WAR VETERAN STATUS FOR 2013

War Veteran Status for 2013


Submitted by: Alfred H Singleman Jr NJVC on 12/31/2012

------------------------------------------------------
Shipmates,

As of today we are 34 members over the 90% requirement for War Veteran Status. This means we good to go to take in Tax Deductable Donations for 2013. While checking the data base for War Veterans Status I noticed some Bases are NOT including time in service info in the applications for new members. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU FILL IN ALL THE APPLICATION INFO AND MARK THE WAR VETERNN BOX IF THE MEMBER IS A WAR VET SO THE DATA BASE IS CORRECT. Not doing so will affect our War Veteran Status and we need your help in keeping the number over the 90% limit.

1945 Japanese Surrender

Japanese Surrender - Priceless - A Rare Record Of History


1945 - Japanese surrender - a keeper
This film is believed to have never been seen before, only shots of the surrender were known.
If you are a history buff you will enjoy this. General McArthur's voice is a rarity in these old film clips.
Japanese Surrender- Amazing Footage Sept 2, 1945.

This is a 'must see' for the WWII history buff or anyone interested in history.
Interesting - the other signers to the document, from New Zealand/Australia to Europe/Russia.
This is an actual film made of the surrender ceremony of the Japanese to General Douglas McArthur in Tokyo Bay in September, 1945 onboard the USS Missouri.
Actual voice of the General. Never been shown to the general public before.

We always saw the "stills" but never the film itself.
Click here: Japanese Surrender

USS SEA FOX

Billy F. Williams, RM3(SS) 45-46 aboard the Sea Fox, sailed on Eternal Patrol on

Friday, 21 Dec 2013.

William E. Lee USS Snook (SSN-592)

USSVI lost a very good friend and shipmate when William (Bill) E Lee shipped out on his final patrol today, Dec 10, 2012.

Bill qualified in submarines aboard the USS Snook (SSN-592) in 1962, and also served aboard USS John Calhoun and USS Scorpion. Bill was a MM2(SS) and ELT when he left the Navy.

In the course of his involvement in USSVI, Bill was Base Commander of the Lockwood Internet Base, Base Commanders Group Commander, National Constitution and Bylaws Chairman, Member of numerous other bases in various capacities (Tucson, Cyberspace, USS Marlin, Jefferson City), USSV Charitable Foundation Board of Directors member for several years, USSVI Online Submarine Memorial Manager, USSVI online Submarine School Class Photos manager. He was very data savvy and was always willing to help a shipmate with PC problems. He also worked with Tim VeArd and Pat Householder for years to improve the Decklog System, and maintained the USS Scorpion crew records in Decklog as well.

Most recently he was involved with the City of Omaha as Site Manager for Freedom Park (Military Museum) in Omaha, NE, the location of USS Marlin museum sub, and was actively involved in getting the sail of USS Omaha.

According to Mark Thompson of the USS Marlin base, He collapsed shortly after a meeting with the city concerning the erection of a memorial to the USS Omaha (SSN-692). He passed away shortly afterwards.

As all of us know, Bill was very active in many capacities. We knew him as a member of the Marlin Base and a key interface with the city parks department (primarily focused on Freedom Park), the local Boy Scout troops, and the USS Omaha memorial project. He was also very active in the Lockwood Base and a true historian/preservationist.

As a former USS Scorpion crew member, he had a unique perspective that truly exemplified the phrase, "Pride Runs Deep".

He will be sorely missed.

Mark
You stand relieved of your earthly duties, Bill. We who remain will carry on and maintain the watch.

PEARL HARBOR WAS BOMBED

DECEMBER 7, 1941 JAPANESE BOMB PEARL HARBOR

 Ervin  O. Schmidt RM1/C (SS)  USN-RET  before submarine service  (USS TORSK SS-423) was aboard the USS CALIFORNIA  moored at Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. Ninety-right crew members were lost and sixty-one was wounded. A motorized launch pulled Schmidt from the water. In the confusion he was listed as missing in action. Before his family learned differently, they held a funeral in his honor. This

information was provided by Mr. Schmidt for his story to be included in the book Submarine Stories of World War II.

PRAYERS FOR SHIPMATE PHILIPPS

I received this from Bob Philipps (70-71) concerning his father, “PP” Philipps (69-71).

More prayers for a shipmate and his family.
Geo.

George,
Not sure if you know yet but my dad was diagnosed with liver cancer. We admitted him to the James Cancer Center at Ohio State University. He had his first dose of chemo on 16 Nov and was released to go home on 19 Nov. Next dose is 13 Dec. It will be out patient so he will be going home afterwards. My sister and her husband are in Ohio with him and my mom are holding down the fort while he is undergoing cancer treatments.
Bob Philipps

PRAYERS FOR USS SEA FOX SHIPMATE

DAVID K KRAMER (53-56 SEA FOX Shipmate) has been diagnosed with lung cancer. His home is in Gresham, OR. He is being checked out this week to see if it has spread anywhere else. Probable operation following.  Prayers for him are requested.   Bill Zilar

Roy Moody Eternal Patrol

Although only C. Davis and I had the opportunity to meet him, I wanted to let you all know that Roy Moody passed on 6 Nov. He was 94 years of age. He qualified on USS Narwhal SS167 in 1941. He was a life member of USSVI, a Holland Club member, and had been a member of SVWWII.

Kirk Smith

This took place when Kirk  welcomed Roy as a member of the Holland Club.

                                   

We knew Roy and his wife Ruth. The last time we seen them we enjoyed breakfast with them at Greer's Ferry during an Arkansas World War II Submarine Veterans meeting. Melvin T. Smith & Mary Ann Smith

 

Brotherhood Fund in USSVCF

FLASH-01: East Coast Shipmates


Submitted by: T. Michael Bircumshaw on 10/31/2012

------------------------------------------------------

Shipmates,

I am personally concerned about the status of our members and have tried to call many of my Shipmates, with seriously limited success, as to how they are doing back on the East Coast.

I strongly urge any and all Base Officers to do what you can to communicate with and ascertain the condition of all Base members in this time of distress.

This is one of those times when the "Phone Tree" or the "Sea Daddy Program" can get the job done. I would appreciate any information about our members. Additionally, I want to remind you of the availability of assistance from the Brotherhood Fund in USSVCF (charitable foundation).

Please direct all requests for assistance to PNC John Peters at PetersJ007@hawaii.rr.com or call direct to 808-484-9748



My thoughts and prayers are with all of you in the affected areas..

