1

From the Association Historian: Loree Riggs ―All That‘s Left‖

————————————————————————

TIDBITS FROM OUR SHIPMATES

Difference in Perspective

During the late 70's, STIMSON Gold and Blue

crews were commanded by two very different CO's,

Bob Weeks and Don Hall. Captain Hall was a very

traditional Rickover type CO, and played it by the

book. Although I served on Gold crew, I was aware

that Blue crew was held to very high standards and

officers were expected to be expert in all aspects of

the nuclear engineering plant and ship's procedures,

studying in off watch time to remain proficient, with

little time for card games or movies.

Capt. Weeks also had high standards with a top

notch crew, but he was clearly convinced that a CO

should take initiative when warranted to improve the

way things were done. Gold Crew had its own Ship's

Organization Manual with its own emergency

procedures, as well as its own way of doing things that

were not always what SubLant had proscribed.

One procedure associated with crew turnover was

very much an example of these differences; when

Capt. Weeks was the oncoming CO, his cushioned

and reclining CO Stateroom chair was taken out of

storage and assembled, and Capt. Hall's stiff, straight

backed chair was disassembled and put into storage.

Then the opposite would occur when Blue relieved

Gold!

NOTE: Bob Weeks went on to be promoted to CAPT

and served as Squadron Commander on the Group

Eight Staff in Naples, Italy. Don Hall became a Rear

Admiral, was Commander Submarine Group SIX, and

retired as Commandant of the Sixth Naval District.

On another patrol in the North Atlantic, we were in

very rough seas for a good portion of the patrol. Bob

had ordered a Heathkit TV set which he brought

aboard to assemble in his stateroom during the patrol.

Woebegone the OOD who got on the wrong course

and the boat begin to roll (and it would roll 10 to 15

VOL. 2015 NUMBER 1 JANUARY 2015

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 3 — 2 0 1 6

PRESIDENT Ray [Rita] Kreul

VICE PRESIDENT Tom [Marie] Krauser

SECRETARY Nick [Linda] Nichols

TREASURER Ken [Diane] Meigs

OUTGOING PRESIDENT Chuck [Joyce] Hladik

HISTORIAN / MEMORABILIA Loree [Carolyn] Riggs

WEBMASTER / NEWSLETTER Nick [Linda] Nichols

CHAPLAIN J.B. Helms

STOREKEEPER / SHIPS STORE Rita [Ray] Kreul

O t h e r P o s i t i o n s 2 0 1 3 — 2 0 1 6

2

degrees if the wave heights were in the 40 foot variety,

even if we were down to 200 feet.) Bob would call the

OOD and shout ":Get off this course! All my TV kit

parts are rolling to the side of my stateroom!" That

could also get you on the COSL!

Jim Kinney

————————————————————————

FOUND LOST SHIPMATE

MM2(SS) Greg Brookins, B 88-90

Departed on Eternal Patrol 12.17.2013

STS2(SS) Charles ‗Chuck‘ Altman, B 85-89

Departed on Eternal Patrol 6.29.2013

————————————————————————

WELCOME ABOARD SHIPMATE!!

(more info for each shipmate located on Sailing List)

MM1(SS) Jack Mishler, Gold 81-85

n0odz12@gmail.com

ETN2(SS) Bennie Jackson, Gold 76-78

bj0287@bellsouth.net

MM1(SS/SW) Curtis S. Talley, Blue 87-90

cs.talley1201@att.net

STS3 (SS) Steve Searight, Blue 70-71

ssearight@verizon.net

MT1 (SS) Donald J. St.Charles, B 74-76

starchles@aol.com

————————————————————————

LOOKING FOR A SHIPMATE

MM3(SS) Alan ‘Chip‘ Paulding (G 69-71)

[ agp655@verizon.net ] is looking for Malcolm Harding

(aka Rusty). He went thru basic training with me and

several Stimson Gold patrols. He was in the QM gang

and a good friend but we lost contact after Stimson.

My attempts to contact him haven't been successful

even though I know he lives in NH.

STS3(SS) Steve Searight (B 70-71)

[ ssearight@verizon.net ] is looking for STS3 Eugene

Manning who served during the same period as me.

As I recall, he was from New York (Brooklyn).

————————————————————————

Linda and I have seen the movie "Unbroken". After the

movie, I came straight home and ordered the book for

my e–reader. If you only go to see one movie in the

next few weeks/months please go see this one. There

is so much I could say about this movie but I think I will

leave it simply like this: 5+ stars Wonderful story of

courage and heroism typical of our Greatest

Generation. ‘Nuff said!

UNBROKEN is an

immensely powerful

biographical movie about

the life of Louis

Zamperini, who became

a famous evangelist. The

son of Italian immigrants,

Louie goes from being a

mischievous young boy to an Olympic runner at the

1936 Berlin Olympics. When World War II begins,

Louie joins the Air Force, but a tragic malfunction

causes his plane to crash one day. Only Louie and two

men survive. Stranded for weeks on a raft, Louie and

the other men strive to survive, but bad goes to worse

when they‘re taken by the Japanese army as prisoners

of war. Through extreme hardships, Louie refuses to

give up.

UNBROKEN is a worthy, well-directed adaptation

of the riveting biography by Laura Hillenbrand. It‘s an

inspiring story about fighting for liberty amid injustice,

retaining one‘s values despite intense persecution,

persevering when all is lost and holding onto hope

when all hope seems gone. UNBROKEN warrants

extreme caution due to some intense violence and foul

language.

