The Deck Log

Home , USS Bullhead, USS Spikefish (SS-404)

THE DECK LOG

USSVI Central Texas Base September 2020

USSVI Creed Section 1: 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 may be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments, and to pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States of America and its Constitution. Camaraderie Section 2: In addition to perpetuating the memory of departed shipmates, USSVI shall provide a way for all Submariners to gather for our mutual benefit and enjoyment. Our common heritage as Submariners shall be strengthened by camaraderie. The USSVI supports a strong U.S. Submarine Force. Perpetual Remembrance Section 3: The organization engages in various projects and deeds that bring about the perpetual remembrance of those shipmates who have given the supreme sacrifice. USSVI also en- deavors to educate all third parties it comes in contact with about the services United States submariners performed and how the sacrifices of lost shipmates made possible the freedom and lifestyle Americans enjoy today

USS Seawolf SSN21

USS Pittsburgh SSN 720

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Table of Contents USSVI National Commander ======Wayne Standerfer 972-298-8139 [email protected] Creed ------1 USSVI National Senior Vice-Commander Table of Contents ------2 Points of Contact------2 Jon Jaques 615-893-7800 [email protected] Publication, Web Site, Base Mtg ----- 2 USSVI Central Region Director Links ------3 Tom Williams 512-632-9439 [email protected] Silent Running ------4 27MC Base Announcements ------5 USSVI Central District 4 Commander Base Commander’s Report ------5 Bill Scott 512-826-8876 [email protected] Base Meeting Minutes ------6 Central Texas Base Officers Base Treasurer’s Report ------7 Commander Rick Mitchell 512-639-0035 [email protected] Birthdays ------7 Vice-Commander Gene Hall 210.373.3198 [email protected] Membership ------7 Yeoman Frank Abernathy 512-426-3427 [email protected] Binnacle List ------8 Chief of the Boat Bill Scott 512-826-8876 [email protected] Chaplain’s Corner ------8 Treasurer Joe Keller 512-626-3202 [email protected] Kap(SS)4Kid(SS) ------9 Base Support Appointments Calendar of Events ------9 Chaplain - Bob Steinmann 512-255-5250 [email protected] Storekeeper Corner ------10 Memorial - Gene Hall 512-864-2860 [email protected] Underseas Warfare News ------10 Storekeeper - David Paulson 512-940-1112 [email protected] History ------24 Membership - Chuck Malone 512-694-5294 [email protected] USSVI Official Business News ------26 Newsletter Editor - Bill Scott 512-826-8876 [email protected] Thoughts ------31 Webmaster - Chuck Malone 512-694-5294 [email protected] Once Upon A Time ------33 Parade Chairman - Tom Sprague 858-755-6071 [email protected] Holy Humor------33 K4K Chairman - Shawn O’Shea 702-682-9170 [email protected] Sea Stories ------34 Fundraising– Jeff Lindner 512-966-8237 [email protected] CTB National Awards Pictures ------35 CTB Awards Plaques ------37 ======

Editor’s Desk The Deck Log is a monthly publication of the Central Texas Base, United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. It is delivered via email in Mi- crosoft Publisher PDF format to the Base Mem- bership. A copy is printed and mailed via USPS to those shipmates not having email. Deck Log Editor Harold W (Bill) Scott II, STSCS (SS) USN Ret. Holland Club, Life Member USSVI Central District 4 Commander SS-242, SSN-612, SSN-595, SSN-596 [email protected] 512-826-8876 Web Site: https://ussvicentraltexasbase.org/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ussvicentraltexas/ Base Meetings - Base meetings are held on the third Wednes- day of the month at M/SGT Ben D Snowden VFW Post 8587, 1000 N College St, Georgetown, TX 78626. We hold a quarterly social in lieu of a Base Meeting in March, June, September and December.

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National Information Sources A listing of Internet information addresses of the various organizations as places to obtain information on national items of interest. Shipmates, you are invited to add to the list (just let me know via email of any you use), so over time it would become more comprehensive.

https://www.ussvi.org/home.asp http://www.ussvi.org/base/CentralTexas.asp http://www.csp.navy.mil/

http://www.navytimes.com/ http://www.navy.mil/swf/index.asp http://www.military.com/

http://www.med.navy.mil/pages/default.aspx http://www.fra.org/ http://defensetech.org/

http://www.subvetstore.com/index.php http://www.subforce.navy.mil/ http://www.vfw.org/

www.navyleagueaustin.org www.navyleague.org http://www.usni.org/

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/n77.html www.military.com/military-report/ www.moaa.org

www.shiftcolors.navy.mil http://www.va.gov/

http://www.submarinesailor.com http://www.public.navy.mil/BUPERS-NPC/Pages/default.aspx

http://isausa.org/ WWW.DESIGNED4SUBMARINERS.COM http://www.dfas.mil/

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ http://www.ausn.org/ https://www.facebook.com/ussvicentraltexas/

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TOLLING OF THE BOATS – AUGUST “I can assure you that they went down fighting and that their brothers who survived them took a grim toll of our savage enemy to avenge their deaths.” Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, USN

USS Bullhead (SS 332)

Lost on August 6,1945 with the loss of 84 crew members in the Lombok Strait while on her 3rd war patrol when sunk by a depth charge dropped by a Japanese Army plane. U. S. and British submarines operating in the vicinity were unable to contact Bullhead and it was presumed that she was sunk during Japanese antisubmarine attacks. Bullhead was the last boat lost in WWII.

USS Flier (SS 250)

Lost on August 13,1944, with the loss of 78 crew members while on her 2nd war patrol. Flier was transiting on the surface when she was rocked by a massive explosion (probably a mine) and sank within less than a minute. 13 survivors, some injured, made it into the water and swam to shore. 8 survived and 6 days later friendly natives guided them to a Coast Watcher and they were evacuated by the USS Redfin.

USS S-39 (SS 144)

Lost on August 14,1942 after grounding on a reef south while on her 3rd war patrol. The entire crew was able to get off and rescued by the HMAS Katoom- ba. S-39 grounded on submerged rocks off Rossel Island and took on a 35° list to port. The crew was rescued. The S-39 was abandoned and left to "break up" on the rocks.

USS Harder (SS 257)

Lost on August 24,1944 with the loss of 79 crew members from a depth charge attack by a minesweeper near Bataan while on her 6th war patrol. Harder had won a Presidential Unit Citation for her first 5 war patrols and CDR Dealey, "a submariner's submariner," was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously. Harder is tied for 9th in the number of enemy ships sunk.

USS Cochino (SS 345)

Lost on August 26, 1949 after being jolted by a violent polar gale off Norway caused an electrical fire and battery explosion that generated hydrogen and chlo- rine gasses. In extremely bad weather, men of Cochino and Tusk (SS-426) fought to save the submarine for 14 hours. After a 2nd battery explosion, Abandon Ship was ordered, Cochino sank. Tusk's crew rescued all of Cochino's men except for one civilian engineer. Six sailors from Tusk were lost during the rescue.

USS Pompano (SS 181)

Lost on August 29, 1943 (between Aug 8 and Sept 27) with the loss of 77 men while on her 7th war patrol. Before being lost, she sank two enemy cargo ships. The exact cause of her loss remains unknown, but she probably fell victim to a mine. This boat's last known ship sunk happened on Sept 25th, so she probably hit that mine on or after that date but before Oct 5th, when she was scheduled back at Midway.

We Remember For those who gave their lives in the defense of our country We Remember

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Hello Shipmates. Hope everyone out there is doing well and finding your way through the fog we are currently stuck in. It is kind of like we are stuck in a constant “Rig for Reduced Visibility” detail. We all are trying to get somewhere but have a hard time seeing through the current fog, whether it be the pandemic, race issues, politics, or even closer to home such as job loss, kids not in school, health issues, and so on. Well just like we did on the boats in adding a few more watches and slowing down a little we still moved forward towards our destination sometime even spotting a light from a buoy or lighthouse to help guide us that what I see many of you doing. You all are doing what you need to do to take care of yourselves and others. We all are finding new and different ways to deal with the threats and rules that are challenging us, and I see that many of you have found your lighthouse out there. I am starting to see the fog lift and various lights too. I have no idea how long it will be here and how thick it will remain but it will lift eventually and until then I suspect we will do like Submariners always do, find a way to get the task done, safely and properly. One of the lights I recently experienced was our first in person base meeting since February. It was a little different than before but again I think good. We were able to use the large hall at the VFW allowing for dis- tancing and we also had a Zoom component for those who could not make it or chose to stay away. Almost half of our base was at this meeting. 19 in person and 12 online. I enjoyed seeing you all in person and believe from those there that they too were glad to be back out even with the precautions we needed to take. Of course, the virus is not gone and still a significant issue for many of you and I fully realize that and support whatever your stance is on this. Until it is gone this base will do anything and everything to support all our members in whatever way we can best do that. One of the highlights of our meeting was the opportunity to witness the induction of 2 of our shipmates into the Holland Club. Congratulations to Joe Kruppa and Virgil Claycamp, 50 years qualified! The other highlight was being able to announce a slate of National Awards for our base and individuals. These awards included Class III Newsletter of the Year, Meritorious Award and Golden Anchor Award for our base and both Bob Steinman and Hubert Jackson received well deserved recognition and were awarded the Silver Anchor Award. Well done to everyone! I am also happy to report that we are moving forward with our Fall Social and it will be held on Saturday Sept. 19th. We will be having an outdoor picnic at Berry Springs Park and Preserve just North of Georgetown. We believe you will like this park if you have not been there before. We have the pavilion reserved and will be serving Burgers, Hot Dogs, Etc. It will also be our fund raiser where we will take donations. Looks like we will have a nice raffle prize also but more on this later. We will ensure there is a way for those not in attend- ance to donate for a chance to win this also. There is a limitation on how many people can be in the pavilion and we will follow those guidelines but there is plenty of space around there to be close but far enough away to socialize safely. One last thing I wanted to share is although this is the week the convention was scheduled and I was hoping to be in Arizona our organization still found ways to conduct the needed business including a Tolling via Zoom which was attended by a little over 200 people and we also conducted our Annual Business Meeting via Zoom. I thought this was a great opportunity for many of you who did not get to attend the convention in person to be there and see and talk to your leadership and I know we had at least 3 members logged on, maybe more but only 70 or so nationwide attended. I think the numbers were low but will look at it as a positive in that we found a way to get it done and did it. Hope to see you at the social. If not there, then hopefully someday soon somewhere. Rick Mitchell