Fraternally,

Michael

Branson's Veterans Week/Submarine Veterans

Gents,


The TJC base is once again holding a Tolling ceremony at Branson Landing in Branson Mo during the Branson Veterans Week. We are scheduled to start the ceremony at 1900 on 10 November 2012.

We have held this public ceremony for the past several years, and have invited all USSVI bases within a reasonable driving distance to attend. We usually get the word out much sooner, but I'm a bit behind this year.We have some good rates at the Ramada Inn on the strip, $49/night. These rates apply before and after the 10th, and they still have some rooms availible. Call 417-334-1000, and mention Topeka-Jefferson City Submarine Veterans to get the rates.

Here's a link to the Veterans Week: http://www.explorebranson.com/loves/
and here's a link to the hotel:http://www.ramada.com/hotels/missouri/branson/ramada-resort-and-conference-center/hotel-overvieYou can contact me at 573-230-7120 or contact Jay Everitt at 918-786-8851 as needed for additional information.

Hope to see some of you there- Ed Irwin

BC,TJC Base

Submarines World War II History

LtCdr. Francis White was the only skipper who lost two

submarines in combat, the S-39 and the S-44.

The IJN I-176 (Cdr. KosaburoYamaguchi) was the only
Japanese boat to sink an American
submarine (Corvina) during the war.

The last Japanese submarine to be sunk in the Pacific, the
I-373, was torpedoed by Spikefish (Monaghan) on the
morning of 13 Aug. 1945, in the East China Sea.

As late as July 1945 Japanese guns on the cliffs of Lombok
Strait shelled the Loggerhead as she proceeded through the
strait on the surface.

In July 1945 Bugara (Schade) operating in the Gulf of
Siam, sank 12 junks, 24 schooners, 16 coasters, 3 sea
trucks and one naval auxiliary, all by gunfire.

In the early morning hours of June 22, 1945, Barb,
(Fluckey) fired a dozen 5-inch rockets into the town of
Hokkaido from 5000 yards off shore.

A Japanese prisoner, recovered from a wrecked aircraft by
Atule (Mauer) had the following items in his pockets: 7
packs of Jap cigarettes, 1 pack of British cigarettes,
calling cards, ration books, club tickets, diary, note
book, flight record and two magnetic detector tracers,
with notes concerning them, a thick wad of money, a vial
of perfume and a number of other personal items.

On the night of 8-9 December 1944, in a coordinated attack
with Sea Devil, Redfish heavily damaged the aircraft
carrier Hayataka; ten days later she sank the newly built
carrier Unryo.

When Robalo was sunk, presumably by a mine, on 26 July
1944, five of her crew swam ashore and were captured by
Japanese military police and jailed for guerrilla
activity. They were evacuated by a Jap destroyer on 15
August and never heard from again.

On 27 Oct. 1944 Rock fired 9 torpedoes at Darter, stranded
on Bombay Shoal.

In Feb. 1943 Tautog (Sieglaff) laid mines off Balikpapan,
Borneo. In April 1944, the Jap destroyer Amagiri struck
one of these mines and sank. This was the same destroyer
which rammed the PT-109, commanded by J.F.Kennedy.

The first boat to be equipped with QLA sonar for locating
mines, was Tinosa.

When Admiral Nimitz assumed command of the Pacific Fleet
in Jan. 1942, he raised his flag on the submarine
Grayling. Relinquishing command nearly four years later,
he lowered his flag on the submarine Menhaden.

America's first Japanese POW was sub-Lieut. Sakamaki,
captured when his midget submarine, launched from the
I-18, struck a reef in Kaneohe Bay and he swam ashore and
surrendered.

The second Japanese submarine sunk, a midget caught inside
Pearl Harbor and sunk by the seaplane tender Curtiss, was
later raised. Too badly damaged for intricate examination,
it was used as fill-in material in the construction of a
new pier at the submarine base.

During 520 war patrols in 1944, submarines fired 6,092
torpedoes, more than in 1942-43 combined (5,379).

Statistically it took 8 torpedoes to sink a ship in 1942,
11.7 in 1943, 10 in 1944.

During 1944, 117 navy and air force personnel were rescued
by U.S. Subs; The Tang (O'Kane) picked up 22 for the leader in this
category.

During 1944 Japan lost 56 submarine, 7 to U.S. Submarines.

On Nov. 21, 1944, Sealion II (Reich) fired a salvo of fish
at each of two BB's, the Kongo and Haruna. The Kongo was
hit and sunk, but the DD Urakazi intercepted the fish
meant for Haruna and was instantly sunk.

Message to all submarines on 13 April 1944: "Until further
notice give fleet destroyers priority over maru types as
targets for submarine attacks.

During 1944 U. S. submarines sank 1 BB, 7 Cvls, 2 CA's, 7
CL's, 3 DD's and 7 SS's of the Japanese navy.

So numerous were submarine attacks on the
Singapore-to-Empire trade routes in 1944 that a common
saying in Singapore was that "one could walk from
Singapore to Tokyo on American periscopes.

Emperor Hirohito, upon learning of the Bataan death march
at the conclusion of the war, stripped General Homma, the
responsible commander, of his medals and decorations.

When the loss of Saipan was announced to the Japanese
people on July 18, 1944, Prime Minister Tojo and his
entire cabinet resigned.

On Feb. 22, 1945 the Flounder fired four fish at a Jap
patrol boat. Two of the fish ran in a circle, causing
Flounder to maneuver frantically to avoid disaster. On the
following day she collided with Hoe.

The Flounder (Stevens) sank the only German U-boat that
was credited to U.S. Submarines in the Pacific.

The last of the German commerce raiders, the Michael, was
sunk by Tarpon (Wogan) on Oct. 18, 1943 while enroute to a
Japanese port.

On December 28th the Dace (Cole) torpedoed the Japanese
collier Nozaki, the last ship to be sunk in 1944.

The last large merchantman to be sunk by submarine during
WW-II was the Hokozaki Maru, sunk March 19, 1945 by Balao
(Worthington).

The last Japanese warship afloat in the South Pacific, thelight cruiser Isuzu,
was sunk by Charr (Boyle) after shewas previously hit and badly damaged by Gabilan (Parham)
The Flasher sank more tankers than any other submarine.

The largest merchant ship sunk by submarines during WWII,
the Tonan Maru #2 was sunk by Pintado (Clarey) on 22August 1944.

Except for those officers who received the Congressional
Medal of Honor, Commander Davenport was the most decorated
man of the war.