————————————————————————

GREAT LINKS TO SPEND TIME WATCHING

(all links from ―The Stimson Draft‖ will be on the website)

655 Association Website

www.ssbn655.org

SHIFT COLORS

Newsletter for Navy Retirees

http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/

Publications/ShiftColors/Pages/default.aspx

Andrews Christmas Lights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

feature=player_detailpage&v=im5Svpuj_eU

Library of all things Submarine

http://lib.subvets.net/ussvi-lib/forums/thread-view.asp?

tid=2351&mid=12096#M12096

Submarines Ohio Class History

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bITWZvSfG1U

————————————————————————

Would you still qualify…??

A little quiz to see if your memory still hacks it…

…remember “Polaris Bowl”?

This newsletter input was received from Dr. Bill

Wieting, CAPT MC USN, Ret., Gold Crew Plank

Owner 1966. Here‘s what he said in his email:

3

I am sending you a quiz I put together for the first

STIMSON reunion some years ago. Almost all the

information can be found in the qualification tabs that

BUSHIPS put together for us (I still have mine...)

Anyway, I thought you might have some fun including

a few questions in each issue of the DRAFT.

All the best -

There are 40 total questions. 10 will be in each

newsletter. Answers will be in each consecutive

newsletter:

1. What were ―Missiles 17 and 18‖? (1)

2. Where were they located? (1)

3. What made them dangerous (at least three distinct

properties)? (3)

4. Name six (6) uses of the 700 psig air system. (6)

5. What system supplied it? (1)

6. Where were the supply reducers, and at what

pressure were

the relief valves set to lift?

7. How many escape trunks were there? (1)

8. Where were they located? (1)

9. Which escape hatch was off the centerline of the

ship? To which side? (2)

10. EABS manifolds usually had 4 or 5 connectors; a

few had 15. Where were those larger manifolds

located? (2)

————————————————————————

A LITTLE BIT OF SATIRE (Ain’t far from the truth)

WASHINGTON — In an interview with the Naval

Institute‘s web site last month, Vice Adm. Bill Moran,

Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower,

Personnel, Training and Education, suggested the

Navy is puzzled and worried by the current exodus of

sailors, particularly senior NCOs and field-grade

officers.

―They are leaving faster than we can fire them, ―

Moran told USNI. ―It‘s creating a real gap in leadership

for us. We can‘t lose confidence in them, and shove

them into an indefinite purgatory of indecision before

ignominiously cashiering them as a warning to junior

sailors if they are getting out while they still have clean

records.‖

Moran said that this ―puzzling‖ trend is different

from previous times senior leaders left the Navy in

droves. In the early 1990s, for instance, the so-called

―peace dividend‖ that followed the collapse of the

Soviet Union coincided with what Moran called ―a

tremendous witch hunt‖ led by California

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi in 1992. Pelosi‘s efforts

came in response to allegations of sexual impropriety

and assault at the 1991 Tailhook Convention, held by

Naval aviators in Las Vegas.

―There aren‘t any Nancy Pelosi‘s demanding scalps

today,‖ Moran noted. Moran, himself a former P-3 pilot

who was a Lt. Cmdr. at the time, claims he was ―in

Antarctica, or maybe Africa, but definitely not staying

on the 4th floor of the Las Vegas Hilton.‖

Moran told USNI that today‘s problem leads to a

loss of ―institutional memory.‖

―If we can‘t break today‘s leaders on the wheel of

political correctness, that‘s a real loss for Navy

tradition,‖ he said. ―Senior petty officers start to think,

‗Well, maybe I ought to make a movie with a hidden

camera in the female officers‘ shower. That would

probably be okay.‘ Or, ‗Hey! Why don‘t I recommend

an honorary rank for an entertainer and former sailor,

without bothering to Google the guy, and find out he‘s

possibly a rapist.‘‖

Instead, Moran noted, the Navy‘s current crop of

leaders in waiting are heading for the exits in droves,

with clean service records, leaving no lessons behind

for the junior sailors who lack options in the civilian

world.

―I was reviewing jackets today, and I honestly don‘t

have a clue whom to recommend for USS Cowpens,

just to take one example,‖ Moran said. ―I have made

ships hang signs on the quarterdeck, saying ‗X Days

without a relief for cause!‘ but that hasn‘t really

helped.‖

―Maybe we‘ll have to start assigning a lot of these

[rear admiral] lower halves and give them ships,‖ he

added, appearing to think out loud. ―We can thin their

ranks a little while still being able to say, ‗Here endeth

the lesson.‘‖

Read more: http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/01/

navy-worried-leaders-quit-faster-than-fired/

#ixzz3OCE2a1Tk

————————————————————————

Many Major Changes in the Submarine Service

Since the WWII Diesel Boat Era Part 3 / Final

by Michael Skurat mskurat01@snet.net

Member Groton Base USSVI & Central CT Chapter of

SubVets WWII

We had less pomp insofar as the ceremony

observed when a member of the crew qualified than is

apparent today. The individual, thrown over the side

4

then sewed dolphins on his uniforms and wore them

with pride. They have always been, and always will be,

a badge of honor regardless of manner in which

bestowed.

There was less reverence on some other occasions

also., e.g., when a "Good Conduct Medal" was

awarded to a member of the crew it would be given by

the Captain (or perhaps the Exec) at quarters amid

"hoots and hollers" with cries of "Undiscovered Crime".

There was also a bonus system for awards ranging

from $1.00 per month for the Good Conduct Medal to

$5.00 per month for the Congressional Medal of

Honor.

