Nature Coast Scuttlebutt USSVI Sturgeon Base, Crystal River, Florida January 2004 ______Base Commander Past Base Commanders John Dudas 4450 West Pine Ridge Blvd. Beverly Hills, Fl. 34465-8909 Dale Danielsen, (352) 732-4180, [email protected] (352) 527-8149 Richard Dorff, (352) 382-9059, [email protected] [email protected] Vice Commander David Garraway 9016 East Gospel Island Road Sturgeon Base Web Site Inverness, FL. 34450 http://donmac.org/sturgeon.htm (352) 726-3774 [email protected] Secretary Fairman Bockhorst 1519 North Lombardo Ave. In This Issue Lecanto, FL. 34461 (352) 746-9486 [email protected] Treasurer Base News Reginald Clarke 5119 North Coralwood Terrace Beverly Hills, FL. 34465 Holland Club & Base Membership (352) 746-3619 [email protected] January Lost Boats List Chief of the Boat Paul Sable 132 West Honey Palm Loop Beverly Hills, FL. 34465 Commanders Comments (352) 489-2714 January Submarine History [email protected] Chaplin Christmas Party Pictures Tyler Montgomery 6133 West Pinedale Circle Crystal River, FL. 34429 (352) 795-0891 [email protected] Historian STORIES Dennis Maita 6607 S. Frankfurter Way Homosassa, FL. 34446 None this issue (352) 621-0622 [email protected] Base Storekeeper Ron Dunwoodie PO Box 2244 Inverness, FL. 34451 Veterans Info (352) 637-6828 [email protected] Newsletter Editor None this issue John P Dudas 4450 W. Pine Ridge Blvd. Beverly Hills, FL. 34465 (352) 527-8149 [email protected] Base Membership Billy Wein 1120 N Beach Park Drive USSVI Base Application Inverness, FL. 34453 (352) 726-5926 [email protected] Holland Club POC Ed Beyers 1595 N. Foxboro Loop Crystal River, FL. 34429 (352) 563-2139 [email protected] Holland Club Members

Ed Beyers 1950 USS Irex / SS-482 Holland Club POC for Sturgeon Base George Schimpf 1951 Dale Danielsen 1936 Sea Lion / ASSP-315 USS S-10 / SS-115 Estel Ludlow 1944 Angelo Telesca 1943 USS Atule / SS-403 USS Drum / SS-228

Sturgeon Base Membership

Robert “Alan” Arnold Edwin Beyers Fairman Bockhorst Daniel Butler Charles Callahan Reginald Clarke Dale Danielsen Richard Dorff John Dudas Ronald Dunwoodie David Garraway Cliff Gauthier Anthony Gervasi Thomas Hedge William Kelley Boyd Long Estel Ludlow Dennis Maita Sr. John McKee Matthew Morse Wayne Reedy George Renshaw George Robb Paul Sable George Schimpf Stephen Shaw Dick Skiles William Tappan Angelo Telesea Leon Uplinger Billy Wein Bill Whalen Jeffrey Couch James Lyons

f January Lost Boats Listing

Date of Loss Boat Hull # Cause 05 January USS Scorpion SS-278 Lost with all hands (76 men) by a 1944 possible Japanese mine in the Yellow Sea off China

10 January USS Argonaut SS-166 Lost with all hands (105 men) in the 1943 Java Sea by Japanese surface attack.

12 January USS Swordfish SS-193 Lost with all hands (89 men) by a 1945 possible Japanese surface attack or mine off Okinawa.

20 January USS S-36 SS-141 Destroyed after she ran aground on the 1942 Taka Bakang Reef in Makassar Straight, Indonesia. The crew was rescued

24 January USS S-26 SS-131 Lost with 46 men in the Gulf of Panama, 1942 14 miles west of San Jose Light when USS PC-460 rammed it. 2 men survived

f Commander’s Comments

I hope everyone’s Christmas and New Years was a great celebration. The Sturgeon Base Christmas Party was a great time. We had 36 people in attendance and a whole pile of toys was gathered for our donation. I took the toys to work for distribution by our housing department who had identified 50 children in need for this holiday. The Toys for Tots program told me to take them there instead of the warehouse and then deliver them there anyway. I saw some of the children walking through the building after receiving their presents – It was a warm and appreciative sight – We did a good thing for the area children – Bravo Zulu to those that gave to this venture.

