vol. 2017 #10 otoer 2017 uss henry l. stimson ...stimson shipmate, or a member of your family, to...
TRANSCRIPT
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From the 2018 Reunion Committee Chairman -
Chuck Hladik, TM2(SS) G 67-70; USSVI – USS
Oklahoma City Base:
October 1st = 375 days until OKC!!!
We now have our location for the
2018 Reunion. We will be at the
Embassy Suites Oklahoma City
Downtown Medical Center.
I am working on details for the
Stimson Reunion here in Oklahoma
City. October is one of the better times
to visit Oklahoma. The temperature has moderated
and on average few tornadoes. April, May, and Early
June is tornado season here. We can get some heavy
rain for the remnants of Gulf Hurricanes. Oklahoma
City and the surrounding area has lots of public golf
courses with varying degrees of difficulty.
Another place of interest is Oklahoma History
Center 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.
The Oklahoma Museum of History is also an
affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute. Smithsonian
Affiliations are among the most comprehensive forms
of Smithsonian national outreach. Through
Smithsonian Affiliations, young people, families and
students are able to experience a piece of the
Smithsonian— their national museum—through their
own hometown museums. http://www.okhistory.org/
historycenter/
————————————————————————
From The Editor
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Reunion Hotel Information: As stated last month, we
have been told the hotel will not be able to take
reservations for the reunion dates until sometime the
first of November. Because of that, the hotel
registration link and reunion registration form will be
placed in the November newsletter and posted on the
Stimson website at least by mid-November. The
November newsletter will be delayed in publishing until
we have the hotel information.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Is a new feature I think
would be great to have
in our newsletter. It
never ceases to amaze me at the talent we have in our
Association. Here is an opportunity for you, as a
Stimson Shipmate, or a member of your family, to
VOL. 2017 #10 OCTOBER 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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showcase something special they are able to do. I
know we have many woodworkers, artists, metal
workers, musicians, etc. and this will give them a
chance to show their talents. Our first entry was
concerned that it would appear as bragging if he
allowed me to put in the pictures of a piece of furniture
he made. That is why I‘m calling this the ―Shipmate
Showcase‖. When you have a talent it is not bragging
to show that talent to others. Of course, the only way
this section will work is if you submit your items to me.
A couple of pictures, or an MP3 (if you‘re a
musician….hint hint Bill) that I can link to...anything
that will show others something you can do. Please
help make this a great success!!!
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Submitted by George Birmingham ET1(SS) G 69-74
CC Cleaner Hack Affects Millions of Users: I know
a lot of people use AVAST anti-virus, so they probably
get CC Cleaner too from the same place.
Here‘s some info you may want to send this on to
our shipmates about phishing "Bank" e-mails in light of
the Equifax hack.
https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/
report-bank-email-fraud-increases-since-equifax-
breach/d/d-id/1330007?
https://blog.barracuda.com/2017/09/28/threat-
spotlight-email-malware-impersonates-secure-
bank-messages/
Check out Tom Krauser‘s article about concerning
the CC Cleaner Hack and how to check your copy of
the program.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PSYCHIATRIST VS. BARTENDER....
As far back as he could remember the old Chief
had a fear of someone under his bed at night. He
decided to go see a shrink and told him: ―I've
got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there's
somebody under it. I'm scared. I think I'm going crazy.‖
"Just put yourself in my hands for one year," said
the shrink. "Come talk to me three times a week and
we should be able to get rid of those fears.‖
―How much do you charge?‖ the old Chief asked.
―One hundred fifty dollars per visit,‖ replied the
doctor.
―I'll sleep on it,‖ he said.
Six months later the doctor met the Chief on the
street.
―Why didn't you come to see me about those fears
you were having?‖ he asked.
―Well I got to thinking about the money. $150 a
visit, three times a week for a year, is $23,400.00,‖
said the Chief. ―A bartender I know cured me for
$10.00. I was so happy to have saved all that money
that I went and bought a new pickup truck.‖
―Is that so?‖ the doctor asked with a bit of an
attitude. ―And how, may I ask, did a bartender cure
you?‖
The Chief looked at the doctor and said, ―he told
me to cut the legs off the bed. Ain't nobody under
there now.‖
The Rest of the Story: We all know that the story
above is a bald-face lie. It‘s a well-known truth that a
Chief Petty Officer never gets old….and he‘s not afraid
of anything.
———————————————————————–--
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/
One of our shipmates sent me a link
to order embroidered hats. He has
ordered a couple and here‘s the
results:
Submitted by Wayne Fourniquet, ETN2(SS) B 72-76:
I noticed your ‗ship‘s store‘ section of the Stimson
Draft stating: "I have been checking online to find
some good vendors where I can direct you to for Hats
and Shirts. I tried out Your Boat Your Shirt and the
quality was good."
