groton,
Eichenlaub said someone noticed a problem with his
uniform. A star was missing.
―Here I was walking around with the wrong uniform
on,‖ said the senior chief, shaking his head. ―You can
bet I knew who was responsible for it when it
happened.‖
————————————————————————
U.S. Nuclear Weapons Modernization Continues;
Lockheed Martin To Build Submarine Ballistic
Missiles
John Keller, Military and Aerospace, October 2
U.S. military leaders are moving forward toward their
goal of modernizing the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal
with a nearly half-billion-dollar deal to Lockheed Martin
Corp. on Friday to build new submarine-launched
ballistic missiles.
Officials of the U.S. Navy Strategic Systems
Programs (SSP) office in Washington awarded a
$418.7 million order the Lockheed Martin Space
Systems segment in Sunnyvale, Calif., to provide new
procurement of Trident II (D5) missile production and
D5 deployed systems support.
The UGM-133A Trident II D5 submarine-launched
ballistic missiles support the U.S. sea-based atomic
missile infrastructure. President Donald Trump has
said one of his highest military priorities is to revitalize
the nation's nuclear forces.
Friday's contract modification consists of new
Trident II D5 procurement, D5 life extension
production, and D5 deployed systems support.
10
The Trident II D5 is one of the most advanced long
-range submarine-launched nuclear missiles in the
world. It is the primary U.S. sea-based nuclear ballistic
missile, and is deployed aboard U.S. Navy Ohio-class
ballistic missile submarines.
The U.S. Navy operates 14 of these ballistic
missile submarines, each of which can carry as many
as 24 Trident II missiles. Although the Trident II is
designed to carry as many as 12 multiple
independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV)
warheads, current treaties reduce this number to four
or five.
Each Trident II missile has a range of 4,000 to
7,000 miles. The Trident II D5 was first deployed in
1990 and is scheduled to remain in service until at
least 2027.
The Navy started the D5 Life Extension Program in
2002 to replace obsolete components using as many
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts as possible to
keep costs down and to enhance the missile's
capability. Draper Lab is in charge of upgrading the
Trident II's guidance system, and has been working on
this project since 2005.
In practice, the Trident II missile's inertial
measurement system receives targeting data from
computers aboard the submarine. The inertial
measurement unit then transmits signals to the D5
flight-control computer and converts them into steering
commands to keep the ballistic missile on target.
The missile's post-boost control system maneuvers
the missile in flight to observe stars for the missile's
celestial navigation subsystem, which updates the
inertial system in flight.
Lockheed Martin also is integrating the Trident II
onto the next-generation ballistic submarine designs of
the U.S. and United Kingdom by adapting the Trident II
missile and reentry subsystems into the common
missile compartment for the future U.S. Columbia-
class Ohio replacement submarine and United
Kingdom Dreadnought-class Vanguard successor
submarine.
The future U.S. Columbia-class fleet ballistic
missile submarine, being designed to replace the
Navy's fleet of Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines,
should enter service in 2031. The United Kingdom
Dreadnought submarine, to replace the Royal Navy's
Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines, should
enter service in 2028.
The U.S. Navy today operates 18 Ohio-class
submarines -- 14 of which carry the Trident nuclear
missile, and four of which have been modified to carry
conventionally armed long-range cruise missiles.
The Ohio-class submarines have been in
commission since 1981, and are scheduled to be
decommissioned and replaced starting in 2029. The
United Kingdom Vanguard-class ballistic missile
submarine has been at sea since 1993. The Royal
Navy operates four Vanguard-class subs.
On this contract modification Lockheed Martin will
do the work in Sunnyvale, Calif.; Cape Canaveral and
Orlando, Fla.; Kings Bay, Ga.; Bangor, Wash.; and
Magna, Utah, and should be finished by September
2022.
————————————————————————
THE DBF PIN
by Patrick Meagher TMC(SS)
USN RET.
Probably none of today‘s
submariners know the origin or
the significance of the Diesel
Boats Forever (DBF) pin.
Most former Diesel boat
sailors are also ignorant of its origins even though it is
worn with pride on many SubVets vests.