The Christmas Party had a lot of pretty ladies and I couldn’t believe that the guys cleaned up so well. The food and company was excellent. We had a great time mixing and the wives didn’t complain to loudly about the sea stories.

We had the two winners of the essay contest along with their parents and grandparents present at the party. Heather and Donovan Foster read their winning essays at dinner. Their acceptance by the crew members was a long round of applause. The kids did an excellent job and their efforts were very well received. Everyone was in agreement that with young people like this participating in their future at the level they showed in the quality of their essay’s, we can be proud of our young people if they are anything like these two.

Our next big event will be a joint spring picnic with the Nautilus Base. I would like to see everyone join in and make a success of this venture. There are a great bunch of guys in Ocala who really want to know us better. I hope we forge a strong bond with our fellow shipmates – there are a lot of things we can accomplish together.

The District 4 meeting in Jacksonville promises to be a great time. It includes busses to St. Mary’s for a Memorial Service and time at the Submarine Museum. I would like to see a bunch of the Sturgeon Base members there since it is so close to home this year. I have already booked my room – how about joining me for a good time with all of our sister bases in the Southeast.

The National Convention in Saratoga Springs is heating up. The Prime Hotel is already booked full and the others are starting to fill. I’ve got the video from them announcing what they intend to do for this convention. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing a very entertaining and informative presentation by the Saratoga Springs community and what they want to do for us. It’s not far to New London and they are offering trips there if you want to get back and visit the Subase and your old stomping grounds. It just might be as much fun as Reno.

We’ll have to start thinking about nominations for a few base officers. Reggie has stated that he has been the treasurer for almost 2 years and is due for some relief. His end of year report balanced right to the penny, so the bookwork is in good order for the next treasurer. We’ll do some research to see how long everyone has served and let you know. At some point we will have to hold elections, so please consider helping the base out and volunteering for a nomination when the time comes. It’s always better when everyone helps at some time during their affiliation with any organization. It’s the only way a group can grow because it spreads the experience around to all the members.

See Ya All At The January Meeting.