Thought that I would send you a link to another
good place to order a real nice looking custom
embroidered ball cap. I am currently wearing my first
and have made an order for another. Anyway, here is
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the link:
https://navypictures.net/product/ssbn-655-uss-henry-l-
stimson-embroidered-hat/
The one I am currently wearing arrived Dec 2013. I
wear it ‗all the time’. This is a very good way to come
into contact with other submariners; I meet them all the
time out shopping for whatever. The only reason I
have ordered another is obvious, I wanted a new one
after almost 4 years of sweat, so I think the quality is
good. It takes 4-6 weeks to arrive though, cost starts at
$29.95. She can add custom printing to the sides (2
lines of 14 characters each) for $7.00 extra on each
side. You can order it on-line but I call and talk with the
lady personally, to make sure of what I want printed on
the side of the cap. I am an oldie and would rather
order stuff the ‗old way‘ person to person.
Just received my ‗new‘ Stimson Cap today.
Ordered on Aug 14 and received Sept 21. I was a little
concerned about them, I think they are located in
Gainesville, Florida and Irma went right over them. I
guess they faired alright.
————————————————————————
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.
Nick is still looking for the person who sent him the
pictures that were in the August newsletter. If that
person happens to be you, please let Nick know.
————————————————————————
From the Association President and wife -
Ray & Rita Kreul, TM2(SS) G 65-69
USSVI– Snug Harbor Base:
Stimson shipmates mourn
the recent loss of Mr. Hugh
Hefner. We, the Stimson Gold
crew, proudly displayed our
Playboy Bunny flag for many
years. Mr. Hefner personally
signed our bunny flag in February 2002 and placed an
article I wrote about the Henry L Stimson in his
February Playboy 2002 edition page 16. He and his
daughter Christine were fans of the boat as we
displayed the Playboy bunny painted on all our missile
hatches.
Our designer of the bunny template/ensign was
Stan Penning TM3 Gold Crew commissioning. Captain
Bob Weeks loved the Playboy flag Earl Forbs obtained
and presented to him I believe Earl got it from a
torpedo retriever gang while we were in San
Juan. Capt. Bob brought that pendant everywhere he
went. I was able to have his wife Gerry send me the
flag and with the help of Hugh‘s daughter, Christine,
had Hugh sign it. During one of our Stimson reunions
after getting the flag back, Rita Kreul asked Capt. Bob
where his pendant was. He didn‘t know and that‘s
when Rita presented Capt. Bob with pendant signed
by Hugh. Bob could not believe it! That is one item
that Capt. Bob kept in his den for years and even
today Gerry Weeks holds dear the pendant of
memories past.
I am going to buy a Sympathy card and send to the
family of Hugh Hefner on behalf of the Association.
I want to let all the shipmates that were in harm‘s
way recently with the massive storms we had that they
were always in our prayers. I want to thank all those
who sent emails to Rita and I voicing concerns for
us. We will always remember them.
Remember families and friend ships last a life time
so stay in touch with Nick Nichols if you change your
phone numbers or address so we can keep out
Stimson family connected.
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Remember also mark the calendar for the
upcoming reunion. We are just a year out from the
gathering in OK city. OK. Chuck and his team have
been on track for the gathering and working hard for all
of us. Watch the date Chuck posts to start calling the
hotel and sending in your reversions. Watch for more
on this from Nick and Chuck.
Stay safe shipmates and God watch over you all.
————————————————————————
From the Association Vice President -
Tom Krauser, MM1(SS) B 72-74
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
CCleaner Hacked and Malware
Inserted By Tom Krauser See Page 6
————————————————————————
MM1(N) (SS) Vernon F. Olson G 66-69 Plank Owner
Departed on Eternal Patrol August 31, 2017
[Verified by Legacy.com]
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.
**********
Larry Hall, STS3(SS) B 65-69:
Remember Larry as he is still awaiting a kidney and
can‘t travel to the reunions.
————————————————————————
WELCOME ABOARD & FOUND 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.)
**********
QM2(SS) Taylor Albright G 74-76
(updated info per his request)
ET3(SS) Greg Sikora B Decom 91-93
(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
**********
1989 Christmas on the 655
Submitted by Gordon Long, RM2(SS) G 81-85
I found a video of 655 at Christmas was shot in the
mess decks and wardroom and shows a lot of crew
members.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mZSpFQpJCqY
**********
Brainteasers
Studies show that working out your mind is as
important as working out your body! One good way to
flex your brain "muscle" is by solving a daily dose of
puzzles and brainteasers.
http://interactivesites.weebly.com/
brainteasers.html
**********
41 For Freedom
By Erica Buell on Friday, 11 August 2017 at 10:54 am
Posted in Submarine History
The name ―41 for Freedom‖ conjures images of
greatness, power, and the beginning of something
new.
http://ussnautilus.org/blog/41-for-freedom/
**********
Submarine Naming throughout the Years
By Erica Buell on Friday, 18 August 2017 at 8:19 am
Posted in Submarine History
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Have you ever wondered how a ship gets their name?
There isn‘t a random lottery or a vote that takes place.