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======USSVI CENTRAL TEXAS BASE MONTHLY MEETING—AUGUST 19, 2020 Location: In Person at VFW Post 8587 and Remote access by each member via ZOOM. Meeting opened at 19:00 by Rick Mitchell, Central Texas Base Commander. E-Board were present. Rick Mitchell, Bill Scott, Gene Hall, Joe Keller and Frank Abernathy Sailing List: 31 members, 19 in person, 12 present via ZOOM. (List at end of these Minutes) Binnacle List, Larry Walts, Hubert Jackson, Byron Sage, Bill Bellingshausen, Bob Steinmann Chaplain Bob Steinmann: Opening Prayer Tolling of the Boats (June and July): By Mike Gauthier Officer and Committee Reports Treasurer’s Report: $16,705.84 ending balance all accounts as of July 31. Memorial Report: Park reno and move still on. Working on getting dates and making plans for full restorative paint job on torpedo in conjunction with the move. Kaps 4 Kids: Nothing Planned due to pandemic. Keeping in contact with various facilities looking for opportunities. Parade: All Events are currently cancelled. Looking for an opportunity to participate in a Veterans Day parade. If you know of one happening let us know asap. Membership: 77 Members. 76+1 Associate Member from NY Base. Social Events – September Social is currently planned for Spet19th. Old Business Annual Base Raffle: Raffle is on and will be for Bass Pro Gift Certs ($1000, $750, $500, $250, ($100(donated by BPS)) Start selling sometime in Sept. Drawing to be held Nov 14th live via FB. Ticket prices to be $10 each and 3/$25 sell 100 tickets. Voted on and approved unanimously. Motion made by Joe Keller and 2nd by Carl Repp. National Election Reviewed and discussed election results. 49% of the Central Texas Base voted. Well Done! Upcoming Items Request all input for 2021 budget to be written in Oct. Dues Season starts 1 Oct. Goal is to have all paid by 1 Dec this year. New Business Bravo Zulu! To shipmates Derald Vogt, Shawn O’Shea, Carl Repp, and Rick Mitchell for stepping up and assisting Bob Steinman take care of some chores. 2020 Required Meetings will be held via Zoom and links to be sent to members as the National Con- vention is cancelled due to the pandemic. Community Support Our 2020 budget has allotted $1000 to support the local community through charities and else where. This money has not yet been allocated so we are looking for ideas on who to donate it to. We like to focus on Veterans, Children and of course Local. We are looking at donating 3 separate amounts such as 400/300/300, 500/250/250. We are considering various organizations at this time and the following have been nominated:

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SS American Memorial (presented last meeting), The Caring Place (Frank Espinosa shared about these folks at the meeting), ROCK, PHIP (February speakers), Mobile Loaves and Fishes. A request was made for any- one having any to add to let any member of the eboard know. Holland Club Inductions: Virgil ClayCamp and Joe Kruppa National Awards: Presented by CRD Tom Williams Newsletter of the Year Class III Meritorious Award – Central Texas Base Golden Anchor Award – Central Texas Base Silver Anchor Award – Bob Steinman and Hubert Jackson Meeting Adjourned by Rick Mitchell, 20:25 19 Sept 2020 is the scheduled date for the next meeting which will be a social. Sailing List, in no particular order: Base Members: Gene Hall, Rick Mitchell, Bill Scott, Joe Keller, Frank Abernathy, John Zieser, Shawn O’Shea, Tom Williams, Carl Repp, Bill Strawser, Jeff Linder, Larry Walts, Harold Jackson, Mike Gauthier. Joe Kruppa, Frank Espi- nosa, Virgil Claycamp, Garret Onderdonk, Weldon Koenig, Bob Steinmann, Michael Gauthier, Hubert Jack- son, Jack Odom, Jim Bowles, Harry Ullman, Derald Vogt, Ron Bennet, Harry Boyer, Bill Brinkman, (Unfortunately the record of those attending on-line was not retained so this list is missing and may have a mistake or 2) ======BASE TREASURER’S REPORT 15 July 2020 Financial Report for Period Ending 7/31/2020 RBFCU Checking (General Fund) $16,704.84 RBFCU Savings (Memorial Fund) $1,790.29 Ending Balance $16,705.77 Submitted: Joe Keller, Treasurer ======

MEMBERSHIP Report presented to Base Commander w/copy to Yeoman. SEPTEMBER 2020 Members listed in Central Texas Database 76 BIRTHDAYS Regular Annual Members listed in Central Texas Database 29 Bill Bellinghausen - 5th Associate members w/paid Base and National dues 1 Joe Keller - 6th Central Texas Base Life Members 29 Paul Craven - 12th Central Texas Base National Life Members 37 Tom Williams - 17th Members in Holland Club 36 Coy Smith - 21st Dual Members 5 Gene Hall - 26th Prospective Members: 1 Weldon Koenig - 26th War Veterans 66 Members pending: 0 Submitted: Chuck Malone, Membership

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======BINNACLE LIST Please keep us informed of any person who should be listed. These are the people that we know about, so please e-mail any E-Board member if you know of any member or his family that might be in crisis. Also please keep the Base Chaplain, Shipmate Bob Steinmann informed as well. Shipmate Hubert Jackson recovering from surgery for Prostate Cancer. Keep him and his wife Linda in your prayers. Good news from Shipmate Larry Walts: “We have good news, test results were Cancer free, but I will have blood test every three months and cat scan every six months for two years" Shipmate Byron Sage continues to deal with an issue with his immune system and prayers go out to him and his family. Shipmate Bill Bellinghausen recovering from surgery and is in rehab. We ask Lord, in your Son’s Name, that you be with our Brother’s and Sister’s who are sick and ask that you hold them in your arms and heal them so that they might again join us around our table. In your Son’s name, We pray, Amen. ======

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER ======LAUS DEO I am awed by George Washington's prayer for America ... Have you ever read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on! "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love MERCY, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Laus Deo! One detail that is seldom mentioned is that in Washington, D.C. there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument. With all the uproar about removing the Ten Commandments, etc., this is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this amazing historical information On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., are displayed two words: Laus Deo No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less. Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America. Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world. So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean?

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Very simply, they say 'Praise be to God!' Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo, 'Praise be to God!' From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north, The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was NOT, is NOT, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice. When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the disci- pline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique de- mocracy 'One Nation, Under God.' It is hoped you will send this to every sister, brother, father, mother, or friend. They will not take offense, because you have given them a lesson in history that they probably never learned in school. With that, be not ashamed, or afraid, but have pity on those who will never see this because someone failed to send it on. Laus Deo! ======KAP(SS) 4 KID(SS) I have been staying in touch with the Children’s hospitals since I saw you last. Due to the Corona- virus they have canceled all volunteer visits until further notice. I am checking with them monthly to reschedule as soon as it is safe to do so for the children and our volunteers. Any questions please do not hesitate to call me at 702-682-9170. Stay safe and be well. Thanks for all your support. Shipmate Shawn O’Shea, Chair, Kap(SS)4Kid(SS) ======CALENDAR OF EVENTS 19 September 2020, Base Social, Berry-Springs-Park-And-Preserve, Georgetown, TX. Details to come. 21 October 2020, Monthly meeting Central Texas Base, VFW Post #8587, 1000 N College St., Georgetown, TX 78626, 1800 for movie time, 1900 meeting. This meeting may be using the Zoom.us App. Details to be provided by the BC. 18 November 2020, Monthly meeting Central Texas Base, VFW Post #8587, 1000 N College St., Georgetown, TX 78626, 1800 for movie time, 1900 meeting. This meeting may be using the Zoom.us App. Details to be provided by the BC. ======

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STOREKEEPER CORNER The Central Texas Base (CTB) Supply Store is open for business. The Supply Store can obtain most of the items you need for memorabilia, your vest, gifts for others, etc. You can order them from the Storekeeper at a meeting or online at dhpaul- [email protected]. CTB can often get items at a lower than normal price, so you save money. The SK can search the net to find out-of-the-ordinary items, for all branches of the service. When requesting a ship’s patch, tell the SK which coast you served on board, as the patches are often different for each coast. The following items are now available in Ship’s Store: 2020 USSVI Calendars $10 Base Ball Caps $12 Sub Vet Embossed T-Shirts (Limited qty & size) $18 Buckles, Dolphin $18 Sub Vet Embossed Denim Jackets (Limited qty & $31 Buckles, Plain $10 size) License Plate Holder (Chrome) $10 Various T-Shirts $18 License Plate Holder (Blue Plastic) $4 Boomer Patrol Pin $7 Stars for Pins $1.85 Patches (many) $6 24 oz Glass mugs $15 Golden Anchor Patches $3 12 oz Glass mugs 12 Dolphins (large) $8 Parking Sign $20 Dolphins (medium) $5 Decals (Outside window) (four styles) $3 Vests w/patch $38 Black Leather Vest, Sub Vet Embossed $65 Vest Clips (shiny or oxidized) $30 USSVI 50th Anniversary Patch and Coin set. $20 Koozies $5 Patch and coin purchased separately are $22. Web Belts $7

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The following selected articles are part of Undersea Warfare News weekly news bulletin emails during the month of August 2020. “No content is created in the production of this Newsletter. These press clips and broadcast summaries are collected from multiple sources and are prepared by the command public affairs office to inform key personnel of news items of interest to them in their official capacities. It is not intended to be a substitute for newspapers, periodicals or public affairs programming as a means of keeping informed on news developments. Article selection or distribution does not imply endorsement and cannot be guaranteed for accuracy. Further reproduction for private use or gain is subject to original copyright restrictions.” http://www.subforce.navy.mil/ ======U.S. must win 5G technology fight with China | Commentary Scott Caine, Orlando Sentinel, August 3 My 30 years serving in the U.S. Air Force made it clear the United States is the greatest nation on the face of the Earth. Nowhere else can you forge your own path to succeed or fail on your own merits like you can here. It’s truly remarkable. Now, we are faced with a choice. Will the 21st century be the American Century or the Chinese Century? China, or Central Kingdom as translated from their language, is attempting to cement a position where our world revolves around theirs. China’s comprehensive strategy is to make other countries reliant on them for development. Their far-reaching approach includes the belt-and-road initiative which allows China to buy favor and strategic positioning through infrastructure projects across the globe, trade deals with the US and our allies, and the 5G high-speed data technology being developed by Chinese communications giant Huawei. Fortunately, we have a president who consistently stands up to China and the Chinese Communist Party September 2020 Page 10

