Hudson Valley Base Meeting Minutes
2005
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February 5,
2005
Meeting called to order at 1300 hours, February 5th, 2005 by Base Commander Steve Chinoransky. Meeting opened with a prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, reading of the purpose of SVWWII organization by Bob Fulton, and tolling of the bells for those boats lost during the month of January and February. Welcome aboard to our newest member, Joe Sagnis. Joe qualified on the USS Philadelphia SSN 690 and also served on the USS San Francisco. Joe lives in Wappingers Falls and his e-mail is jsagnis@optonline.net. Again, Welcome Aboard!! Our monthly meeting scheduled for January 7th, 2005 was cancelled due to the passing of our Past Commander, Jack Jarvies, on Tuesday, January 4th. The funeral was held Saturday, January 8th in Port Jervis. Thanks to all who took part and especially to our Chaplin, Joe Pastell. Jack was a veteran of the US Navy serving in the Korean War and Viet Nam. Jack was the Commanding Officer of the USS Carbonero SS 337 and served aboard 5 different Submarines. He was a member of the US Submarines Veterans Inc. Hudson Valley Base, Post 8645, past commander of the Hudson Valley Base and a member of the Holland Club. Jack was a Retired Commander of the US Navy after 22 years of service. He was also a retired production manager for Domino Sugar, Philadelphia, Pa. and Ret. plant manager for Wick-Hen Products, Port Jervis, N.Y. Survivors include his wife, Rose and a son, Gregg Jarvies and his wife Angela of Hillsborough, N.C Old Business: Past minutes read
and accepted, no objections. Signs: Our four new signs are in place. Locations cover the main approaches to the VFW Post / Memorial as follows: 1) Rt. 208 Northbound approaching Memorial 2) Rt. 208 Southbound approaching Main Street (Rt.199) Intersection 3) Rt.199 Eastbound approaching Rt.208 Intersection 4) Rt.199 Westbound approaching Rt. 208 Intersection. All signs have arrows directing motorists to the Memorial. Matt Schmitz also proposed putting a sign in front of the VFW with “Home of the NY State Submarine Memorial”. Any ideas, please contact Matt. Letterhead for correspondence: Thanks to Paul Roggemann (Sea Robin) for letterhead graphics for all of our correspondence. Dink Report: We have 3 or 4 regular members who have not renewed their membership for 2005. Dick Winchell has been contacting them. New Business: Hudson Valley Base Annual Dinner & USSVI Scholarship Fund Auction on April 16th Diner auction date set for Saturday, April 16th to avoid bad weather issues. Cocktails at 1830, dinner at 1900, same place as last year, Coppola’s in Hyde Park. There will be a hospitality room which opens at 1500. THIS IS OUR ANNUAL FAMILY & FRIENDS OUTING TO RAISE $ FOR THE FUND. A FUN TIME FOR ALL! The restaurant is located on the west side of Rt 9 across the street from the Eveready Diner. A buffet dinner will be served starting at 1900. Appetizer, Antipasto Salad. Buffet, Bakery display, Caesar Salad, Roast Potatoes with Black pepper and rosemary, Rigatoni ala Vodca, Eggplant Rollatine, Steamed Season Vegetable Medley, Chicken Scaloppini ala Cacciatore, Meatball and Sausage. Desert: Chocolate Walnut Sundaes, Hot beverages: Coffee, Tea. ALL FOR $20 per person Please bring any saleable items that you wish to donate, i.e. they must be in workable condition. No books other than Submarine related. All unsold items must be taken back. If you can’t make the dinner but have auction items that you wish to donate please contact Steve C. IMPORTANT
We have been using the Golden Manor Motel. Make your own reservations. Call them at 845-229-2157. Mention Sub Vets. A Hospitality Room will open at 1500. Bring your own liquid refreshment. Coffee provided. The VFW in New Paltz serves breakfast on Sunday morning which many of us go to. The Eveready Diner, which is close to the Motel is also available for breakfast if desired. Contact Steve for