In fact, there is a unique set of rules and guidelines
that throughout the evolution of the submarine force
has dictated how submarines are named.
http://ussnautilus.org/blog/submarine-naming-
throughout-the-years/
**********
The Real Reason the US Navy Keeps Hitting
Merchant Vessels
This article originally appeared at In Military (IM).
By Wes O‘Donnell
Managing Editor, In Military (IM)
Editor’s note: Wes O’Donnell, (Managing Editor of our
sister blog In Military) secured an interview with a
recently retired U.S. Navy captain who spent 20 years
at sea and 10 in the Pentagon, working on process
improvement projects. He asked to remain anonymous
due to a number of political considerations and a need
for privacy. For the purposes of this interview, we will
call him Captain F (Captain F).
http://inmilitary.com/real-reason-us-navy-keeps-
hitting-merchant-vessels/
**********
Lightning hits a river!
If you have any doubts about the power of nature this
will change your mind. This video is of DRY
thunderstorm lightning--The kind that causes the
majority of forest fires. It appears that the video was
filmed from a stationary remote camera as a human
operator may not have survived this strike. Notice
where the lightning strikes the river bank, then into the
river and then downstream.
Lightning Hits a River
**********
Replace Veterans' Medals, Awards, and
Decorations
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) does
not issue service medals; that is a function of each
military service department. Requests for the issuance
or replacement of military service medals, decorations
and awards should be directed to the specific branch
of the military in which the veteran served. However,
for cases involving Air Force and Army personnel, the
NPRC will verify the awards to which a veteran is
entitled and forward the request along with the records
verification to the appropriate service department for
issuance of the medals. Use the addresses listed
below, and mail your request accordingly.
https://www.archives.gov/veterans/replace-
medals.html
————————————————————————
America opens its doors to North Korea!
————————————————————————
SEA STORIES:
=====
Submitted by James P. Cota IC2(SS) G 65-68 Plank
Owner
CAPT Weeks’ Checkin Cards
I don‘t remember Capt. Weeks doing anything like
this. I checked in June 1966; before the boat was
ready for commissioning.
I do remember when I left the boat in 1968. All
commissioning crew was to receive a ships plaque,
however they hadn‘t made very many yet. Maybe I
was one of the earliest or even the first enlisted man to
leave as I was getting out on June 28, 1968. Anyway
since there was no ships plaque to give me, he told
me to come to his residence that night and he would
have one then.
I was invited in and he said ―they still didn‘t have
any.‖ He then took his own plaque off the wall and
gave it to me and said "he could always get another
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one"!
It hangs proudly on my wall now.
=============
Submitted by Don Ort, MM3(SS) G 69-70 & MM1(SS)
B 70-74
MMCM Rudolph Dias was a great chief. One
upkeep in Holy Loch he worked M-Div so hard none of
us got any liberty even though we were all port and
stbd duty sections. One Friday morning he mustered
the division back in the engine room, got the section
leaders and gave them each $10 or $20, I don't
remember which, and said take your duty section on
liberty. That upkeep each section got off one night
each on Rudy Diaz. Back then during happy hour at
the club in Holy Lock a gin and tonic was only ten
cents!
=============
Submitted by Don Ort, MM3(SS) G 69-70 & MM1(SS)
B 70-74
Here is another man who was a chief's chief. This
guy was an amazing leader of men and so talented. I
had the privilege of working with him for a while. I saw
him hand carve the most beautiful rifle stock you have
ever seen. He took months to do it. Sometimes I get
pretty emotional when I think of all the great chiefs and
great sailors I have worked with.
=============
Submitted by Greg Sikora ET3(SS) B Decom 91-93
I reported to Charleston in 1992 and made the last
patrol from Kings Bay in the Strat Nav Dept. Marshall
Lawrence was the ETC (I ended up serving with him at
three commands the 655, Alabama and at OTSU2 in
Cape Canaveral) Then we did some various fleet ops
and MIDI rides and such after crew combination. Had
a great time on the Hog - We went to Bremerton
through the Canal. Interesting trip. Lots of EB Green
and super glue to get there! I think we did a deep dive
on the way, we had a canal picnic topside which was
great, and then the dive cert ran out off of the coast of
Oregon and if I remember right we were on the surface
for the approach to the straits in WA. We were
decommed/defuled in the aircraft carrier dry dock with
if I remember right 617, 656, 659 all parked prop to
prop. 4 boomers in the same drydock. It was an
interesting thing to see. The sad part is that there were
other boats there being cut up like the Grant and the
Clay. Sad to see all of the boats we saw on the east
coast sitting there being recycled all at the same time.
Just a short time before we were scrounging eggs,
milk and non-skid from those guys in Charleston and
then we were all being cut to pieces in WA. Oh well!
Time marches on. I did a tour on the Alabama, the as
an instructor at TTF then went to FBM OTSU2 at Cape
Canaveral. I got out as an ET1 and went to Dental
School and am now a dentist working for Indian Health
Service in Arizona. ————————————————————————
Part 7 – CCleaner Hacked and Malware Inserted
By Tom Krauser
The 32 bit versions of the popular program
CCleaner version 5.33 and CCleaner Cloud Version
1.07 was hacked to include malware code in the
installation package.