The last diesel attack boat built for the US Navy
was commissioned in October 1959. At that time there
were five classes of nuke boats along with two ―one
off‖ designs in various stages of construction and pre
commissioning trials along with USS Nautilus SSN-
571, and the four Skate class boats in operational
status. The diesel boat force made up predominantly
of modernized fleet boats (Fleet Snorkels, Guppy 1A‘s,
Guppy 2‘s, Guppy 2A‘s, Radar picket, Regulus missile,
(SSK 246 CROAKER) troop carrier, and hunter-killer
conversions), six Tang‘s plus Darter, Growler,
Greyback, the two Salmon‘s and the three ―B‖ girls had
become the source of pre-commissioning crews for the
nuke boats.
There was a steady stream of 9901‘s passing
through the diesel boat force, spending seven months
onboard learning the boat and earning their dolphins
before departing for nuke school. A smaller number of
career enlisted electricians, machinist mates,
enginemen, and electronic technicians also
volunteered for the nuke program. Admiral Hyman
Rickover personally interviewed all officers applying for
the nuclear power program as well as many of the
senior enlisted submariners. Tales of Rickover‘s
interviews consistently reported on his efforts to
intimidate and discredit the accomplishments of the
officer interviewee‘s, alienating many who interviewed
with him. Disturbing reports from senior enlisted
veterans of the nuke boat navy in favorite submarine
―watering holes‖ ashore indicated
11
Rickover‘s new operating philosophy was at work in
the engineering spaces. ―Don‘t trust enlisted
engineers.‖ Nuke trained officers consistently checked,
double checked, and triple checked the work and
system lineups of the enlisted engineers, a major
change to the long standing professional relationship
between enlisted and officer submariners. In addition,
―front-enders‖ the non-nukes, were reporting excessive
wardroom focus on the engineering plant at the
expense of the historic mission of the submarine. They
were also describing the ―no-touch‖ rule from the
reactor compartment aft. If you were not a nuke, you
couldn‘t touch any part of the engineering plant-period.
You could learn it in theory, identify major
components, valves and panels, but that was it. Gone
was the traditional submarine qualification program
that demanded standing all watches under instruction
as well as rigging all compartments for all evolutions.
Lost on most submariners was the reason Rickover
imposed the new operational Philosophy which is best
summarized by Gary E. Weir.
―The potential for major disaster in the nuclear
propulsion program caused him (Rickover) to elevate
professional competence, discipline, and responsibility
to the rank of absolute virtues required of every naval
and private participant. Unfortunately for a great many
people, Rickover‘s personal and professional manner
made the lesson difficult to learn.‖
By early 1967 total nuclear submarine crews
numbered in excess of one hundred counting blue and
gold SSBN crews with sixty four nuke boats (forty one
of which were SSBN‘s) in commission. The thirty
seven Sturgeon class nuke boats would start to
commission with the lead ship in March of that year.
The Diesel boat fleet in contrast numbered slightly
over one hundred in commission with most of the
modernized fleet type boats nearing the end of their
useful lives. Former SSR‘s, SSK‘s, and Fleet Snorkels
would start to decommission within eighteen months to
be followed shortly by the guppy conversions. More
and more Rickover trained officers were appearing on
squadron and force staffs bringing with them
Rickover‘s operational philosophy. It was apparent to
all that the diesel boat navy were dinosaurs soon to be
extinct along with their officer community who were
either unwilling to become nukes or passed over by
Rickover as unfit to become nuke boat engineers in
order to ascend to command of a nuke boat. Diesel
boats were still conducting most of the non-deterrent
submarine operations including ―special missions.‖
Nuke attack boats were ―wowing‖ many with their
performance and potential along with occasional
contributions such as ―a mission of great value to the
government of the United States of America.‖ The
nukes were not without their teething problems
however. It was not uncommon for a nuke boat to be
unable to get underway as scheduled due to an
―engineering problem.‖ A refueling every three to four
years also required a shipyard stay of from eighteen
months to two years again reducing the number of
nuke boats available for operations. So it was left to
the diesel boats to pick up the slack.
‗Dex‘ Armstrong (5) describes the thinking of the
enlisted smokeboat sailor during these years.
