USSVI — Blueback Base Newsletter Blueback Base, P.O. Box 1887 Portland, Oregon — March 2010 # 192 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.” BASE MEETINGS... FORWARD BATTERY Executive Board Will Meet: BASE COMMANDER: Chuck Nelson 360-694-5069 Thursday, 11 March 2010 VICE COMMANDER: VFW Post #4248 Gary Webb 503-632-6259 7118 S.E. Fern—Portland SECRETARY: 1730 Dave Vrooman 503-262-8211 TREASURER: Blueback Base Meeting: Collie Collins 503-254-6750 CHAPLAIN: Thursday, 11 March 2010 Scott Duncan 503-667-0728 VFW Post #4248 CHIEF OF THE BOAT: 7118 S.E. Fern—Portland Stu Crosby 503-390-1451 1900 WAYS AND MEANS CHAIRMAN: Mike LaPan 503-655-7797 There will be a Special St. Patrick’s Day MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN: Dinner before the meeting, prepared by the wives. Dave Vrooman 503-262-8211 $5.00 per person, all are welcome! PUBLICITY AND SOCIAL CHAIRMAN: LeRoy Vick 503-367-6087 BYLAWS CHAIRMAN: Holland Club –New Member 7 Chris Stafford 503-632-4535 It Happened this Month 8 SMALL STORES BOSS: Sandy Musa 503-387-5055 Women in Subs OK’ed 8 TRUSTEE: Binnacle List 8 Fred Carneau 503-654-0451 SANITARY EDITOR: Feb. Meeting Minutes 2 Dolphin Raffle 8 Dave Vrooman 503-262-8211 Dues Chart 2 The Lighter Side 9 [email protected] NOMINATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Support Our Troops 3 Killer Submarines 10 Ray Lough 360-573-4274 Submarine History — Mascots 3 USS Flier (SS-250) Found 10 PAST BASE COMMANDER: J.D. Corbett 503-304-1700 “Official” Tartan — N0! 4 Humor 11 HISTORIAN, EDITOR OF JOKES IN POOR TASTE, St. Patrick’s Day Dinner 5 USS Mississippi (SSN-782) 12 EDITOR ON DEMAND, POC, AND ALL AROUND GOOD GUY… Submarine Birthday Lunch 5 Bob Walters 503-284-8693 Lost Boats — March 6 Rent-A-Scout 6 Submariner from the Past 6 Eternal Patrol 7 Navy Memorabilia 7 VENTING SANITARY Inboard — March 2010 — Page 1 VENTING SANITARY Inboard — March 2010 — Page 2 Blueback Base A motion was made, seconded and approved that Meeting Minutes the base participate in the Memorial Day cere- 11 February 2010 mony at Beaverton’s Veterans Park Annually. 1900 Meeting was called to order by Base Commander Bob Lee will provide details when are avail- Chuck Nelson. able. Moment of silence for lost shipmates. 50 / 50 Raffle: $21.00 won by Gary Thrall. Reading of USSVI purpose and Creed. Good of the Order: Tolling of the Lost Boats for February; Les Savage The painting of the USS Cusk (SS-348), donated and Ron Darkes. by Stu Crosby has been hung in the meeting Invocation by Ray Lough. hall. Pledge of Allegiance led by Chuck Nelson. Frank Weber showed and talked about his Navy Memorabilia collection. Introductions: All. George Hager reported that there will be a Iwo Secretary’s Report by Base Secretary, Dave Jima Flag Raising Ceremony in the Canby Vrooman. Adult Center on Saturday, 20 February at 0930. Treasurer’s Report by Base Treasurer Collie Collins. The wives gave us a run down on the St. Patrick’s Old Business: Day dinner they are preparing for the March Ray Lough reported on locations he contacted for Meeting. (See page 5 ) the Submarine Birthday Lunch. Keith Miller gave a reminder of the US Sub Vets A motion was made, seconded and passed to cele- of WWII — USSVI luncheon on next Wednes- brate this year’s Submarine Birthday with a day, 17 February, at the Hillsboro Elk’s Lodge. lunch at the Spaghetti Factory. (See page 5 for 2020 Meeting adjourned. details). Sailing List—37 hands aboard: Bryan Jr; Carneau; A motion was made, seconded, and passed Collins, C.; Corbett; Crosby; Darkes; Dennis; Do- whereby each person attending the Birthday lan; Fong; Gatchel; Hager; Heitzman; Jackson; Lunch will pay $10. Blueback Base will pay Jacobsen; LaPan; Lee; Lines; Lough; McCo- the remaining amount of the bill for the lunch. miskey; Miller; Montague, Jr.; Musa, S.; Musa, Gary Webb reported that the site for this year’s W.; Nelson; Pleming; Savage; Seel; Stafford; picnic has been reserved at Clackamette Park. Stowe; Sumner; Thrall; Tzevelekos; Vrooman; The picnic will be held on Saturday, 14 August, Walters; Webb; and Visitors Speake and Weber. from 1100—1500. Details along with a map Respectfully submitted will be in the July 2010 Sanitary. Dave Vrooman New Business: Blueback Base Secretary A discussion was held as whether or not the base would change its By-Laws, as National has, to allow Associate Members