According to Piriform in the link below, it only
affected the 32 bit version and not the 64 bit version
and only users running version 5.22.6162 or CCleaner
Cloud version 1.07.3191.
https://www.piriform.com/news/blog/2017/9/18/
security-notification-for-ccleaner-v5336162-and-
ccleaner-cloud-v1073191-for-32-bit-windows-users
The threat was resolved by upgrading to any newer
version of CCleaner. To the best of Piriform‘s
knowledge the threat was disarmed before it was able
to do any harm.
If you are using the 32 bit version and have used
the infection version you can check to see if you were
infection by opening the Registry with the Registry
Editor and check the following key:
HKLM\Software\Piriform and see if there is a key
labeled Agomo:MUID. You can do a search in the
Registry for the word ―agomo‖ to see if that value
exists. If this key shows then you may have been
infected at one time. If you were infected you can use
System Restore to restore your system to a time
before August 15, 2017. You should also run a full
virus and malware scan. If you do use System Restore
to go to an earlier date you will have to reinstall any
software added since the restore date.
Make sure your CCleaner is updated go going to
the following site and downloading the latest version.
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download
————————————————————————
The Grey Ghost: Examining the Future of USS
Clamagore
Megan Schuller, All Hands Magazine, August 30
An American flag flies above the charcoal, Cold-
War era submarine, USS Clamagore (SS-343). The
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sub idly sits, sun-faded in the Charleston, South
Carolina harbor as saltwater eats at it, causing orange
rust and corrosion.
Inside the narrow steel haven, Patriot's Point Naval
& Maritime Museum volunteer and Navy veteran Sid
Busch stands as the captain of this retired vessel. The
Clamagore is, for Busch, more than a giant steel tube.
Inside a time capsule of days past, memories drift on
his mind like a cool breeze as waves lap on a humid
afternoon against the submarine in the harbor. More
than a longtime friend, she is among the only family
Busch has left. He even goes in early to pick up trash
before the tourists show up to view the Clamagore -
named after the blue parrot fish, found on coral reefs
in shallow water.
"Sometimes I'll be sitting on the battery and have
flashbacks to 50 years ago," Busch said, reflecting on
his service days. He is 70 years old with a chiseled
jaw, a retired Navy senior chief and an experienced
runner who has run more than 200 marathons.
Busch served on the Clamagore from 1969 to 1972
as a sonar technician. He's been volunteering at
Patriots Point, near downtown Charleston, for the past
10 years, giving tours of the boat he first boarded
when he was 19. These days, he often incorporates
personal stories into his detailed and impassioned
tours. But Busch's days aboard his beloved Clamagore
could be numbered.
The 320-foot submarine, which has called Patriots
Point home since 1979, could become an artificial reef
off the Florida coast. To remain a floating museum,
she needs an expensive restoration, one that could
cost about $6 million, according to Chris Hauff, a
Patriots Point spokesman, and the lack of financial
resources to fix the Clamagore may one day sink the
vessel.
Two Navy ships at the maritime museum, USS
Yorktown (CV 10) and USS Laffey (DD 724), also
require repairs and maintenance that are deemed a
higher priority. Museum officials are looking into the
possibility of reefing - in other words, sinking - the
Clamagore so that she becomes a permanent
underwater museum, Hauff said.
"With our budget of a couple million, we can't do all
three of the ships. The USS Yorktown needs $40
million worth of work and for us - that's what people
come to see," Hauff said. "It comes down to a
business decision: Where do we put money when we
have it?"
Although Clamagore is registered as a national
historic landmark, even that can't save her. According
to documents from a Palm Beach County
Commissioners meeting in January 2016, the
submarine can receive approval to become scuttled
(deliberately sunk) as an artificial reef by the Naval
Sea Systems Command through the Section 106
historical review process, which requires federal
agencies to consider the effects of their actions on
historic properties. It further dictates that
documentation, such as war diaries, deck logs and
operation reports, be taken off an historic vessel like
the Clamagore. These records would then be
transferred to the National Archives and Records
Administration.
Recent reports suggest the Clamagore will wait in
the harbor for at least a year while the Navy decides if
it will approve the plans.
The Grey Ghost
The diesel-powered Clamagore was commissioned
following World War II to patrol the Caribbean and
North Atlantic during the Cold War. Nicknamed the
"Grey Ghost" of the Florida coast during her service,
she is now the last submarine with the Balao-class
GUPPY III upgrade. This improved the submerged
speed, maneuverability, battery capacity and overall
performance of the Clamagore.
After decommissioning the submarine in 1975, the
Navy donated her to the state of South Carolina, and
Patriot's Point was given the responsibility for the Grey
Ghost's maintenance and upkeep. Those costs are
now unsustainable.
According to Hauff, Patriots Point contracted
Artificial Reefs International, a Miami-based firm that
creates reefs for economic development and
environmental benefits by sinking ships, to find a reef
suitable for the Clamagore. Palm Beach County,
Florida, officials agreed to the project and put aside a
million dollars toward reefing the Clamagore off the
coast of Jupiter, Florida.