During 1944, 14% of the CO's were relieved fonon-productivity, 30% in 1942 and 14% in 1943.
A total of 7 reserve officers achieved command of a fleet
submarine in WW-II

LESTER L. MCCRACKEN: Submariner Radioman

JOPLIN, MISSOURI: Lester L. McCracken, age 75, passed away at his home Wednesday, October 10, 2012.


Mr McCracken was born December 19, 1936 at Parsons, Kansas. His parents were Ray and Ruth (Birgal) McCracken. He had lived in Joplin the past 8 years, moving from Hawaii.

Lester retired from the U S Navy after serving our country for 27 years as a submariner radioman. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Galena, KS. He was also a member of the Sub Vets Association. He was a volunteer at the VA Hospital, Mt Vernon, MO. Lester enjoyed reading.

Surviving are two sons, Michael McCracken, Joplin, MO and Lee McCracken, San Francisco, CA; three daughters, Brandi Smith, Louisville, KY, Angela Ayers, state of South Carolina, and Tammy McCracken, the country of India; one sister Carolyn (husband Frank) Tomlin, Joplin, MO; and several grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Beth McCracken, and Kay Newsome.
Lester was taken for cremation under the care of Derfelt Funeral Home, Galena, KS. The family will hold services at a later date.

Patrick Householder
USSVI Past National Commander 2008-2010

Decklog Boats and Crews Manager

Our Purpose "To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments. Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States of America and it’s Constitution.”

WW II Submarine Veterans Forced to Disband

The Chief of Naval Operations has stated that the Navy Birthday is one of the two Navy-wide dates to be celebrated annually. This page provides historical information on the birth and early years of the Navy, including bibliographies, lists of the ships, and information on the first officers of the Continental Navy, as well as texts of original documents relating to Congress and the Continental Navy, 1775-1783.


Go to link for the story... http://www.history.navy.mil/birthday.htm

FOX NEWS ...World War II submarine veterans forced to disband national group Published September 23, 2012/Associated Press http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/23/world-war-ii-submarine-veterans-forced-to-disband-nati...

WWII Submarine Calendar 2013

This 2013 calendar honors the World War II U.S. submariners and their


> boats. In World War II American submarines spent 31,571 days on patrol in

> the Pacific, attacking 4,112 Japanese controlled merchant ships with

> 14,748 torpedoes, which resulted in the sinking of 1,152.5 vessels,

> totaling 4,859,634 gross tons, or an average of 329.5 tons for every

> torpedo expended. The loss dates for all U.S. submarines sunk or destroyed

> are listed in addition to other historic dates in both U.S. Submarine

> Veteran and U.S. Navy submarine history.

>

> https://www.ussvi.org/Documents/Online_Organization_2013_Calendar_Info.pdf

>

>

LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT SUBMARINES.

"Of all the branches of men in the forces there is none which


shows more devotion and faces grimmer perils than the

submariners" Sir Winston S. Churchill



LITTLE KNOWN FACTs about submarines

The first Japanese casualty to American arms during WW-II

was an aircraft shot down on Dec. 7th, 1941 by the Tautog

(SS199)



The first submarine force casualty suffered in WW-II was

G. A. Myers, Seaman 2, shot through the right lung when

Cachalot (SS170) was strafed during the Pearl Harbor raid.



The first "live" torpedoes to be fired by a Pearl Harbor

submarine was fired by the Triton (SS 201)(Lent), 4 stern

tubes fired on the night of Dec. 10, 1941.



The first Pearl Harbor boat to be depth charged was the

Plunger(SS 179) (White) on Jan. 4, 1942 - 24 charges.



The first "down the throat" shot was fired by Pompano on

Jan. 17, 1942.



The first Japanese warship to be sunk was torpedoed by

Gudgeon (Grenfell) at 9 AM on Jan. 27, 1942, the IJN I-173

(SS).



The first major Japanese warship lost to submarines during

WW-II was the heavy cruiser Kako which fell victim to S-44

(Moore) on Aug. 10, 1942.



The first submarine to fire on a battleship was Flying

Fish (Donaho) Sept. 1942, damaging a Kongo class BB.



The first submarine to fire on an aircraft carrier was

Trout (Ramage), Damaging Taiyo, August 28, 1942.



The first Japanese ship to be sunk by gunfire was by

Triton (Kirkpatrick), near Marcus Island on Feb. 17, 1942.

At the time, Kirkpatrick was the youngest skipper to get

command at Pearl.



The first man to die in submarine gun action was Michael

Harbin, on Silversides, May 1942.



The first rest camp for submarine crews was established at

a military encampment at Malang, in the mountains of Java,

89 miles from Soerabaya. Three days were allotted to

submarine crews there in January 1942.



The first TDC (Mark 1) was installed in the Cachalot.



The Plunger was the first boat to sustain an "arduous"

depth charge attack and survive.



In September 1936, Cdr. C. A. Lockwood Jr., assumed

command of SubDiv 13 composed of the new boats Pike,

Porpoise, Shark and Tarpon.



On December 31, 1941, Captain Wilkes evacuated Corrigidor

on board the Seawolf to establish a new base at Soerabaya,

Java. Simultaneously Capt. Fife boarded Swordfish and

sailed to Darwin, Australia.



Expressing the view that Japan could not hope to be

victorious in a war with the U.S., Admiral Yamamoto was

"shanghaied" to the post of Commander of the Combined

Fleet (from the Naval Ministry) to thwart a possible

assassination at the hands of his many dissenters.



A survivor of the Jap carrier Kaga, at the Battle of

Midway, told how some of his shipmates saved themselves by

clinging to the air flask of a torpedo fired from Nautilus

which hit the carrier and failed to explode, the

concussion separating the warhead from the airflask.

Upcoming Reunions and National Convention

United States Submarine Veterans Inc. and U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II 2012 National Convention, September 2-9,2012, Norfolk Waterside Marriott, Norfolk, VA http://www.ussvi-2012convention.com  Sons & Daughters Submarine Veterans of WWII will be attending. Sorry, I haven't keeping this blog up.

TWIN LAKES SUBMARINE BASE, Mountain Home, AR meet Tuesday August 28th at the Elks Club 12-1pm.