(CCP), the powerbroker that dominates all of China’s actions. With Great Britain announcing their Huawei ban from its 5G network, it appears our allies are waking up to the perils of getting into bed with China. Banning TikTok and other technological threats from China should follow. When we look at Huawei, we must realize it is likely a key asset of China’s Communist Party in their effort to become the world’s superpower. To that point, Chinese firms are required to have a CCP representative on their boards to ensure compli- ance. China is well ahead of America in 5G development, which doesn’t bode well because 5G technology will mark an exponential leap forward that will make innovations like remote surgery and self-driving cars possible. This gap could propel China as the world’s preeminent power if our allies choose to partner with Huawei. Thankfully, Great Britain’s Huawei decision shows that our allies recognize that Huawei dependence is detri- mental to their national security. By following President Trump’s lead, Great Britain has declared that they will depend on us to give them a viable alternative as the free market works quickly to develop our own 5G capabilities. This is a critical undertaking for the U.S. Had Huawei expanded beyond Western Europe and into Great Brit- ain, the People’s Liberation Army would have had access to all of the intelligence our allies depend on. This is a fight we must continue to win. China has been in a Cold War with us since 1978 working on the fringes and in the shadows to indirectly undermine our influence and increase theirs, but we failed to recognize it. Until President Trump’s administration, our government has acted blindly to China’s real intentions. America is the greatest nation on Earth and it’s time we own up to it and fully engage in this technological fight. The world is depending on us. ======The loss of USS Bullhead overshadowed by atomic bomb Ken Kitts, The Mountaineer, August 10 As dates go, Aug. 6 is especially important in the 75th anniversary commemoration of the end of World War II. On that day in 1945, the American bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, thus setting in motion the steps that would lead to the surrender of Japan. Less well known is the fact that the U.S. Navy suffered an important loss on that same date. Just after 8 a.m. Aug. 6, at roughly the same time that Enola Gay was beginning her bomb run, a Japanese plane on patrol off the island of Bali caught an American submarine on the surface of the Java Sea. The pilot attacked, his bombs found their mark, and the sub sank with all hands. The USS Bullhead (SS 332) turned out to be the last of 701 U.S. Navy ships lost in World War II. The loss of an entire submarine crew at the end of a long and awful war was a sad story in its own right, yet the submarine has never rated more than a footnote in the history books. As storylines go, it’s hard to compete with the atomic bomb. Eighty-four brave sailors perished when Bullhead sank. One of those was from Haywood County. Lt. j.g. Paul Austin Gossett was one of nine officers aboard Bullhead. Gossett, the son of JH and Ethel Gossett, graduated from Clyde High School in 1934 and worked for a few years at American Enka before joining the Navy. When the war came, Gossett volunteered for submarine duty and was eventually assigned to the crew of Bullhead in July of 1944. The following month, he made his last trip home to marry Catherine Moody of Waynesville. War correspondent Martin Sheridan accompanied Bullhead on her first war patrol in the spring of 1945 and got to know Gossett. He found the “short, affable Southerner” to be good company and enjoyed the stories he told of his family in the mountains of North Carolina. The Mountaineer reported on the loss of Bullhead and Gossett’s status as missing — it took time for the crew to be classified as presumed dead — on Aug. 30, 1945. The story was surrounded by articles about the Japanese surrender and plans for local victory celebrations. Gossett’s wife, parents, and siblings had to deal with the disconnect of processing their shock and sorrow amid the jubilation that accompanied the end of the war. As with other Bullhead family members, they were on their own, victims of bad timing as much as their loved ones on the submarine. It was a lonely place to be.

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To make matters worse, the secretive and unique nature of submarine warfare meant that the location of the wreck would remain unknown. There would be no remains to repatriate and no grave to visit. Paul would never come home. Among those most grieved by Gossett’s death was his close friend Sam McCrary, also of Haywood County. McCrary served in the Navy as well, and upon returning from the war eventually married Gossett’s widow and became a well-known businessman in Maggie Valley. But he never forgot the memory of the man who had looked after him “like a little brother.” Another young sailor with Bullhead ties would eventually make his home in Waynesville. Warren Kitts entered the Navy upon graduation from Knoxville High School in 1943. Following boot camp, he volunteered for submarine service and trained as a torpedo operator. In early 1945, Kitts was assigned to Submarine Division 302 in Fremantle, Australia, the unit responsible for Bullhead plus five of her sister boats. Word eventually came down to Kitts that Bullhead needed a torpedo man and that he should prepare to join that crew. But fate intervened when he injured his hand on a training dive. The gash was deep enough to pre- vent him from getting an active assignment until his hand healed, and so he was shuffled back into the deck of the relief crew. Kitts’ number came up again later, this time to join the crew of USS Becuna (SS-319), another one of the boats operating out of Fremantle. It was on that submarine that the young seaman finally got into World War II. He had just completed a war patrol and disembarked Becuna at Subic Bay when the war ended. It was there that he learned that Bullhead had gone missing. Submariners are a tight-knit group, and Kitts’ time in Fremantle had put him into direct contact with Bullhead and her crew. Moreover, some of the guys he had been with since sub school had been assigned to the submarine as replacements and were aboard when she went down. Kitts mustered out of the Navy after the war, became a dentist courtesy of the GI Bill, and married his hometown sweetheart. The couple moved to Hazelwood in 1955, where he opened his practice. The remain- der of his life revolved around family, church, and his beloved garden. But through it all, he remembered friends who had died aboard Bullhead, and he carried the weight of that loss in his heart until his death in 2004. So as we remember Aug. 6, let’s pause and remember the submarine that sailed out of Fremantle and into eternity 75 years ago. Let’s remember Sam McCrary, Warren Kitts, and the hundreds of other local citizens who saw the war through to its conclusion. Above all, let’s remember Lt. Paul Gossett and the other sons of Haywood who gave the last full measure for country in history’s largest conflict. ======Navy Program Review: Columbia SSBN On Track Richard R. Burgess, Seapower Magazine, August 12 ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s top acquisition official said the Columbia ballistic-missile submarine is on track and ready for a fiscal 2021 official construction start. Speaking Aug. 12 in a teleconference with reporters, James F. Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said the Columbia SSBN program went through a review Aug. 11 with program and shipyard teams. “The design maturity of Columbia is exceeding 86% right now,” Geurts said. “We’re focusing on converting that design into manufacturing plans, instructions, [and] material parts. Advance construction is continuing on all of the super-modules.” The Navy announced on June 22 a contract modification with Electric Boat that featured an option — that already has been fully priced by the Navy — that would start construction of the first Columbia, SSBN 826, in October (the first quarter of fiscal 2021) and fund advance procurement, advance construction and 2024 construction start of the second Columbia sub, SSBN 827. Geurts said at the time that the work of the Navy to price out the two SSBN contract options will help the service keep on schedule and achieve economies on materials and advance procurement for the Columbia class. “We’ve got the Build 1 contract in place,” he said in the latest teleconference. “We’re ready to exercise that upon appropriation and authorization in fiscal year 2021. … We’re continuing to ensure that Columbia stays

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on track as our highest priority program.” He said that the COVID-19 pandemic “has not impacted Columbia in terms of readiness to proceed.” ======Unusually Large Narco Submarine May Be New Challenge For Coast Guard H I Sutton, Forbes, August 10 The U.S. Coast Guard, and Navy, have faced an array of so-called narco submarines, purpose built for smuggling cocaine, for the last fifteen years. These are constantly evolving. Now a super-sized narco submarine has been discovered in the Colombian Jungle. It represents another evolution of the threat facing U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) Enhanced Counter-Narcotics Operations. The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, partners navies and law enforcement, are determined to stop these vessels. But it is very challenging because they are designed to get through. The Colombian Army, one of SOUTHCOM’s partners, made the discovery on August 6. They found it before it could carry its payload north towards the drugs market in North America. It was destroyed where they found it so we may never know the full details of the design. But it is clear that it is very large, and in fact the official estimates make it the largest of its type ever found. Colombian law enforcement sources report (in Spanish) that is was about 100 feet long, 10 feet across and able to carry 6-8 tons of narcotics. Its large size opens up the possibility that it was intended to travel further than normal ones. This may have implications for law enforcement in North America and further afield.

It is technically of a type called a low profile vessel (LPV). This is because it doesn’t fully submerge, instead riding extremely low in the water which makes it very hard to see. Locally they are called “narcosubmarinos’ or semi-submersibles. And in some law enforcement circles they are termed SPSS (Self-Propelled Semi- Submersible). In the detailed taxonomy it is a LPV-IM-VSV, meaning Low Profile Vessel, Inboard motor, Very Slender Vessel. Like virtually all narco submarines this one was built in an artisan boatyard hacked out of the forest. It was on a tributary of the Naya River in Buenaventura, a sparsely populated area on the Pacific coast of Colombia. The Colombian Army patrol here because it is commonly used for narco submarines. The location suggests that it would take a route up to Mexico via the Eastern Pacific. From there the drugs would be taken overland to markets in the United States. It’s blue camouflage suggests that it was intended to go far out in the Pacific to avoid detection. Ones which take the inshore route are more often painted sea green. But its large size raises the question of whether it was destined for somewhere else? Over the years narco- subs have been getting smaller and typically only carry 1.6 tons of cocaine. This seems to be the optimum amount for the drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). So it is bucking this trend. Despite this narco submarines are, generally, capable of reaching the United States directly. But they have not been known to try. So it might be intended for other longer range trips out into the Pacific. Possibly to rendezvous with merchant vessels heading to Australia, New Zealand or Asia. We can only speculate why it is larger than normal, but there is another significant hint. This narco sub was almost certainly built by the same person who designed one which traveled from Colom-

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bia, down the Amazon River through Brazil, and all the way across the Atlantic. It was caught in Galicia, Spain in November 2019. That design was very similar and has the hallmarks of the same master boat builder. If they can build them to handle the Atlantic, many things are possible. The Colombian Army got to this one before the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard had to interdict it at sea. But have other ‘super-sized’ narco submarines already gotten through? ======How U.S. Navy’s Micro Models Will Help Submarines Stay Invisible David Hambling, Forbes, August 12 Model submarines small enough to rest on your thumbnail will make sure real submarines stay invisible and aid in identifying enemy submarines and other vessels. The U.S. Navy is combining two new technologies, 3D printing and nanophotonics, to create precise models showing how submarines and other warships appear to radar. Computer modeling of radar signatures is extremely time-consuming and may get it wrong; the only way to be sure how radar sees something is to put it – or an exact copy — in front of a radar set. Full-size ‘pole models’ are a familiar from stealth aircraft research. The slightest radar ‘glint’ spoils the whole design, so rigorous testing involving an exact model is necessary. Some companies specialize in building radar test models – Advanced Technologies Incorporated have built full-scale models of the F-22, F/A-18 E/F and Comanche RAH-66 helicopter (and probably others) for radar testing. While these models are little more than a skeleton with skin stretched over it, they are still costly and time-consuming to produce. More recently it has been possible to use scaled-down models. A radar operating at 1/100th the wavelength of an actual search radar will see a 1/100th scale model exactly as the real radar sees the full-size version. However, accurate 1/100th scale ship models currently take months to produce. Smaller might be better, but radar only works down to certain wavelengths. Enter the new field of nanophotonics which offers an alternative, making it possible to build a sensor that works like radar, using antennas rather than lenses, but picks up visible light. This technique makes it possible to scale everything down by a factor of 10,000. The Navy want to employ nanophotonics to create a ‘desktop radar range’: “At that scale, an entire Virginia-class submarine (~150 meters) can be recreated to a length of 1.5 centimeters and can easily fit in a tabletop measurement setup,” according to a solicitation on the Small Business Innovation Research website. The plan is to use near infra-red wavelengths, because there are many materials which accurately reproduce the effects of radar waves at longer wavelengths. Models will be made by 3D printing in a matter of hours, and the radar testing would take minutes. This will make radar assessment of new designs far faster than at present. The desktop radar range would have two functions. One would be determining the radar signature of any new proposed U.S. warship or modification – the proposal specifically mentions checking changes to submarine periscopes, or ‘photonics masts’ as they are now known. The new approach would allow different designs to be tested rapidly before going ahead with production, without the need to make a full-scale mockup. This would ensure that a new design is stealthy and is as close as possible to invisible to radar. (This would help, for example, with the challenge of adding a high-power laser weapon to a photonics mast, an actual project). The desktop range will help with “identifying the location and the nature of the strongest scatters and glints from the proposed Navy structure of interest. This ability allows for an intuitive interaction with the structure model to eliminate these sources of unwanted scattering and minimize the RCS [=Radar Cross Section] from visible to RF [=Radio Frequency] range.” In other words, designers can literally see where the problem is that is spoiling the stealth. The other function would be finding out what other nation’s ships look like to radar. Models can easily be created from photographs, and by checking on the desktop range it will be possible to find out their radar signature. Submarine masts can be observed when they are in port or on the surface – as in the recent Russian Oscar-class submarine transiting the English Channel. Being able to identify these by radar – from ships, aircraft or even from space — would be useful. “Even nuclear submarines sometimes have to use their periscope, or any of the array of sensor masts which now adorn them,” says Forbes contributor HI Sutton, editor of the CovertShores submarine website. “If you can get a positive identification just from a fleeting radar contact with a mast, that could be extremely powerful