"Tailor Made" dress blues were the uniform of the

day for liberty. The jumper was skin tight with a zipper

in the side so that it could be taken off. Accentuated

bell bottoms were mandated. The inside of the cuffs

were decorated with embroidered color decorations,

usually dragons, etc., and were only visible when the

cuffs were turned up.

When you made Chief you initially bought the

cheapest hat you could find since it was also

considered appropriate and properly respectful to have

all of the crew urinate in your first hat.

Sad to note in this day and enlightened age all of

the military services of the United States were

segregated during our era. The practice abolished by

President Truman over 50 years ago. Stewards, at that

time, recruited from America territories and from

American minorities. Even in such a tight knit group as

American Submarines two racks in the Forward

Torpedo Room hung off the overhead beneath The

Torpedo Loading Hatch were reserved for the

Stewards. Rated Stewards wore uniforms similar to

Chiefs.

The submarine sailor was a very irreverent

individual with an avid distaste for regulations, etc. The

average life span of a submarine sailor was four

patrols (about a year). Despite bravado, that thought

prevailed to varying degrees depending upon the

individual. That premise however, was unsaid but used

as an excuse for hell-raising. Rarely mentioned in tales

of WWII submarine lore was the fact that going

through minefields was as apprehensive as being

depth charged.

Submarine Officers and crews were very young -

anyone past thirty was a very old man. Admiral

Charles Lockwood (Uncle Charley) ComSubPac was

most forgiving, as were Skippers and Execs, of

transgressions of both Officers and men. Returning

from patrol crews were treated extremely well.

Another "perc" of the submarine force was that any

record of "minor" disciplinary action that a member of

the crew suffered would be entered into the "page 9"

of his service record. Virtually all disciplinary action

was handled internally on the boat. However, both the

original and carbon copy (BuPers Copy) retained in his

jacket. When transferred, the original and copy,

removed by the Yeoman to be deep sixed. Unless

there was a serious offence personnel transferred with

a clean record.

Many friendships were formed in sub school, plus

other training and schools and transfers were not

uncommon due to the needs of new construction,

promotions, etc. Consequently, the force became even

more closely knit. It was the rare boat that did not have

personnel whom you knew.

Submariners were very independent and

resourceful, both individually and as a group. Needs

(and desires) of the boat as prescribed by the U.S.

Navy, did not always coincide with what was

considered proper nor adequate. Therefore, a system

of "midnight requisitioning" and "midnight small stores"

developed to enhance efficiency. This avenue of

acquisition considered a solemn duty in promoting the

war effort. Those proficient and innovative in this

endeavor were greatly admired. It was an art as well

as a science executed individually or as a group

cooperative effort. Some of these escapades took

great ingenuity as well as "brass balls". As a term of

affection they were called "scroungers" and/or "dog

robbers". If a Skipper or Exec made an "innocent"

passing remark that some particular thing might be

"nice" it would appear mysteriously in due time.

On board an informal, but professional, attitude

prevailed. Although we had an evaporator to make

fresh water, battery watering was primary. In the

design and scheme of things, personal hygiene or

washing of clothes did not seem to be considered.

One Engineering Petty Officer, called the "Water King"

ran the evaporators. Personal hygiene or washing of

clothing was an afterthought. The use of after-shave

lotions, deodorants and especially talcum powders

prevailed. Large cans of "Lilac" were the norm,

purchased inexpensively and sprinkled liberally.

To the unacquainted it could appear that the

rapport between Officers and men was quite informal

and to a degree it was but it in no way detracted from

efficiency, military courtesy, tradition or discipline.

5

There was a strong mutual respect. Aye-Aye Sir, Very

Well and Well Done were accorded as appropriate.

The vast majority of the crew was rated and competent

in their skills. Obviously so were our officers. There

was no such thing as stenciled ratings on dungaree

shirts so a person coming aboard a submarine at sea

would have a difficult time determining any individuals

rate. Also there was an axiom that in submarines "you

left your rate on the dock". Ability was the hallmark.

When conditions approached that of a Chinese

garbage scow junk with an over flowing head and the

crew in dire need of fumigation the Skipper might

decide to allow showers piecemeal by sections. You

lined up to enter the shower, the Chief of the Boat

turned on the water for 2 seconds and shut it down

while you soaped down. You were then allowed a

correspondingly brief rinse.

Each member of the crew was allotted one locker

which measured about 12" high, 18" wide and about

18" deep. You kept your uniforms under your mattress.

Your rack had a plastic zip around cover. Your

mattress was encased in a "mattress cover" which was

akin to a oversized pillow case. Able to be turned over

once and some even turned them inside out and got

two more uses. Less the uninitiated be stunned by that

you must be cognizant of lack of water for regular

laundry.

Internal communications on board were conducted

by the 1MC and 7MC phone and speaker systems.

To reenter a submarine after handling lines etc.

when returning to port was a shocking revelation. It

was impossible to believe that you had survived that

malodorous environment. Politely put the atmosphere

was conducive to a shanty town house of ill repute that

also was inundated by a back up of its sewer system.

Pity the poor relief crew that had to come on board

and make the boat shipshape again.

You could immediately identify an Electrician on a

submarine. He was the individual with the most

shredded moth eaten dungarees.

Ribald humor was the tenor of the day. No topic or

human frailty was off limits. Nothing was sacred.

Horseplay and trickery were the order of the day. The

antics and demeanor of the crew, both at sea and

ashore, would not be socially acceptable nor politically

correct nowadays. I fear that the late Admiral Rickover

would have been aghast.