2013 Sea Fox Reunion Las Vegas, NV http://seafoxassoc.homestead.com/2013-muster.html

USS Sennet SS-408 2013 Sept.29-Oct. 03,2013 Mt. Pleasant, SC USS Sennet SS-408 c/o Ralph Luther,
PO Box 864 Summerville,SC 29484-086

To continue publishing the Submarine Veterans of World War II magazine send $12 to  POLARIS, Bob Devore, Editor PO Box 824, Mt. Washington, KY 40047

HELP - The Old Sailors Home in Gulfport, Mississippi is needing to replace museum items lost during the hurricane. Items pertaining to US submarine warfare during WWII. Send to Bob Harris, 1800 Beach Drive #162, Gulfport, MS 39507

Thank God for our Freedom

Thank God for our military men and women and to God most of all for presenting us with the freedom to celebrate this day and everyday.

Fate of Submarine Clamagore

Fate Of Submarine Clamagore To Be Decided

By Warren L. Wise, Charleston (SC) Post & Courier

MOUNT Pleasant -- For more than 30 years, the submarine Clamagore has served as a tourist attraction at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.
But the last surviving vessel of its type may soon go underwater one last time.

“She needs a lot of work,” said Mac Burdette, executive director of Patriots Point. “The ballasts are paper thin and the hull is in better shape, but we don’t have the money to fix it.”
He estimates the cost to repair the 1945- commissioned submarine at $5 million to $6 million, money the state agency doesn’t have and most likely won’t come from the state since Patriots Point still owes more than $8 million on the last ship the state saved from sinking into Charleston Harbor.
That leaves two options, Burdette said Friday.
One is to see what has to be done for it to become an artificial reef off Florida, he said. The other is to see if anyone else wants it.
Asked if there was any consideration for a third option about repairing it, Burdette said, “I can’t see us going to the General Assembly and asking for money. There are other more important areas to spend that money.”
The state loaned Patriots Point $9.2 million in 2009 to repair the destroyer Laffey, which sprouted so many leaks it was close to sinking in the harbor before it was hauled up the Cooper River for refurbishment that same year.
Shiny as new, it returned to Patriots Point in January and took over the Clamagore’s berth parallel to the World War II-era aircraft carrier Yorktown.
The 322-foot-long submarine was moved to the south end of the carrier in January and has been off limits to visitors since then. Once a new gangway is installed, it should reopen by Fourth of July festivities, Burdette said.Unlike the Laffey and Yorktown, the Clamagore never saw combat. But Burdette said visitors enjoy going inside the submarine to imagine what the living conditions were like in the cramped quarters.

The Clamagore, named for a fish, called Charleston its home base until 1959 and came to Patriots Point in 1981 as a museum piece. It was decommissioned in 1975 and is the nation’s last remaining GUPPY type III diesel-powered submarine. GUPPY stands for Greater Underwater Propulsion Program.
Word of its possible demise brought sadness to former Sailors of the ship.

“It pains us to think it is going to be towed away and maybe made into a reef,” said George Bass, treasurer and past president of the USS Clamagore SS343 Veterans Association. “We would hate to see it go.”
The group, which once boasted several hundred members, meets every other year in Mount Pleasant for its reunions. Last year 102 attended.

Bass, 85, of Salisbury, N.C., served on the submarine from 1948 to 1957 and is keenly aware of the Clamagore’s state of disrepair.“It’s in terrible condition,” he said.He also knows that Patriots Point doesn’t have the money to repair it. He has asked congressmen and senators, even media mogul Ted Turner and other well-heeled businessmen for the money, to no avail.“They all say Patriots Point took it and they should take care of it, but they will never get the funds,” he said. “They will have a hard time paying off the loan on the Laffey.”

Bass believes they are now fighting a losing battle.“I guess they will tow it out and make a reef out of it,” he said with resignation.

“That would be sad,” fellow Clamagore veteran Michael Burk, 62, of Ohio said. “As everybody gets old, though, I don’t know who is going to take it.”

Burdette said the board will decide on the Clamagore’s fate in about three months, but it could take up to a year for it to move, especially if it becomes a reef.

The sub still has batteries and possibly some fuel that would have to be removed, Bass said.
“It would have to be cleaned up,” the former submarine electrician said.

The Patriots Point board also approved the agency’s $9.6 million spending plan for the new fiscal year starting July 1, including $425,000 for advertising, an increase of $250,000 over the current outlay.

Submarine Tenders

I know that many of us have served aboard a Submarine Tender sometime during our Navy time.

Here is a new website dedicated to Submarine Tenders. I thought you might find it interesting.
It is linked from our Sea Fox websites.

All the best. Geo.

http://tendertale.com

USS Sea Fox Norman M. Cobb

SVWWII past member #03799 (Oregon)

Norman M. Cobb of Redmond passed away on May 8. He was born July 5, 1925 in Portland. Growing up in the Westmoreland neighborhood, attending Llewellyn Grade School and Washington High School. Upon graduating early from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in February 1943. He saw action in the Pacific, initially on the battleship USS Washington and later on the submarine USS Tilefish. Discharged in 1946, he returned home and enrolled at Oregon State and then transferred to Lewis and Clark College where he received his business degree. In 1950, Norman married Halcyone Taylor of Portland and was subsequently recalled to active duty as a naval officer during the Korean War. He served on the USS Tiru and USS Sea Fox submarines. He culminated his military career as a Commander in the Navy Reserve in 1971. Returning home from the war he started an insurance business in Westmoreland. In 1960, he sold his business and joined Dean Witter as a stockbroker. He retired from Dean Witter in the mid-1980s and moved to Central Oregon with his wife. Norman enjoyed fishing the many lakes and rivers in Central Oregon and was an avid wood worker, having built a home in La Pine. Norman is survived by his wife of 62 years, Halcyone; sister, Miriam Glover of Eagle Creek; two sons, Joseph of Hermiston and Norman "Rick" of Dumfries, Va.; and six grandchildren. A graveside service will be at Willamette National Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Contributions may be made to Partners In Care Hospice, 2075 NE Wyatt Ct., Bend, OR 97701. Published in The Oregonian on May 13, 2012

The songs are by Tommy Cox - too bad that more weren't used

This 15 min video will bring back a lot of memories for the diesel boat sailors.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F9ThfoLH6c&feature=youtu.be

Aviation Pioneers World War I Aces Hall of Fame of the Air WW2 European Theater (ETO) WW2 Pacific Theater (PTO) WW2 US Marine Corps WW2 US Navy Aces WW2 Mediterranean (MTO) WW2 German Aces Korean War Aces Russian Aces Vietnam Era Aces Airplanes World War I Planes 1930s Aircraft photos WW2 Fighters WW2 Bombers WW2 German Planes WW2 Airplane Pictures History of Airplanes blog Nose Art Postwar Jets World War Two WW2 Facts and Firsts WW2 Medals WW2 Museums WW2 Pictures WW2 Ships WW2 Weapons

