USSVI — Blueback Base Newsletter Blueback Base, P.O. Box 1887 Portland, Oregon January 2009 # 178 Clackamas, OR 97015-1887 The Creed of the USSVI is Not to Forget our Purpose…… “ To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds, and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments, Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States of America and its Constitution.” FORWARD BATTERY BASE MEETINGS... BASE COMMANDER: Executive Board Will Meet: Chuck Nelson 206-694-5069 VICE COMMANDER: Thursday, 8 January 2009 Ron Darkes 503-630-6330 VFW Post #4248 SECRETARY: 7118 S.E. Fern—Portland Dave Vrooman 503-262-8211 1730 TREASURER: Scott Duncan 503-667-0728 Blueback Base Meeting: CHAPLAIN: Scott Duncan 503-667-0728 Thursday, 8 January 2009 CHIEF OF THE BOAT: VFW Post #4248 George Hudson 503-843-2082 7118 S.E. Fern—Portland WAYS AND MEANS CHAIRMAN: Mike LaPan 503-655-7797 1900 MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN: Chow to be served before Base Meeting Dave Vrooman 503-262-8211 PUBLICITY AND SOCIAL CHAIRMAN: LeRoy Vick 503-367-6087 BYLAWS CHAIRMAN: Chris Stafford 503-632-4535 New MCPON 5 SMALL STORES BOSS: 7 December 6 Bill Bryan 360-546-1111 TRUSTEE: Submariner from the Past 6 Fred Carneau 503-654-0451 SANITARY EDITOR: From the Crew 6 Dave Vrooman 503-262-8211 [email protected] Meeting Minutes 2 Lone Sailor—Bremerton 7 NOMINATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Chris Stafford 503-632-4535 OMSI Layoff 2 New Base Commander 7 PAST BASE COMMANDER: J.D. Corbett 503-304-1700 Blueback ‘s Winter Coat 2 Annual Christmas Party 7-8 HISTORIAN, EDITOR OF JOKES IN POOR TASTE, EDITOR ON DEMAND, POC, AND ALL New Year’s Deck Log 3 Dues 9 AROUND GOOD GUY… Bob Walters 503-284-8693 Sea Poacher 3 Before & After 9 Submarine History 4 Fairbanks-Morse 10 Lost Boats, January 5 Submarine Corpsmen 11 Support Our Troops 5 Help 12 January 2009 — Page 1 January 2009 — Page 2 Blueback Base volunteer coordinator to express our feelings. From there Meeting Minutes we had meetings with OMSI staff including the president, 11 December 2008 Nancy Stueber. She was very cordial and assured us that 1800 Meeting called to order by Base Commander J.D. Cor- she was willing to do whatever is necessary to continue to bett keep the Blueback in the fine condition she is now in and Moment of silence for lost shipmates to continue to make tours of her the best submarine tour Reading of the USSVI Creed by Base in the nation. Radm Barrett also attended one of these Commander, J.D. Corbett meetings and expressed the need to work out a new plan for staffing the Blueback. Tolling of the Lost Boats for December. Negotiations are now underway to bring R.G. Walker Invocation by J.D. Corbett back on board as a consultant in order to assure the con- Pledge of Allegiance led by COB George Hudson tinued success of the operation, repair, and maintenance. Introductions Another meeting is tentatively scheduled for 5 January to Secretary’s Report by Base Secretary, Dave firm up future staffing and maintenance of Blueback. Vrooman Further information will appear in this publication as it New Business: becomes available. Motion made by Ray Lough and seconded to adjourn meeting. Motion passed. Meeting was immediately called back to order by Blueback Gets Winter Coat… Base Commander, J.D. Corbett. Like the rest of Portland, Blueback wears its coat of New Base Commander, Chuck Nelson was white for the holidays. Picture was taken on Christmas sworn in by outgoing Base Commander Eve day, after trudging through at least a foot of record J.D. Corbett. snowfall to get this shot. Good of the Order: Collie Collins conducted the Missing Men Ceremony with tolling of the bell by Bob Sumner R.G. Walker reported on his situation with OMSI, he was laid off due to the financial problems caused by the economy. Benediction by J.D. Corbett 1835Meeting adjourned Christmas Dinner is now being served! Sailing List—22 hands aboard: Burgess; Carneau; Collins, Collie; Collins, Ron; Corbett; Crosby; Duncan; Gatchel; Hudson; Lough; Nelson; Nowland; Pense; Stafford; Stevens; Sumner; Thrall; Tzevelekos: Vrooman; Walker, R.G.; Walters; Wilson. Respectfully submitted USSVI DUES Dave Vrooman ANNUAL NATIONAL BASE Blueback Base Secretary 1 YR $20.00 $15.00 3 YR pre-pay $55.00 $15.00 / Yr OMSI Lays Off Submariners… 5 YR pre-pay $90.00 $15.00 / Yr Along with the rest of local business, OMSI is feeling the LIFE NATIONAL BASE