One real advantage was food, especially when you

first went out. Although they were ridden without mercy

the cooks did an excellent job of feeding the crew. We

ate family style off china plates. Our officers ate

exactly what the enlisted personnel did. The stewards

would come back to the After Battery Galley and fill

their serving plates and bring it to the Forward Battery

for the Wardroom. When leaving port rations were

stored in every conceivable space (including the

shower since it wouldn't be needed). However, as

supplies diminished the cooks were hard pressed to

come up with varied favorable menus. All boats had

"open icebox" so you could prepare and cook anything

you wanted at any time as long as you cleaned up

after yourself. The After Battery "Mess" was for chow,

off duty recreation, meeting space and a hang-out.

This is a collective attempt at recollection after the

passing of a half-century so any errors or omissions

hopefully forgiven as "senior frailties". Much of this is

collective memory and is a compilation of boats in

general. There is no pride of authorship so any

comments, additions, corrections and/or deletions are

welcome and appreciated. This is merely a historical

comparison as best one can do and is in no way a

negative reflection between "then and now".

GOD BLESS ALL SUBMARINERS -

Past, Present and Future

————————————————————————

Saluting The Silent Heroes of The U.S. Navy’s

Submarine Force

Fox News, Dec. 7

Our most recent elections demonstrated Americans

are still very worried about the state of the economy

and their own job security. However, there is an

employer looking to hire young, motivated, and

intelligent men and women – the United States Navy‘s

submarine force.

It's not easy to be eligible for such employment.

Officer and enlisted candidates must first graduate

from rigorous nuclear engineering training or technical

schools for non-nuclear enlisted rates. In addition,

applicants must also pass a thorough psychological

evaluation. The fortunate few that do indeed make the

grade will then embark on a challenging, yet rewarding

journey to become a qualified submariner.

After this extensive training pipeline and another

intensive qualification process on board an actual

submarine, sailors are rewarded with ―Dolphins,‖ the

chest insignia that signifies membership to an elite

brotherhood (and now sisterhood as well, since 2010)

that very few individuals have the privilege to join.

6

On September 21, I, along with 13 other American

civilians, experienced a brief glimpse into the life of a

U.S. Navy submariner. As the guests of Captain Gene

Doyle, the commander of Submarine Squadron 11, we

were invited to embark on board the USS HAMPTON

(SSN 767), a Los Angeles Class fast attack submarine

in the waters near San Diego, California.

The captain of USS Hampton, a no-nonsense,

highly respected commander named Lincoln Reifsteck,

along with his executive officer, David Fassel and chief

of the boat, Richard Moses, welcomed us on board

and introduced us to a world few civilians will ever

have the honor and opportunity to experience.

We soon learned that Reifsteck‘s most difficult task

wasn‘t submerging the ship 700 feet below the ocean‘s

surface (the more difficult part is actually the

resurfacing process in the crowded waters off San

Diego) or even preparing to shoot a tomahawk missile.

Instead, Reifsteck‘s greatest challenge is keeping his

sailors motivated, ready, and vigilant 24 hours a day, 7

days a week over a period of several months (please

note, the average age of a submariner is only 22). In

our short time on board USS HAMPTON, we

witnessed Reifsteck‘s uncanny ability to both motivate

and prepare his sailors for any obstacle before them.

During 2013, the Hampton was at sea for 298 out of

365 days. That‘s 82 percent of the year away from

family and friends with no access to a telephone, the

Internet, or the daily comforts that we as Americans

have grown so accustomed to. There is a very good

reason why submariners earn on average 30 percent

more than other sailors.

While much of their time underway was spent on

surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface ship

warfare, the HAMPTON spent 70 days at the North

Pole with a team of professors from Columbia

University taking water samples for research being

conducted on current and climate change.

So if you are of the mindset that submarines are all

about undersea warfare or hunting the ―Red October‖;

think again. Modern attack subs are now doing

everything from the weather change research to

delivering special operators ashore on covert

operations.

Initially, the outside observer may get the

impression that the men of the HAMPTON live a

difficult and isolated life onboard a windowless tube

with little or no communication with the outside world.

However, we quickly discovered that the crew thrived

in this seemingly austere environment. Through our

conversations with them, we came to the realization

that they live by the submarine mantra of ―steel ships,

iron men (and women).‖

The absence of windows and natural sunlight

quickly became irrelevant as the ship‘s electronics and

sophisticated sensors became their window to the

outside world.

Much like an astronaut, submariners become

travelers in another medium deep below the sea. Any

perceived isolation leads to a greater connection with

their ―shipmates‖ forming an everlasting bond amongst

the crew.

After only one day underway, it became apparent to

us that the submarine service is not for everyone – not

all men and women are able to overcome the

supposed ―sacrifices‖ many civilians associate with a

life at sea.

However, those individuals that successfully

complete the demanding screening and training

pipeline of a United States submariner, will have

excellent advancement and future employment

opportunities in both the military and civilian sectors.

Civilian employers are always looking to hire

submariners for their technical acumen, leadership

skill, and ability to operate under pressure. Those

individuals that choose to leave military service are

often rewarded with high paying jobs and quickly adapt

and excel in the civilian workforce (the military does

retain a very high percentage of these highly skilled

individuals with large bonuses, special pay and the

intangible sense of patriotic duty that accompanies

wearing the uniform of a Navy submariner).

Sir Winston Churchill once said, ―Of all the

branches of men in the forces there is none which

shows more devotion and faces grimmer perils than

the submariners.‖ From our experience with the

captain and crew of USS HAMPTON, we couldn‘t

agree more. Any danger of operating a ship under the

sea was however quickly overshadowed by the

competency of the sailors tasked with running

America‘s most stealthy and vital warships.