to hold the offices of Secretary or Treasurer. A motion was made, seconded, and passed to leave the By-Laws as USSVI DUES they are for now. It was agreed that if the need arose in the future they could be changed at that ANNUAL NATIONAL BASE time. Mac McComiskey will arrange for speakers from 1 YR $20.00 $15.00 local Women’s Veteran’s groups to be at a fu- ture meeting. Arlo Gatchel will arrange for 3 YR pre-pay $55.00 $15.00 / Yr awards of our appreciation of their service to be 5 YR pre-pay $90.00 $15.00 / Yr made for presentation to them at that time. A discussion of supporting the proposed adapta- LIFE NATIONAL BASE tion of the Polaris Military Tartan (PMT) as a USSVI official organization symbol was held. < Age 45 $500.00 $300.00 A motion was made, seconded, and unani- Ages 46-55 yrs $400.00 $250.00 mously approved to NOT support the proposal. An E-Mail expressing this outcome was sent to Ages 56-65 yrs $300.00 $200.00 the National Commander, Pat Householder. (The National Board had voted down the pro- Ages 66-75 yrs $200.00 $150.00 posal. –See Page 4) Ages 76 + $100.00 $50.00 VENTING SANITARY Inboard — March 2010 — Page 3 Gar. Under the heaviest depth charge attacks, when the gauges SUPPORT OUR TROOPS… were leaking, light bulbs breaking, and fires breaking out, Garbo Bill Bryan and his wife Shelia continue to ship your contri- remained as playful as ever. The crew thought she should have got- butions to our troops. Most of the packages go to Afghani- ten a medal for keeping their spirits and morale up when needed the stan. Your thoughtfulness and generosity is greatly appreci- most. The skipper would put her on his shoulder and carry her up ated by those who receive “care packages” from home. Keep the ladder to the bridge at night for fresh air. up the good work. One night while the Gar was running on the surface during a war Bring your donations to the next meeting or contact them at patrol in the Palau Islands, Garbo stepped off the cigarette deck and vanished into the darkness. The C.O. immediately began a dog (360) 546-1111 or you can E-mail them at overboard search. With the boat making frantic circles in enemy [email protected] waters, a lookout finally spotted the mascot below the bridge, safe Some recommended items for mailing are: on the main deck. Books, Magazines, Puzzle Books, Cards, Hard Candy, Sta- Between patrols Garbo stayed with the crew at their hotel in Pearl tionary, Tea Bags, Beef Jerky, Gum, Wet Wipes, Bug Wipes, Harbor. She joined in the ship’s parties, and like some of her two- Personal Hygiene Items (such as Soap, Deodorant, legged shipmates, she didn’t know her limit. After lapping up too much beer, she tended to blunder into furniture. Garbo gave birth to Tooth Paste), DVD’s, and Computer Games. two pups while the sub was en route to Ulithi; the father belonged to Please remember that the items must fit into the U. S. Post the USS Tambor (SS 198). The Gar’s crew traded the pups to other Office’s mailing boxes. Don’t forget Easter is coming. submarines for cases of beer. Skeeter: Skeeter the mascot of the USS Halibut (SS 232), was a swashbuck- ler too. The crew acquired him in Lefty’s bar in San Francisco SUBMARINE HISTORY — while the sub was undergoing overhaul in 1944. During his tour on Sea Dogs and other Crew Members… the Halibut, Skeeter appeared at captain’s mast twice, perhaps a canine record. He was first charged with disturbing the peace in the Throughout the history of the Silent Service there have been forward battery compartment and with being surly and belligerent. many stories of four legged (or less) crew members. Here are Cmdr. I. J. Galantin, the Halibut’s C.O., dismissed the case with a but a few of them. If you have one of your own, send it to me warning. Skeeter’s second trip to mast came when he mistook a and I will publish it in a future Sanitary. These stories are taken chief petty officer’s leg for a fire hydrant. But the dog eventually from a wide variety of on line sources which I will supply on request. received an honorable discharge and was mustered out of the Navy The Dogs: in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in July 1945. During WW II many boats had pet dogs. They were usually small Chief and Spade: and of mixed breed. Most were either bought or given to the crew Sea Poacher (SS-406) had a sea dog in WWII that made patrols as gifts.