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in a tactical setting.” The data to build models could be gathered by satellite, drones, or other means, perhaps even before a vessel has even been launched. “Being able to predict a warship's, or submarine's, radar signature without having to encounter it at sea to gather data could be beneficial against navies which hide their best assets in port,” says Sutton. The initial phase, proving the feasibility of the desktop radar range was carried out by two contractors, neither of whom was able to discuss the project. In the next phase, a “compact, desk top, field-operational prototype optical emulator” will be built and tested. Though a fraction of the size of the giant outdoor radar test ranges used to assess full-size gear, the desktop range will be a handy addition to the designers – and the submarine hunter’s – toolkits. ======What The Ultimate Submarine Could Look Like in 20 Years H I Sutton, Forbes, August 14 https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/08/14/what-the-ultimate-submarine-could-look-like-in-20-years/#3b7f3e4a4705 The U.S. Navy’s Virginia Class fast attack submarines are ruthlessly efficient war machines, the apex preda- tors of the deep. Yet their general appearance and many aspects of their design have a direct lineage back to the 1950s. The same can be said of British and Russian subs. However, a range of new technologies could allow radically different submarines in the future.

It will be for naval architects to see how the new technologies, such as AI, automation and quantum ... [+] H I SUTTON The U.S. Navy wants its next submarine, the SSN(X), to be bigger and faster than the current Virginia Class boats. The Royal Navy’s SSN(R) and Chinese Navy’s Type-095 Class boats will likely follow generally similar thinking. So what are the trends and technologies which could revolutionize the next generation of submarine? A driving force will be to increase the number of weapons a future submarine can carry, as well as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs, aka UUVs or simply ‘drones’). So the torpedo room, and it is likely to remain called that despite everything I am about to say, will be more of a ‘generic ocean interface.’ It will have to be larger and almost certainly fully automated. Another way that it will carry more weapons is because some of them will be smaller, like the Swedish lightweight torpedoes which are loaded two to a tube. Or the Very Lightweight Torpedo (VLWT) that Northrop Grumman is working on. These can be used against lower-value targets, which are currently a problem for submarines armed only with very expensive torpedoes. And they can be used to intercept incoming enemy

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torpedoes. The small AUVs carried aboard will be used to extend the sensor reach of the submarine. Steve Hall, CEO of Society for Underwater Technology (SUT), told me that he "can easily see that expensive submarines with a human crew on board may stay silent and deep, deploying or remote-controlling a variety of air, surface and submerged autonomous or semi-autonomous systems.” With new secure, discrete, underwater communications technologies, drones and submarines will operate together as part of a network. Today submarines are generally lone wolfs because of the difficulty of identifying whether a target is friend or foe. This is even more of a challenge for armed drones, which lack human judgement. But next-generation underwater communications could change the equation. There are mutterings of a move is away from vertical launch systems (VLS). Torpedo rooms are more versa- tile and can be used to launch weapons or drones at higher speeds. However it is a nuanced topic. Dr Rachel Pawling, who teaches naval architecture at University College London, suggests, “VLS is always going to hang around for those large air flight weapons where you want to launch several in quick order and don't care about reloads.” This would include larger hypersonic weapons such as Boost Glide missiles. Really large drones, termed XLUUVs (extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles), may also be carried. Think of them as small uncrewed submarines with their own independent warfighting capabilities. But these will need their own infrastructure. Pawling believes that “by 2040 external carriage of XLUUVs would be likely. Think of it like an aircraft carrier that has to keep some aircraft on deck at all times, only having enough internal space for maintenance.” There are a few basics which are not likely to change, however. With the advent of autonomous underwater vehicles it is easy to suggest that future submarines will be completely uncrewed. None of the experts I discussed this with think that it will go that far. Yet advances in automation and artificial intelligence will greatly reduce the crews. Those who are left will live in relative comfort, and have easy access to the things we take for granted ashore, like social media. That is unthinkable today. Hall notes, “crew don't like being away from the internet and social media, it is a societal need. This is bad enough on a surface vessel, all but impossible on a stealthy, submerged submarine.” But improvements in undersea communications could make it possible. They will also benefit from Virtual Reality or holographic displays of the 3D battlespace in which they are operating. Command centers may look more like Star Trek with more space and physically slimmer equipment. And much of the AI, navigation and communications may leverage quantum computing. These technologies will also change how a submarine ‘sees’ in the dark of the ocean. Aaron Amick who runs the Sub Brief channel told me that sonar is undergoing a dramatic evolution at the moment. He believes three significant changes are coming to sonar in the next 20 years: “Better materials, mobile drone arrays, and artificial intelligent operators.” For materials, “thousands of synthetic acoustic sensors will create an acoustic advantage, unlike anything we have seen before.” What Amick envisions for mobile drone arrays is “deployable, disposable drones which can venture away from the submarine. This will extend the sonar search beyond current hull-mounted and towed array capabilities. They might use blue-green laser data links to send the information back.” This will be plugged into the third advance, AI. More prosaically, submarines are still likely to be large steel tubes like they are today. This is largely because of limitations in how they are manufactured — unless 3D printing can make new things possible. Pawling notes that “if 3D printing of hulls becomes possible then odd shapes might become more popular.” But I wouldn’t bet on it happening in 20 years. How the submarines of the future will be powered is harder to speculate about. Lithium-ion batteries and the latest Air Independent Power (AIP), particularly fuel cells, are making larger non-nuclear submarines more capable. These will transform non-nuclear countries' navies. But the power potential of nuclear propulsion will remain attractive to those countries which have it. Especially if you want to have a high-power laser firing out of the periscope. If you want to make a long bet on the ultimate submarine of 2040, maybe it will have new nuclear fusion power plants like those proposed by Lock- heed Martin. ======

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US Navy subs now have a ‘Top Gun’ aggressor David Makichuk, Asia Times, August 18 By now, many of us have seen the Tom Cruise film, Top Gun, where US Navy and US Marine pilots sharpen their skills against an aggressor force, amid much aerial combat drama and a touch of romance. The school — which was later relocated to Fallon, Nev. from Miramar, Calif. — does in fact exist, and it churns out top notch fighter pilots and instructors. Not to mention a Hollywood movie or two — a sequel is on the way, although the premiere has been pushed back to July 2, 2021, because of Covid. The concept actually does work, which is why the US Navy’s submariners have finally got on board — quietly and secretly launching an “aggressor force” in 2019 to battle its nuclear submarine fleet, Joseph Trevithick of The War Zone reported. The unit, abbreviated AGGRON, is part of the Navy’s Undersea Warfighting Development Center (UWDC). It has elements at both the UWDC’s headquarters at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Con- necticut and at the Point Loma Annex in San Diego, California. The Navy formally established the squadron between the spring and summer of 2019, according to issues of Undersea Warfare magazine, the official publication of the Submarine Force, War Zone reported. “Its goal is to employ an effective cadre of experts (red team) versed in opposition warfighting philosophy, strategy, and tactics to stress submarine crews in warfighting scenarios. Red team expertise will be available locally or virtually to support training and certification,” Navy Vice Admiral Charles Richard, then Commander, Submarine Forces, wrote in the Spring 2019 issue of Undersea Warfare. “Additionally, we are working on connectivity between attack center locations to allow remote red team en- gagement, and we are exploring the possibility of employing select SSN(s) [nuclear attack submarines] as a standing red opposition force for live at-sea play.” “All school houses are in receipt of an updated ‘red’ playbook and are working with the Aggressor Squadron to ensure that crews receive the best blue vs. red (vice blue vs. blue) training scenarios,” Richard wrote. Aggressor units, also sometimes known as the “Opposing Force,” or OPFOR, are typically well-versed in the doctrine and tactics of possible adversaries, or the “red” force, War Zone reported. The idea is that these elements provide added realism to training exercises, giving friendly “blue” forces an opportunity to get a feel for how potential opponents might operate and explore how existing and improved concepts of operation might work against them. An internal job listing the Navy issued on Aug. 13, 2020, says that the squadron wants an individual with “cryptologic experience in submarine operations to assist with various Electronic Warfare (EW) projects.” While we don’t know exactly what these projects are, electronic warfare, broadly, is a rapidly growing area of interest across the US military, as a whole, as well as among possible adversaries, especially Russia, War Zone reported. In 2018, Vice Admiral Richard had described the still notional unit as a version of the Navy’s famed Top Gun fighter pilot training program, but for submariners. It’s worth noting that Top Gun also trains individuals to be able to return to their primary units, including both operational and training squadrons, and act as instructors and pass on what they have learned, a concept that could also be very advantageous for the submarine community, War Zone reported. As Richard noted in Undersea Warfare last year, AGGRON is already working to share lessons learned and more with other operational and training elements. The new unit will be able to provide similarly important benefits for US anti-submarine warfare elements – a much broader community that includes surface warships, fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters – looking to hone their skills against more representative threats, as well.

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New Narco Submarine Challenge In Atlantic Ocean H I Sutton, Forbes, August 17 https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/08/17/atlantic-ocean-is-no-barrier-for-homemade-narco-submarines/#3ba7b62c4165 Narco submarines are commonly associated with the Pacific and Caribbean. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have interdicted many loaded with tons of drugs destined for North America. Then last November the first documented ‘transatlantic’ narco-submarine reached European shores. It is unlikely that it was the first — only the first to get caught. European navies, police, customs, and coast guard units lack experience with narco submarines and may be ill-prepared to counter them. And it may be a U.S. problem, too.

