Published monthly by the USS Razorback
Base of the United States Submarine
Veterans, Inc.
Base Commander, Bill Hollaway
501-758-3266; retldousn@earthlink.net
Editor, Alan Malone
501-362-2623; dollarway@peoplepc.com
Commanders Corner
^^^^^
May is off to a great start with the base
and continuing restoration work on
RAZORBACK. Ray Wewers, Bill
Garrison, John Albers, Tom Salisbury
and Greg Schwerman continue to make
progress on getting the electrical
problems worked out. The city put in
three phase AC power week before last
and quick as a wink they had three of
four recirc fans up and running. You can
sure tell the difference too! Work
continues on the fourth in the ATR.
Greg Zonner has been officially hired as
Director of A.I.M.M. and immediately
was faced with some bureaucratic issues
with the Coast Guard and Corps of
Engineers. It seems that most have been
worked out in written policies and an
inspection will be conducted before 14
May to ensure compliance. This was
necessary before public tours could be
started on 15 May. This caused some
problems with other groups being able to
tour the boat and I offer an apology for
that, but it was out of our control. .
May is a busy month for our
members with the annual picnic on May
20 and 21 at Lake Dardanelle State Park
in Russellville. A short business
meeting will be conducted prior to lunch.
These have turned out to be enjoyable
with plenty of good food and friendship.
If you haven’t made plans, consider
joining us for the day. Check details on
the website and this newsletter.
Memorial Day ceremonies will start on
Monday, May 30 with the wreath
ceremony on the Broadway Street
Bridge, North Little Rock followed by
the state ceremonies at the National
May 2005
Cemetery in Little Rock. If you plan to
attend, the bridge activity starts at 1000.
Parking is available on the North Little
Rock side near the foot of the bridge.
Following the cemetery, those who
choose to participate are welcome to
attend our wreath dedication at the USS
SNOOK Memorial located behind the
MacArthur Military Museum, 9th Street,
Little Rock, AR (exit off I-30, go west
for one block and the museum is on the
left.
The base has two new officers,
Greg Schwerman, Base Treasurer and R.
B. Casto, Base Chaplain. They are great
people and will do well in their new
positions. Please give them your hardy
support and congratulations when you
see them.
Our May 7th work day went
very well with a good work force in
attendance. There is still work to do, but
will be ongoing until completed even
with tours.
May is also the month we
remember the loss of USS SCORPION
(SSN 589). The boat was returning from
operations in the Mediterranean to her
homeport of Norfolk, VA and was
declared lost on May 28, 1968 with all
99 personnel on board. Many theories
have been published as to the cause for
the loss, but none have been official to
date. Her hull was found near the
Azores Islands in approximately 10,000
feet of water. The loss of SCORPION is
especially sad for me as I rode her on a
Northern Atlantic operation in 1964 and
there were three crewmembers still on
board at the time of her loss; TMCS(SS)
Walter Bishop COB, QMCS(SS) Joseph
Mazucchi and SD2(SS) Joe Cross. It
was sort of ironic that a year after her
loss, I was on USS PERMIT (SSN 594)
on a Northern Pacific operation and there
were three of us on PERMIT who had
also been on SCORPION in 1964.
Look forward to seeing you
either at Russellville, Little Rock/North
Little Rock or both. Don’t forget the
2005 National Convention in Kansas
City. It appears that USS
RAZORBACK’s contingent is growing
and there is plenty of room for you.
Billy
^^^^^
A husband is someone who,
after taking out the trash,
gives the impression that
he just cleaned the whole
house.
^^^^^
Editor
Thank you for your input on which
newsletter to submit for the possible
award. We submitted December
2004 for consideration. Without
your inputs, we couldn’t even have
been under consideration.
Alan Malone
^^^^^
USS SCORPION (SSN-589)
Assigned to SubRon5, SubDiv62, USS SCORPION (SSN-589) departed New London, Connecticut, on 24 August 1960 for a two-month
deployment in European waters. During that period, she participated in exercises with units of the 6th Fleet and of other NATO navies. After
returning to New England in late October, she trained along the eastern seaboard until May 1961; then crossed the Atlantic again for operations
which took her into the summer. On 9 August, she returned to New London and, a month later, shifted to Norfolk, Virginia.