registration information: 845-561-0459 Good of the Order: Steve Chinoransky has information on how to obtain the 50th anniversary prints of the Nautilus. Contact Steve for details. The WW2 SubVets will be having a meeting in Binghampton on May 20th. Everyone is welcome. Contact Joe Pastell for more details. Wear your SubVets hat or vest in the Best Buy in the Poughkeepsie Galleria. The store manager’s father served on the Requin and you might be able to get a discount if he sees you. Holland Club:
Wilfred Springer: Wilfred is in the Hudson Valley Rehab & Care Facility, 260 Vineyard Ave, Highland. If you are in the neighborhood stop by and say hello. Website:
Matt Schmitz is looking for any input that you have for improving our
website. Please contact Matt with any suggestions. The website is at
http://vfw8645.org/subvets/ Hudson Valley Base SubVettes - The Hudson Valley Base SubVettes Women’s Auxiliary is now charted by USSVI and their members were inducted into USSVI by Base Commander Steve Chinoransky. Contact President Pat Lynn or Vice President Louise Schmitz for more info. Fran Jesshope was also made an honorary lifetime member. Snow closing: In the event of a snowstorm on the day of our monthly meeting call the VFW Post at (845) 255-8497 or call Steve Chinoransky (845) 561-0459, Bill Collins (845) 340-8634 or Steve Barreca (845) 229-0154. Next Meeting
Dates: The incident occurred at approximately 4 p.m., Jan. 7, Hawaii Standard Time (12 noon, Jan. 8, 2005, Guam Time). The Navy is giving Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS San Francisco time to lick its wounds and attempt to fully heal in a floating dry dock after it struck ground last month south of Guam. “Despite the accident, none of the nuclear proponents or operational systems suffered any damage,” Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Davis, Pacific Submarine Force spokesman, said Friday. After video released by the Navy of the submarine in dry dock showed the damage done to its front, officials began to speculate that the San Francisco may have hit an uncharted undersea mountain. Twenty-three sailors suffered injuries in the accident, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Allen Ashley, a machinist’s mate from Akron, Ohio, was killed. Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, who commanded the USS San Francisco, was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 15 on Guam pending completion of the investigation. Cmdr. Andrew Hale, deputy commander of Submarine Squadron 15, has assumed command of the San Francisco. “Amazingly, it made it to post on its own power, even though it was sort of lilting to one side because of damages to ballast tanks,” Davis said. He said repairs are being done by employees of Guam Shipyard, the company which owns the dry dock — known by some here as Big Blue — that once belonged to the U.S. Navy. “When you look at the submarine, of course you immediately see that most of the damage took place in the bow area,” Davis explained. “Nonetheless, we have not had enough time yet to fully survey the needs of the sub, much less to distribute information about repair goals,” he added. Davis also said it is not known yet “if the San Francisco can be used once again.” Among the more obvious parts that will need repair or replacement, Davis said, are the sonar dome, sonar sphere and ballast tanks. Once a team from Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Hawaii, completes inspections of the banged-up submarine, he said, the cost of the repairs and a verdict on whether the submarine can return to service can be provided.“If the San Francisco’s damages are such that it could not meet standards to return to sea, we can’t just go build another one,” Davis said. Los Angeles-class submarines no longer are built.
