Published Quarterly by the USS Tullibee SSN 597 Association Bill Keel Association Commander, 815-715-9966, [email protected] Thirteenth Edition, 23 July 2015 Commander’s Corner best one yet is welcome! The We held our 5th reunion last date of the reunion has not week in Charleston, South been set, and we are still Carolina, for the crew of the looking at the city location, but th USS Tullibee SSN 597. We it will be between March 15 enjoyed great fellowship, and November 1, 2017, and it Are You a Member of the USS swapped stories (some of them will be in close proximity to the Tullibee SSN 597 Association? true!), and had a chance to Groton area. The committee visit a truly amazing city! will come up with some dates Have you joined the Although we were not large in and locations in the next six Tullibee Association? The cost numbers, we had a great time months, or so, and I will relay is just $10 per year or a low having the opportunity to get it to the crew. lifetime membership rate. The together and visit. For some, A very special thank monies we receive for the this was their very first you to Doc Repphun who visited Association memberships and reunion. Hopefully, we will see our hotel prior to our deciding the small profit we make from them again at future reunions. to secure it as the reunion the sales of memorabilia keep For those that just could not location. Doc went to the us afloat and help to put on make it, please know that you hotel and spoke with the reunions. If you were a were missed and we hope you manager and others to make member, but the membership can make it to the 2017 sure it was right for us! He has lapsed, or if you have not reunion. A committee has been also visited other properties in yet joined, please consider formed to handle that reunion, the Charleston/North doing so. Thanks to all of you and if there is an interest to Charleston area. Without that are current members! help, please let me know! The people offering their time, 2017 reunion committee, as of reunions are almost impossible now, consists of Mike to plan! Thanks also to Robert Haselberger, Steve Burt, Lucy Griffin, who also helped by Burt, Chris Cassell, Anton visiting properties for us. Doc Holstrom, and Bob Bode. and Robert live in the Again, anyone wanting to help Charleston area. make the 2017 reunion the --Bill shock. He had no idea of what News from the Sea Stories! happened or why. Association Meeting His appearance was as though Greetings! I'm Bob he had leaped into a mud Anderson, former ET(N)3 wrestling pit, submerged, There was a USS Tullibee SSN SS. I served on the Tullibee rolled and played in the stuff 597 Association Meeting held from 1960 -- 1963. (I was, and then emerged to stand at the Charleston Reunion on incidentally, THE ET, upright. technician, operator, Saturday, 18 July 2015 maintenance worker and The situation had its (Minutes were taken by storekeeper all rolled into humorous side, of course, but Shipmate Bob Bode and one 24/7). I'm about to turn only in retrospect, not at the time. It's impossible to laugh complete minutes will be sent 77, and it's either recount at the sight of anyone as to Association members), my tall tales now or never. distressed as was Mr. X. As David Barry would say, Association members,a ccording "I'm not making this up." As to the head compartment, to bylaws, are elected to 4- I'll leave its state to your year terms. During the POTTY TRAINING THE imagination. Fortunately he had managed to close the meeting at the Groton reunion ADMIRAL flush valve so that the (2013) is was decided to keep During my stint on the Tullibee blowback was momentary. officers in place for an we were blessed with the Whether this was by intent, divine intervention or additional two years. finest group of officers imaginable, starting with fortuitous accident remains a Nominations were made for new Captain Jortberg and all the mystery. Association officer elections: way down. As time went on, The first task was to get him we collected two or three junior officers. They were out of his uniform and into the Commander: Bill Keel pretty green. One was not long shower (which was relatively Vice Commander: Steve Burt out of Annapolis. Much to my unscathed). It was like dealing with a toddler. As previously Secretary: Anton Holstrom amazement, Jake Munro informed me that he went on mentioned, he was in shock Treasurer: Bill Keel to achieve admiral rank. This and couldn't help himself. The Historian: Max Gildner stunned me. The following next was to rinse his clothing as best as possible and get it never before told tale will explain why. I'll refer to the into the washing machine. Anyone