The narco submarines leave Brazil (A) and cross to Cape Verde Islands (B) or Azores (C) before heading to Western Europe (D). The cargo may be transferred to other ships along the way with destinations potentially including America (D) H I SUTTON European law enforcement units are used to cocaine being smuggled in shipping containers, or in hidden compartments aboard vessels, as well as parasitic narco-torpedoes, which are containers attached to the un- derside of merchant vessels. But they have not, until now, had to seriously consider narco subs. Narco submarines are purpose-built drug smuggling vessels which evade capture by being extremely hard to see. Most are not true submarines because they cannot fully submerge. But the term ‘narco submarine’ is useful in describing these deliberately stealthy craft. Narco submarines are a major focus of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard efforts in the Eastern Pacific and Carib- bean. Nearly 200 have been interdicted there since 2005 by U.S. forces and their international partners. The latest example, found by the Colombian Navy in an artisan boat yard hacked out of the jungle, is significant in two ways. Firstly it was very large, comparable to the most impressive ones found to date. This reinforces the existing evidence that they can be built for extremely long range missions. And secondly, based on analysis of design features, I am confident that it was designed by the same ‘master boat builder’ who built the transatlantic one. So the connection between the American narco submarine phenomenon and Europe is undeniable. To counter narco submarines European forces may need to invest in new equipment, new training and patrol routines. A lot can be learned from the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) efforts in Latin America. There a range of intelligence platforms cue Navy destroyers and Coast Guard cutters to interdict the narco submarine. They are then boarded. However the nature of the Atlantic will likely change some aspects. I spoke to a consultant from ACK3, a Spanish company specializing in defense, intelligence and security consulting which advises European and Latin American military and law enforcement units. They point out that the sea conditions in the Atlantic will often make boarding more challeng-

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ing. The single reported example of a transatlantic narco submarine was sailing in November, a winter month in the North Atlantic. The law enforcement units involved will need training and tools to access the crew com- partment quickly and safely. ACK3 suggests that the crews may be more likely to scuttle the narco submarine when faced with European law enforcement. Currently in SOUTHCOM’s area of operations it is illegal to even crew a narco submarine so there is no real advantage in sinking the boat. But in Europe it could mean walking free due to lack of evidence that there were narcotics aboard. This means that finding a way to stop the vessel from being deliberately sunken may become more important. Tracking devices or continuous surveillance by drones and aircraft may also be used instead. This may be safer and could lead to a bigger bust down the road. An additional challenge is that the transatlantic narco submarines may not be destined to land on European shores directly. Instead they may rendezvous with other boats or ships which then deliver the payload. For example, they may sail from Brazil to Cape Verde Islands or the Azores and transfer the cargo to a ship destined for Europe. If that vessel was coming from a low-risk port, for example in Canada, it may get less customs attention when it arrives. No one would suspect that it met a narco-sub along the way. By comparison another ship sailing from Latin America may already be on a list to be inspected before it even arrives. And if a narco submarine can reach the Azores and trans-ship the illicit cargo to another ship, then another possibility opens up. Maybe they could load it onto a ship sailing from Europe to the United States? ======How Russian Spy Submarines Can Interfere With Undersea Internet Cables H I Sutton, Forbes, August 19 https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/08/19/how-russian-spy-submarines-can-interfere-with-undersea-internet-cables/ #57111cd13b04 America and the West’s dependency on undersea internet cables could be a strategic vulnerability. It is the consequence of both geography and the rise of the international digital economy. Russia, by comparison, doesn’t rely on the cables as much, and it has a substantial fleet of spy submarines designed to operate on them. Russia’s ability to meddle with undersea cables has raised concerns on many occasions in recent years. Let’s look at which Russian Navy submarines may be involved and how they operate, based on previous incidents which are only now being spoken about. During the Cold War the focus was military communication cables and sonar arrays laid on the sea floor. But today the ‘seabed warfare’ arena has been expanded to include the internet cables which crisscross the oceans. Around 99% of our transoceanic data traffic flows through undersea cables, including financial trans- actions, email, social media and of course military communications. Aaron Amick, a sonar expert who runs the Sub Brief channel on YouTube and Patreon has shared his firsthand experience of their modus operandi. Amick served aboard U.S. Navy submarines shadowing Rus- sian subs operating over NATO cables off the Norwegian coast in the early 1990s. Note that this was after the end of the Cold War. The first thing that the West may know of a Russian operation against the cables is the arrival of an Akula Class nuclear-powered attack submarine in the area. These can be very stealthy so they may not be detect- ed. This is the over-watch patrol and will circle the target area to create a perimeter defense against snooping NATO submarines. To reach the cable on the sea floor the Russians have unique nuclear-powered deep diving mini-submarines. These are known by the Russian term AGS, but in layperson’s terms they are a type of spy submarine. The most famous example is Losharik, which suffered a fatal accident on July 1, 2019. The AGS have skids to sit on the seabed and manipulator arms to work on the cables. They can lay taps (even on fiber optic cables), make inspections or cut the cables in hard to fix places. But the AGS minisubs cannot get to the target area on their own. They are carried by a massive host submarine. Russia currently has two, the most modern being BS-64 Podmoskovye, which is an enlarged Delta-IV class ballistic missile submarine. She carries the minisub instead of the missiles. And Russia is starting trials of a newer and larger host submarine, the Belgorod. The host submarine will patrol in a star-shaped pattern above the minisub, keeping frequent voice contact September 2020 Page 19

with it. The minisub might be down there for days or maybe a week at a time, before rising to dock under the belly of the host submarine. Amick observed the operations in the early 1990s when the mini-sub was a type called the Paltus. It was carried to the target cable by a modified ‘Yankee class’ ballistic missile submarine which had its missile section replaced. The nuclear-powered attack submarine providing the over-watch patrol was most often a ‘Victor-III class’ boat. Two Paltus and one Victor-III remain in service but they have been superseded by newer types. The new types may increase the length of time operations take place, and potentially they may improve the stealth- iness of the operation, making it harder to detect. Additionally, back when Amick observed the operations the host submarine was unarmed. The latest BS-64 and future Belgorod both appear to be armed. This may eliminate the need for an attack submarine providing over-watch.

Protection of civilian as well as military cables is seen with growing importance in NATO. Traditionally, the raison d'etre of a navy is to maintain control of the Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs). Until now this has meant shipping routes. But in a recent talk at The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), then Commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe-Africa Admiral James Foggo extended this to include submarine cables. It is a logical evolution, bringing SLOC up to date. Internet cables get snagged by ship anchors on a relatively regular basis, but this tends to happen in shallow waters where repairs are relatively fast. With deep-diving spy submarines Russia can operate at depths of at least 3,000 feet. The U.S. now has the Cable Ship Security Program (CSSP), which allows the Navy to stipend commercial vessels to make emergency repairs. But this only covers two ships, which may not be enough in the event of a serious attack, or even accidental damage. Naturally there is no hard evidence in the public domain that Russia is currently conducting operations against Western undersea cables. But it is undeniable that Russia continues to invest massively in the capability to do so. ======U.S. Navy's Most Advanced Attack Submarine Surfaced Outside Tromsø Thomas Nilsen, Barents Observer, August 25 It is no secret that U.S navy submarines are patrolling the waters where Russia’s submarine fleet based on the Kola Peninsula sails out to the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea. But it is not frequently announced which submarines are in the area and when they surface. At a cost of nearly $3 billion per vessel, just three submarines of the Seawolf-class were built out of the originally planned fleet of 29. Too expensive, but also the most advanced and powerful attack sub in the U.S. Na- vy. USS Seawolf is based at Bangor naval base on the west coast of the United States and normally sails the Pacific. But on Friday the nuclear-powered submarine suddenly came to surface outside Tromsø in northern Norway.

USS Seawolf outside Tromsø, northern Norway. U.S. Navy courtesy photo

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Here, the narrow waters under high mountains along the coast make a perfect shield for a submarine to surface for fast crew change and receiving supplies from shore with assistance of Norwegian Coast Guard or Navy ships. Tromsø has a larger airport and well-developed infrastructure. It is only a few hours voyage to the important Bear Gap where Russian submarines dive into the deeper Nor- wegian Sea. This area is important for NATO, trying to keep track of potential enemy subs in the line between the North Cape via the Bear Island to the southern tip of Spitsbergen. From the rather shallow Barents Sea to the deeper Norwegian Sea in the North-Atlantic where submarines are more difficult to track. The USS Seawolf was designed in the late Cold War days to dive deeper than others and aimed at counter ballistic missile subs sailing out from the Kola Peninsula. The submarine is armed with eight torpedo tubes and can hold up to 50 weapons in its torpedo room, including the Tomahawk cruise missile. The 108 meters (353 ft) long vessel is powered by a single nuclear reactor delivering 45,000 horse powers (34 MW). She has a crew of 14 officers; 126 enlisted. Now, the USS Seawolf is deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet which is in charge of American naval operations in Europe and Africa. Announcing the surfacing outside Tromsø, Commander of the Submarine Forces, Vice-Admiral Daryl Caudle said USS Seawolf demonstrates the global reach of the undersea forces and its unique readiness to execute worldwide and unrivaled readiness. “Our undersea warriors are the best in the world in submarine warfare and are equipped with unmatched capabilities designed to enhance our Navy and multiply the Joint Force’s effectiveness in competition and conflict,” Caudle said in the statement. Simultaneously as the fast attack submarine surfaced near Tromsø, six U.S. B-52 long-ranged bombers came south from the Arctic in the airspace outside Tromsø en route from North Dakota to England. Norwe- gian F-16s from Bodø airbase were flying in formation with the huge American bombers across the Norwe- gian Sea. The Barents Observer has previously reported about the increased presence of American submarines in Nor- wegian waters, in 2018 said to be inshore 3 to 4 times monthly. “The majority were in the north, three times more,” Navy Captain Per-Thomas Bøe with the Ministry of De- fense in Oslo said. Lacks northern navy base Norway does not have any naval bases suitable for nuclear-powered submarines in the north. As Haa- konsvern near Bergen on the southwest coast is too far away from the important northern waters, the Norwegian military is currently planning for an agreement with Tromsø municipality for using the civilian Tønsnes port for allied nuclear submarines. Until the arrangments are in place with harbor facilities, nuclear submarines will continue to surface in the fjords and be served by Norwegian military ships. Tønsnes port north of Tromsø could facilitate for British, American and French nuclear-powered submarines visits. Photo: Thomas Nilsen Moscow upset Russia has voiced concerns about NATO submarines making port calls to Tromsø. “There are more and more examples of Norway’s active participation in the implementation of NATO’s plans to increase the Alliance’s presence in the Arctic region,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, as reported by The Barents Observer. Nuclear emergency preparedness The Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority’s emergency preparedness unit in Tromsø is informed about each arrival of nuclear-powered vessels, including the USS Seawolf. Head of Section High North, Inger Margrethe Eikelmann, writes in an e-mail to The Barents Observer her unit is always prepared to monitor such port calls. “We are working to further develop the measurement system both with drones, new radnet [radiation monitor- September 2020 Page 21