―We were it. One crew. Nobody took over our boats
when we came in. When the old girl went to sea, we
were there. The same names, same faces, same
officers forward. If someone failed to maintain a
system or piece of equipment, the Chief of the Boat
knew precisely what butt to put his boot into when ass-
kicking time rolled around.
Those were great days. Didn‘t know it then…that
came later…much later. We knew nuclear boats
represented progress but we didn‘t think much about
it…We could see the he future of submarining floating
in the after nest. The big, fat, black monsters getting all
the attention. High speed, deep-diving ugliness rapidly
sending our smokeboat fleet up the river to the
scrapyard. To us nuke boats were like elephants…
They were big as hell, uglier than sin and none of us
had any idea what went on inside of the damn things.
They were just there.‖
This brings us to the DBF pin. In 1969 USS Barbel
SS-580, the lead ship of the last class of diesel boats
built for the US Navy was deployed to WesPac. While
on a ―special mission‖ in early 1970 the control room
gang got into one of those nuke boat vs. diesel boat
discussions.
It was pointed out during the discussion that on a
number of occasions a diesel boat would have to get
underway for a ―broke-down‖ nuke boat again proving
the superiority of smokeboats over unreliable nuke
boats. Someone suggested there ought to be a pin for
smokeboat sailors, something like the new Polaris
Deterrent Patrol Pin for ―boomer‖ sailors, for the times
you had to take a nuke boat commitment because they
were broke- down. A contest was commissioned to
design the pin. ETR3(SS) Leon Figurido‘s winning
design was a broadside view of a guppy boat with SS
superimposed on the North Atlantic sail. There were
two bare breasted mermaids, one on the bow and one
on the stern facing in with arms extended. Completing
the design was a ribbon underneath the boat with
holes for stars, and centered on the ribbon the letters
12
―DBF‖. ETR3(SS) Figurido received appropriate
recognition for his winning design along with a prize of
some sort, now long forgotten. Upon Barbel‘s return to
Yokosuka the design of the DBF pin was hand carried
to a local manufacturer of nautical gewgaws where a
batch were cast and brought back to the ship and sold
at cost to Barbel crewmembers that began to wear
them ashore. As the DBF pin grew in popularity within
the diesel boat community it continued to be cast and
sold in shops around Yokosuka eventually making its
way to Pearl Harbor, San Diego, and on to the east
coast. Most ―smokeboat‖ sailors assumed a gold star
would be placed in the ribbon for each diesel boat
served on. However, it was confirmed to the author
years later by Capt. John Renard, USN RET. Skipper
of Barbel at that time, a star was to be placed on the
ribbon for each time a diesel boat you served on had
to get underway for a broke-down nuke.
The DBF pin continued to gain in popularity among
current and former smokeboat sailors who wore them
with pride as either a pin or on a belt buckle, all the
while collecting the ire of the senior nuke officer
community. As the wholesale decommissioning of the
fleet type boats occurred during the early 70‘s scores
of career electricians and enginemen were forced to
―surface‖ as there was no room for them on Rickover‘s
boats. Their designation was changed by BUPERS
from ―SS‖ to ―SQ‖ indicating they were excess to
submarine force manning requirements although they
were still allowed to wear their dolphins. Soon they too
would be gone along with their collective histories. In
1973 Rickover issued an edict that Midshipmen would
no longer go on summer cruises on diesel boats.
Rumor had it that too many were showing up at his
interviews with ―bad attitudes‖ about nuke boats picked
up on their summer cruise on the smokeboats. It was
reported in favorite submarine hangouts ashore that
on more than one occasion nuke boat skippers
banned the wearing of DBF pins by their crew
members, typically ―front enders‖ the non-nukes,
implying that to do so would indicate disloyalty to the
nuke submarine force. In the mid 70‘s the DBF pin
went into the display of submarine insignia maintained
at the Pacific Submarine Museum then located at the
Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor. The caption alluded to
an ―unofficial‖ insignia worn by a disappearing breed of
submariner nostalgic for the days of diesel boats.
In July 1975 the last guppy submarine in US
service, USS Tiru SS-416, decommissioned in
Charleston SC. A handful of the guppies sailed on in
foreign service into the late 90‘s with two, ex-USS
Cutlass SS-478, and ex-USS Tusk SS-426 continuing
to serve today in the Republic of China (Taiwan) navy
as training boats. The last diesel attack boats in US
service were USS Darter SS-576, USS Barbel SS-580,
USS Blueback SS-581, and USS Bonefish SS-582.