With Norfolk her home port for the remainder of her career, SCORPION specialized in the development of nuclear submarine warfare tactics.
Varying her role from hunter to hunted, she participated in exercises which ranged along the Atlantic coast and in the Bermuda and Puerto
Rican operating areas; then, from June 1963 to May 1964, she interrupted her operations for an overhaul in Charleston, South Carolina.
Resuming duty off the eastern seaboard in late spring, she again interrupted that duty from 4 August to 8 October to make a transatlantic patrol.
In the spring of 1965, she conducted a similar patrol.
During the late winter and early spring of 1966, and again in the fall, she was deployed for special operations. Following the completion of those
assignments, her commanding officer received the Navy Commendation Medal for outstanding leadership, foresight, and professional skill.
Other SCORPION officers and men were cited for meritorious achievement.
On 1 February 1967, SCORPION entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for another extended overhaul. In late October, she commenced
refresher training and weapons system acceptance tests. Following type training out of Norfolk, she got underway on 15 February 1968 for a
Mediterranean deployment. She operated with the 6th Fleet, into May, then headed west. On 21 May, she indicated her position to be about 50
miles south of the Azores. Six days later, she was reported overdue at Norfolk.
A search was initiated; but, on 2 June, SCORPION and all hands were declared, "presumed lost." Her name was stuck from the Navy List on
30 June 1968.
The search continued, however and, at the end of October, the Navy's oceanographic research ship, Mizar, located sections of SCORPION's
hull in more than 10,000 feet of water about 400 miles southwest of the Azores. Subsequently, the Court of Inquiry was reconvened and other
vessels, including the submersible, Trieste, were dispatched to the scene, but, despite the myriad of data and pictures collected and studied,
the cause of the loss remains a mystery.
SCORPION is in two major sections. The forward hull section including the torpedo room and most of the operations compartment is located in a
trench that was formed by the impact of the hull section with the bottom. The sail is detached. The aft hull section including the reactor compartment
and engine room is located in a separate trench that was formed by the impact of the hull section with the bottom. The aft section of the engine room
is inserted forward into a larger diameter hull section in a manner similar to a telescope.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS: There were two Mark 45 ASTOR torpedoes with nuclear warheads aboard SCORPION when she was lost in 1968. The
warheads were low-yield tactical nuclear weapons. The special nuclear material from the warheads has not been recovered.
The most likely scenario is that the plutonium and uranium core of these weapons has corroded to a heavy, insoluble material soon after the sinking
and remains at or close to its original location inside the torpedo room of the submarine. If the corroded materials were released outside the
submarine, their large specific gravity and insolubility would cause them to settle in the sediment.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING: Comprehensive deep ocean radiological monitoring operations were conducted in August and September
1986 at the SCORPION site. The SCORPION site had been previously monitored in 1968 and 1979 and none of the samples obtained showed any
evidence of release of radioactivity from the reactor fuel elements.
Treasurer Report for April
BEGINNING BALANCE:
$3543.25
DEPOSITS:
NATIONAL DUES COLLECTED
40.00
BASE DUES COLLECTED
20.00
STORES
222.00
MISC.
80.00
TOTAL DEPOSITS:
$362.00
EXPENCES:
NATIONAL DUES PAID
$ 40.00
PAID TO CONVENTION
500.00
FOOD FOR CAMP OUT
150.00
TOTAL EXPENCES:
$690.00
ENDING BALANCE
$3215.25
Submitted by
Greg Schwerman
Base Treasurer
^^^^^
WHAT WILL IT TAKE?
This group of Submarine
Veterans and USS RAZORBACK
Base have come a long way since
that very first meeting at Carl
Schmidt’s house in September of
2000. Our membership has
grown substantially as has our
stature and it has taken the efforts
of many to make this happen.
When complaints were
voiced that the Jacksonville VFW
wasn’t the best meeting place, we
moved elsewhere. Statements
were made about the meeting
agenda being the same old thing,
so we formed an Activities
Committee and started providing
some variety. Some members
complained that everything
happened only in the Little Rock
area, so we planned activities in
Russellville, Muskogee, OK, Hot
Springs, and Springdale.
Unfortunately, the same
problem keeps cropping up; the
many mentioned above have been
more than willing to do whatever
it took to get more members
involved. WHAT WILL IT
TAKE to get you involved?