May God bless the officers and crew – and their

families – of USS HAMPTON and the Silent Service.

David J. Kaplan is the president of a real estate

development company in New York and is also the

founder and president of the Kaplan Public Service

Foundation.

————————————————————————

7

Boat Sailors - Generational Difference

by Bob 'Dex' Armstrong

We speak of generational differences between the

old boats and the new. Each generation.

Each crew forges its memories, recollections, loyalty

and love of the force based on the sum total of their

experiences. It has always been that way. Most likely,

always will. We are linked! Each generation to each

preceding and each following generation by the twin

fish, silver and gold we wear or once wore over the

pride in our hearts. We earned a designation that

forever sets us apart. We are U.S. Submariners.

I have my memories. And each of you has yours.

Collectively, they are our history. The human history of

the boats we rode, the squadrons we served in and

the force we represented.

Submarines have evolved into giant technological

wonders that roam the ocean depths at a range below

the surface that many of us, the older coots, find damn

near beyond comprehension.

As I sit here, I wonder what memories a modern

day boat sailor will have. Will he hear the gentle slap,

slap, slap of signal light shutters in his dreams? Will he

remember the sound of chipping hammers and paint

scrapers battling ever-present rust? The pride a young

kid had in repainting the hull numbers of the boat he

loved? Is there a modern day equivalent of the first

night in battery charge? Does the crew stay up half the

night playing hearts, watching movies, sorting laundry,

telling lies and running hot coffee to Enginemen and

Electricians?

Do COBs still cuss like creatures formed in the

womb of Hell and then take time to come see if you

are okay in sickbay?

Do they still want to know if you can stand a little

closer to your razor as their way of telling you that you

look like shit and need a shave?

Do they still meet the boats with fresh milk, mail

sacks and guard mail?

Do barmaids still know your names and what boat

you are off of? Does cheap perfume still hang in a pea

coat and dress canvas long enough to get you in

trouble with your true love?

Does your neckerchief still dangle in a bowl of chili,

your soup or your beer glass?

Do you still own thirteen button blues and a jumper

so damn tight it takes two of your mates to pull it on

you? Do boat sailors still procure clean white hats from

unsuspecting spark-shufflers who live in surface craft

radio shacks?

Can you still get great scrambled eggs, bacon and

hot toast at 0600 on the rescue vessel for a couple of

boxes of fresh doughnuts and a worn out, dog-eared

copy of last months Playboy?

What benefit did Hyman and his boys, trade you for

hijacking your sunsets. Sunrises, coffee on the bridge.

Watching sea birds, passing merchant ships, riding

heavy seas in lousy weather and filling your lungs with

diesel exhaust?

What has the world economy, inflation and the

change in sensitivity done to the commercial affection

market? It can't still be two tens and a five and you pay

for the room, can it?

What has the force substituted for junior officers

taking morning sextant observations to figure out

where in the hell you are?

Do guys still hang around the galley like vultures

waiting for the night baker to pull a load of whatever

you've been smelling for the last hour, out of his magic

oven? Is ragging the cooks still the cheapest 'best

game in town'? Is a smiling, big mouth mess cook still

the best thing you've ever seen in the morning?

Can you still calculate how long you've been out by

the diameter of the salt stains in the armpits of your

last dungaree shirt and whether your socks stick when

you throw them at the door of the medical locker?

Do they still produce independent duty Corpsman

that can fix anything, cure anything, identify small

crotch critters from every exotic location, make tight

stitches in a state five sea and clean your clock playing

Gin Rummy?

Do skippers still wear steaming hats that look like

Noah sent them to the lucky bag? Is green cap brass

and a torn visor still a mark of distinction? Do cats still

try to cover up deck force foul weather jackets?

Are there still mail buoy watches and goofy Non-

Quals roaming around trying to locate the main engine

ignition key?

Do topside watches still pee on the screw guards

on the 12 to 4? Does the geedunk truck hit the pier

around 2200? The Krispie-Creme truck at 0400? The

laundry truck at 0800? And the skipper five minutes

before morning quarters?

Do boats still maintain illegal slush funds and hold

non-reg anchor pools?

Are E-3s still the lads who know everything about

every subject ever discussed, except

their qual cards?

8

Do the boys from the forward nest still rob the

tender slugs, blind? Can you still hijack anything that

will fit in a mailbag?

Do folks in any squadron outside of Norfolk yell "Oh

God, no!" when they see a boat come sliding into the

slip with a SUBRON SIX pennant flying aft of the sail?

Can you still buy 'Sly Fox' wine? What in the hell

does it cost now? Are Beer Nuts, Slim

Jims, pickled hard-boiled eggs and pool queue dust in

your beer still the 'Breakfast of Champions'?

Do barmaids still let you pin a set of Dolphins on

the seat of their panties the night you qualify?

Do you still have to drink for your Dolphins?

Memories. Collect them... Remember. Remember

the little things. They will form the composite of your

old man's memories. They will connect you with

whatever comes after you.

One day, you will be parked in your old easy chair

saying: "These gahdam sailors today have no idea

how damn tough we had it. In the old days we had to

haul all those neutrons and protons in buckets and

pour the damn things into our hydro super nuke-a-lator

and polish all those gahdam magic wands. Stack the

pixie dust. And rewind the he Stairmasters. Jeezus, we

sure had it rough."

But most of all be sure to visit the old folk's home

and help old smoke-boat sailors find their gahdam

teeth.