Submitted by Steve
Barreca
March 4th,
2005
Meeting called to order at 1730 hours, March 4th, 2005 by Base Commander Steve Chinoransky. Meeting opened with a prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, reading of the purpose of SVWWII organization by Carl Johnsen, and tolling of the bells for those boats lost during the month of March. Welcome aboard to our newest member, Alan Krause. Alan qualified on the USS Robert E Lee SSBN 601 in 1964. Alan lives in Montamoras, PA and his e-mail is esuarkak@yahoo.com. Welcome Aboard!! We also had a guest, Libbie Zupan , a reporter for the Southern Ulster Times, sit in our meeting. Libbie is writing an article on veterans groups in Ulster County. She spoke to many of our members who, I’m sure, had many sea stories to tell her. If anyone wants to contact Libbie her e-mail is ezsutmes@yahoo.com. Old
Business: Hudson Valley Base
Annual Dinner & USSVI Scholarship Fund Auction on April 16th THIS IS OUR ANNUAL FAMILY & FRIENDS OUTING TO RAISE $ FOR THE FUND. A FUN TIME FOR ALL! The restaurant is located on the west side of Rt 9 across the street from the Eveready Diner in Hyde Park. A buffet dinner will be served starting at 1900. Appetizer, Antipasto Salad. Buffet, Bakery display, Caesar Salad, Roast Potatoes with Black pepper and rosemary, Rigatoni ala Vodca, Eggplant Rollatine, Steamed Season Vegetable Medley, Chicken Scaloppini ala Cacciatore, Meatball and Sausage. Desert: Chocolate Walnut Sundaes, Hot beverages: Coffee, Tea. ALL FOR $20 per person Please bring any
saleable items that you wish to donate, i.e. they must be in workable
condition. We have been using the Golden Manor Motel. Make your own reservations. Call them at 845-229-2157. Mention Sub Vets. A Hospitality Room will open at 1500. Bring your own liquid refreshment. Coffee provided. The VFW in New Paltz serves breakfast on Sunday morning which many of us go to. The Eveready Diner, which is close to the Motel is also available for breakfast if desired. Send the following info to Steve C (Please Print). STEVE CHINORANSKY New Business:
Good of the
Order:
Holland Club:
Jim Brady was inducted into the Holland Club by Base Commander, Steve Chinoransky. Bob Faber was also inducted but could not make the meeting.. Membership is for those shipmates who have been qualified in submarines for 50 years. Congratulations to Jim and Bob. Wilfred Springer: Many thanks to those that visited Wilfred Springer in the assisted living facility in Highland, especially Dick Winchell, who brought a base cap to Wilfred. We also received a very nice thank-you card from his wife expressing her gratitude. Website: Matt
Schmitz is looking for any input that you have for improving our
website. Please contact Matt with any suggestions. The website is at
http://vfw8645.org/subvets/ Our sailing list
is now posted on the website with just name, city, qual boat and qual
year. Next Meeting Dates:
USS San
Francisco Update
The captain of a submarine that hit a seamount Jan. 8 in the western Pacific Ocean, killing one crewman and seriously injuring 23 others, has been found guilty of operating the submarine unsafely and has been issued a letter of reprimand, effectively ending his career. Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, the captain of the USS San Francisco, was permanently relieved as skipper after an administrative proceeding known as an admiral's mast. The proceeding was convened by an order of the commander of the Seventh Fleet, Vice Adm. Jonathan Greenert. Cmdr. Ike N. Skelton, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan, said late Friday night that Greenert determined during the investigation that Mooney failed to follow “several critical navigational and voyage planning” standards. “By not ensuring those standards were followed, Mooney hazarded the vessel,” Skelton said, reading from a statement issued by Greenert. The mast concluded that Mooney's crew had access to charts that showed there might have been an underwater obstruction in the area, and that a sounding taken just minutes before the accident did not correlate with the charts that were in use at the time, which should have prompted him to be more cautious. The news stunned several Navy sources who have been following the accident investigation, particularly because Mooney's actions after the accident were characterized as heroic by everyone familiar with the situation. Despite extensive damage to the ship, he and his crew got it to the surface and kept it floating long enough to limp back to its homeport of Apra Harbor, Guam. The San Francisco was heading to Australia when it came to periscope depth a little more than 400 miles southwest of Guam to fix its position accurately. Minutes after diving, and while traveling at a high rate of speed, the submarine slammed into a seamount in an area where