They decommissioned between 1988 and 1990. Two
Tang class boats, ex-USS Tang SS-563, and ex-USS
Gudgeon SS-567, recently decommissioned in the
Turkish Navy with ex-Gudgeon slated to be Turkey‘s
museum submarine. The Turkish skipper of ex-Tang
when asked about the difference between the German
designed and built replacement boats for their retiring
ex-US boats is reported to have said, ―American
submarines are built for war, German submarines are
built for export.‖
It‘s ironic that 15 years after decommissioning of
USS Blueback SS-581 at the Submarine Base in San
Diego, a Swedish Navy Type A-19 Gotland Class Air
Independent Diesel Boat is conducting weekly ops
there to ―familiarize‖ US Navy ASW forces with the
operating characteristics of advanced non-nuclear
submarines. When the Swedish crew comes ashore
on Friday after a week at sea they still look and smell
like the smokeboat sailors of old. Our current crop of
submariners avoids them.
The DBF pin, originally designed by a USS Barbel
SS-580 crewmember as an unofficial insignia to
recognize the diesel boats ability to fill-in on very short
notice for broke-down nuke boats, now resides with
pride on the blue vests of Submarine Veterans who
qualified and served on smokeboats. Today the DBF
pin is the unique symbol of the professionalism,
discipline, and camaraderie of American smokeboat
sailors who sailed on, unloved, unwashed, and
underpaid as their era was coming to a close. DBF!
————————————————————————
SubVets Again Gather At Torpedo
Lisa Brichacek, Wahoo Newspaper, October 18
WAHOO – It was again a small but reverent crowd
that gathered near the torpedo monument on the
courthouse lawn Sunday afternoon.
For the 55th year, submarine veterans, their family
and friends gathered for a memorial service. The
annual event again included the tolling of the bell for
the U.S.S. Wahoo Memorial Service and other
submarines lost in service.
Rear Adm. William Houston was the special
speaker during the memorial service. The decorated
Navy officer serves as the deputy commander at Joint
Functional Component Command for Global Strike in
Bellevue.
His sea tours include time aboard the U.S.S.
Phoenix and the U.S.S. Tennessee and he
commanded the U.S.S. Hampton. He was also
commodore of the Submarine Squadron 20 in Kings
13
Bay, Ga.
Houston said he was honored to be asked to speak
at the memorial service that honors the silent patrol.
―There is no higher honor to speak on behalf of
submarine veterans,‖ he said.
Houston did his research on the U.S.S. Wahoo and
said it was also an honor to be at a service that
remembered the great World War II submarine.
On her seventh war patrol, the submarine was sunk
by the Japanese on Oct. 11, 1943 in the waters
between Japan and Russia. During her seven combat
patrols, the Wahoo (SS-238) sank 20 Japanese ships.
Houston said the Wahoo was able to amass that
incredible record in what is considered by today‘s
standard of submarine operation shallow waters,
meaning there was no place to hide from the enemy.
He also pointed out that under the command of
Mush Morton, the Wahoo and her crew did not quit
fighting, even when they ran out of torpedoes to fire at
the enemy. The submarine would then just surface
and keep fighting.
―(Morton) was still engaging with deck guns every
ship he could see,‖ Houston said.
The Rear Admiral said that today‘s submarines are
designed to go deeper and faster, but the example set
is still one modeled by today‘s submarine service.
―We follow the tradition from the likes of Mush
Morton and the Wahoo,‖ he said.
Houston paid tribute to all submarine veterans and
especially those of World War II.
He said when America‘s Navy was crippled by the
attack on Pearl Harbor, the submarine force was small
but mighty. The men aboard the submarines were
called upon to do what needed to be done, and they
succeeded.
But, victory came at a high price.
―Nearly one in four submariners is still on eternal
patrol from World War II,‖ he reported.
The submariners who did come home were also
recognized Sunday. They were at sea for months at a
time, in cramped quarters during wartime conditions.
―These men only had each other and their steel
boats,‖ Houston said.