John Dudas MMCS(SS) USN RET Sturgeon Base Commander

f January Submarine History 01/11/1901 Keel is laid for the USS A 7 (SS 8). 01/12/1903 USS A 2 Adder (SS 3) is commissioned. 01/14/1903 USS A 5 Pike (SS 6) is launched. 01/17/1903 USS A 4 Moccasin (SS 5) is commissioned. 01/01/1904 Keel is laid for the USS O 5 (SS 66). 01/06/1912 USS F 3 Pickerel (SS 22) is launched. 01/06/1912 USS F 4 Skate (SS 23) is launched. 01/10/1912 USS G 2 (SS 27) is launched. 01/27/1912 Keel is laid for the USS K 4 (SS 35). 01/16/1914 USS H 3 (SS 30) is commissioned. 01/22/1914 USS G 4 (SS 26) is commissioned. 01/31/1914 USS K 2 (SS 33) is commissioned. 01/08/1915 USS C 1 (SS 9) Grounded in Almaranti Bay. 01/15/1915 USS E 2 (SS 23) Battery explosion. 01/20/1915 USS L 1 (SS 40) is launched. 01/01/1917 Submarine School is established at Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut. 01/16/1917 USS N 2 (SS 54) is launched. 01/07/1918 USS R 18 (SS 95) is launched. 01/19/1918 3 (SS 42) Heavy weather damaged torpedo tube shutters and caused salting of battery. 01/21/1918 USS R 20 (SS 97) is launched. 01/24/1918 USS L 10 (SS 50) One man lost overboard while in transit to Bantry Bay, Ireland. This is our first personnel loss in a war zone. 01/27/1918 USS O 9 (SS 70) is launched. 01/28/1918 USS R 19 (SS 96) is launched. 01/29/1918 Keel is laid for the USS S 6 (SS 111). 01/29/1918 Keel is laid for the USS S 7 (SS 112). 01/11/1919 USS S 32 (SS 137) is launched. 01/18/1919 USS R 3 (SS 80) is launched. 01/18/1919 Keel is laid for the USS S 23 (SS 128). 01/20/1919 Keel is laid for the USS S 9 (SS 114). 01/24/1919 USS R 2 (SS 79) is commissioned. 01/30/1919 USS S 3 (SS 107) is commissioned. 01/08/1920 Keel is laid for the USS S 12 (SS 117). 01/30/1920 USS T 1(SS 52) is commissioned. 01/05/1921 USS S 40 (SS 145) is launched. 01/15/1921 USS S 15 (SS 120) is commissioned. 01/07/1922 USS T 2 AA 2 (SS 60) is commissioned. 01/06/1923 USS S 19 (SS 124) is commissioned. 01/11/1923 USS S 11 (SS 116) is commissioned. 01/05/1924 USS S 47 (SS 158) is launched. 01/15/1924 USS S 41 (SS 146) is commissioned. 01/22/1924 USS S 27 (SS 132) is commissioned. 01/13/1925 USS S 51 (SS 162) Sank after collision with SS City of Rome on 25 September 1925 off Block Island. 01/25/1936 USS Shark (SS 174) is commissioned. 01/15/1937 USS Pollack (SS 180) is commissioned. 01/26/1937 USS Pickerel (SS 177) is commissioned. 01/16/1939 USS Sculpin (SS 191) is commissioned. 01/16/1939 Keel is laid for the USS Tambor (SS 198). 01/27/1940 USS Tautog (SS 199) is launched. 01/01/1941 The first RADAR for submarines becomes operational. 01/06/1941 USS Tuna (SS 203) is commissioned. f 01/25/1941 USS Gudgeon (SS 211) is launched. 01/29/1941 USS Marlin (SS 205) is launched. 01/31/1941 USS Grayback (SS 208) is launched. 01/02/1942 Keel is laid for the USS Hoe (SS 258). 01/15/1942 USS Herring (SS 233) is launched. 01/20/1942 Keel is laid for the USS Sawfish (SS 276). 01/20/1942 USS Guardfish (SS 217) is launched. 01/20/1942 36 (SS 141) is lost after grounding on Taka Bakang Reef in Makassar Strait, Indonesia. All the crew was rescued. 01/21/1942 USS Greenling (SS 213) is commissioned. 01/22/1942 USS Sturgeon (SS 187) downs what she thinks is a Japanese cruiser in the Makassar Strait and sends her famous message "Sturgeon no longer virgin". 01/22/1942 Keel is laid for the USS Archerfish (SS 311). 01/24/1942 USS S 26 (SS 131) is lost with the loss of 46 shipmates after a collision with the USS PC 460 in the Gulf of Panama. 01/27/1942 USS Gudgeon (SS 211) is the first U. S. submarine to sink an enemy submarine, the Japanese IJN I 173. 01/27/1942 USS Seawolf (SS 197) delivers ammunition to Corregidor, evacuates Navy and Army pilots. 01/30/1942 USS Trigger (SS 237) is commissioned. 01/31/1942 USS Finback (SS 230) is commissioned. 01/01/1943 USS Nautilus (SS 168) evacuates 29 civilians from Teop Island, Solomon Islands. 01/02/1943 Japanese submarine I 18, sunk by submarine GRAYBACK (SS 208), Solomon Islands area. 01/03/1943 USS Remora (SS 487) is commissioned. 01/06/1943 USS Jack (SS 259) is commissioned. 01/09/1943 USS Seahorse (SS 304) is launched. 