official Navy charts list 6,000 feet of water. Other charts of the area, however, show muddy water in the area, which normally indicates shallowness, and other government agency charts show evidence of the seamount less than 150 feet below the surface. The grounding destroyed three of the four ballast tanks in the submarine's bow, shattered the sonar dome and smashed the sonar sphere. In addition, a bulkhead at the front end of the ship was buckled. Machinist Mate 3rd Class Joseph Ashley was killed when he was thrown more than 20 feet and struck his head on a large pump. Almost two-dozen others were injured so badly they could not perform their duties, though they have all since been treated and released from the hospital in Guam. Seventy-five others received less severe injuries. The crew saved the ship by constantly running a low pressure blower meant for only intermittent use to force water out of the badly damaged forward ballast tanks, as well as using exhaust from the ship's diesel motor to augment the blower. Despite the force of the blow, the nuclear reactor and the ship's turbine generators continued to operate normally, and even sensitive electronic and navigation gear continued to function. On Jan. 20, Mooney was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 15 in Guam, pending the results of an investigation to determine the cause of the sub's grounding. Cmdr. Andrew Hale, the squadron's deputy commander, assumed duties as captain of the San Francisco. The mast means that Mooney will not face a more serious proceeding known as a court martial, but the letter of reprimand and the decision to relieve him of command “for cause” means that his promising career is over, the Navy sources said. In a related development, Lt. Cmdr. Jeff A. Davis, a spokesman for the Pacific submarine force commander, said late Friday night that assessment of the damage to the San Francisco is proceeding and that shipyard workers in Guam are planning to make temporary repairs to the bow of the ship so it can be moved under its own power to a shipyard where it can be repaired. Although the location where it will be repaired has not been determined, Navy sources said it would likely be Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, or Bangor, Wash. “These temporary repairs will be engineered to ensure a successful transit,” Davis said. “As part of having on-hand materials for potential use in these temporary repairs, a large steel dome about 20 feet high and 20 feet in diameter will be arriving at Guam in the next few days. As of now, no decisions have been made about when USS San Francisco will depart Guam, where it will go, or what her final disposition will be.” Other Navy sources said that if the assessment determines it makes sense to repair rather than scrap the San Francisco, the Navy will likely use the entire bow section from the recently decommissioned USS Atlanta to replace the badly damaged bow of the San Francisco. USS Jimmy Carter SSN-23 Commissioned The $3.2 billion Jimmy Carter was commissioned Saturday, the first submarine named after a living ex-president. Carter, himself a submariner during his time in the Navy, was on hand for the ceremony signaling the end of an era in submarining. "The most deeply
appreciated and emotional honor I've ever had is to have this great ship
bear my name," Carter said in remarks prepared for the ceremony at the
Naval Submarine Base New London. The 453-foot, 12,000-ton submarine has a 50-torpedo payload and eight torpedo tubes. And, according to intelligence experts, it can tap undersea cables and eavesdrop on the communications passing through them. It can reach speeds of more than 45 knots and carry Tomahawk cruise missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes, and it is engineered to be quieter than the other two Seawolves, making it better for surveillance. John Pike, a military analyst with globalsecurity.org, said the ceremony closes the book on the big-submarine era. "It was part of our strategy on how we were going to win World War III. It was a significant component in our response to the evil empire," he said. In eastern Connecticut, a region steeped in submarine history and the home to the Electric Boat shipyard, which built and launched the Seawolves, some fear the Pentagon will close the New London base as it looks to shrink the submarine fleet and buy smaller, cheaper subs. "It's hard to find a civilian that doesn't have some connection to the sub force," said Bud Fay, who owns a diner, car wash and laundry not far from the base gates in Groton. To ensure that the
last Seawolf was not obsolete before it hit the water, the Pentagon
delayed production to install a 100-foot hull extension that military
analysts say equips the Jimmy Carter to replace the USS Parche, one of
the fleet's premier spy subs.