Their independence and reliance, he added, are a
proud part of the culture that has carried over to
today‘s fleet.
This year‘s memorial service was again planned in
conjunction with the anniversary of the sinking of the
Wahoo. The ceremony was hosted by Nebraska Base
of Untied States Submarine Veterans Inc. Member Pat
Hancock of Wahoo was the master of ceremonies.
————————————————————————
Submitted by Donald Ransel MMCS Crew UNK 83-86
Will Rogers, who died in a 1935 plane crash in
Alaska with bush pilot Wiley Post, was one of the
greatest political country/cowboy sages this country
has ever known. Some of his sayings:
1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.
2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
3. There are two theories to arguing with a woman.
Neither works.
4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
5. Always drink upstream from the herd.
6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it
and put it back into your pocket.
8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn
by reading. The few who learn by observation. The
rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find
out for themselves.
9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of
that comes from bad judgment.
10. If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back
every now and then to make sure it's still there.
11. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n
puttin' it back.
12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so
good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter
came along and shot him.
The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your
mouth shut.
ABOUT GROWING OLDER...
First ~ eventually you will reach a point when you stop
lying about your age and start bragging about it.
Second ~ the older we get, the fewer things seem
worth waiting in line for.
Third ~ some people try to turn back their odometers.
Not me; I want people to know 'why' I look this way.
I've traveled a long way, and some of the roads
weren't paved.
Fourth ~ when you are dissatisfied and would like to
go back to youth, think of Algebra.
Fifth ~ you know you are getting old when everything
either dries up or leaks.
Sixth ~ I don't know how I got over the hill without
getting to the top.
Seventh ~ one of the many things no one tells you
about aging is that it's such a nice change from being
young.
Eighth ~ one must wait until evening to see how
splendid the day has been.
Ninth ~ being young is beautiful, but being old is
comfortable and relaxed.
Tenth~ Long ago, when men cursed and beat the
ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today it‘s
called golf.
Print a copy, complete and mail with your check to the address below:
Event Registration 655 Reunion #10 11-14 October 2018
Embassy Suites Oklahoma City Downtown Medical Center
741 N Phillips Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73104
405-239-3900
Ask for Group Rates for HLS Group
Use reunion page to go directly to the link for reservations
Hotel Registration Deadline September 10, 2018
Hotel Registration is the responsibility of the individual.
Reunion Registration Deadline September 28, 2018
http://ssbn655.org/reunions/2018_Reunion10
Please complete (print legibly), print the form and return along with a check payable to: Henry L. Stimson Reunion
Mail to: Chuck Hladik, 2605 S.E. 39th St, Moore, OK 73160 Email: [email protected]
Shipmate Name: _________________________________________ Guest Name: _________________________
Relationship: ___ Spouse ___ Significant Other ___ Family ___ Friend
Street Address: _________________________ City: ________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________
Phone: Home: _______________________ Cell: _______________________ Work: ________________________
E-mail: Home: ___________________________________ Work: ______________________________________
Number who will be attending this event in your group: _________
# Patrols on STIMSON: __________ Total # Patrols on all boats: __________
Dates Onboard Rate Crew Dates Onboard Rate Crew
_______________ __________ __________ _______________ __________ __________
Special Needs: _________________________________________________________________________________
Note: The cost for reunion events is $145.00 PER PERSON. If you cannot attend the meal events, the following per
person charges will apply: (Event attendance will be through advance payment only.)
I am registering for the following per person (Association Member and all guests):
Event package: $145.00 Number: __________ = __________
OR
Registration Fee: (required) $45.00 Number: __________ = __________
Friday Meal: $40.00 Number: __________ = __________
Saturday Banquet: $60.00 Number: __________ = __________
Total Enclosed __________
There is only one scheduled tour for this reunion but there are a few events/locations you can attend if you would like.
Please indicate your interest. Include fees with your check for the reunion.
1. Tinker AFB and tour of an E6 TACAMO airplane. This will be of particular interest to any of the membership who worked in communications, weapons, navigation or stood watch in the Control Room. Spouses may not be interested
in this tour but can attend if they desire. We are limited to the first 100 who sign up to attend. A bus will be provided
and must be taken in order to access the AFB for the tour. Fee for the tour is $10.00 per person.