01/10/1943 USS Pogy (SS 266) is commissioned. 01/10/1943 USS Argonaut (SS 166) is lost with the loss of 105 shipmates when it was sunk off Rabaul by Japanese aircraft. 01/10/1943 Japanese destroyer Okikaze sunk by USS Trigger (SS 237). 01/13/1943 USS Searaven uses for the first time what was to become a standard tactic for submarines, the 'end around'. 01/15/1943 USS Tinosa (SS 283) is commissioned. 01/19/1943 ComSubPac Admiral English dies in an airplane crash in the hills near Crystal Lake, California. With him are several members of SubPac staff. Admiral Charles Lockwood takes over the duties of ComSubPac later in the month. 01/20/1943 USS Capelin (SS 289) is launched. 01/20/1943 USS Silversides (SS 236) experiences the infamous 'dangling torpedo' problem in which one fish did not fire completely out of the tube and was jammed half way out of one forward tubes. Undergoes depth charge attack with fish dangling. 01/23/1943 USS Lapon (SS 260) is commissioned. 01/24/1943 USS Pargo (SS 264) is launched. 01/24/1943 USS Raton (SS 270) is launched. 01/25/1943 USS Wahoo (SS 238) sends message "Another running gun fight…Destroyer gunning …Wahoo running". f 01/27/1943 Keel is laid for the USS Golet (SS 361). 01/28/1943 Keel is laid for the USS Shark (SS 314). 01/29/1943 USS Trumpetfish (SS 425) is commissioned. 01/01/1944 USS Pintado (SS 387) is commissioned. 01/02/1944 USS Baya (SS 318) is launched. 01/07/1944 USS Perch (SS 313) is commissioned. 01/08/1944 USS Spadefish (SS 411) is launched. 01/09/1944 USS Hawkbill (SS 366) is launched. 01/22/1944 USS Pipefish (SS 388) is commissioned. 01/24/1944 USS Bream (SS 243) is commissioned. 01/26/1944 USS Wahoo (SS 238) sinks entire convoy of four Japanese merchantmen north of New Guinea. 01/26/1944 USS Guitarro (SS 363) is commissioned. 01/27/1944 USS Razorback (SS 394) is launched. 01/27/1944 USS Redfish (SS 395) is launched. 01/27/1944 USS Ronquil (SS 396) is launched. 01/27/1944 USS Scabbardfish (SS 397) is launched. 01/29/1944 Keel is laid for the USS Spikefish (SS 404). 01/30/1944 USS Becuna (SS 319) is launched. 01/01/1945 USS Stickleback (SS 415) is launched. 01/01/1945 USS Requin (SS 481) is launched. 01/03/1945 Keel is laid for the USS Sirago (SS 485). 01/10/1945 USS Odax (SS 484) is launched. 01/12/1945 USS Swordfish (SS 193) is lost when sunk of Yaku Island in Japanese home waters with the loss of 90 shipmates. 01/14/1945 USS Chivo (SS 341) is launched. 01/15/1945 USS Argonaut (SS 475) is commissioned. 01/17/1945 USS Mero (SS 378) is launched. 01/23/1945 USS Barb (SS 220) enters Namkwan Harbor, China and destroys Japanese shipping and causing "Thunder Below". 01/26/1945 USS Moray (SS 300) is commissioned. 01/26/1945 USS Capitaine (SS 336) is commissioned. 01/26/1945 USS Irex (SS 482) is launched. 01/29/1945 Keel is laid for the USS Pomodon (SS 486). 01/11/1946 USS Argonaut (SS 475) Collides with USS Honolulu (CL 48) off coast of New Jersey. 01/10/1948 USS Volador (SS 490) is commissioned. 01/20/1948 USS Cusk (SS 348, later redesignated SSG 348) is the Navy's first guided missile submarine. 01/15/1949 USS Trumpetfish (SS 425) Collided with USS Marquette (AKA 95). 01/11/1952 USS K 3 is commissioned. 01/02/1953 USS Trutta (SS 421) is recommissioned for the second time. 01/21/1954 USS Nautilus (SSN 571) is launched. 01/14/1955 USS Tench (SS 417) runs aground off Cape Henry Light, Virginia. 01/17/1955 Commander Dennis Wilkinson, aboard the USS Nautilus (SSN 571), sends the historic message, "Underway on nuclear power," signaling a new era in both submarine warfare and maritime propulsion. 01/22/1955 USS George Bancroft (SSBN 643) is commissioned. 01/31/1955 USS Dace (SS 247) is decommissioned for the third and final time. 01/25/1956 Keel is laid for the USS Swordfish (SSN 579). f 01/18/1957 USS Paddle (SS 263) is decommissioned for the second time. 01/18/1957 USS Muskallunge (SS 262) is decommissioned for the second time. 01/11/1958 First Fleet Ballistic Missile flight test, Point Magu, CA. 01/09/1959 USS Halibut (SSGN 587) is launched. 01/14/1959 USS Skate (SSN 578) collides with USS Cubera (SS 347) just after highline transfer.. 