ing] stations, air vacuum cleaners, and handheld instruments,” Eikelmann tells. She adds: “We are also working to improve the emergency preparedness systems and environmental moni- toring at the ports of call.” ======Pacific-Based Sub Operates In European Waters Staff, Sea Power Magazine, August 24 NORWEGIAN SEA — The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Seawolf is operating in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations and conducted a brief stop for personnel in the vicinity of Tromso, Norway, on Aug. 21, the fleet’s public affairs office said in a release. The Pacific-based submarine is operating in 6th Fleet under the command and control of commander, Sub- marine Group 8, and commander, Task Force 69, to compliment the undersea warfare capabilities of U.S. Naval Forces Europe. “USS Seawolf’s deployment from Bangor, Washington, to the U.S. 6th Fleet demonstrates the submarine force’s global reach and commitment to provide persistent and clandestine undersea forces worldwide to execute our unique missions with unrivaled readiness,” said Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, submarine forces commander. “Our undersea warriors are the best in the world in submarine warfare and are equipped with unmatched capabilities designed to enhance our Navy and multiply the joint force’s effectiveness in competition and conflict.” These subs are exceptionally quiet, fast, well-armed, and equipped with advanced sensors. Though this class of submarines lacks vertical launch systems, it is armed with eight torpedo tubes and can hold up to 50 weapons in its torpedo room. “The arrival of Seawolf compliments our already robust undersea warfare capabilities and demonstrates our continued commitment to providing maritime security and deterrence throughout the region,” said Rear Adm. Anthony Carullo, commander, Submarine Group 8. Seawolf was commissioned in 1997 and is the lead submarine of its class. The USS Connecticut and USS Jimmy Carter make up the rest of the class. Seawolf, which is based out of Naval Base Kitsap in Washington, is conducting maritime operations in the 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. ======Defense bills include money for two Virginia-class subs Mike Gooding, 13newsnow.com, August 25 NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Back in February, the Trump administration proposed funding only one of the Vir- ginia-class fast-attack nuclear-powered submarines in fiscal year 2021. The plan represented a 50 percent cut from last year's budget, a departure from long-standing military plans to build two of the subs per year, and would not have been good news for Newport News Shipbuilding. The House version of the National Defense Authorization Act, passed in July, would authorize $6.8 billion for two Virginia-class submarines. The Senate version includes $4.6 billion for the two subs. "It's a jobs and livelihood thing for so many people here in Hampton Roads, in addition to being critical to our national defense," said Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va, 2nd District), who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. But there is still a possibility that President Donald J.Trump could veto the entire NDAA over his objection to a provision in it that would require the Army to rename 10 bases which are named for Confederate figures from the Civil War. Luria says a veto of the bill -- which includes a three percent pay raise for the troops and which has passed for 60 consecutive years -- would be a big mistake. "This is is the bill that funds our military. It provides the resources for our national defense. So, it's shocking if he would consider vetoing that legislation." Luria added she supports changing the base name. "They are commemorating a past that is not America's finest hour," she said. Three of the bases -- Fort Lee, Fort Pickett, and Fort A.P. Hill -- are located in Virginia. September 2020 Page 22

In the end, it may not matter what President Trump thinks, because the initial bills passed out of both the House and Senate with bipartisan, veto-proof majorities. ======Over And Under The Arctic Ice, U.S. Sub And Bombers Match Russian Moves David Axe, Forbes, August 25 One of the U.S. Navy’s most powerful attack submarines paid a visit to a Norwegian port, the Navy announced on Friday. A day later, six U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers flew from the United States to the United Kingdom. Against the constant pulse of American military deployments, the submarine and bomber missions might not seem unusual. But consider how they apparently got to Northern Europe. By traveling under and over the icy Arctic Ocean. As climate change warms northern waters and greatly reduces summer ice, the Russian military has been expanding and improving its capacity to wage war in the Arctic. So it should come as no surprise that the U.S. military is doing the same. Pentagon leaders were circumspect about the air and sea deployments. “Our ability to quickly respond and assure allies and partners rests upon the fact that we are able to deploy our B-52s at a moment’s notice,” Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, said in a statement. “Their presence here helps build trust with our NATO allies and partner nations and affords us new opportunities to train together through a variety of scenarios,” Harrigian said. Indeed, the Norwegian air force wasted no time. Some of its F-16 fighters formed up alongside the B-52s while the bombers passed through Norwegian airspace on their way from Minot Air Force Base in North Da- kota to the Royal Air Force base at Fairford. The Navy’s statement on USS Seawolf’s arrival at the Norwegian port of Tromso was more remarkable, in that the fleet almost never publicly announces submarine movements. When it does, it’s making a point. “Seawolf’s deployment from Bangor, Washington, to the U.S. Sixth Fleet demonstrates the submarine force’s global reach and commitment to provide persistent and clandestine undersea forces worldwide to execute our unique missions with unrivaled readiness,” Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, the commander of U.S. submarine forces, said in a statement. It’s worth noting the context. Russia has set the conditions for intervening in Belarus following that’s country’s recent rigged election and the huge public protests that it provoked. The Russian navy recently staged a mock amphibious landing on an Arctic island. The Russian air force is expanding its airfields in the far north. The current Arctic tussle in many ways is a return to form. During the Cold War, the United States and Russia both operated forces in the Arctic. B-52 crews trained to cross the North Pole in order to drop atomic bombs on the Soviet Union. The Navy designed the three-ship Seawolf class specifically for hunting Soviet ballistic- missile submarines hiding out under the Arctic ice. But don’t take the American deployments to mean the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump suddenly is getting tough on Russia, whose agents interfered in the U.S. presidential election in 2016 in an effort to help Trump’s campaign. The Pentagon seems determined to meet Russian moves in the Arctic. But on the political level, the White House actually has softened U.S. force posture in Europe. The Trump administration has decided to pull hundreds of U.S. Marines from Norway and thousands of U.S. Army troops from Germany. ======Last Typhoon: Can The World’s Largest Submarine Still Destroy The World? H I Sutton, Forbes, August 23 The Russian Navy’s Typhoon Class is the undisputed king of submarine designs. It is much larger than anything else ever built. For context, the 33,800-ton monster is almost twice as large as the U.S. Navy’s Ohio Class ballistic missile sub. And while no submarine is immune to criticism, it is regarded as an engineering marvel even among Western analysts. But despite its fame, immortalized in Tom Clancy’s The Hunt For Red October, there is a mystery. Open-source analysts appear uncertain about the armament and capabilities of the last remaining Typhoon, TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy.

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Is it equipped with a full load-out of ballistic missiles? If so this single submarine packs enough firepower to obliterate any country. Or is it just a test bed used for trials, armed with a single missile? Said another way, we don’t actually know whether Dmitry Donskoy still packs the nuclear punch it once did. And that also means that we do not know for sure how many fully operational ballistic missile submarines Russia has. As originally built, the Typhoon Class were armed with twenty R-39 ‘Rif’ intercontinental ballistic missiles. These massive missiles, known to NATO as the SS-N-20 Sturgeon, were about 53 feet long and nearly 8 feet across. Again for comparison, that is much larger than the Trident-II missiles carried by equivalent U.S. Navy and Royal Navy boats. It was partly because the missiles were so huge that the submarine to carry them had to be the world’s largest. The R-39 missiles were solid fueled, meaning that the rocket motor used a solid block of propellant instead of liquid propellants. Western submarine-launched missiles also use solid propellants (some other Russian ones are liquid fueled) and it is widely considered safer than liquids. But it does have one relevant drawback. The solid fuel has a shelf life after which it becomes too unreliable. For the Typhoons, the missiles expired about 20 years ago. And due to the end of the Cold War, Russia decided not to spend the many millions needed to replace the motors. At the same time the improved R-39M missile was abandoned. The Typhoons were slow- ly withdrawn from service, and now only Dmitry Donskoy remains. Dmitry Donskoy is now armed with the more modern RSM-56 Bulava missile that replaced the R-39M project. This has a range of around 5,000 miles and can rain down 6 or more MIRVs (multiple independently targeta- ble reentry vehicles). But it is unclear whether all of her missile tubes were modernized to carry the new missile. Officially, per the Russian Ministry of Defense website (in Russian), it has a capability for 20 of the missiles. But there have been persistent rumors that only one or two tubes were upgraded to allow it to act as a test bed. The difference to the Russian Ministry of Defense information may reflect their status under New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). Under this all of the tubes have to be counted even if not used. Even if it only has one missile tube ready there is no denying that the giant submarine is still active. It frequently joins other Russian Navy vessels on exercises. And it has been observed at a weapons pier specially designed for loading and unloading nuclear missiles. So whether or not Dmitry Donskoy currently carries part of Russia’s nuclear deterrent, it seems that it could if called upon. Possibly some modernization work would be required if not all of the missile tubes are currently active. If so (and it seems likely), then it could involve major renovations. But that is not to say it couldn’t be done. Like so many aspects of the Russian Navy submarine fleet, we are kept guessing. ======

======The following selected history articles are part of Undersea Warfare News weekly news bulletin emails during the month of August 2020. This day in Undersea Warfare History http://www.subforce.navy.mil/ August 3, 1958 | USS Nautilus (SSN 571) became the first ship to reach the geographic North Pole. She continued on and after 96 hours and 1,930 miles under the ice, Nautilus surfaced northeast of Greenland, having completed the first voyage across the North Pole. August 4, 1944 | USS Tunny (SS 282) departed Pearl Harbor, HI, on her 7th war patrol, as a member of a coordinated attack group called “Ed’s Eradicators.” With wolf pack members Barb (SS-220) and Queenfish (SS-393), she set her course, via Midway Island, for the South China Sea. August 5, 1945 | USS Puffer (SS 268) began her 9th war patrol from Fremantle, Australia, where she headed

