NEWS-04: SUBMARINE WAR PATROL REPORTSSubmitted by: Pat Householder on 2/19/2009--------------------------------------------------------- At the end of each war patrol of WW II, submarine commanders created a report on the patrol. These reports were used as the raw material to inform intelligence, improve tactics, evaluate commanders, etc.During WW II, over 1,550 patrol reports containing approximately 63,000 pages were generated. During the 1970s these were photographed and reproduced on microfilm to make them more easily accessible and easily reproduced (approx. 250 rolls).During 2008 a copy of this microfilm was scanned into digital format (110 GB), and in 2009 it was made available online here (14 GB). These war patrol reports were written during a deadly, bitterly fought war. Please note that there may be some references to enemy forces that may be offensive in today's context.BRAVO ZULU to John Clear and Dan Martini who did all the work on getting these reports copied by a commercial outfit off of microfiche from theUndersea Museum in Keyport, Washington where John works part time. Dan also lives in Washington but in the Tri-City area.This site contains all WWII patrol reports and it's free!http://hnsa.org/doc/subreports.htm

NEWS-02: TROUT BASE, Arriving!Submitted by: Pat Householder NC on 2/12/2009---------------------------------------------------------Congratulations to David 'Chili' Chilcott, BC of the newly chartered TROUT BASE in Twin Falls, ID. We all wish David and his crew 'Fair Winds and following Seas.'BZ as well to Chuck Riley, District Commander, in seeing that the necessary steps were completed in this new Base forming evolution.The base is off to a good start, with a solid cadre of 10 members and a USSVI base website as well.You can wish "Chili" well with an email to chiliicss@yahoo.com.Their base website is attached.http://www.ussvi.org/base/Trout.asp Twin was our home for nine years. We were members of "The Idaho Spud Chapter, WWII." I was the president of the Magic Valley Writers involved with writing for newspapers and magazines, plus I supplied illustrations for the local newsletter and the state newsletter, "The Idaho Writers League."

Branson Submarine Memorial Patch Project:

I am pleased to report a truly remarkable progess report. As of today and thanks to the contributions and donations of so many on sending us patches we have now completed our task (if all those listed as coming are received). I want to thank everyone for their response, patches, support it has been humbling to have this herculean task finished so quickly.. The submarine family and friends have been awesome and shown a remarkable outpouring for their project the Branson Museum honor to the submarines of WWII. Now Sue and I have the task of doing the layouts of five displays (the lost boat one has been completed and have sent a picture below of it). Then the labeliing of each, affixing to the PVC board, installing in our shadow box, and readying them for shipment to Branson. We are now a month or so ahead of schedule and know that we will have them in Branson for unveiling on October 8 2009 at the Sterlet Association Reunion Oct 7-11. Thank you so much everyone and Mr Hoppe owner Veteran's Museum in Branson, his Geneal Manager June Tillis, Debbie Chesnakov of the Branson Chamber of Commerce, BC Patch Co.(Barry Commons), St. Mary's Museum (John Crouse) and so many others. We will have a plaque in the display of all donors or those named by donors to honor them when viewers see the display. Dick Jarenski/Sue Rainey USS STERLET SS392 Association Branson Submarine Memorial Patch Project Coordinators Submitted by Kirk Smith 2-17-2009

NEWS-10: AIMM/USSVCF Library comes through!Submitted by: Pat Householder on 2/9/2009---------------------------------------------------------When the Navy Needs Something Historical, Who do they Call?No, They Don't Call Ghostbusters! They Call AIMM! (Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum: USS Razorback)Recently, the PAO of a West Coast Submarine Group contacted AIMM with a request.They needed a copy of an article published over 15 years ago in the Submarine Review, which is published by the Naval Submarine League in Washington, DC.Thanks to the efforts of Ron Martini of the USSVI and the work of the AIMM staff, the AIMM / USSVI Library is one of the few places in the world with a complete set of back issues of Submarine Review, and the AIMM website is the only place on the Internet with a complete index of the articles in all the issues.They were able to locate the article, scan it as a PDF file, and sent it off via e-mail the same morning that the request came in.Click the link for more info...http://aimm.museum/library.asp

... AETN'S is still accepting applications from World War II Veterans who wish to tell their stories and have them preserved for posterity. If you're interested (and I hope you will ALL consider it!), you can read more about it here: http://www.intheirwords.org/the_project/how_to_get_involved.A list of sample questions and an interview application form are attached (Adobe Reader required). You can also apply online, at http://www.intheirwords.org/the_project/how_to_get_involved/interview_application. Submitted by Suzan Kaye

The ice nightmare of January 2009: My husband a WWII Submarine Veteran said the sounds reminded him of another time. I will try to recount last week's storm from a World War II Submarine as the crew heard signs of an enemy approaching. They dove 350 feet where they hunkered down. We sat silently waiting for the next popping sounds of a near hit. First we could hear the groans and crackling of the torpedoes (ice coated tree limbs or trees breaking) approaching us. We sat silent, holding our breath waiting for the deadly thump. A little to the left, a little to the right, would it hit us straight on or it drop with a loud crush to the ground below. I watched the ceiling waiting for some of the louder cracking and swooshing sounds to hit its target. Several appeared to hit and bounce off, except for two. One pierced a small hole in the After Torpedo Room (our bedroom) and another came through the Officers Quarters, (a glass window on the front porch). A couple of days later when the world outside went silent we surfaced to check on the damage. Damage surrounded us. The sun came out and so did another enemy loaded down with bullets (large pieces of ice) coming from all directions where we had to duck and run for shelter. That remained for two days before it passed. We again examining the damage. We have reached a safe harbor where we are now busy on work detail to restore our world, and hope to sail again in peaceful and safe times.