I will attend a tour of Tinker AFB/tour E6 TACAMO Plane. $10.00 Number: ___ = _________
(Include the fee in your check for registration.)
2. The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum (https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/) [commonly
referred to as the Bombing Memorial] has arranged a special price for visiting the memorial. If you wear your reunion
nametag, you will be able to access the memorial for $10.00 per person paid at the Memorial. This is a considerable savings over regular prices. You must provide your transportation or use the hotel shuttles.
3. The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum [https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/] has arranged reduced
price coupons for our group. They will be available in the hospitality room and are good for a $2.00 discount.
Print a copy, complete and mail with your check to the address below:
Things to see in Oklahoma City: The Oklahoma History Center, The Oklahoma City National Memorial &
Museum, The Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Gardens, and Brick Town are in the 5 mile radius for the Hotel
Shuttle service.
1. For a better idea on what is available for you to see during the reunion please check
https://www.visitokc.com/. Just remember that many of the events you will be looking at now are for
2017 however the links on the Things To Do area will really be helpful to you.
2. Oklahoma History Center: [http://www.okhistory.org/historycenter/] This is less than 2 miles from
the Embassy Suites Hotel. It is free to Active Duty Military and Veterans. The Oklahoma Museum of
History is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. In addition to supporting the mission of the
OHS to preserve and perpetuate the history of Oklahoma and its people, the museum collects,
preserves, and interprets the history of Oklahoma for everyone. The museum fulfills its mission through
the application of the highest standards of collections care, the presentation of diverse in-house and
traveling exhibits, and multi-disciplinary educational programs.
3. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum: [https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/] After
the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, a Task Force
was charged with developing an appropriate memorial to honor those touched by the event. The
Museum is a self-guided tour of artifacts and memorabilia from the aftermath of the bombing. The
Outdoor Memorial is a place for reflection. The Memorial honors those killed, the survivor and the lives
changed forever on April 19, 1995. It located the now-sacred soil where the Murrah Building once
stood, and the surrounding area devastated during the attack.
4. Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show is held here annually at the
Oklahoma City Fair Grounds. The show will be here October 6-13, 2018. Oklahoma City is host to a
number of horse shows each year. This link will take you to the 2017 Show so that you can see what
will be happening in 2018 - http://www.morgangrandnational.com/.
5. Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Gardens: [https://www.okczoo.org/]. Find the explorer in
you! Celebrating its 115th year inspiring guests to conserve wildlife and wild places, the Oklahoma City
Zoo and Botanical Garden it the perfect place for a local adventure! Explorers of all ages will enjoy
world class animal habitats including Great EscApe, Cat Forest/Lion Overlook, Oklahoma Trails and our
new Sanctuary Asia elephant habitat opening summer 2018. Other favorites include the Endangered
Species Carousel, Safari Tram and sea lion show. The Zoo offers picnic areas, The Canopy Food
Court, Safari Gifts and services including wheelchair and stroller rental. 2101 NE 50th St., Oklahoma
City, OK 73111, (405) 424-3344. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, in the heart of Oklahoma
City's Adventure District the Zoo is open every day except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours are 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Adult general admission (12-64) is $11. Children 3-11 and seniors 65 and older are
$8. Children 2 and under are free. For information, call (405) 424-3344 or go online at okczoo.org.
6. Oklahoma City Softball Hall of Fame: [https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/USA-Softball-Hall-
of-Fame-Complex] Oklahoma City is home to the Women's College Softball World Series each year.
Established in 1957, the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum is a permanent shrine to the
former players of the sport who had exceptional careers and recognizing others in one of five
categories for their significant achievements. The Hall of Fame Building also houses the headquarters
of the Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States,
encompassing more than 18,000 square feet of space since its dedication May 23, 1976.
7. National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum: [https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/] The
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is America’s premier institution of Western history, art,
and culture. Founded in 1955, the Museum collects, preserves, and exhibits an internationally
renowned collection of Western art and artifacts while sponsoring dynamic educational programs to
stimulate interest in the enduring legacy of the American West. This unique museum will help gain
better understanding of the West: a region and a history that permeates our national culture.