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North for her last war patrol to the Java Sea. Completing that patrol with the cessation of hostilities, Puffer headed for Subic Bay, Philippines, thence to the United States. August 6, 1944 | USS Pintado (SS 387) sank the 5,401 ton cargo ship Shonan Maru and damaged another target in a Formosa-bound convoy, before scampering away through a downpour of exploding depth charges. August 7, 1958 | USS Seawolf (SSN 575) received the Navy Unit Commendation for demonstrating the ability of the nuclear-powered submarine to remain independent of the earth’s atmosphere for the period of a normal war patrol. August 10, 1945 | USS Haddo (SS 255) departed on its 10th and last war patrol, but it was soon terminated by the surrender of Japan. The boat then headed for Tokyo Bay, where it witnessed the signing of the surrender on board the battleship Missouri and departed for home. August 11, 1945 | USS Spikefish (SS 404) located a Japanese cargo ship at night, waited till morning to make identification, and sank it with gunfire. Three survivors were brought on board. August 12, 1943 | USS Billfish (SS 286) made eight war patrols out of Pearl Harbor between 12 August 1943 and 27 August 1945. Billfish sank three freighters totaling 4,074 tons and five smaller craft. Part of the boat’s seventh and eighth patrols were spent on plane guard duty off Japan. August 13, 1945 | USS Atule (SS 403) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.6 and damages Coast De- fense Vessel No.16 off Hokkaido. Also on this date, USS Torsk (SS 423) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship, Kaiho Maru. August 14, 1945 | USS Blackfish (SS 221) completed its 12th and last war patrol. While no targets worthy of torpedo fire were encountered during this patrol, on 5 August the boat rescued six Army fliers and on 8 Au- gust effectively bombarded shore installations on Kusakaki Shima. August 17, 1943 | USS Seawolf (SS 197) made contact with a six ship convoy on her 3rd day in the patrol area. The boat attacked day and night for three days before finally surfacing to sink Fusei Maru with her deck gun. (Exact date unknown) August 18, 1944 | USS Rasher (SS 269) made contact with a convoy of thirteen ships protected by six es- corts. Two torpedoes were launched hitting the tanker Teiyo Maru and causing it to explode. Rasher launched a spread of six bow torpedoes on its second approach, three of which hit and sank the 17,000-ton transport Teia Maru. She then fired three more torpedoes, hitting and sinking the 20,000-ton carrier Taiyo. After pulling away and reloading, Rasher launched four torpedoes and recorded three hits on the cargo-transport Eishin Maru which caused an ammunition detonation. Rasher then launched two torpedoes and recorded two hits on Noshiro Maru. Rasher counted sixteen detonations from eighteen torpedoes fired. Rasher sank the highest tonnage of any World War II U.S. submarine patrol to that date. August 19, 1943 | USS Finback (SS 230) sinks the Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser (No.109) off the eastern Celebes. August 20, 1943 | USS Plunger (SS 179) sank the 3,404 ton Japanese merchant cargo ship Seitai Maru off the southwest coast of Hokkaido. August 21, 1942 | Near Ponape, USS Tambor (SS 198) fired a spread of three torpedoes at a freighter and her escort. The first hit the target amidships and the other two aft, blowing off the stern. Shinsei Maru No. 6 quickly sank. August 24, 1944 | USS Sailfish / Squalus (SS 192) made contact with an enemy convoy of four cargo ships escorted by two small patrol craft. Sailfish fired a salvo of four torpedoes, scoring two hits. The 2,100-ton cargo ship, Toan Maru was enveloped in a cloud of smoke before sinking shortly afterwards. August 25, 1944 | USS Picuda (SS 382), in attack on Japanese convoy at the western entrance to the Ba- buyan Channel, sinks destroyer Yunagi 20 miles north-northeast of Cape Bojeador, Philippines and merchant tanker Kotoku Maru. August 26, 1949 | While operating in stormy seas off northern Norway, USS Cochino (SS 345) suffers a se- ries of serious battery explosions that result in her loss. Though Cochino's crew is successfully rescued by USS Tusk (SS 426), the submarine loses seven of her own men during this difficult effort. August 27, 1945 | USS Idaho (BB-42) Idaho made her triumphal entry into Tokyo Bay with occupation troops, and was anchored there during the signing of the surrender onboard the Missouri on 2 September. August 28, 1944 | USS Jack (SS 259) sank a small minesweeper after attacking a convoy. After her torpedo September 2020 Page 25

missed another target, and she was raked with gunfire, Jack deftly evaded the attacker and returned later to sink the Japanese ship, Mexico Maru. ======

USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-045 NEWS-01: Arizona Silent Service Memorial Thank you letter Submitted by: Dan Marks, Perch Base Webmaster on 8/4/2020 ------Shipmates, Perch Base USSVI in Phoenix Arizona appreciates the support that you and USSVI National have provided for the Arizona Silent Service Memorial to honor U.S. submarine veterans in various SubVet News articles, such as: SubVet News - #2020-043 SubVet News - #2020-020 SubVet News - #2019-007 SubVet News - #2018-051 We are pleased to announce that on Monday, August 3rd, 2020, Perch Base members, Sunland Construction personnel, artists, designers, engineering personnel and others conducted a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Arizona Silent Service Memorial (ASSM) at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza in front of the Arizona State Capital Building. I am sure we could not have reached our fundraising goal as soon as we did without your support. Completion is expected in early September and a dedication ceremony will follow whenever Arizona temperatures and the COVID-19 restrictions permit. A detailed description of the Groundbreaking Ceremony with pictures and video are on the Perch Base USSVI website at : https://www.perch-base.org/Events/2020/2020_08_03_ASSM_Groundbreaking/2020_08_03_ASSM_Groundbreaking.htm I suggest another communication may be warranted to show the USSVI membership that their support of such goals, or should I say dreams, does matter!

Respectfully, Dan Marks Perch Base Webmaster ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-046 NEWS-01: Western Region Roundup Cancelled Submitted by: James R. Denzien, Western Region Director on 8/6/2020 ------Shipmates, At a videoconference of the Western Region District Commanders held on 8/4/2020, the Commanders in at- tendance, along with Gene Kellar, voted unanimously to cancel the Western Region Roundup (WRR) pres- ently scheduled for 1-6 November.

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The decision was made with an abundance of caution and with the best interests of our shipmates of utmost concern. At this point, negotiations are ongoing to conduct the WRR in the March/April timeframe next year at a location TBD. For those shipmates who have made deposits for the WRR, the refunds will be processed as soon as possible mates. ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-047 NEWS-01: USSVI VSO NEWS FOR AUGUST 2020 Submitted by: John Dudas, USSVI VSO on 8/8/2020 ------Shipmates, Use CTRL + click Enter to access all articles in BLUE VA publishes final regulation for its Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers The expan- sion will happen in 2 phases. First, we’ll expand the program to include family caregivers of eligible Veterans who were seriously injured in the line of duty on or before May 7, 1975. Then 2 years after this first expan- sion, we’ll further expand the program to include family caregivers of eligible Veterans who were seriously injured in the line of duty between May 7, 1975, and September 10, 2001. https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5494 Veterans benefits 2020: Most unique or newest state benefit https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76441/veterans-benefits-2020-unique-newest-state-benefit/ These Are the Most Underutilized Veteran Benefits in Each State https://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/these-are-most-underutilized-veteran-benefits-each-state.html? ESRC=mr_200803.nl VFW Action Corps Weekly https://www.vfw.org/advocacy/grassroots-efforts/vfw-action-corps-weekly VA works to raise awareness for lung cancer screening in Veterans https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77307/va-works-to-raise-awareness-for-lung-cancer-screening-in-veterans/ Senate Passes $740 Billion Defense Policy Bill with Troop Pay Raise https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/07/23/senate-passes-740-billion-defense-policy-bill-troop-pay-raise.html?ESRC=navy- a_200729.nl This Is the Only Medal of Honor Recipient to Ever Give It Back https://www.military.com/off-duty/only-medal-of-honor-recipient-ever-give-it-back.html?ESRC=navy-a_200729.nl VA Home Loan: Are You Eligible? https://www.military.com/money/va-loans/are-you-eligible-for-a-va-home-loan.html VA Partially Suspends Debt Collections on Veterans Through End of Year https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/07/14/va-partially-suspends-debt-collections-veterans-through-end-of-year.html? ESRC=mr_200720.nl Lawmakers Try to Expand List of Diseases Eligible for Agent Orange Benefits https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/07/15/lawmakers-try-expand-list-of-diseases-eligible-agent-orange-benefits.html? ESRC=mr_200720.nl VA's Post-Pandemic Plan: Expand Health Care Services at Walmart’s https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/07/13/vas-post-pandemic-plan-expand-health-care-services-walmarts.html? ESRC=mr_200720.nl ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-048 NEWS-01: USSVI National Election Voting Bulletin Submitted by: Tom Conlon, PNC, Election Master on 8/13/2020 September 2020 Page 27

------Shipmates, Due to the fact that this notice expired on the 17th of August, I’m not including the complete text of this Na- tional Bulletin. (Ed.) ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-049 NEWS-01: Lost Boats Tolling Ceremony Submitted by: Wayne Standerfer, National Commander on 8/24/2020 ------Shipmates, Due to the fact that this notice was replaced by National Bulletin 2020-050, I’m not including the complete text of this National Bulletin. (Ed.) ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-050 NEWS-01: On line “Tolling of the Lost Boats” Ceremony Submitted by: William C. Andrea on 8/25/2020 ------Shipmates, Due to the fact that this Zoom webinar activity occurred on the 27th of August, I’m not including the complete text of this National Bulletin. (Ed.) ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-051 NEWS-01: 2020 NATIONAL ELECTION RESULTS Submitted by: Tom Conlon, PNC, National Election Master on 8/25/2020 ------Shipmates, 2020 NATIONAL ELECTION RESULTS NATIONAL OFFICERS National Commander Wayne Standerfer 1257 ELECTED Write-In’s 15 National Senior Vice Commander Jon Jaques 1237 ELECTED Write-In’s 15 National Junior Vice-Commander Steve Bell 1250 ELECTED Write-In’s 13 National Treasurer Paul Hiser 1247 ELECTED Write-In’s 11 National Secretary Ray Wewers 1242 ELECTED Write-Ins 11 Total Votes 1291 REGIONAL DIRECTORS Northeast Regional Director

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Les Altschuler 240 ELECTED Write-In’s 7 Southeast Regional Director Ken Nichols 286 ELECTED Write-In’s 6 Central Region Director Tom Williams 274 ELECTED Write-In’s 6 Western Regional Director Victor Van Horn 392 ELECTED Write-In’s 12 Total Votes All Candidates 1223 PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENTS PA-2020-1 For 1224 ADOPTED Against 51 PA 2020-02 For 1237 ADOPTED Against 54 PA 2020-03 For 1227 ADOPTED Against 64 PA 2020-04 For 1152 ADOPTED Against 139 PA 2020-05 For 1117 ADOPTED Against 114 PA 2020-06 For 1098 ADOPTED Against 193 PA 2020-07 For 1237 ADOPTED Against 64 Total Votes 1291 ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-052 NEWS-01: REMINDER: 2020 Annual Business Meeting Submitted by: Wayne Standerfer, National Commander on 8/28/2020 ------Shipmates, Due to the fact that this Zoom webinar activity occurred on the 29th of August, I’m not including the complete text of this National Bulletin. (Ed.) ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-053 NEWS-01: USSVI National Awards Winners for 2020 Submitted by: Harold W (Bill) Scott on 8/29/2020 ------Shipmates, My name is Harold W (Bill) Scott, and I had the privilege of serving as Chairman of the USSVI National Awards Committee for this year. Below please find a tabulation of all the award winners for 2020. September 2020 Page 29

