USS Sennet SS-408 Eternal Patrol and Binnocle List

 

Daniel Cooper Clements, CAPT, USN, Ret., 92 passed away on January 22, 2015 in Nashville TN. Dan was born on February 4, 1922 in Knoxville TN, the third son of Hal H. Clements Sr. and Nina Dobson Clements. He graduated from Knoxville High School in the class of 1939 with his sweetheart, Rosalind Blanch Claiborne. Dan attended the University of Tennessee College of Engineering until his appointment to the United States Naval Academy, where he was sworn in as a midshipman on June 18, 1941. His receipt for the mandatory $100 opening his new pay account was marked “number one”, inaugurating the class of 1945. Planning for his first duty assignment following graduation, Dan was fortunate to have his name drawn from the famous fish bowl in “Memory Hall” as duty preference number twenty, assuring him a desired submarine duty assignment. Immediately on graduating, June 7, 1944, Dan and Rosalind were married at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C., Reverend Dr. Peter Marshall, officiating. Following temporary assignment to the submarine USS 0-10 at New London while awaiting Submarine school availability, Dan graduated from Sub School in December 1944 and reported to USS CLAMAGORE (SS343), then under construction at Groton, CT as “George”, the junior officer of eight in that wardroom. Subsequent submarine duty assignments in USS SENNET (SS 408), USS CUBERA (SS-347), and then command of USS TENCH (SS 417) for two years until February 1957, when he was assigned as Engineer Officer for Submarine Squadron Two at New London. Subsequent sea duty assignments included Chief Staff Officer to COMSUBRON EIGHT, home ported at New London, COMSUBDIV 101, home ported at New London, CO USS PROTEUS (AS-19), home ported at Guam, and his major command as COMSERVRON FIVE, home ported a Pearl Harbor. Dan was also assigned to duty on Submarine Fleet staffs and coordinated Fleet Ballistic Missile matters for DEPCOMSUBLANT in 1963-65. He traveled frequently to Cape Canaveral, FL, embarking there in SSBNs to witness the various submarine crews successfully complete their “Demonstration and Shakedown Operation” to launch a Polaris Missile into the distant and instrumented target area in the Caribbean Sea near Antigua Island. Shore assignments included Fleet Sonar School staff in Key West, CNO Staff in Washington D.C., Naval Ordnance Command in Washington D.C., and Chief of Navel Technical Training Staff at NAS Memphis as IG, before retirement in May 1974 after 33 years naval service. Dan graduated from the senior course of the Naval War College at Newport, RI in June 1961. He was awarded two Legion of Merit honors. He was a life member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association and a member of the “Presidents Circle” of donors. Dan and his family have also been life-long supporters of the University of Tennessee and donors to its athletic programs, as well as the Law School in honor of his father, Hal H. Clements, Class 1901. Dan and Rosalind had bought a small farm near Deer Lodge, TN a year before retirement, developing it into a successful small “cow-calf” and “feeder pig” operation before health problems dictated their moving to Nashville in 1992. Rosalind died from AD and cancer on her 80th birthday June 18, 2001. Dan married a widow, Jean Reid Shearin of Brentwood, TN in July 2002. They enjoyed traveling to China, Alaska, Antarctica and, in 2007, a world cruise with Holland America Line making 41 ports of call in 105 days. Captain Clements will be interred in the Clements\Claiborne family plot of Greenwood Cemetery in Knoxville, TN. He is survived by his widow Jean, and his three children: Diane C. Clements of Nashville, TN, Jerome B. Clements of Eads TN, and Ann D. Clements of Wellington FL. Visitation will be held on Wednesday January 28, 2015 from 12:30 o’clock until a Celebration of Life Service at 2:00 o’clock at Brentwood United Methodist Church. A Graveside service will be held on Thursday January 29th at 2:00 o’clock Eastern time at Greenwood Cemetery in Knoxville TN.

Dan served aboard Sennet as a LTjg during the years 1949-1950

I don’t have a home address for him but you can post to the funeral home site.

 

Binnacle list

Wayne DiCenzi is in Hospice with liver & colon cancer. Please offer up some prayers for him, his wife Pat and family

Cards to:

Wayne DiCenzi

19409 Arrowhead Ave

Cleveland, OH 44119

 

Thanks

Ralph