————————————————————————

Navy's Newest Submarine Squadron Stands Up in

5th Fleet

By Lt. Cmdr. Aaron Kakiel, Task Force 54 Public

Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- The Navy's newest

submarine squadron stood up Dec. 15 at Naval

Support Activity Bahrain.

Commander, Submarine Squadron (CSS) 21

replaces the Commander, Task Force (CTF) 54

detachment as the organization charged with

supporting submarines forward-deployed to the U.S.

Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet area of

responsibility (AOR), which encompasses about 2.5

million square miles of water area including the

Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea

and parts of the Indian Ocean.

"It is a great honor to be establishing this forward-

deployed squadron and to be part of the clear

message to our partner nations of the continuing U.S.

commitment to the region," said Capt. Michael A.

Fisher, commodore of Submarine Squadron 21. "I

have the privilege of having a great staff that are ready

to hit the ground running and I look forward to working

with them."

CSS 21 replaces an existing small detachment of

CTF 54. The squadron will be under CTF 54's

operational control and will have tactical control of

submarines deployed to the 5th Fleet AOR. The

squadron is being stood up to increase submarine

safety and optimize submarine force support to U.S.

Naval Forces Central Command.

"This submarine squadron was specifically

commissioned to provide better support to the 5th

Fleet during very challenging and demanding times,"

said Vice Adm. John W. Miller, commander, U.S.

Naval Forces Central Command. "The squadron will

provide mentorship, lessons learned, logistical and

administrative support and coordination with other task

forces to support submarine missions here in the

region. The standing up of Submarine Squadron 21 is

another example of the Navy's commitment to

engagement with partner nations here in the area to

include establishing a permanent submarine presence

and to support the theater security cooperation

mission."

According to many submarine leaders, the new

squadron will benefit the crews and the Navy

immensely.

"The establishment of Submarine Squadron 21 will

help us to better serve deployed submarines and

thereby improve support to U.S. Naval Forces Central

Command," said Rear Adm. Stuart Munsch,

commander, Task Force 54.

"I'm excited about the effect Submarine Squadron

21 will have on our boats preparedness and execution

of the nation's most demanding missions," said Rear

Adm. Phillip Sawyer, commander, Submarine Forces,

U.S. Pacific Fleet. "Capt. Fisher and his staff's regional

expertise will ensure our submarines are ready and

supported during any contingency."

The new squadron will help submarines to better

prepare for the unique and challenging shallow water,

high contact density environments in the 5th Fleet

AOR. It will provide deployed submarine assessments

and additional training as necessary. The squadron

will be able to provide more localized support and be

able to improve existing relationships from its forward-

deployed location in Manama.

"Establishing a squadron that is stationed in the

region to be intimately familiar with current ops

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[operations], well acquainted with all theater partners,

and the embodiment of submarine operations lessons

learned will improve the safety and effectiveness of

our submarine deployments to the 5th Fleet," said

Munsch.

"Our mission is to provide combat ready

submarines that are always prepared for the unique

challenges of this area," said Fisher. "I think by

providing this year round focus on training from one

consistent organization, we'll see the proficiency of all

our subs go up.

"We'll be providing a better product to our

customer, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command," he

added. "We want to give him a ship that can do

everything he needs it to do and be as good as they

can be."

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval

Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, visit

www.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.

————————————————————————

USS Charleston Will Bolster America's 'Away

Team'

Ray Mabus, Charleston Post & Courier, Jan 9

Today I'm here in Charleston to announce that our

next Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) will be named the

USS Charleston. This naming continues a long

tradition of naval ships bearing the city's name and

recognizes the strong connection between its people

and our Sailors and Marines.

But it also continues the commitment of this

administration to grow our Navy fleet.

On any given day the U.S. Navy has 100 ships at

sea and 30,000 Marines deployed around the world.

Uniquely, our maritime forces provide a presence

around the globe.

Coming from the sea, we get there sooner, stay

there longer, bring everything we need with us, and we

don't ask anyone's permission.

Many times, our Navy and Marine Corps are

already there. And being there – where it matters,

when it matters – provides our country's leaders an

array of options, from providing humanitarian

assistance to our Japanese allies after the earthquake

and tsunami to delivering the first strikes against the

Islamic State in Iraq and Syria with F18s off the aircraft

carrier USS George H.W. Bush.

Providing that presence is why our fleet size

matters. When North Korea threatens regional

stability, our forward deployed naval forces are there

to respond.

When the earthquake ravaged Haiti or storms tore

through the Phillippines, Navy ships were the bases

needed for sailors and Marines to deliver lifesaving

aid. Without a properly sized fleet we cannot execute

our missions when the president and the American

people call.

Much has been said about the size of our fleet, but

a few facts are in order.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the Navy's battle force stood at

316 ships. What followed was one of the greatest

military buildups in our history, but even as other parts

of the military grew, our fleet had shrunk to 278 ships

by 2008.

In the five years before I took office as secretary,

the Navy only contracted for 27 ships, far too few to

even maintain the size of the fleet.

In the five years since I took office we have

contracted for 70 ships.

We have halted the decline. In 2014 we launched

nine new ships, the LCS and High Speed Vessel lines

have joined Virginia class submarines in full

production, and by the end of the decade our plan will

return the fleet to over 300 ships.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have a long and

trusted partnership with the American people.

Our shipbuilding industry is a central part of our

nation's manufacturing base. The skilled craftsmen

and artisans that work in our shipyards and defense

industry are an important part of our economy.

Here in Charleston there is a long history, from the

decades of work at the Charleston Naval Shipyard to

Charleston Marine Container Inc. building mission

modules for the Littoral Combat Ship program today.