Congratulations to all of the winners. 2020 USSVI National Awards and Recognition Program District Commander of the Year for 2020-2021 2020 USSVI National Awards for Edmond L Irwin - District Commander Central District Central Texas Base One - Topeka-Jefferson City Base Ben Bastura Historical Achievement Award 3 Base Awards and 2 Individual Awards Peter J Koester – Marblehead Base Robert Link National Commander’s Award Stanley Van Wagner - Barbel Base Fred "Fritz" Marazita - Buffalo Base Charles Steed - Dolphin Base Barry Wyatt - Gold Country Base Charles Murray - Groton Base Steve Ricard - Groton Base David H Vanderveen - LA Pasadena Base Robert James Bowman - USSV Charitable Foundation, MAL Timothy W Carlisle - Mare Island Base William (Bill) Dornik - Mare Island Base John Ellison - Mare Island Base Frans L.Van Baars - Old North Sate Base Dr Charles Hood - Palmetto Base Stacia Moore - Tucson Base Mike Ortiz - Tucson Base Gary Bartlett - Tucson Base Joseph R (Joe) Schmidt - USS Asheville Base Joe Peek - Tarheel Base Egg Harbor Township Base - Egg Harbor Township Base Gene Rutter - Tarheel Base Posthumously to Timothy Moore - Perch Base Meritorious Award - Individual CLASS I - Huey Dietrich - Requin Base CLASS II - Tom McFadden - Tarheel Base CLASS III - Barry Wyatt - Gold Country Base CLASS IV - Mark Dykstra - USS Illinois Base Meritorious Award - Base CLASS I - Groton Base CLASS II - LA Pasadena Base CLASS III - Central Texas Base CLASS IV - Naples Base Golden Anchor Award CLASS I - Mare Island Base CLASS II - No Entry CLASS III - Tucson Base CLASS III - Central Texas Base Class IV - No Entry Silver Anchor Award Fred “Fritz Marazita - Buffalo Base Les Jamison - Gold Country Base Bob Steinmann - Central Texas Base Frank Voznak Jr - Crash Dive Base Charles Gromek - Jersey Shore Base Robert Meador - Florida First Coast Base September 2020 Page 30

Donald R Ling - Rogue-Umpqua Base Earl Gee - Keystone Submarine Base Hubert Jackson - Central Texas Base Frank Harrington - Marblehead Base The Newsletter of the Year Awards CLASS I - Bremerton Base - Puget Soundings CLASS II - Gold Country Base - Clear the Baffles CLASS III - Central Texas Base - The Deck Log CLASS IV - Carbonero Base - 1MC OVERALL WINNER - Bremerton Base - Puget Soundings Joe Negri Award - United States Submarine Veteran of the Year Kevin Galeaz - Thresher Base Honored to Serve, Harold W (Bill) Scott II, STSCS(SS), USN Ret. USSVI National Awards and Recognition Program Chairman ======USSVI OFFICIAL BUSINESS: SubVet News - #2020-054 NEWS-01: Corrections for The Newsletter of the Year Awards Submitted by: Harold W (Bill) Scott, Nat Awards Chair on 8/31/2020 ------Shipmates, The list of Newsletter of the Year Awards that was sent out in the National Bulletin 2020-053 (POC) contained some errors. The following is the correct list. The Newsletter of the Year Awards CLASS I - Bremerton Base - Puget Soundings CLASS II - LA Pasadena Base - Periscope CLASS III - Central Texas Base - The Deck Log CLASS IV - Slosubvets Base - Scuttlebutt AND THE OVERALL WINNER - Bremerton Base - Puget Soundings My sincere apologies for the error. Honored to Serve,

Harold W (Bill) Scott II, STSCS(SS) USN RET. USSVI National Awards Chair ======THOUGHTS

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======Bank Visit I had spent an hour in the bank with my dad, as he had to transfer some money. I couldn't resist myself & asked... ''Dad, why don't we activate your internet banking?'' ''Why would I do that?'' He asked... ''Well, then you won’t have to spend an hour here for things like transfer. You can even do your shopping online. Everything will be so easy!'' I was so excited about initiating him into the world of Net banking. He asked ''If I do that, I won’t have to step out of the house?” ''Yes, yes''! I said. I told him how even grocery can be delivered at door now and how amazon delivers everything! His answer left me tongue-tied. He said ''Since I entered this bank today, I have met four of my friends, I have chatted a while with the staff who know me very well by now. You know I am alone...this is the company that I need. I like to get ready and come to the bank. I have enough time, it is the physical touch that I crave. Two years back I got sick, the store owner from whom I buy fruits, came to see me and sat by my bedside and cried. When your Mom fell down few days back while on her morning walk. Our local grocer saw her and immedi- ately got his car to rush her home as he knows where I live. Would I have that 'human' touch if everything became online? Why would I want everything delivered to me and force me to interact with just my computer? I like to know the person that I'm dealing with and not just the 'seller'. It creates bonds of Relationships. Does Amazon deliver all this as well?'' Technology isn't life.. Spend time with people .. Not with devices. Writer: Unknown ======

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Do you have a short story, food for thought, or funny story to share? Let me know at [email protected] ======A Woman Sends a Text to Her Husband “Honey, don't forget to buy bread when you come home from work and your girlfriend Valerie greets you.” Husband: Who is Valerie? Wife: Nobody, I just wanted you to answer, to have confirmation that you saw my text. Husband: But I’m with Valerie right now, I thought you saw me? Wife: What??! Where are you? Husband: Near the neighborhood bakery. Wife: Wait, I’m coming right now! After 5 minutes, his wife sends a message: Wife: I’m at the bakery, where are you? Husband: I’m at work. Now that you’re at the bakery, buy the bread! ======SUPERSEX A little old lady who had lost her marbles was running up and down the halls in a nursing home. As she ran, she would flip up the hem of her nightgown and say "Supersex." She ran up to an elderly man in a wheel- chair, flipping her gown at him, she said, "Supersex." He sat silently for a moment or two and finally answered, "I'll take the soup." ======HOLY HUMOR ======How many have forgiven... Toward the end of a Sunday service, the Pastor asked, "How many of you have forgiven your enemies?" 80% held up their hands. The Pastor then repeated his question. All responded this time, except for one man... Kenneth Morin, the long retired Navy man. "Mr. Morin, are you not willing to forgive your enemies?" "I don't have any!" Ken replied gruffly. "Mr. Morin, that is very unusual. How old are you?" "Ninety-eight," he replied. The congregation stood up and applauded . "Oh, Mr. Morin, would you please come down in front and tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years and not have an enemy in the world?" The old Sailor tottered down the aisle, stopped in front of the pulpit, turned around, faced the congregation, and said simply, "I outlived them all." "He calmly returned to his seat.

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======Do you have sea stories to share? Please send them to me for future Sea Stories Deck Logs. Your Editor, [email protected] When trying to upload another sea story from the www.olgoat.com (After Battery) website, It no longer is available and no explanation was provided. I found another source for Sea Stories: see http:// www.submarinesailor.com/stories/

======Angles, Dangles, and Gumby by Sean Dupre TM2/SS/DV - USS Spadefish SSN-668 (637 class) http://www.submarinesailor.com/stories/AnglesGumby.htm Commander Jim Richard - For the love of USS Barb by JO1 Diane Perry http://www.submarinesailor.com/stories/ForTheLoveOfUssBarb.htm Virginia Beach, VA -- Their his-and-her license plates read USS BARB and BARB 220, and when retired Na- vy Commander James "Jim" Richard recalls his adventures on submarine war patrols in the Pacific during the height of World War II, wife Helen listens attentively, adding any details that might be left out -- there aren't many. Barb sank the greatest tonnage of any American submarine in World War II and was awarded the Presiden- tial Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation and eight battle stars. The gripping true-life story of Barb and her heroic crew are detailed in the book "Thunder Below," authored by Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and retired Navy Rear Admiral Eugene B. Fluckey, the sub's commander. Richard, a 30-year veteran of the submarine service, made five war patrols on Barb, undoubtedly the most cherished memory of his entire naval career. Throughout the Richards' Virginia Beach home, there are a few mementos from his service in the Pacific. Some are carefully tucked away in folders or in boxes; others are displayed on the walls. The largest, Barb's final battle flag, designed by a crewmember, hangs prominently in the den. One year after the war's end, each crewmember that served on Barb received a flag; only a limited number were made. Its colorful symbols tell of Barb's engagements. Proudly, Jim and Helen take turns explaining what all the symbols stand for. "The white flags with a solid red sun in the center represent all the merchant ships sunk," said Jim. "Japanese naval ships, or "men of war" as we called them, are indicated by the Rising Sun flags." On the very bottom the symbols appear less war-like and more child-like, though their real meaning is far from it. The guns are for significant shore bombardments on four factories, canneries, and building yards. The rocket symbols are for ballistic rocket attacks on factories and a large air base. The Barb was the first and only submarine to fire rockets in wartime, and according to Fluckey's book, pointed the way to the future of ballistic missiles. One rocket attack destroyed the largest paper mill in Japan. But one of the more curious symbols on the flag is of a train. The tale behind the symbol is reminiscent of a scene from the recent World War II submarine movie U571, which Richard thinks is "all-fake". "I'm waiting for our movie to come out," said Richard. "Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks has picked up the film rights (for Thunder Below)." The mission was to blow the tracks that carried some of the huge trains up and down the coast of Japan. It would take eight courageous men from the Barb, paddling their way in rubber rafts to the shoreline and onto land. Fluckey carefully selected eight volunteers for this dicey mission; the biggest and strongest officer as the leader, the chief of the boat, an auxiliary man who could repair anything, a cook who would feed them if they got stranded ashore, a signalman who would take care of flashing light communication and navigation, an electrician that had a knowledge of the railroads and last but not least, as Fluckey described in his book, "Jim

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Richard, a crack motor machinist and born Pirate." The chapter is entitled "Hear That Train Blow!" "I can remember everything about that night," said Richard. "We had to get on shore and bury the charges underneath the tracks to blow-up the train." In retrospect, it was a sheer stoke of good luck how Richard ended up on the Barb because just a week prior to receiving orders to that submarine he had been assigned to USS Trout - that was sunk, all hands lost. Richard's adventures in the Navy began when he was a young man playing football in his hometown at Bak- ersfield Junior College. The draft began and Richard knew he had better register for the service he wanted before "Uncle Sam" decided for him. "I didn't want to be drafted into the Army and end up in the mud," said Richard. "I enlisted in the Navy because I knew I'd have a hot meal and a bunk to sleep in." He wanted one other thing from the Navy…to be a submariner. "The Navy sent me to diesel school but I made sure my instructors knew that I wanted to go on to submarines; they told me I had be in the top of my class," said Richard. "I bugged them constantly and they, in turn, reminded me again that I had to graduate in the top of the class in order to go on to submarine school." He chuckled when he told the next part of the story of his graduation ceremony where the leaders of the class called the top students to stage in the large auditorium. Each was asked where he wanted to be assigned. "They didn't even have to ask me," remembered Richard. "They all just laughed and said, we know he wants submarines." And that's exactly what he received - 30 years of submarine duty, from diesel-powered submarines to advanced technology of nuclear propulsion. Richard retired from the Navy on May 31, 1974. Today, Jim and his wife Helen are content with educating others about the incredible service, creativity, and heroism of those who served on submarines during one of the most tumultuous eras in that service's history.

Central Texas Base August 19, 2020 Meeting Awards Pictures

Harold Jackson presenting Holland Club Weldon Koenig presenting Holland Club Award to Virgil Claycamp Award to Joe Kruppa September 2020 Page 35

Tom Williams, CRD, presenting Base Golden Anchor Award to Gene Hall, CTB VC Tom Williams presenting Base Meritorious Award to Rick Mitchell, CTB BC

Tom Williams presenting Newsletter of the Year Award to Newsletter Editor, Bill Scott

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2020 National Awards Plaques for Shipmates and Base Awards

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