01/17/1959 USS Barbel (SS 580) is commissioned. 01/23/1959 Keel is laid for the USS Scamp (SSN 588). 01/28/1959 USS Skate (SSN 578) collides with USS Cubera (SS 347) just after highline transfer. 01/04/1960 USS Halibut (SSGN 587) is commissioned. 01/09/1960 USS Lizardfish (SS 373) is decommissioned for the second time. 01/17/1961 USS Burrfish (SS 312) is recommissioned for the second time. 01/17/1961 Keel is laid for the USS Lafayette (SSBN 616). 01/21/1961 USS George Washington (SSBN 598) arrives in New London after her first patrol. She set a record for submerged indurance of 66 days, 10 hours. 01/23/1961 USS Springer (SS 414) is decommissioned for the second time and turned over to Chile. 01/04/1963 USS Thomas Jefferson (SSBN 618) is commissioned. 01/12/1963 USS John Adams (SSBN 620) is launched. 01/12/1963 USS Nathan Hale (SSBN 623) is launched. 01/27/1964 Keel is laid for the USS Tautog (SSN 639). 01/04/1965 Keel is laid for the USS Ray (SSN 653). 01/11/1965 USS Barb (SSN 596) Collides with USS Sargo (SSN 583) while at 300 feet 50 miles from Oahu. 01/15/1965 Keel is laid for the USS Sunfish (SSN 649). 01/15/1965 Keel is laid for the USS Sand Lance (SSN 660). 01/16/1965 USS Kamehameha (SSBN 642) is launched. 01/18/1965 President Johnson announces plans to develop Poseidon, a more powerful missile than the Polaris A 3. 01/17/1966 Keel is laid for the USS Narwhal (SSN 671). 01/05/1968 USS Pargo (SSN 650) is commissioned. 01/25/1968 USS Gato (SSN 615) is commissioned. 01/30/1968 USS Seawolf (SSN 575)Grounds 65 miles off Cape Cod and severly damages rudder and stern structure. Towed back into port. 01/30/1969 USS Sea Devil (SSN 664) is commissioned. 01/10/1970 USS Bluefish (SSN 675) is launched. 01/17/1970 USS Volador (SS 490) collides with Japanese freighter Miyahime Maru. 01/29/1970 USS Nathaniel Greene (SSBN 636) grounds off Charleston, SC. 01/08/1971 USS Bluefish (SSN 675) is commissioned. 01/16/1971 USS Archerfish (SSN 678) is launched. 01/08/1972 Keel is laid for the USS Los Angeles (SSN 688). 01/24/1972 USS Sea Horse (SSN 669) grounds off Charleston, SC. 01/13/1973 USS Parche (SSN 683) is launched. 01/22/1973 USS Batfish (SSN 681) Runs aground at Charleston, SC, towed off and returns to port. f 01/27/1973 Keel is laid for the USS Omaha (SSN 692). 01/08/1974 USS Finback (SSN 670) collides with USS Kittiwake (ASR 13) in Norfolk, VA. 01/12/1974 USS Richard B. Russell (SSN 687) is launched. 01/26/1974 USS Tunny (SSN 682) is commissioned. 01/09/1978 Keel is laid for the USS Ashville (SSN 758). 01/29/1979 Keel is laid for the USS Houston (SSN 713). 01/05/1980 USS Indianapolis (SSN 697) is commissioned. 01/25/1980 Keel is laid for the USS Buffalo (SSN 715). 01/19/1981 Keel is laid for the USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730). 01/30/1981 Keel is laid for the USS Minneapolis St. Paul (SSN 708). 01/16/1982 USS Grayback (SS 574) experiences diving lockout chamber accident with the loss of five shipmates. 01/16/1982 USS Bonefish (SS 582) Flooding in the engine room. 01/30/1982 USS Boston (SSN 703) is commissioned. 01/08/1983 USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) is commissioned. 01/04/1984 Keel is laid for the USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723). 01/21/1984 USS Augusta (SSN 710) is launched. 01/01/1985 On this day in 1985, beards were no longer authorized by the US Navy. 01/12/1985 USS Alaska (SSBN 732) is launched. 01/19/1985 USS Augusta (SSN 710) is commissioned. 01/25/1986 USS Alaska (SSBN 732) is commissioned. 01/15/1987 The first flight test of the Trident II (D 5) missile was conducted from Cape Canaveral, FL. 01/23/1988 USS Topeka (SSN 754) is launched. 01/07/1989 USS Norfolk (SSN 714) In collision with USS San Diego (AFS 6) in Chesapeake Bay near Norfolk, VA. 01/10/1989 USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) In collision with ??? while submerged in Atlantic 01/07/1990 Keel is laid for the USS Charlotte. 01/26/1991 USS Scranton (SSN 756) is commissioned. 01/08/1994 USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) is commissioned.