"People could enjoy the history of the ship, just
from a different way," Hauff said.
Reefed submarines and ships serve as underwater
tourist attractions, allowing experienced scuba divers
and tourists to dive and explore with guides.
If the Clamagore is reefed, sponges, coral and
barnacles will attach themselves and colonize the
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vessel over time, and an array of fish species will take
over not long after it sinks. Joe Weatherby, senior
project manager of Artificial Reefs International-USS
Clamagore said reefed vessels provide marine life with
protection from predators, breeding opportunities and
food sources while also offering economic
opportunities for scuba diving and fishing industries.
Bill Cogar, executive director of the Historic Naval
Ships Association, a nonprofit that helps preserve and
market historic ships across the world, supports a
responsible and accountable way to reef the
Clamagore. He contended that the submarine, having
run her life's course, would remain a functional object,
and noted that the equipment removed from the
submarine could be distributed to other vessels of
Clamagore's class.
Fate, Hope & Clarity
For Busch, the Clamagore is still worth saving,
however: "These submarines had personalities. I
guess it's because when you came on a submarine,
you had to learn it backwards and forwards. ... Each
submarine developed their own unique personality.
The synchronicity to how they rode on the surface -
they started to be more like a living entity then just a
metal tube."
He's not the only one who wants to see her
restored rather than reefed. The main hope appears to
lie within the USS Clamagore SS-343 Restoration and
Maintenance Association, which has been working to
relocate the submarine to a land berth. That way, it
could still serve as a submarine museum and
memorial for future generations, according to Rick
Wise, secretary of CRAMA and retired Navy senior
chief.
"We are not trying to do anything that has not been
done before," Wise said. "It reduces the maintenance
cost quite a bit."
He explained that CRAMA is trying to get a letter of
intent from the South Carolina state legislature.
Between that and a number of corporations interested
in saving the Clamagore, he believes CRAMA could
raise enough capital to store the submarine in a
shipyard temporarily. Then the team would evaluate
the damage, make the necessary preservation repairs
and purchase land to permanently house the
Clamagore.
"We're not giving up," Wise said optimistically.
"We're submarine Sailors, we don't give up until we're
on the bottom and we've blown all the air we can."
Still, the Clamagore's fate and the destiny of two
lifelong friends remain uncertain. If and when she
leaves Patriot's Point, Busch plans to stop volunteering
at the maritime museum. He feels he would no longer
be needed and that it would be too difficult to return
once she is gone.
"I always tell people, she kept me safe, she got me
home. It's my turn to save her, and, unfortunately, I
couldn't do a good enough job at it," Busch said, his
words rinsed with emotion. "It's going to be a dark day
for me when she finally leaves. I plan to show up just
to see her towed out."
For now, the Clamagore rests at a secluded far
end of Patriots Point's concrete dock - perhaps
spending her final months in South Carolina as
museum ship before the Grey Ghost of the Florida
coast permanently returns to the waters she once
patrolled.
—————————————————-——————--
The U.S. Navy's Most Advanced Submarines Will
Soon Be Using Xbox Controllers
(VIRGINIAN-PILOT 19 SEP 17) ... Brock Vergakis
The control room of one of the Navy‘s most
advanced submarines is filled with sophisticated
computers, flat-screen monitors and sailors who grew
up in a digital world.
At times it can look a bit like a video game arcade,
and not just because of the high-resolution graphics.
The Navy is beginning to use an Xbox 360
controller – like the ones you find at the mall – to
operate the periscopes aboard Virginia-class
submarines.
Unlike other types of submarines people are
familiar with from Hollywood, Virginia-class
submarines don‘t have a traditional rotating tube
periscope that only one person can look through at a
time.
It‘s been replaced with two photonics masts that rotate
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360 degrees. They feature high-resolution cameras
whose images are displayed on large monitors that
everyone in the control room can see. There‘s no
barrel to peer through anymore; everything is
controlled with a helicopter-style stick. But that stick
isn‘t so popular.
―The Navy got together and they asked a bunch of
J.O.s and junior guys, ―˜What can we do to make your
life better?‖ said Lt. j.g. Kyle Leonard, the USS John
Warner‘s assistant weapons officer, referring to junior
officers and sailors. ―And one of the things that came
out is the controls for the scope. It‘s kind of clunky in
your hand; it‘s real heavy.‖
Lockheed Martin and Navy officials have been
working to use commercial off-the-shelf technology to
reduce costs and take advantage of the technological
skills sailors grow up with. The integration of the video
game console controller grew out of that effort.
Lockheed Martin refers to the classified research
lab in Manassas where testing occurred as the
submarine version of ―Area 51‖, the nickname for the
Nevada base where some of the Air Force‘s most
advanced and secretive projects are tested.
The Xbox controller is no different than the ones a
lot of crew members grew up playing with. Lockheed
Martin says the sailors who tested the controller at its
lab were intuitively able to figure out how to use it on
their own within minutes, compared to hours of training
required for the joystick.