Happy Birthday, U.S. Submarine Force! Celebrating 112 Years of Undersea Dominance By Lt. Hayley Sims, Commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic Public Affairs NORFOLK, Va. – On April 11, 1900, the submarine force was born when the U.S. Navy bought the submersible Holland VI from John Holland. Since that historic day, undersea warfighters and submarines have used fortitude and creativity to sustain their superiority beneath the sea and develop the force into the indispensable asset that patrols world-wide today. As submariners celebrate their birthday around the world this month, they will honor the heroes on eternal patrol and those who have served past and present. Rear Adm. Frank Caldwell, Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, understands the value of submariners. “For 112 years, the broad military advantages created by undersea concealment have resulted in a wide range of undersea platforms and missions that have enhanced our national security,” said Rear Adm. Caldwell. “Throughout history, what has remained constant is the bold character of submariners.”Throughout the last eleven decades, submariners have advanced through four generations. The first generation produced fleet boats with the speed, endurance, weapons and payload that would make the submarine a warfighting platform. The second generation, defined by World War II heroes, made a decisive difference in the war and dominated the seas which set high standards of performance. The third generation of undersea warfare during the Cold War was defined by the advent of nuclear power – in weapons and propulsion. This advanced technologyprevented a nuclear world war and secured the nation’s interests. The current generation of submariners, Generation IV, is being defined by the increase of long-range precision sensors and weapons. Today’s submariners stay ahead of these threats and work hard to preserve their superiority in the undersea environment with the help of the “Design for Undersea Warfare” a guiding document which articulates how undersea warfighters provide “Ready Forces, Effective Employment, and Future Forces.” Vice Adm. John M. Richardson, Commander, Submarine Forces, recognizes the hard, outstanding work of submariners and their families. “I am incredibly proud of each and every member of the undersea warfare team, including our families who sacrifice along with us,” said Vice Adm. Richardson. “Just as earlier generations did before us, we fourth generation undersea warriors will be ready to surge to any crisis – first to arrive and last to leave. Let it always be a comforting reassurance to our friends and the worst nightmare for our enemies to know that the U.S. Submarine Force is on the job.” Today’s submarine force consists of 53 attack, 14 ballistic-missile and four guided-missile submarines that enable the Navy and the nation to win wars, deter wars, defeat terrorists, and ease disasters. Happy birthday U.S. Submarine Force and congratulations on 112 years of rich success running silent through history and running deep into the future.

A great "Sonar Attack" story. USS Tigrone AGSS 419 Now I have to assure you that this is an absolute, positive no-sh--ter... I know because I was there. I may have told some of you this story before, but as I'm now so old I can't remember which one of you have heard it and due to the fact that you're now all so old you probably don't remember it anyway, I'm going to tell all of you. The first boat I served on was the USS Tigrone AGSS-419. My original orders were for the USS Cobbler SS-344, but she was up North freezing the water in her bilges when I received my orders, so I was sent TAD to the Tigrone who was scheduled to make one of her runs to the Azores. The Tigrone was actually operated by USN/USL (US Navy/Underwater Sound Lab) and carried an experimental active sonar system called BRASS. We had both BRASS I and BRASS II and if you've ever seen a picture of the Tigrone during this time in her long and useful service life, she was a weird looking boat. The Tigrone was the only boat I was ever aboard which made no big deal about going to test depth. When we operated that monster sonar we always went directly to test depth and following the diving alarm, the diving officer would be given that depth to head for and if the various compartments got rigged for deep by the time we got there, good enough, if not, oh well, they would as soon as they could get to it! I cannot tell you how many watts the BRASS was capable of transmitting into the water, but suffice it to say it far exceeded anything else in anybody's Navy at that time and maybe even today's Navies for all I know. To give you an idea of the sound level it produced, all hands forward to the engine rooms were required to wear engine men's hearing protection when it was operating! The overhead of that boat was festooned with engine men's earmuffs, hanging from every possible location to be readily available when the word was passed: "Now rig for BRASS Ops!" There were no torpedo tubes on the Tigrone at that time. The after room had been turned into a bunk room and held tier after tier of racks for the crew. The forward room was dedicated to the sonar system including it's very own MG set to power that monster. The sonarmen stood their watches on a standard AN/BQR-2B passive sonar set which was in a little corner up forward where the tubes used to be. The Port half of the forward room was all the equipment the civilian USN/USL personnel used to operate the BRASS. It was a very sophisticated system, capable of varying both the amplitude and duration of the pulses it generated and if I can attach the picture, you will note a huge "s--t-can" mounted where the bow should be. Inside that huge and cumbersome protrusion was a transducer which looked like a huge log lying on it's side atop a round table. The round table could be rotated, thereby presenting the horizontal length of the "log" in whatever direction was desired. In addition to the horizontal training, this transducer "log" was constructed in staves (like a barrel) and the operators could select which staves were to be used, giving them the ability to direct the transmitted beam in whatever direction they would like it to go. We would go to test depth off the Azores and transmit a pulse in a South-Westerly direction so that it could be received by the USS Baya who would be operating off the Tongue of the Ocean in the Bahamas!!!! Like I said, BRASS put a LOT of power into the water. Needless to say our activities drew the attention of the Russians and one of those 'fishing boats' brisling with antenna, would follow us around, undoubtedly listening to and recording every transmission we made. Well one day we were pounding away with the BRASS when one of the civilians asked me where the Russian fishing boat was. I was standing a regular passive sonar watch and I need to explain that whenever the BRASS transmitted a relay in my sonar set would cut out my audio for the duration of the pulse and then cut back in. When the audio returned, I could hear the reverberations from the transmission bouncing off the bottom, off waves, off thermal-clines and maybe off the Azores themselves for several minutes, it was deafening! I reported that the 'fishing boat' was dead astern making 80 RPM's, just enough to keep up with our three knot submerged speed. "Keep us posted if anything changes." I was told and I sat up to pay closer attention. Pretty soon I noticed a decrease in the amplitude (power) of the transmitted pulses from the BRASS. The same was true of the pulses following that and so on, until the BRASS was barely making a 'b-e-e-p' for each transmission. "He's picking up speed and closing" I announced to the civilians who were twisting the dials on the BRASS equipment and watching me to see if their efforts were producing the desired results. "Tell us when he's directly overhead," was the request as the pulses became weaker still. Evidently the Russian figured that we had sped up and were leaving him behind, as the very loud transmissions we had been making were now so weak he could hardly hear them. "He's making 220 turns and coming right up our stern", I reported. The USN/USL boys made some more adjustments to their equipment, "Is he overhead yet?" they asked, "Almost", I said, wondering what in hell they were going to do. Just then he came out of our baffles and I could hear his diesel engine roaring above the sound of his cavitating propeller blades, as he picked up speed. "HE'S OVERHEAD NOW - NOW - NOW!!" I shouted and just then the relay in my audio circuit cut my sound. It didn't matter, I could hear the prolonged blast of a BRASS transmission coming right through our hull, it seemed that it would never end. I didn't realize they could extend the pulse length so long! The operators had turned the transducer table until the 'log' was crosswise to the length of our hull, then they had selected just the top staves so that all that transmitted energy went straight up to the Russian Trawler who listening equipment was undoubtedly turned up has far as it would go in an effort to hear our previously weaken signals over their own ships noise. You guys know what test depth was in those old boats, so you know just how far away his receiver was from probably a million or more watts being aimed directly at him. We fried his sonar system . . . cooked it . . . blew every transistor . . . toasted every tube . . . Probably rendered the operator deaf for life. You've heard the old saying, "That noise was ten dB above the threshold of pain" - well can you imagine what sound level BRASS could produce at that short a distance? It was a wonder we didn't blow a hole in his hull and sink him. For the next week the only time that 'Fishing Trawler' caught up with us was when we surfaced after a day's work. He could still pick us up when we were on the surface with his radar, but he couldn't find us when we were submerged and BRASS was transmitting. After about six or seven days, a second trawler showed up and relieved him. They would follow us, but never got real close to us. Once burned, twice shy.... And that's my Russian Trawler Sea Story... Roger Ramjet Here's the picture:

Received from Gene Dick, HMC(SS), aboard the Sea Fox 53-55. He survived Pearl Harbor when stationed aboard the Oklahoma. I’ve added the link below in case you can’t open the .docx file. http://www.navy.mil/ph70/interviews.asp?id=11 All the best. Geo.

Cold War Submarines a Pictorial Explanation of the Evolution of US Submarines after World War II The book shows the evolution of US Submarines during the Cold War without boring the reader with “too much technical detail” The “80-page” book shows pictures of each submarine type in chronological order with over 70 pictures – many “full color” and “full page”. The book is intended to be entertaining while informative. If you served on a US submarine during the Cold War, there is a picture that looks like it in this book! The book shows where each submarine fits into the Cold War! To preview the book click this link: http://www.coldwarsubmarines.com/store/page84.html Submitted by Mel Douyette USS Sea Fox

BUTCHER, Jr,, Steven, died in Swampscott, formerly of Bogart, CA, Niceville, FL and Winchester, MA, on 2/20/2012. Beloved husband of Irene J. Butcher. Loving father of Steven Butcher III of Billerica, Cathy Brown and her husband Scott of Winterville, GA and Janice James and her husband Ralph of Swampscott. He is also survived by seven grandchildren. Steven was a Chief Radio Technician in the submarine corps of the US Navy where he earned a Bronze Star in WWII. He graduated from Brown University with a BA in Engineering and from Northeastern University with a MA in Engineering. He was employed at Mitre Corporation for over 25 years. Steve enjoyed golf, bridge, fishing and spending time with his family. Services will be private. Arrangements by the Solimine, Landergan and Richardson Funeral Home, LYNN. Guestbook at www.solimine.com. Published in The Boston Globe on February 21, 2012. Sailor, Rest your Oars. God bless you and thank you for your service. Steven served aboard the Sea Fox in 1945 as RTC(SS).

Submariners unsung heroes of Cold War. Received from Buzz Bussard (62-63) : FW: Submariners unsung heroes of Cold War - CNN.com.htm D2b Just received this and wanted to pass it on due to the timing. I told most, but for those that do not know I did a local TV show that can be seen on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4QJuj6sw_I&noredirect=1 Subject: Submariners unsung heroes of Cold War - CNN.com.htm Submariners unsung heroes of Cold WarBy Bob Crowley, CNN Photojournalistupdated 1:51 PM EST, Thu November 10, 2011Submarine sailors of the Cold WarSTORY HIGHLIGHTS· The USS Nautilus was the first submarine to reach the North Pole in 1958· Submarines played pivotal role in intelligence gathering and nuclear deterrence in Cold War· Submariners face rigorous training and high standards to qualifyEditor's note: Tune in at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday for a special Veterans Day edition of CNN's "In Focus." The award-winning series produced by CNN photojournalists brings you stories of America's heroes as told by the men and women who fight for our country every day. (CNN) -- When Al Charette traveled to the North Pole, he went under it.The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, made history when it reached the North Pole on August 3, 1958, beneath the ice.Charette, who was part of that Cold War crew, recalls how this milestone was of much more significance than being a historical first."What we did," he says, "is really expose 3,000 miles of coastline of the U.S.S.R."Submarines, which submariners call boats, played a pivotal role in intelligence gathering and nuclear deterrence at a time of political tension between the United States and Soviet Union. Attack submarines sought out and tracked Soviet ballistic missile submarines, while U.S. Navy missile boats tried to keep from being discovered."We didn't want to make any kind of a noise that a fish didn't make, " the 79-year-old Charette remembers.The Cold War may be remembered as a conflict without any battles, but for submariners, the danger on the front lines was real.Jack Gallimore started on diesel-electric submarines, including the USS Hardhead and the USS Sablefish in 1958. Cat-and-mouse games of two superpowers aside, risks remain even today for sailors who head out beneath the waves, says Gallimore, now 73."All the submariners," he says, "when they go to sea, they're in harm's way."Gallimore remembers an incident that happened during the turnover of older diesel subs to the Greek navy. He and other crew members acted as observers during the training phase. During a dive, the boat angled down steeply and the propellers shook. The sub managed to surface eventually, yet Gallimore insisted the danger was part of the job."We've all experienced when something went wrong," Gallimore says.Before any sailor can be called a submariner, he has to earn his "dolphins," a pin that's the equivalent to a pilot's wings. The sailors must qualify on the submarines they are to serve by knowing the systems inside and out. The training and testing are rigorous.Greg Kane, 63, another Cold War veteran, qualified on the ballistic missile sub USS George C. Marshall. Earning that qualification was an enormous source of pride, he says."When you had those dolphins on," he says, "you were a submariner. You were a part of the brotherhood of the fin."The standards to be part of that "brotherhood" exist to this day. Surrounded by a hostile environment at all times while submerged, any mistake by a single submariner could prove dangerous or even fatal for the entire crew."My life depended on my other shipmates," says retired Master Chief Bud Atkins, 77, "and it didn't matter whether they were a seaman or a captain." Atkins, who spent time in diesel-electric and nuclear-powered boats, served below the waves from 1950 to 1980, when he retired.In addition to meeting these tough standards, submariners also faced the responsibility of knowing their boats might have to launch nuclear warheads at a foreign country. Kane, who maintained the launching systems for Polaris missiles during the Vietnam War era, says crew members underwent vigorous psychological testing well before even seeing a submarine.Various scenarios were thrown at them: What if your boat was called to launch a strike? Could you do it?"The whole idea was really being aware of what the world situation was, what the dire consequences would be if you ever had to go through it and what would happen ... if you didn't have a deterrent force out there to stop something like that from happening," Kane says.Tom Russell, whose 20-year Navy career took him on a variety of vessels, also served on fleet ballistic missile boats in the 1960s."We just hoped that every time we went to battle stations that it was a drill because we all knew if it was not a drill, home would be in pieces," says Russell, 82.All these retired submariners speak of their service with pride, but they are guarded when it comes to details of their missions long ago.Charette grows nostalgic when recalling how a submarine could be in harbor or along a coastline and go unnoticed. Or suddenly surface somewhere unexpectedly just to send a message.Asked if he could describe any of these experiences, he replies with a grin, "Not that I care to talk about."