We are hosting the
National Submarine Veterans’
Convention in September of
2006. At the first planning
committee meeting on March 26
there were thirteen people present
who volunteered to serve in some
capacity. We have offers from a
VFW and American Legion group
to help out. WHAT WILL IT
TAKE to get your help? Surely
we can provide Submarine
Veterans from our base to help
carry this off and use those
volunteers if needed.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE
to get you to come join us at the
picnic in Russellville or the
Memorial Day activities in Little
Rock? Maybe you would like to
see the Traveler’s play a baseball
game on Friday, June 10th?
Last year we formed a
restoration committee so as to
provide a list of what needed to
be completed on the boat, how
best to approach the tasks and
who was best suited to do the
work. Several of those tasks have
been completed or are currently in
progress with more being
discussed. If you haven’t been
down to North Little Rock
WHAT WILL IT TAKE to get
you to pay a visit USS
RAZORBACK on a work day or
tour day. If you can’t give us a
hand or don’t want to work, that
is okay. So many of our members
here in Arkansas are known only
by name and your visit would
allow us to meet you and see who
you are. Who knows, you might
even find it to be enjoyable. Most
of us have a pretty good time on
Saturdays and believe it or not,
we get some things accomplished.
My question to you is
WHAT WILL IT TAKE?
Billy
^^^^^
A salesman, tired of his
job, gave it up to become a
policeman.
Several months later, a
friend asked him how he
liked his new role.
"Well," he replied, "the
pay is good and the hours
aren't bad, but what I
like best is that the
customer is always wrong."
^^^^^
RAZORBACK BASE
ACTIVITIES
MAY 20-21, 2005---ANNUAL
CAMPOUT-RUSSELLVILLE
WE HAVE THREE RV
SPACES RESERVED—TO
GET YOUR NAME ON ONE
CALL
LAKE DARDANELLE STATE
PARK—(479-967-5516)
SPACE 33 AND 35 DON ‘T
HAVE SEWER HOOKUP—
COST
IS
$8.02/NIGHT
INCLUDING TAX.
SPACE 34 HAS FULL
HOOKUP—COST IS
$11.89/NIGHT INCLUDING
TAX. THESE COSTS ARE
BASED ON HAVING A
GOLDEN AGE PASSPORT.
ASK FOR SPACES
RESERVED FOR SUBVET
GROUP OR RAY WEWERS.
JUNE 10, 2005---NIGHT AT
THE BALLPARK—RAY
WINDER FIELD, LITTLE
ROCK---1800
^^^^^
She leaves him on the couch when
the phone rings and is back
in a few seconds.
"Who was it?" he asked.
"My husband," she replied.
"I better get going," he said "Where
is he?"
"Relax, he'll be late... he's playing
poker with you."
^^^^^
^^^^^
Things that should have been left
unsaid.
"Man will never reach the moon
regardless of all future scientific
advances." -- Dr. Lee DeForest,
Inventor of TV
"The bomb will never go off. I speak
as an expert in explosive." -- Admiral
William Leahy, US Atomic Bomb
Project
"There is no likelihood man can ever
tap the power of the atom." -- Robert
Millikan, Nobel Prize in Physics,
1923
"Computers in the future may weigh
no more than 1.5 tons." -- Popular
Mechanics, forecasting the relentless
march of science, 1949
FLAG DONATION
If you recall I issued a general challenge
to any seamstresses in our membership
to step forward and stitch a USS SNOOK
WWII ship's battle flag. That was
answered in short by the Mason family of
California. I received the battle flag last
Friday and will present it to the base at
the picnic in Russellville this month. It is
beautiful and professionally done, and it
didn't cost $ 500.00 or $0.05. It was
donated by the seamstress.
A special thanks goes to Peggy Mason
Ladenburg for making this flag for us.
Billy Holloway
"I think there is a world market for
maybe five computers." -- Thomas
Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
"But what ... is it good for?" -Engineer at the Advanced
Computing Systems Division of IBM,
1968, commenting on the microchip.
"640K ought to be enough for
anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981
"This 'telephone' has too many
shortcomings to be seriously
considered as a means of
communication. The device is
inherently of no value to us," -Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"The concept is interesting and wellformed, but in order to earn better
than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible,"
-- A Yale University management
professor in response to Fred
Smith's paper proposing reliable
overnight delivery service. (Smith
went on to found Federal Express
Corp.)