The Xbox controller also is significantly cheaper.
The company says the photonic mast handgrip and
imaging control panel that cost about $38,000 can be
replaced with an Xbox controller that typically costs
less than $30.
―That joystick is by no means cheap, and it is only
designed to fit on a Virginia-class submarine,‖ said
Senior Chief Mark Eichenlaub, the John Warner‘s
assistant navigator. ―I can go to any video game store
and procure an Xbox controller anywhere in the world,
so it makes a very easy replacement.‖
The Navy says that the system has gone through
extensive testing over the past two years and that the
Xbox controller will be included as part of the
integrated imaging system for Virginia-class subs
beginning with the future USS Colorado, which is
supposed to be commissioned by November.
The Xbox controller will be installed on other
Virginia-class submarines, such as the Norfolk-based
John Warner, through the normal modernization
process, according to Brienne Lang, a spokeswoman
for the Navy‘s program executive office for
submarines. The John Warner had a demonstration
model aboard this past week as it transited from Naval
Station Norfolk to Groton, Conn.
Eichenlaub said the Navy doesn‘t plan on stopping
innovation with the Xbox controller, either. The goal is
to develop technology that young people already are
comfortable with, such as working with electronic
touch screens on iPads and in virtual environments.
―Ideally, what they want to see in 10 years down
the road is, there‘s basically a glass panel display with
windows, and you can just pull a window of
information, review that, push it off, bring in the next
window,‖ he said.
―They want to bring in sailors with what they have
at home on their personal laptop, their personal
desktop, what they grew up with in a classroom.‖
https://pilotonline.com/news/military/local/the-u-s-navy-
s-most-advanced-submarines-will-soon/
article_5c24eefc-8e70-5c4a-9d82-00d29e052b76.html
————————————————————————
An Oldie but a Goodie
The Haircut
A teenage boy had just passed his driving test and
inquired of his father as to when they could discuss his
use of the car.
His father said he'd make a deal with his son, "You
bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study
your Bible a little and get your hair cut. Then we'll talk
about the car.‖ The boy thought about that for a
moment, decided he'd settle for the offer and they
agreed on it.
After about six weeks his father said, "Son, you've
brought your grades up and I've observed that you
have been studying your Bible, but I‘m disappointed
you haven't had your hair cut.‖ The boy said, "You
know, Dad, I've been thinking about that, and I‘ve
noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had
long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had
long hair, and there's even strong evidence that Jesus
had long hair.‖
Love the Dad's reply!
"Did you also notice that they all walked
everywhere they went?
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————————————————————————
3 Questions: America’s Next Nuclear-
Missile Submarine
By Ben Watson, Defense One
September 27, 2017
The United States military has four kinds of
submarines. Only one is nuclear-armed. The ballistic
missile submarines currently slipping about under the
ocean have about 10 years of life left. One by
one, each will need to be replaced. But with what,
and at what cost? That's what we're going to find out.
Q1. Why is it time for a new submarine? The
Trident submarine fleet — named for the nuclear
missiles they carry — is what the Pentagon calls ―the
most survivable leg of the U.S. nuclear triad.‖
The Trident subs — formally, the Ohio class of
fleet ballistic missile submarines — are enormous: at
560 feet, each one is nearly two football fields long.
Some 155 sailors and other personnel call them
home for months at a time. On any given day, several
of these 14 "boomers" are at sea. The idea: keep a
portion of the nuclear arsenal safe, ready to strike
back if the U.S. comes under nuclear attack. Each
missile can deliver its multiple warheads more than
4,000 nautical miles. Each boomer carries
the equivalent of roughly 600 Hiroshimas.
But the fleet is getting along in years. The oldest
— USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) — was
launched in 1983; the same year ABC aired its made-
for-TV nuclear armageddon film, ―The Day After.‖
Thirteen other Ohio subs have entered service
since then, with the last arriving in 1997. Built to
serve for 30 years, the Ohios have since received
upgrades that will allow them to serve a half century.
But even that deadline is nearing. The Jackson is due
to retire in about a decade, with the rest following,
one by one, until 2040.
So the U.S. Navy is developing a replacement.
Even if it comes in on time and on budget, it will be
the country‘s third most-expensive weapon
system ever.
Q2. What is this new sub? It‘s known as the
Columbia-class submarine, the fifth type of U.S.
ballistic missile submarine since the Navy started
building them in 1959. Its designs were finished just
three years ago; so far, it still only exists on paper.
It is named for the District of Columbia, that capital
city who license plates read ―Taxation Without
Representation.‖ It‘s a joint program with the Brits,
who call theirs the ―Dreadnought class.‖
Officials promise that it will be stealthy, the least
detectable sub ever. It will ply the underwater seas
with a magnet-motor electric drive designed to be
quieter than a mechanical drive system.
The Columbias will be as long as the Ohio class, and
one foot wider. They will displace almost 21,000 tons,
not just almost-19,000 displaced by the Ohios.