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY Submarine Veterans at Mountain Home, AR

and all veterans. May there be peace and friendships in your lives.

HAROLD MELGES -USS SEA FOX I received the following from Normal Melges this evening. Harold “Buzz” Melges was an ET aboard the Sea Fox 63-66. Sailor Rest your oars, God Bless you and thank you for your service. Geo

KILROY WAS HERE! WHO THE HECK WAS KILROY? In 1946 the American Transit Association, through its radio program, "Speak to America," sponsored a nationwide contest to find the REAL Kilroy, offering a prize of a real trolley car to the person who could prove himself to be the genuine article. Almost 40 men stepped forward to make that claim, but only James Kilroy from Halifax, Massachusetts, had evidence of his identity. He was a 46-year old shipyard worker during the war who worked as a checker at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy. His job was to go around and check on the number of rivets completed. Riveters were on piecework and got paid by the rivet. Kilroy would count a block of rivets and put a check mark in semi-waxed lumber chalk, so the rivets wouldn't be counted twice. When Kilroy went off duty, the riveters would erase the mark. Later on, an off-shift inspector would come through and count the rivets a second time, resulting in double pay for the riveters. One day Kilroy's boss called him into his office. The foreman was upset about all the wages being paid to riveters, and asked him to investigate. It was then he realized what had been going on. The tight spaces he had to crawl in to check the rivets didn't lend themselves to lugging around a paint can and brush, so Kilroy decided to stick with the waxy chalk. He continued to put his checkmark on each job he inspected, but added 'KILROY WAS HERE' in king-sized letters next to the check, and eventually added the sketch of the chap with the long nose peering over the fence and that became part of the Kilroy message. Once he did that, the riveters stopped trying to wipe away his marks. Ordinarily the rivets and chalk marks would have been covered up with paint. With war on, however, ships were leaving the Quincy Yard so fast that there wasn't time to paint them. As a result, Kilroy's inspection "trademark" was seen by thousands of servicemen who boarded the troopships the yard produced. His message apparently rang a bell with the servicemen, because they picked it up and spread it all over Europe and the South Pacific. Before war's end, "Kilroy" had been here, there, and everywhere on the long hauls to Berlin and Tokyo. To the troops outbound in those ships, however, he was a complete mystery; all they knew for sure was that some jerk named Kilroy had "been there first." As a joke, U.S. servicemen began placing the graffiti wherever they landed, claiming it was already there when they arrived. Kilroy became the U.S. super-GI who had always "already been" wherever GIs went. It became a challenge to place the logo in the most unlikely places imaginable (it is said to be atop Mt. Everest, the Statue of Liberty, the underside of l Arc De Triomphe, and even scrawled in the dust on the moon). As the war went on, the legend grew. Underwater demolition teams routinely sneaked ashore on Japanese-held islands in the Pacific to map the terrain for coming invasions by U.S. troops (and thus, presumably, were the first GI's there). On one occasion, however, they reported seeing enemy troops painting over the Kilroy logo! In 1945, an outhouse was built for the exclusive use of Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill at the Potsdam conference. It's first occupant was Stalin, who emerged and asked his aide (in Russian), "Who is Kilroy?" To help prove his authenticity in 1946, James Kilroy brought along officials from the shipyard and some of the riveters. He won the trolley car, which he gave to his nine children as a Christmas gift and set it up as a playhouse in the Kilroy front yard in Halifax, Massachusetts. If you check the WWII memorial in Washington DC, you will see Kilroy peeking over a wall. So, now you know the rest of the story!

PEACE IN VIETNAM ANNOUNCED JANUARY 28,1973.

The origin of Sub Pay Should Teddy Roosevelt be the patron saint of submariners? Roosevelt was the first American President to go aboard a submarine and to make a dive. Roosevelt ventured beneath the waters of Long Island Sound aboard USS Plunger (SS 2) on March 25, 1905. Plunger was the United States' second submarine, commissioned in September 1903.... Beyond this historical first, however, is the fact that Roosevelt was the man directly responsible for submarine pay. The Naval hierarchy in 1905 considered submarine duty, neither unusual nor dangerous, and classified it as shore duty. Therefore, submariners received twenty-five percent less pay than sailors going to sea in Destroyers, Cruisers and similar surface ships. Roosevelt's two-hour trip on Plunger convinced him that this discrimination was unfair. He described submarine duty as hazardous and difficult, and he found that submariners "have to be trained to the highest possible point as well as to show iron nerve in order to be of any use in their positions…" Roosevelt directed that officer service on submarines be equated with duty on surface ships. Enlisted men qualified in submarines were to receive ten dollars per month in addition to the pay of their rating. They were also to be paid a dollar for every day in which they were submerged while underway. Enlisted men assigned to submarines but not yet qualified received an additional five dollars per month. Roosevelt did not dilly-dally once he made a decision. He issued an Executive Order directing the extra pay for enlisted personnel. This was the beginning of submarine pay! Brian Palmetto Base Commander

TWIN LAKES SUBMARINE BASE, MOUNTAIN HOME, AR MEET TUESDAY JAN 24TH AT NOON-I:OOP.M., AT THE ELKS LODGE http://www.orgsites.com/ar/twin-lakes-base They have about 24 members. Come for lunch and have a good time visiting and keeping up to date how they are creating awareness of what and who submarine veterans are and how important submarines were/are during wars and conflicts.