^^^^^
"I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable
who's falling on his face and not
Gary Cooper," -- Gary Cooper on his
decision not to take the leading role
in "Gone With The Wind."
"A cookie store is a bad idea.
Besides, the market research reports
say America likes crispy cookies, not
soft and chewy cookies like you
make," -- Response to Debbi Fields'
idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.
"We don't like their sound, and guitar
music is on the way out," -- Decca
Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles,
1962.
"If I had thought about it, I wouldn't
have done the experiment. The
literature was full of examples that
said you can't do this," -- Spencer
Silver on the work that led to the
unique adhesives for 3-M "Post-It"
Notepads.
"Stocks have reached what looks like
a permanently high plateau." -- Irving
Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale
University, 1929.
"I don't know what use any one could
find for a machine that would make
copies of documents. It certainly
couldn't be a feasible business by
itself." -- the head of IBM, refusing to
back the idea, forcing the inventor to
found Xerox
"The abdomen, the chest, and the
brain will forever be shut from the
intrusion of the wise and humane
surgeon," -- Sir John Eric Ericksen,
British surgeon, appointed SurgeonExtraordinary to Queen Victoria
1873.
and last but not least...
"There is no reason anyone would
want a computer in their home." -Ken Olson, president, chairman and
founder of Digital Equipment Corp.,
1977
^^^^^
COIN
The following is the coin designed for
our base. Please let Billy Holloway
know if you’re interested before we have
them stamped. They will retail for about
$5 each.
Now only $49.95
Or special Base price of $37.50 in
lots of 5 or more.
The emblem is an oval shape with
USSVI dolphins and says “Sailor Rest
Your Oars…..An Honored Shipmate”
above and below the USSVI emblem.
^^^^^
Submarine News
Official report: Leadership,
navigation errors
led to San Francisco
accident
By William H. McMichael
NavyTimes Staff Writer
May 9, 2005
^^^^^
VENDOR OFFERS GRAVE
MARKER
SUBMARINE SHOP.COM
1723 DE SMET
SHERIDAN, WY 82801
We are proud to be an authorized USSVI
vendor. We hope you consider having
us quote your base needs. We can make
anything with your base name on it. We
have access to over 4000 vendors and
can supply your needs!
Also, due to the popularity of our bronze
grave marker, we have been able to
reduce the price.
A wonderful way to honor departed
shipmates, this plaque is made of solid
bronze and is designed to be affixed to
the headstone or the grave curbing.
5 ½ x 4 ½ inches
It was $89.95
Failures of command leadership and the
sub’s navigation team were the sole
cause of the attack submarine San
Francisco’s Jan. 8 collision with an
undersea mountain, the Navy has
concluded in its official investigative
report. The sub struck the sea mount
while traveling full speed near the
Pacific Ocean’s Caroline Islands at a
depth of 525 feet, killing one sailor,
injuring dozens of others and crushing
the sub’s bow, causing more than $88
million in damage and leaving the 24year-old sub’s future in doubt.
Specifically, an investigating officer and
three admirals who reviewed the report
concluded that then-San Francisco
commanding officer Cmdr. Kevin
Mooney and his navigation team failed
to develop and execute a safe voyage
plan, then failed to exercise enough
caution while transiting through a region
dotted with steep undersea volcanoes.
The Navy’s Pacific Fleet released the
124-page report at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Saturday to organizations it said had
requested a copy through the Freedom of
Information Act. The initial report was
completed Feb. 3 but release was
delayed for official review and the
deletion of material deemed sensitive.
The report will be made available to the
general public May 9.While the admirals
were unanimous in blaming Mooney and
his navigation team, they also
equivocated slightly. In his endorsement
of the report, Vice Adm. Jonathan W.
Greenert, commander of 7th Fleet, noted
that the sea mount struck by the sub was
not on the primary chart being used at
the time of the mishap and that
“opportunities exist for systemic
improvement in functional (formal and
on-the-job training) and administrative
(directives and inspections) areas.