These hard-working Americans provide the ships

that sail the world, offering deterrence and diplomacy;

building partnerships and, above all, providing

presence, in times of peace as well as war.

That's the unique contribution of the U.S. Navy and

a role that only America can fill around the globe, and

that's why the size of our fleet matters.

In the coming years, as we build the new USS

Charleston, we will continue to grow the size of the

fleet.

And we will recognize all the hard work of our

Sailors and Marines.

With a focus on my four priorities of people,

platforms, power, and partnership, we will address the

complex issues of the new maritime century.

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Tough decisions and leadership still lie ahead to

ensure that, as the nation's Away Team, the Navy and

Marine Corps maintain their role as the most powerful

expeditionary force the world has ever known.

Ray Mabus is U.S. Secretary of the Navy.

————————————————————————

Want to know some fun and interesting things

about Christmas?

Did you ever wonder where X-Mas came from? X

means Christ in Greek so to shorten the word

Christmas we sometimes use X-Mas.

In 1836 Alabama became the first state in the US to

declare Christmas a legal holiday.

Oklahoma became the last state to declare Christmas

a legal holiday in 1907.

In June of 1970 Christmas became a federal

holiday in the US.

Christmas trees were first decorated with foods

such as apples, nuts and dates.

In the 18th century Christmas trees began being

decorated with candles.

Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in 1895.

Did you know that giving presents were once

banned by the Catholic Church. It was believed that

gift giving was connected to paganism.

If you received all the gifts from the song ―The

Twelve Days of Christmas‖ you would have 364

presents. Not to mention mountains of poop!

Do you know why we say the Twelve Days of

Christmas? It is believed that it took the 3 kings 12

days to find baby Jesus.

The song Jingle Bells was written by James

Pierpont in 1857. It was originally called ―One Horse

Open Sleigh‖ and was made for Thanksgiving.

Many years ago in England a traditional Christmas

dinner included a pig head served with

mustard. Thankfully, that tradition has died out.

The tradition of naughty children getting a lump of

coal in their stocking comes from Italy.

Did you know that tinsel was once made of real

silver! It was invented in Germany in 1610.

There are two islands named Christmas?

Christmas Island (formerly Kiritimati) in the Pacific

Ocean and Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.

The tallest Christmas tree ever displayed was in

Seattle Washington in 1950. The Christmas tree was

221 feet tall!

It is said that candy canes were invented by a

candy maker in Indiana. He wanted to use them to

spread the name Jesus around the world. Although

the tradition of a candy stick goes way back to Europe.

Santa Claus is also known as St. Nicholas, Father

Christmas, Grandfather Frost and Kris Kringle.

Santa is believed to bring gifts to good girls and

boys on the night before Christmas (December 24th).

There are 3 towns in the US that are named Santa

Claus. One in Georgia, one in Arizona and one in

Indiana.

Santa Claus 8 eight reindeer are named: Comet,

Cupid, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donder &

Blitzen.

The French gave the biggest Christmas present

ever in 1886. It was the Statue of Liberty, and they

gave it to the United States of America. (The French

have one too, a smaller one, in Paris.)

Santa Claus is based on a real person, St. Nikolas

of Myra (also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker,

Bishop Saint Nicholas of Smyrna, and Nikolaos of

Bari), who lived during the fourth century. Born in

Patara (in modern-day Turkey), he is the world‘s most

popular non-Biblical saint, and artists have portrayed

him more often than any other saint except Mary. He is

the patron saint of banking, pawnbroking, pirating,

butchery, sailing, thievery, orphans, royalty, and New

York City.

The first artificial Christmas Tree wasn‘t a tree at

all. It was created in Germany out of goose feathers

that were dyed.

Christmas has many, many names. Do you know

some of them—aside from, of course, Christmas? How

about? Sheng Tan Kuai Loh (China), or Hauskaa

Joulua (Finland), or Joyeux Noel (France)? In Wales,

it‘s Nadolig Llawen, and in Sweden, God Jul.

Riga, Latvia was home to the first decorated

Christmas tree. The year was 1510. About 36 million

Christmas trees are produced each year on Christmas

tree farms.

The Christmas Stocking got its start when three

unmarried girls did their laundry and hung their

stockings on the chimney to dry. They couldn‘t marry,

they had no dowry. But St. Nicholas, who knew of their

plight, put a sack of gold in each stocking and in the

morning the girls awoke to discover they had dowry‘s.

They could now marry.

The most popular Christmas Song ever is We Wish

You a Merry Christmas. The song can be traced back

to England, but its author and composer remains

unknown.

11

Celebrating The Birth Of The Nuclear Navy

Naval History Blog, Jan 8

The director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion

Program will host a ceremony Jan. 9 at Naval

Reactors‘ Washington Navy Yard headquarters

celebrating one of the first major milestones of the

Navy‘s nuclear propulsion program.

Adm. John M. Richardson, joined by Secretary of

the Navy Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm.

Jonathan Greenert, and the Department of Energy

Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, Lt. Gen. Frank

G. Klotz, will honor the 60th anniversary of the world‘s

first nuclear-powered warship, USS Nautilus (SSN

571), getting underway on nuclear power. It was on

Jan. 17, 1955 at 11 a.m. when Nautilus Commanding

Officer Cmdr. Eugene Wilkinson announced

―UNDERWAY ON NUCLEAR POWER.‖

In addition to being an engineering marvel, Nautilus

was the first in a long line of nuclear-powered ships to

serve the U.S. Navy with an outstanding record of

more than 155,000 million miles safely steamed on

nuclear power. Just as important, she represented a

huge leap in American energy security, increasing

strategic independence, sustainability, and operational

capability.