Received from USSVI. Sailor, Rest Your Oars. God Bless and thank you for your service. Geo. Born Nov 12, 1926, Eternal Patrol Jan 9, 2012. Charles Barclay Rutherford, CPO, USN, Ret., passed away peacefully at the home of his daughter, Lynda Rutherford Abram on Monday, January 9, 2012. Charles Barclay Rutherford was born on November 12, 1926 in Wauchula, Florida, son of the late Leona Chaudoin Purvis and Charles Barclay Rutherford. He was predeceased by his wife, Anita Geraldine Rutherford (Jerry) and a brother Gene Rutherford. Charles joined the Navy at 17 years of age and retired after 22 years service as a Chief Petty Officer. His military service included serving on the USS Seafox, USS Cabezon, USS Sea Devil, USS Cusk, USS Segundo, USS Bream, USS Bushnell, USS Batfish, USS Penguin and the USS Sennet. He was a proud Submariner and a decorated war veteran serving in WWII and the Korean Conflict. After retirement from the Navy, he went to work for Raytheon and the FAA, which he also retired as a civil servant. Charles, lovingly known as PaPa, grew up in scouting and volunteered as a scout leader for his sons and grandson. He also volunteered for the soup kitchen and Lutheran Brotherhood. He was a longtime member of the Elks Lodge and Rifle Club and spent many hours volunteering for kitchen committee's serving many delicious meals. He became a member of the Palmetto Gun Club later in life and joined the Single Action Shooting Society. He received great pleasure in the love of his family, friends, hobbies and volunteer work. Charles was a member of St. Andrews Lutheran Church, which merged with Holy Spirit Lutheran Church and served on several committees throughout the years. PaPa loved talking to anyone and everyone about gardening, cooking-his collection of cookbooks and recipes, his knife collection- and how to sharpen knives the "correct way"- and his joy of shooting and fishing. Charles (PaPa) will be remembered and greatly missed by his daughter, Lynda Rutherford Abram (Brian), and his sons, Lawrence Rutherford (Marcella), and Eddie Rutherford (Robin), as well as his grandchildren, Hank Holst (Dawn), Nancy Whittaker (Scott), Lauren Milleman (Sammy), Billy Rutherford, Michael Rutherford, and Amy Perugini (Justin), and his great grandchildren, Hannah Holst, Charles Holst, Taylor Bishop, Bailey Ann Milleman and Luke Perugini. Charles is also survived by a sister, Margie Griffin of Florida, a brother, Herman Purvis of Georgia, a sister-in-law Elizabeth Lofton, and brother and sister-in-law William Barnett (Vivian), including many nieces and nephews. He will also be missed by his loving companion, Stella Grady and her children Dixie Roberts (Jim), Harriett Thomas, Cindy Nigel (Scott) and their children and grandchildren. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery; Ft. Johnson Road, Charleston, SC. Patrick Householder USSVI Past National Commander 2008-2010 Decklog Boats and Crews Manager Our Purpose "To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments. Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States of America and it’s Constitution.”

Hidden Bag Found On USS Cobia Submarine Herald Times, January 2 MANITOWOC - Imagine Paul Rutherford's surprise when he was working aboard the USS Cobia and came across a bag that likely hadn't been touched by human hands since World War II. Rutherford is maintenance supervisor for the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, where the submarine draws thousands of visitors each year. The Cobia yielded its surprise to Rutherford on Dec. 21. He was on his back, squeezed into a tight space installing a protective cage around a light fixture above upper sleeping bunks in the after torpedo room. "I had to take off the cover around the light fixture so I could use that to attach the cage to it," he said. "I realized I didn't bring the cages with me. I couldn't reach them and I didn't want to crawl down because it's a struggle, so I called for some help." During the five minutes or so that he waited, his imagination went to work. He put himself in the mindset of a World War II submariner and wondered if one of them might have stashed something in a nearby nook. "Wouldn't that be cool if I found something," he thought to himself. Rutherford reached his hand above an electrical utility box behind the escape hatch. And there it was. A brown leather zippered toiletry bag, flattened from being shoved into a 2- to 3-inch-high space more than 60 years ago. "So I pulled it out," he said. "There was actually a lot of dust on it and one edge was spray-painted white," likely from remodeling during the '60s or '70s before the museum acquired the submarine, he said. Rutherford waited until he finished his work and shimmied out of the tight space to see what was inside. The bag yielded up a small empty red corduroy pouch, a rubber stamp with a seaman's name, a "100 Cocktails" booklet, and two poems, "Give Us a Drink" and "Navy Wife." "That thing had definitely been up there longer than I've been alive," said Rutherford, 47. "If I wouldn't have forgotten to bring the cages with me, I would have never have found these items." Using the rubber stamp as her guide, Karen Duvalle, submarine curator, consulted crew records and identified the objects as being from Seaman First Class Hersey J. Williams, who served aboard the USS Cobia on the submarine's fourth war patrol, which departed from Perth, Australia, on Dec. 12, 1945. Chances are that one of the two bunks near the area where the bag was found belonged to him, Duvalle said. "The submarine has been here for 41 years, and to find something that has been there for 66 years . that's exciting," Duvalle said. "It was a tricky area to get to - that's why it has been up there for so long." While the bag was flattened, everything inside was in good condition, she said. "It's kind of odd," Rutherford said. "It's not stuff you would usually find in the bag. We thought maybe he left it there as some sort of Navy tradition or something. It was in a place that you wouldn't have put something like that normally. That's why it was cool finding it." It was typical for submariners to keep personal items in small personal lockers, bunk bags and small lockers in the crew's washroom of the submarine, Duvalle said. The drink booklet contains recipes for martinis and rum drinks, she said. The "Navy Wife" poem warned women not to become a sailor's wife unless they could answer yes to the questions it asked, including, "Can you sit home nights just waiting/Until the war is won?" The other poem was a little salty, peppered with what Duvalle called "sailor talk." The little red bag might have once held the seaman's razor, she said. Duvalle plans to scour the museum's archives, talk to veterans and do Internet research to find out more about the submariner who, possibly on a whim, tucked the bag into the bowels of the submarine and maybe even chuckled as he thought of the day that it might be found. Kirk Smith