”But he also found that the sub had other
charts onboard that did indicate a sea
mount within 2.87 miles of the sub’s
“intended track” but that the charts were
not properly reviewed during the
planning process. “I find it difficult to
conclude absolutely that grounding could
have been avoided,” Greenert wrote. “It
is absolutely clear to me, however, that if
command leadership and the navigation
team followed basic specified procedures
and exercised prudent navigation
practices, they would have been aware of
imminent navigation hazards and
therefore [been] compelled to operate the
ship more prudently. “At a minimum, the
grounding would not have been as
severe.”
Mooney, Greenert said, failed to
consider all available navigation
information, which Greenert felt would
have caused the sub commander to take
a more conservative approach in a region
“potentially hazardous to navigation.”
Instead, he said that neither Mooney nor
his navigation team “exercised due
care,” and that Mooney decided instead
to operate the sub at maximum speed
without exercising enough caution on a
voyage track that included “several
islands, atolls and rapidly shoaling
areas.”
Those cautionary measures, Greenert
said, could have included stationing
additional navigation watchstanders,
establishing limits on speed and depth
and reducing the navigational sounding
interval to more frequently check on
variations in depth. Mooney declined to
comment on the report, other than to
provide a written statement to Navy
Times that read: “I accept responsibility
for the grounding as the ship’s CO.”
Mooney was relieved of his command by
Greenert Feb. 12 and is now assigned to
an unspecified position in Washington
state.
Greenert also criticized the executive
officer and navigation team, saying their
“failure to adequately and critically
review applicable publications and
available charts led to submission of an
ill-advised voyage plan and hindered the
commanding officer’s ability to make
fully informed safety-of-ship decisions.”
The navigation team consisted of
Mooney and several officers and enlisted
sailors whose names were deleted from
the report. They included the sub’s
executive officer and navigator, and
three enlisted electronics technicians: the
assistant navigator, a senior chief petty
officer; the navigation supervisor, a first
class petty officer; and the quartermaster
of the watch, a second class petty officer.
The entire navigation team and one other
enlisted sailor received nonjudicial
punishment March 22, with punishments
ranging from reductions in rate to
punitive letters of reprimand. The crew’s
voyage planning process began Jan. 4
when, according to the report, the 7th
Fleet Submarine Operating Authority, or
SubOpAuth, issued a basic track or
“moving haven” for the sub to follow on
a voyage from Guam to Brisbane,
Australia. The track also includes a
rough timeline the sub is expected to
follow. The information, contained in
what submariners call a “subnote,”
allows the SubOpAuth to roughly track
the submarine while underway and to
ensure no other submarines are operating
within its moving haven in order to
reduce the risk of collision.
The subnote did not make note of any
navigation hazards along the route, the
report said. But nearly all information
regarding the preparation and approval
of the subnote is blacked out in the
media copy of the Navy’s report.
Information deleted includes historical
data on other subnotes issued in the
preceding five years, presumably for that
general route; details included in a larger
scale map of the Caroline Islands; and
quotes from interviewees regarding their
understanding of the subnote’s
preparation and planning.
The San Francisco was due to deploy
three days later, and Mooney and the
sub’s navigation team wanted the
subnote much sooner. The assistant
navigator complained to the SubOpAuth
that they needed to get subnotes out
more quickly “because the review
process will fall down because we don’t
have enough time to get everything
done. … ”Yet the assistant navigator felt
confident about the basic track, saying
an official contact at the SubOpAuth told
him that “other submarines had used this
track previously.”
Mooney wasn’t as confident initially,
saying of his initial review of the track,
“I was concerned about the path. … I
was familiar with the Caroline Islands as
being a region that was going to be a
concern to drive through.” But later,
Mooney felt better about the route,
considering that he’d be in the middle of
a 40-mile-wide moving haven “that
didn’t have any navigation hazards on
it.” The navigation team was relying on a
bottom contour chart labeled E2202 that
includes historical sounding data for the
region. To the team, the area where the
sub ultimately grounded was a flat spot.
The team, including Mooney, did not
look at a 1989 chart, DMA 81023, that
contains a dotted-line circle labeled
“discolored water” that was on the sub’s
track — and which actually is about
three miles south of where the mishap
occurred. The discolored water indicates
a potential hazard. Mooney told the
investigator that he expected his
navigator to examine every available
chart on a given route, and that he wasn’t
shown DMA 81023 and didn’t ask if
another chart for that area existed.