Like the Navy‘s fast attack subs of the Virginia
class, the new Trident subs will feature jet propulsion
and use a joystick control system — along with new
sonar systems, and an innovative twist on the
periscope: mast-mounted cameras, eliminating the
need for long tubes that descend through a break in
the hull.
Columbia‘s missile tubes are each 44 feet long, about
a meter deeper than the Ohio-class, with a diameter
that exceeds seven feet, all to accommodate the
larger ICBMs of the future. Each sub will carry 16 of
them. Contrast that with the Ohios, a Cold War
product designed to carry 24 nuclear missiles.
Russia is keeping a close eye on the evolution of
U.S. subs. Recall that in May, a Russian navy spy
ship traveled within 30 miles of the U.S. Naval
Submarine Base in Connecticut, before cruising
around the east coast to around 20 miles of Kings
Bay, Georgia, another of America‘s submarine bases.
Who else is out there under the ocean? More than
three dozen navies have submarines — but only six
nations arm them with ballistic missiles: the U.S.,
Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom,
and India.
Production for America (and Britain's) new Trident
will be handled by General Dynamics and
subcontractor Huntington Ingalls
Industries. Production will be spread across dozens
of states, as well as Britain.
Contracts are beginning to go out — about a
dozen have been signed since February.
Which raises the question…
Q3. What will it cost? In all, $122.3 billion.
Production costs alone will run about $8.2 billion for
the first sub, slated to arrive in 2028, and about $6.5
billion for the remaining 11.
The Navy says it needs the first of these on patrol
by 2031. So if you're counting, that's about four years
of one less Trident out on patrol. The Navy says:
Fine, as long as the program stays on schedule and
the service can maintain at least 10 operational
SSBNs.
One big hiccup: building the Columbia-class
―would consume about half of the shipbuilding
funding available in a given year,‖ the U.S. Navy said
in 2016. That could be a problem. The Navy, with
President Trump's blessing, has set its sights on
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boosting its fleet to 355 ships and subs, up from the
current 274 total.
On top of all this, the Navy has a habit of
underestimating the cost of first-of-a-kind ships by 27
percent, the Congressional Budget Office found in
2015. The Ohio class, for example, came in at 50
percent over budget and two and a half years behind.
The only programs more expensive:
The F-35 at $379 billion;
And America‘s ballistic missile-defense network at
$143 billion.
Which leads critics to ask: Could the money be
better spent elsewhere — like shifting the ballistic
missiles to the Virginia-class subs? Others argue this
is where you spend the money first — then branch
out from nuclear deterrence to more conventional
naval deterrence like attack subs and aircraft carriers.
But another question that‘s getting more attention:
Who should really be paying for these expensive
things — the Navy or the wider Defense Department,
since Strategic Command is actually in charge of the
ballistic missile submarine force?
As long as other countries — North Korea, in
particular, nowadays — possess nuclear weapons,
you can expect the U.S. Navy will want its Trident
submarine fleet up-to-date.
Already this year, development for the Columbia-
class program has been delayed a few months —
$843 million for ―advanced procurement‖ beginning
October 1 — thanks to the standard budgetary tug of
war between Congress and the White House. So
whether or not the program looks exactly the same
six months or six years from now is still up in the air.
But down beneath the surface, for the Navy
boomer fleet anyway, the clock is ticking.
————-
By Ben Watson // Ben Watson is news editor for
Defense One. He previously worked for NPR's ―All
Things Considered‖ and ―Here and Now‖ in
Washington, D.C. Watson served for five years in the
U.S. Army, where he was an award-winning combat
cameraman and media advisor for southern
Afghanistan's special operations command during the
2010-11 surge.
September 27, 2017
http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2017/09/3-
questions-americas-next-nuclear-missile-
submarine/141317/
————————————————————————
Does Anyone Remember These Items? Last month I
included several items I had sitting around to see what
stories I would get back from you. Really wanted the
memories. Enjoy reading the ones that came in. If one
of these conjures up a thought send it to me at
([email protected]). Any comments
made will be posted in the upcoming newsletters.
==================================
Submitted by Tim Jenkins, MM1(SS) B 75-79
The jeweler‘s files made me think of all the NiCu nut
rings and several NiCu bolt head necklaces I made.
Attached are some my wife still has.
The metal box made me think about my own
theoretical worst case accident for a
submarine.....simultaneous failure of all pop rivets.
Movie box made me think about movie marathons
with hamburger haven.
==================================
Submitted by Chip Paulding, MM3(SS) G 68-72
I just finished reading the September issue about
the navy's most decorated sailor. Damn, that guy had
some "chutzpah", eh! :)
Anyway, looking at the "items remembered" I saw
the set of files and it reminded me of what I used them
for. We were out of Holy Lock, Scotland, at the time
and I had occasion to spend some off hours in the
nearby town of Dunoon, along with the rest of the off-
duty section, sampling some of their fine local
"libations". Having accumulated an amount of their
money in the form of coins, some of which I still have, I
decided to try to make a pendant out of one, for my
sweetheart, by filing away the flat surface leaving the
raised portion in relief. It turned out to be a lot of
work but there was no hurry to get it done because I
had the upcoming patrol to accomplish it! And those
"jewelers‘ files" were just the tool I needed.