in good standing in the officer as "Mr. X". Then came the biggie. In Association can be nominated between rounds I sanitized (or can nominate oneself) for We were dockside at New London. As it was our that head compartment. Never any of the Association officer procedure to stand brutally had a head compartment positions. Please let Bill Keel long watches so the maximum received a cleaning like I lavished on that one. Fragrant know if you wish to be placed number could enjoy liberty, the boat was deserted except bags of cleaning rags went on the ballot for a position. for the watch standers and Mr. topside and onward to the Association members will vote X. I had the below decks watch dumpster (which retained a distinctive and unpleasant on these positions in about 30 and prepared to blow the officers' sanitary, carefully odor for some time days. deploying the BLOWING afterwards). By the time I was finished, i was somewhat SANITARY sign in its proper fragrant myself, and I had to ********************* place. repeat the cleaning cycle on Mike Wilkerson and Kurt Taylor I was below pressurizing the myself. volunteered to help find tank when the agonized scream from the pits of hell Then, after first showing Mr. X Tullibee shipmates that we reverberated through the the BLOWING SANITARY sign have not located—and that is a compartment. I stopped the and explaining its significance, I finished lot of guys! Do you remember pressurization and seemingly levitated up to officers' blowing the sanitary. The log a lot of people with whom you quarters. There I was greeted entry read, "Blew sanitary" or served that haven’t been by a sight worthy of Dante's words to that effect. located? Send Bill Keel that Inferno. A being, unrecognizable, stood there, information. I will be sending layered with reeking sh*t from Have something to a list of the “found” in the head to toe. It was, of course, share with the crew? email with this newsletter. Mr. X. He was quite literally in Send it in! We have a new Banner! A few months ago, I received an email from a gentleman in Michigan. He told me he had a “parade banner” from the USS Tullibee and asked me if I was interested in acquiring it. After many emails and exchange of pictures, I decided I did want it, and I offered him a price that I felt was reasonable; he accepted. Now, we have a second banner to hang alongside Jack Munro’s banner at our boat reunion. As it turns out, the banner had belonged to shipmate William Ackerman and was stored in the basement of his home. Bill went on Eternal Patrol, and in 1990, his wife sold the house. After many years, the new owner of the house found the banner, some shipping wooden crates, and other Tullibee stuff. He came across the Association information on the internet and contacted me. One never knows what will turn up! Financial Statement for the USS Tullibee SSN 597 Association Checkbook Balance following 2013 Reunion (24 July 2013).... $ 4925.69 Deposits 24 July 2013 through 24 July 2015 ...................... 5077.00 Revenue............................................ $ 10002.69 Expenses 12 March 2014 Memorabilia Order (Hats/Shirts)........$ 764.18 9 July 2015 through 24 July 2015; Reunion Expenses .... 2783.25 Total Expenses Since 2013 .......................$ 3547.43 Checkbook Balance as of 24 July 2015......................................... $ 6455.26 The USS Tullibee SSN 597 Association is able to function and hold reunions and communicate with crewmembers because of revenues received from Memberships in the USS Tullibee SSN 597 Association and through the sale of Tullibee memorabilia. Please consider joining the Association if you are not currently a member, and when looking for T2 memorabilia, please check out our ship’s store first! USS Tullibee SSN 597 Association Memberships Membership Dues for the USS Tullibee SSN 597 Association are as follows: YEARLY DUES: $10 per year and renewable December 31 of each year. LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP DUES: SHIP’S STORE The rates are as follows and are based upon the member's We have the following items age at time of payment of available: lifetime dues: Age 65 and Over: $50.00; -Golf shirts, with gold or silver Age 60-64: $75.00; dolphins Age 50-59: $100.00; -Ball caps, with gold or silver Age 49 and under: $150.00. dolphins -Tullibee coffee mugs -Tullibee T-shirts -Zippo lighters with the boat’s crest on one side and the T2 emblem on the other -Tullibee patches, with the boat’s crest -T2 patches ----------- Pride Runs Deep ---------- Consider purchasing Tullibee memorabilia from our Ship’s Store! The USS Tullibee Facebook way to communicate with them.