According to the report, Mooney also
said he considered charts containing
sounding data to be significantly better.
But he also said that, in retrospect, he
thought his navigation team “should
have laid our track down on the 81023
chart … they should have looked around
for navigation hazards, and then
transferred them over to the chart.” At
one point during the planning process,
the navigation supervisor pulled DMA
81023 out of a drawer on the sub, looked
at it but decided its detail was inferior to
E2202. He put it back. Later, the
assistant navigator looked at E2202 for
15 minutes but apparently did not notice
the area of discolored water — the result
of an incorrectly charted 1963 sighting.
The sea mount’s exact location was
known, however, but not to the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the
government group that produces all U.S.
military charts and maps. It was
indicated on a 1999 Landsat 7 satellite
image indicating a likely undersea
mountain rising to within 100 feet of the
surface, according to the U.S. Geological
Survey’s National Center for Earth
Resource Observation and Science. In
addition, a shallow danger spot
correlating to the incorrectly charted
discolored water spot was loaded on a
digital nautical chart loaded in the sub’s
digital navigation system.
According to the report, “no
watchstander noticed it.” Once in the
Carolines on the night of Jan. 7-8,
Mooney’s night orders called for depth
soundings and a positional fix to be
taken every 15 minutes. Deviations
between actual and charted soundings
would be cause for alarm, officials say.
On Jan. 8, the 0645 sounding showed a
depth beneath the keel of 832 fathoms,
or 4,992 feet. According to the chart, it
should have read between 7,200-7,800
feet. The discrepancy was not noted. The
last recorded sounding in the sub’s
fathometer log, taken at 1130, was 6,192
feet beneath the keel. Soundings in the
preceding hour had been “trending
shallower” but were consistent with
E2202.Details regarding indications of
depth and speed at the time of the
grounding — 1138 — are blacked out in
the report.
On Feb. 5, the National GeospatialIntelligence Agency issued a Notice to
Mariners to “add danger circle” at the
longitude and latitude where the San
Francisco struck the sea mount. That
same month, Navy submarine commands
began briefing all sub commanders on
“the importance of following standard,
proven procedures for voyage planning
and safe navigation” and formed a team
to comprehensively review all aspects of
submarine navigation, said Lt. Cmdr.
Jeff Davis of Pacific Fleet Submarine
Force.
The study included a “thorough review
of navigation voyage planning
procedures,” he said. The report holds
NGA blameless, noting only that, in the
future, all critical navigational hazards
should be included on soundings charts
such as E2202. The investigator’s
opinions regarding the performance of
the 7th Fleet SubOpAuth are largely
blacked out of the report. Mooney and
his navigation team were held wholly
responsible for the mishap. “The
investigation reveals a series of bad
judgments, faulty assumptions, poor
attention to detail, and complacency
among the navigation department, watch
standers, and command leadership,”
wrote Adm. Walter Doran, Pacific Fleet
commander, in his endorsement of the
report.
“But for outstanding damage control
efforts and post-grounding leadership,
this event could have had far more
disastrous consequences.” Greenert
agreed with the latter, offering praise not
only for the crew’s successful efforts to
save the sub and return safely to Guam,
but also for Mooney’s prior record and
performance. “Although the grounding
incident compelled me to punish
(Mooney) and remove him from
command, in my opinion it does not
negate 19 years of exemplary service,”
the admiral wrote. “Prior to the
grounding incident, USS San Francisco
demonstrated a trend of continuing
improvement and compiled an
impressive record of achievement under
(Mooney’s) leadership.”
William H. McMichael is the Hampton
Roads bureau chief for Navy Times.
^^^^^
Update of work on Razorback
Excerpted from Email from Billy
Holloway
Air Conditioning and Heating System
- Ray has gotten a promise of
equipment being donated from a
company in Russellville. The biggest
problem seems to be whether it
should replace the ship's system or
augment it. There appears to be
good ideas either way but one would
likely prove to be more costly and
that is something the museum
doesn't have an abundance of;
money. I suggested that Ray and
Jim Barnes each provide a short
description of the outboard and
inboard concepts so that everyone
understands what has to be
completed to make the system work.