Submitted by Steve
Barreca
May 6, 2005 Meeting called to order at 1730 hours, May 6th, 2005 by Base Commander Steve Chinoransky. Meeting opened with a prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, reading of the purpose of SVWWII organization by Bob Fulton, and tolling of the bells for those boats lost during the month of May. Welcome aboard to our newest member, Martin Albright. Martin qualified on the USS Francis Scott Key SSBN 657 in 1968. Martin lives in Wappingers Falls and his e-mail is alfaquad@aol.com. Welcome Aboard!! Old
Business: Hudson Valley Base
Annual Dinner & USSVI Scholarship Fund Auction on April 16th Albany Submarine
Birthday Ceremony: Groton Sub-School Day Report: An excellent day was had by all who attended. There was a tour of Delay Hall, a tour of the Base Damage Control Trainer, the Fire Control Trainer, the USS Virginia Trainer Simulator and finally a tour of the USS Miami. New Business: Memorial Day
Parade & Ceremony: USSVI
News: Good of the Order: Al Jessup is
recuperating from pneumonia and is getting better. Membership: Poughkeepsie
Journal Memorial Day Front Page Article on WWII Submariner: Website: Matt
Schmitz is looking for any input that you have for improving our
website. Please contact Matt with any suggestions. The website is at
http://vfw8645.org/subvets/ Next Meeting
Dates: Groton Sub-Base Closure On May 13, 2005,
United States Secretary of Defense (DOD) Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld
forwarded DOD's list of recommended base closings to the BRAC
Commission. The list included the closure of bases nationwide, including
the New London submarine base. Ct Governor Debuts New Public Comment Website: http://www.ct.gov/savethebase What can we do to help save New London: Shipmates, As I said the other night I have received many phone calls, and emails asking how can SUBVETS help in the efforts to save the base. For starters I attended a breakfast the other day and as I'm sure that most of you know there will be members of the BRAC Commission visiting SUBASE next Wednesday, and then there will be a public hearing in Boston in July. The first area that members, wives and kids can support is a rally that is being held on Route 12 on Wednesday 1 June when the members of the BRAC Commission travel to the SUBASE. Our local BRAC Coalition is looking to have 4 - 6 thousand supporters lining route 12 all showing our support when the BRAC members go past. This is a huge undertaking that many people in Groton are helping out to make this reality. In addition, there is some additional support that is needed to make this happen. With over 2100 members, I'm sure that we can come up with some members or wives to assist in staffing the temporary office that has been set up at the Groton Municipal Building. They need help in making signs and answering phones both tomorrow and Saturday from 9 - 5. (About 30 people). And on Wednesday in addition to maximum participation on route 12, they need about 20 - 40 Volunteers to be coordinators at each of the bus stops. For additional information on help needed or to volunteer you can either just show up at the Groton Municipal Building or call 446-4156. Below is an EMAIL I received with additional details on the support needed. It's our base, and we need to do what we can to help. And answering this call to Action is how we can help today. John J.
Carcioppolo Cmdr. Kevin Mooney, the captain of the USS San Francisco, was permanently relieved as skipper after an administrative proceeding known as an admiral's mast. The proceeding was convened by an order of the commander of the Seventh Fleet, Vice Adm. Jonathan Greenert. Cmdr. Ike N. Skelton, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan, said late Friday night that Greenert determined during the investigation that Mooney failed to follow “several critical navigational and voyage planning” standards. “By not ensuring those standards were followed, Mooney hazarded the vessel,” Skelton said, reading from a statement issued by Greenert. The mast concluded
that Mooney's crew had access to charts that showed there might have
been an underwater obstruction in the area, and that a sounding taken
just minutes before the accident did not correlate with the charts that
were in use at the time, which should have prompted him to be more
cautious. In a related development, Lt. Cmdr. Jeff A. Davis, a spokesman for the Pacific submarine force commander, said late Friday night that assessment of the damage to the San Francisco is proceeding and that shipyard workers in Guam are planning to make temporary repairs to the bow of the ship so it can be moved under its own power to a shipyard where it can be repaired. Although the location where it will be repaired has not been determined, Navy sources said it would likely be Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, or Bangor, Wash. “These temporary
repairs will be engineered to ensure a successful transit,” Davis said.
“As part of having on-hand materials for potential use in these
temporary repairs, a large steel dome about 20 feet high and 20 feet in
diameter will be arriving at Guam in the next few days. As of now, no
decisions have been made about when USS San Francisco will depart Guam,
where it will go, or what her final disposition will be.”