Unfortunately, I can't show any of them to you
because said pendant is lost to history, into the void,
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poof...gone! I'm glad you showed the files...a memory
almost lost!
P.S. I was going to define that sailor's "chutzpah" in
"manly terms" that any sailor would easily understand
(big b-lls) but I thought a female or two might read this!
P.P.S. Once a sailor, always a sailor! :)
————————————————————————
Submitted by Chuck Hladik TM2(SS) G 67-70
This is a stand I just finished with wood from a
pecan tree that grew in Joyce's parent‘s backyard for
years. A few years before Joyce's dad died he had the
tree cut down. I took it to a sawmill and dried it in the
attic. The flower holder in the second picture is
something I made from that same tree a few years
ago.
————————————————————————
Thresher Widow Reunited and Resting In Peace
With Lost Husband at Sea
Lt. j.g. Daniel Mongiove, The Dolphin, Jun 18
ATLANTIC OCEAN - About 200 nautical miles east of
Cape Cod, Mass., USS Annapolis (SSN 760) fulfilled
the final request of devoted Navy wife and mother
Irene Harvey, by laying her cremains to rest at sea
with her husband, Lt. Cmdr. John "Wes" Harvey, on
April 23.
Wes was the commanding officer of USS Thresher
(SSN 593) when the submarine was lost at sea, on
April 10, 1963, during sea trials.
All persons aboard perished, including 112 Navy
personnel and 17 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard civilian
workers and contractors.
Irene‘s idyllic life, having married her high school
sweetheart when he graduated with distinction from
the U.S. Naval Academy in 1950, and raising two
young sons (Bruce and John), was shattered, along
with the lives of all family members who suffered loss
that day.
―When [my father] died I was 8 years old,‖ recalled
Bruce. ―We always did things as a family, like going to
the beach or visiting the pool at the officer‘s club.‖
In the face of tragedy, Irene persevered, noted
Bruce with pride.
―She believed that the meaning of life is not to be
found in mere survival. Instead, life‘s purpose is to be
found somewhere in the process of caring, sharing,
and loving,‖ said Bruce. ―As a nurse and Navy widow,
[Irene] touched many lives.‖
Irene passed away at 87 years of age, on Tuesday,
February 11, 2014, leaving behind Bruce; his brother
John; Bruce‘s wife Maresa; and, two grandchildren,
Laura and John.
She also left behind a last request: to be buried at
sea alongside her husband.
In a solemn Navy tradition, USS Annapolis (SSN
760) fulfilled Irene‘s wish.
As the Los Angeles Class, fast-attack submarine
transited from its homeport in Groton, Conn., to a
shipyard maintenance period in Kittery, Maine,
Annapolis paused near the last known location of
Thresher.
With engines and all unnecessary work stopped,
lights dimmed to low-level, and the national ensign
lowered to half-mast, Annapolis Executive Officer, Lt.
Cmdr. Jared Severson, conducted a religious service
and the committal of Irene‘s cremains. A gun salute
and the playing of taps concluded the ceremony.
The chance to fulfill a Navy widow‘s wish, honor a
Submariner who had made the ultimate sacrifice, and
reflect on the loss of Thresher, was an important
opportunity for the entire Annapolis crew, said the
submarine‘s Commanding Officer Cmdr. Kurt Balagna.
―To reunite Cmdr. and Mrs. Harvey at sea was an
honor,‖ stated Balagna.
It was also somber, he said, as he thought about
Thresher‘s loss due to a series of catastrophic events
while conducting sea trials. After Annapolis‘ shipyard
period, the submarine and crew will be conducting
similar trials.
―My crew will be in a similar situation in two years
when Annapolis conducts its own sea trials,‖ noted
Balagna. ―The burial reminds us that submarining is a
dangerous business and it‘s every Submariner‘s
responsibility to remain vigilant and alert to ensure the
safety of everyone aboard.
Such vigilance is the foundation of the Submarine
Safety Program (SUBSAFE), instituted on Dec. 20,
1963, after the loss of Thresher, said Annapolis‘ Chief
of the Boat, Master Chief Jason Avin.
―The men who lost their lives on USS Thresher
paved the way for submarine force safety and process
improvement,‖ said Avin.
13
SUBSAFE provides maximum reasonable
assurance that a U.S Navy submarine maintains
watertight integrity and the ability to surface should a
boat experience flooding.
―By doing things right every day and staying
vigilant, we do our best to honor the Sailors who took
Thresher on eternal patrol,‖ assured Avin.
For Bruce Harvey, Annapolis has done more than
that; Annapolis honored his father and mother by
reuniting them on eternal patrol.
————————————————————————
A Couple of New T-Shirts for Your Collection!
STIMSON MEMORIAL BENCH LOCATED AT
PATRIOT’S POINT COLD WAR MEMMORIAL IN
CHARLESTON SC
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