Personnel Accessibility - As I
mentioned before, the necessity to
provide better accessibility for
tourists is a reality. The problem is
how to do it without making the boat
look like something other than what it
is. Apparently, the other 17
submarines with the exception of
COD in Cleveland use stairs in the
forward and after torpedo rooms.
This also includes some sort of
doghouse structure over each
entrance for weather and security
considerations. As an interim
measure and allow some time to
study how big a problem this poses
for RAZORBACK it was
recommended that the ladders in
each torpedo room be modified such
that people would be better able to
climb down one and not be reaching
for assist bars, etc. Greg Zonner will
sketch something out and I agreed to
approach Jacksonville Steel in
Beebe to see about their making
them and donating them. All of us
have been witness to the difficulty
that some have going up and down
the existing ladders,
Radio Room - Greg Zonner will
contact Calvin Moon and Jim Barnes
will contact Jim Landers about
getting the radio equipment shipped
to North Little Rock and as much
installed as possible once it arrives.
There are efforts to establish an
amateur radio station on board.
Deck Tile - Ray has a source in
Russellville willing to donate 60
cases of acceptable tile. David
Dinwiddie, one of our members who
works for a flooring store in Pine
Bluff has been to a crash floor
floating course and will be asked to
float the deck. Prior to start-up of
these efforts, Jim Barnes will patch
the deck areas in the Forward
Torpedo Room, Control Room and
After Battery. Target date to start
and complete the tiling is the end of
May if possible.
I volunteered to videotape the
Conning Tower and Electronic Space
below control so as to provide tourist
with visual aids on areas not open for
tours.
Other than we all agreed that picking
up and doing some more cleaning
was necessary the above represents
the meeting agenda for April 23,
2005. Please feel free to comment
and make any recommendations you
feel appropriate. Thanks again to
all. Billy
^^^^^
Life Members Membership Card
This program offers all USSVI Life
Members the opportunity to have a
personalized membership card while
helping our SubVet Charitable
Foundation. The card will include a
picture of the submarine of your
choice (most choose their qual boat)
in return for a minimum $ 50.00
donation to the USSVCF.
For all the details, visit
http://www.ussvcf.org/gencard.htm
Contact Fred Borgmann at
ussvi@telebyte.net or call 877-5423483 for more details,
or mail your request along with your
check to USSVCF to:
US Submarine Veterans Charitable
Foundation
PO Box 3879
Silverdale WA 98383-3870
Be sure and specify which boat.
^^^^^
Hawgfish Scuttlebutt
In God We Trust
Alan Malone
734 Good Springs Rd.
Heber Springs, AR 72543
Our Creed
S-36 (SS-141)
Perch (SS-176)
S-39 (SS-144)
Grampus (SS-207)
Grenadier (SS-210)
Grayling (SS-209)
S-44 (SS-155)
Corvina (SS-226)
Scorpion (SS-278)
Tullibee (SS-284)
Golet (SS-361)
Filer (SS-250)
Darter (SS-227)
Escolar (SS-294)
Scamp (SS-277)
Kete (SS-369)
Lagarto (SS-317)
S-26 (SS-131)
S-27 (SS-132)
Argonaut (SS-166)
Triton (SS-201)
Runner (SS-275)
Pompano (SS-181)
Dorado (SS-248)
Scuplin (SS-191)
Grayback (SS-208)
Gugeon (SS-211)
S-28 (SS-133)
Harder (SS-257)
Shark II (SS-314)
Albacore (SS-218)
Swordfish (SS-193)
Trigger (SS-237)
Bonefish (SS-223)
WW II Boats on Eternal Patrol
"To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in
the pursuit of their duties while serving their Country. That their
dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of
motivation toward greater accomplishments. A pledge of loyalty and
patriotism to the United States Government."
Sealion (SS-195)
Shark I (SS-174)
Grunion (SS-216)
Amberjack (SS-219)
Pickerel (SS-177)
R-12 (SS-89)
Cisco (SS-290)
Wahoo (SS-238)
Capelin (SS-289)
Trout (SS-202)
Herring (SS-233)
Robalo (SS-273)
Seawolf (SS-197)
Tang (SS-306)
Growler (SS-215)
Barbel (SS-316)
Snook (SS-279)
Bullhead (SS-332)
Thresher (SSN-593)
Cold War Boats on Eternal Patrol
Scorpion (SSN-589)
Pledge of Allegiance
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."