Submitted by Steve
Barreca
July 9,
2005
Minutes from picnic meeting at Bob Fultons, July 9, 2005. 1410 open w/prayer. Tolling of the bells for lost boats. All present ID’d themselves and boats they served on. Matt gave a brief summary of current base closing status/information. Commissioners were not aware of money spent to upgrade Sub base. Groton, CT, thought base was obsolete and outdated. The current thinking is base is too valuable to close. Big Al Admiral Konetzny testified to keep boats in Groton. Latest Update :Aug 25th: Base panel votes to keep Portsmouth and Groton Open A federal review panel yesterday rejected Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's recommendations and voted to keep open the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, and the submarine base in Groton, Conn. The decision came as a major relief for New England, which had stood to lose the most jobs of any US region under the Pentagon plan. Picnic Meeting Saturday Sept 10th Matt moved that base pay for burgers/hotdogs...Joe seconded...passed Plattekill Rod & Gun Club Picnic. 12 Noon ..bring your own dish to share. Base will pickup Hamburgers and Dogs Each ship mate to bring a favorite dish and liquid refreshments. Time 1200 Noon til ????? Place Plattekill Rod & Gun Club Off Route 32 in Plattekill, NY. Hudson Valley not in American Submariner Magazine??? Regional news: Big John Smith in NJ relieved. Bob Ondek in Saratoga, reported that a Texas SubVet donated $500 to the Schuylerville school band Patrol Pins (SSBN) new and available thru national @ $5.00 each (Matt thinks) Diane Singleman has subvet magnets available for sale It is with great sadness that I report the passing of our friend and shipmate Al Jesshope. Al passed away last night, June 26, after being ill for the past few months. The viewing is Thursday evening at the Clinton Funeral Home, 728 N. Division Street, Peekskill (914-737-0128). The funeral service will be Friday at 1100 hours at the Funeral Home. We will meet at the Funeral Home at 18:45 Thursday and conduct our group ceremony at 1900 hours. Uniform will be Subvet vest & tie or jacket & tie. Al’s sister donated articles to Subvets memorial New Paltz, Matt dedicated meeting to Al Jesup. Mrs Bowman in Westchester Medical center recovering from cancer operation, still weak. Meeting adjourned at 1502. West Point Boat Ride: Sunday September 11th Send $13.00 to Marge Pastell before Aug. 31 for
boatride. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Assembly USS San Francisco Update: The attack submarine San Francisco completed a round of sea trials July 25-26 near Guam, proving it can make a surface transit under its own power from Guam to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash., later this year, a Navy spokeswoman said July 25. San Francisco crushed its bow during a collision Jan. 8 with an undersea mountain near the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean. "They tested to see if the structural integrity was adequate for a surface transit back to a Navy shipyard," said Rowena Obrero, a spokeswoman for Commander, Submarine Force Pacific in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii San-Francisco did not submerge, Obrero said. The submarine was accompanied by the Coast Guard cutter Galveston Island during the trials. Navy submarine leaders want to see a permanently repaired San Francisco returned to service. If approved and funded, the plan calls for removing the bow section of a decommissioned Los Angeles-class submarine and installing it onto San Francisco at the Puget Sound shipyard.
October 2005 Meeting called to order at 1300 hours, October 1st, 2005 by Base Commander Steve Chinoransky. Meeting opened with a prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, reading of the purpose of SVWWII organization by Bob Fulton, and tolling of the bells for those boats lost during the month of October. Treasurer’s report was read and accepted. 2006 Base Officer Elections: Next meeting is Friday, November 4th at 1730 hrs. At that time we will be accepting nominations for 2006 Base Officers (Commander, Vice-Commander, Treasurer and Secretary). Elections will take place at the end of meeting. Please try to attend this important meeting. 2006 Dues:
2006 dues are due before the end of the year. Old
Business: West Point Boat
Ride: Orange County
Memorial Park POW/MIA Day: Vests: New Business: Membership Drive:
Base Improvement:
It was decided to start showing a submarine movie prior to our meetings. Our first show will start at 7PM November 4th. If you have any tapes that you’d like to see shown let us know. Remember, our Base elections will be held next meeting. Come see a movie and VOTE!!! District 2 & 5 Annual meeting will be held in Reading, PA on Oct 21-22. See Matt or Steve C. for details. Annual Scholarship Fund Auction: Our annual Scholarship Fund drive has always been a huge success. For our 2006 event we are looking for an Auctioneer. If interested contact Steve C. Base Storekeeper: We need a volunteer to take over the duties of Storekeeper. Please contact Dick Winchell. VFW Post: The VFW is replacing 125 chairs at the Post. A motion to donate $200 to the VFW post for 10 of those chairs was passed. Good of the Order: Base Website: We need fresh new information on our website. If you have any ideas please contact Steve C. Base Meeting Dates: If anyone has any suggestions about changing our meeting dates and times let us know. We want to look at any ideas that might help boost out meeting attendance. Veterans Day Ceremony: 10:30 am at Marlboro HS. See Matt for details Upcoming Meetings: Nov 4th, Friday,
17:30, VFW Turkey Dinner at 18:00, Movie at 17:00. Swedish
submarine stays hidden to Americans New Submarine Book: In "Red Star Rogue: The Untold Story of a Soviet Submarine's Nuclear Strike Attempt on the U.S.," former American submariner Kenneth Sewell, in collaboration with journalist Clint Richmond, reexamines the 1968 loss of K-129, a Soviet Golf II-class missile submarine. Revisiting this well-known story and the CIA's aborted effort to recover the hull under the guise of the highly classified Project Jennifer, the author argues that K-129 actually attempted to launch a nuclear weapon against the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. He portrays this as part of an effort by Politburo hardliners to arrest what they perceived as the beginning of a rapprochement with the United States and a liberalization within Soviet society under Leonid Brezhnev.