Getting Nautilus ―underway on nuclear power‖ was

a remarkable accomplishment that began with the

concept of harnessing the power of splitting uranium

atoms in 1939 by scientists at the Naval Research

Laboratory. That concept became reality when then-

Capt. Hyman G. Rickover, an engineering officer,

signed onto the project in 1946. Just six years later, on

June 14, 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed the

keel of the first nuclear-powered submarine.

It was Jan. 21, 1954 when Nautilus was launched

at Electric Boat Shipyard, Groton, Conn. The boat was

commissioned a few months later, Sept. 30.

Nautilus‘ career was a record-setting one, including

being the first submarine to cross the North Pole –

under the ice – on Aug. 3, 1958. After 25 years and

four refuelings, Nautilus was decommissioned in 1980.

Two years later, the first nuclear-powered submarine

was designated a National Historic Landmark by the

Secretary of the Interior.

After undergoing historic ship conversion in 1986,

USS Nautilus continues to serve her country at the

Submarine Force Museum in Groton.

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FROM THE “ORIGINAL STIMSON DRAFT”

13

SEARH FOR LOST

SHIPMATES

If you have contact with one of these shipmates please send their contact info

to me at my email address. Let‘s set a goal to find everyone on this list!

Adkins, William Duell, Paul Klaiber, William Robinson, Warren

Arf, Robert Dyal, Don W. 'Gomer' Knowlton, Leonard Roetto, Paul

Ballard, Danny Edmiston, Ken Krieger, Kenneth Rowan, William

Barker, Paul Ehlers, Joseph Kulp, Randolph Rubright, David

Barker, Thomas Ellard, Bryon Laughlin, Brian Ruiz, Luiz

Barrows, Keith Ellsberry, Prather Lawrence, Marshall Sanderson, Jim

Beale, Gary Featheran, Robert Jr. Lemp, John Scoville, Scott

Blouse, Dan Findlater, Doug Liles, Michael Seelinger, James

Blue, Matthew Flannery, Aaron Lizana, Rick Shafer, Harold 'Jack'

Bluestone, Edward Fleming, Benjamin Lothrop, Shantz, Denton

Bollman, Stephen Fleming, Denvery Lubbs, Larry Shepherd, Charles

Borenko, Stphen Fleming, J.D. Marko, Michael Francis Sherlock, Martin

Borysewicz, William Fonda, Carl Mason, John Shields, Vaden

Bowser, James Jr. Futral, Dave Matherly, David Shock, Joel

Bricker, Michael Gallagher, Gilbert 'Skip' Mauk, Elam Sikora, Gregory

Brill, Doug Geisenburg, Nick Mauldin, Thomas Siler, Dennis

Brown, Fred Gibson, Chris McCarney, Clifford Silvestri, Henry

Buie, Michael Glover, Ron McConnell, Mark Slusser, Howard

Bullard, Patrick Grabins, Garry McCord, Oliver Smith, Charles

Bullington, Scott Graves, Richard McMillan, Donald Sterner, George VADM

Burger, Thomas Green, Earsel Miller, Donald Steverson, Jeff

Burmeister, Wayne Gutierrez, James Miller, Tony Stewart James

Busteed, Bob Habermas, Thomas Milton, Jay Stine, Gene

Canup, Richard Hall, Larry Mosman, Harold Stockton, N. Bradley

Carey, Bill Harding, Rusty III Musselman, Robert Stortroen, Keith

Carlson, Hugh Harris, WIlbur Neubecker, Andrew Taylor, Jim

Carr, Don Hatchell, John Neuman, Mark Templer, Steven

Champagne, Brian Hayes, Robert Noftsger, Mike Thaden, Gene

Claussen, Stephen Herbert, Randy 'Bear' Nolen, John Thomas, Larry

Cool, Arnold Henderson, Michael Ochsner, Patrick Tomasi, Max

Cooper, Denny Herzog, Willie Parham, Bryan Tomren, Gerald

Cooper, Doug Hinds, George Pastiva, Stephen Jr. Trotter, Daniel

Cooper, John F. Hogan, John 'Jack' Peterson, David Twiselton, Brown Michael

Cope, Allan Hogan, Tom Petrak, David VanDeLeest, Dean

Cota, James 'Pat' Holler, Eugene Phipps, Mitchell Walenga, Craig

Couser, David Hollingsworth, Paul Plue, Mike Watson, Herb

Crawford, Christopher Holtman, Bruce Porterfield, Glenn Weisser, Monty

Cruden, David Hupe, Bill Pruitt, Michael Wenzel, Paul

Cullum, Ray Ignatowitz, Craig 'Iggy' Putnam, Bobby Jo Wesley, Mike

Czarnecki, Anthony Johnson, Anthony Putt, William White, Don

Davidson, Dickie Johnston, Paul K. Ralston, David Williams, Brian

Debisschop, Timothy Joyce, Dennis Rasmussen, Aaron Wiltse, David

Degon, Vince Kearney, Russ Rasmussen, Bill Wimmer, Peter Thomas

Delano, Ken Kee, Kerby Rathsam, Richard Wolk, Dennis

Dewitt, David Keller, Terry J. Ratliff, William Worthington, Vincent

Diaz, Rudy Kennedy, Brian Raven, Donald Wright, David

Dorff, Richard Kinney, Wayne Reppert, Kevin Young, Ron

Dreiss, Ray Kirkpatrick, Steven Rhodes, Ronald Youngman, David

14