f f f f f f f f f \ APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP Regular { Life { Associate { OUR CREED: “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. Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States Government”

I subscribe to the Creed of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., and agree to abide NATIONAL DUES: by the Constitution, all Bylaws, Regulations and Procedures governing the U.S. Annual: Submarine Veterans, Inc., so long as they do not conflict with my military or civil $20 (1st year) obligations. I will furnish further proof of my eligibility for Regular or Life membership, $10(subsequent years) including an Honorable Discharge and U.S. Navy (SS) Designation, if required by proper Life: authority. (Age 65 + = $50) (55 to 65 = $100) For: USSVI Sturgeon Base, Crystal River, Florida (45 to 55 = $150) (Under 45 = $250) Sturgeon Base AnnualDues:($10.00)

Signature: ______Date: ____/____/______

Name: (Print or Type)______Address: ______

City: ______State: _____ Zip Code: ______Tel: (______)______

E-Mail Address (If applicable) ______Base Desired:______

Sponsor:______(Associate or Groton Base Membership Only)

Associate Applicant is: Veteran { Spouse of Veteran { Other (specify) { ______BIOGRAPHICAL DATA (New Members/Updates/Changes) Please provide the information requested below. This information will be retained in the National and/or Base Database. Individual Bases may request additional data for their specific use only.

Date Of Birth (MM/DD/YY) ____/____/____

Spouse ______

Highest Rank Attained: ______Retired (Y/N): _____ Active Duty (Y/N): ____

Qual Boat: ______Hull#______Qual Date (MM/YY) __/__ From Yr._____to _____

Other Boats: ______Hull#______From Yr.____ to _____

______Hull#______From Yr._____ to _____

______Hull#______From Yr._____ to _____

______Hull#______From Yr._____ to _____

______Hull#______From Yr._____ to _____

______Hull#______From Yr. _____ to _____

Next of Kin if other than Spouse: Name: ______Relationship: (optional) ______

Address:______City: ______State: ______Zip: ______-______

Applicants serving on active duty are requested to provide a permanent address through which they may be contacted. US Submarine Veteran's Inc (Continue on back if necessary) f Upon completion, please mail or deliver to any base member or officer listed on the front page of this newsletter. Sturgeon Base, Crystal River, Fl. Base Commander: John Dudas 4450 West Pine Ridge Blvd. Beverly Hills, Fl., 34465-8909

Lost Boats for the month of January

05 January USS Scorpion SS-278 1944 10 January USS Argonaut SS-166 1943 12 January USS Swordfish SS-193 1945 20 January USS S-36 SS-141 1942 24 January USS S-26 SS-131 1942

PRIDE RUNS DEEP f