October
2005
Meeting Time Change: A resolution to change the start time for our Friday evening meetings has been passed and they will now start at 1900 hrs. Meeting called to order at 1730 hours, Nov 4th, 2005 by Base Commander Steve Chinoransky. Meeting opened with a prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, reading of the purpose of SVWWII organization by Bob Fulton, and tolling of the bells for those boats lost during the month of November. 2006
Base Officer Elections: Nominations and elections were held.
Our present officers were reelected for another year. 2006
Dues: We’re running behind in our 2006 dues. Please send them
to Dick as soon as possible. Old
Business: New
Business: VFW
Eligibility Requirement Revised: If you are interested in
joining the VFW they have revised their eligibility requirements. Now
includes the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM), the Iraq Campaign Medal
(ICM), the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border (AFESR
w/GB), the Combat Action Badge (CAB), and the SSBN Nuclear Deterrent
Patrol Breast Insignia. Good of
the Order: Movies will continue before regular meetings. Get there early for a good seat. Veterans Day Ceremony: There will be no ceremony at Marlboro H.S. Meet at 10:30 am at VFW Post Nov 11th. See Matt for details. District 5 Meeting in April will be in Saratoga. If interested in attending see Steve C. Buffalo Base
Commander Dennis Staley’s daughter was tragically killed while Dennis
was in the hospital recuperating from a heart attach. A motion was
passed to send a $25 Base donation. Jim Brady added another $25.
Donations may be sent to: There will be a memorial ceremony for Charlie Bowman’s wife, Martha, on Sunday, Nov 13 at 1300 at VFW. Looking for good support. A motion was passed to send $25 to the VA Hospital in Albany in memory of Martha. Roy Sherow was awarded a Holland Club membership presented by Base Commander Steve Chinoransky. Congratulations, Roy! Upcoming Meetings: Dec 3rd,
Saturday at 13:00 Pearl
Harbor to lose submarine to Guam New
Submarine Escape Trainer Is Feather In Groton Base's Cap.
Officials break ground for $17 million facility Vets
remember Previous Nuclear Submarine Commanding Officer Becomes Author Captain L.S.
Wigley, USN (Retired) has written his first novel "Mission Complete"
which has been published by Publish America. The novel is fiction but
could be a true story. The story revolves around terrorist takeover of
a U.S. nuclear attack submarine. The Tigerfish had been pirated while at anchor off Piraeus, Greece, the victim of a well executed plan by an integrated Soviet/Cuban team. The submarine was still operated by its American crew who were at present receiving torture and brutality under the guns of the Soviet and Cuban guards. The options available to the President are to conduct a nuclear preemptive first strike, to honoe the ultimatum, or to dispatch Commander Stewart to seek out and sink the Tigerfish. The President gambles at his best option- Stewart and the Jackfish. Captain Wigley, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, spent twenty-nine years on active duty with most of that time associated with nuclear submarines, including command of a nuclear attack submarine for over four years, command of the submarine repair ship in the Holy Loch, Scotland, and command of the construction and subsequent operation of the Trident Submarine Base in Bangor, Washington. This background provided him the knowledge and operational experience to capture all the details necessary to write a best seller. Submarine vets build 25-foot replica AUGUSTA -- A
group of U.S. Navy submarine veterans in Maine hope to find other
members of their unique fraternity and commemorate those lost at sea
with a new 25-foot replica of a 1960s-era sub they plan to show off in
parades across the state.
December 2005 - (pdf) |