effects of the current economic down turn. They were forced to eliminate 20 full time positions. The two em- < Age 45 $500.00 $300.00 ployees that wear dolphins were let go with no advance Ages 46-55 yrs $400.00 $250.00 notification. Ages 56-65 yrs $300.00 $200.00 When the rest of the crew of the Blueback, both paid and volunteers heard of this the feeling was outrage. We Ages 66-75 yrs $200.00 $150.00 asked for a meeting with OMSI and initially met with the Ages 76 + $100.00 $50.00 January 2009 — Page 3 Just ain’t the way most like to spend their time. Why, take Lafayette And tell me how you’d get A “six-sixteen” enclosed within a verse. And if “submarine Polaris” Is needed to declare us, The situation goes from bad to worse. But save a little pity For the man who writes the ditty New Year’s —Rhyme Time... On the submarine that’s tied up to our right. A SHIP’S DECK LOG must always record the important Pulaski’s hard to spell, things that happened aboard—events which affect the To rhyme it? Truth to tell ship or its crew, or having with history something to do. It’s enough to make you keep awake all night. There is also a time that it should be in rhyme. For better Even AS thirty two or worse, and written in verse, it’s the midwatch log on (She’s known as Holland, too) January first. Will age her OOD a few more years. Of our three ships in the nest, You may have wondered how the midwatch is selected. Her name will rhyme the best, Of course, if you happen to be the junior man on the But her quarterdeck will run with blood watch list, you already have a sneaking suspicion it isn’t and tears. done by drawing lots. But lack of seniority is not the true Though Holland may rhyme easily, criterion for selection of the men who will usher in the The erstwhile bard pens queasily; New Year. With this in Mind, perhaps you can figure out He knows the heights from whence may come how the senior watch officer decides who will wield a his censures. long-glass on New Year’s Eve, instead of a long-stemmed For COMSUBRON Sixteen one. (He’s SOPA on the scene) Let’s say he happens to be on the bridge one day, early in Employs that very ship to base his ventures. December, and he overhears the young officer of the deck Other U.S. ships Atlantic give a rather unusual course change. Instead of “Come Some small, and some gigantic right to zero nine zero,” he hears “Avast ye lads, here’s a Rota Harbor’s ringed with sparkling lights riddle; Two O’s on the ends, and nine in the middle.” from all. He’s got his man. While we who drew this night’s assignment It’s a naval tradition. But there is one condition: Would prefer more swinging entertainment, The OOD, or whoever it be, to whom the job’s given, Still we wish you all a happy New Year’s ball. must obey Navy Regs, Art. 1037. F.A. Bierig, LT(jg), USN From this regulation it can be concluded that lots of de- from All Hands January 1968 tail must be included: which hawsers are tied; the ships along side; who SOPA might be; the state of the sea; the ship’s position; the material condition; the soundings and draft; what objects are aft; and such. Sea Poacher Reminisces… It’s not really much. But it can be quite sticky, to write more than a quicky, and often is taxin’ to get all the facts in. Still, many watchstanders will, and already haved, a good one, well done. This year’s winner happened to be moored in a Mediter- ranean port, which may or may not indicate that the ro- mantic Latin environment evoked an unusually powerful muse in bard— LT(jg) F.A. Bierig, of USS Lafayette (SSBN-616) If you’ll pause awhile to ponder, USS Sea Poacher (SS-406) had an experience this sum- mer that all teenagers look forward to. She celebrated her You, like us, may start to wonder st Why New Year’s logs are often couched in rhyme. 21 birthday. Actually she had come of age very early in Making numbers fall in meters life. While the crew’s out chugging liters (Continued on page 4) January 2009 — Page 4 (Continued from page 3) tralia from Philippine patrols, for target practice. They Past events during Sea Poacher’s commissioned service bombarded Pratas repeatedly - as consolation for a fruit- have been filled with excitement. less patrol or in high spirits as the result of a successfu1 Built in Portsmouth, N.H., she was commissioned on 31 one. July 1944. Almost immediately the war in the Pacific Under this annoying periodic fire the Jap garrison fled, beckoned for her services.