• I August 2009 Volume 15 - Issue 8 The n~.onthly newslette:r of What• s "Below Decks" Pe:rch Base • USSVI in the Midwatch Phoenix, A:rizona ITEM PAGE# Title Page 1 2009 Booster and Float Support 2 Members Base Officers 3 Sailing Orders (upcoming) 3 Our Advertisers 4 Foundation Shipmates 6 SPECIAL NOTICE: We have decisions 7 to make ... USS Phoenix Commission Letter 8 From the Wardroom 10 July Meeting Minutes 10 Lest We Forg~t Those Still On Patrol Chaplain's Column 13 From the Desk of the Sea Hag 13 AUGUST ETERNAL PATROLS Shipmate to Shipmate: (base notices, 14 USS HARDER I (SS-257) 24Aug 1944 79 Lost birthdays and national notices) Mystery Boat Photo Solved? 17 Japanese Depth Charge Attack off Luzon, P.l. Memories ofWW II: Reg Murphy letter 18 USS BULLHEAD (SS-;332) 06Aug 1945 84 Lost Lost Boat: USS Bullhead (SS-332) 20 Japanese Air Attack off Bali Coast Submarines of Today: Aboard the 21 USS FLIER (SS-250) 13Aug 1944 78 Lost USS Seawolf Japanese Mine in Balabac Strait Dex Armstrong: "Those Who Serve 23 Beneath the Swells USS COCHINO (SS-345) 26Aug 1949 1 Lost Mailing Page 25 Battery Explosion off Norway USS BASS I (SS-164) 17 Aug 1942 25 Lost Flooding off Panama Canal, Boat survived USS TUSK (SS-426) 26 Aug 1949 6 Lost Assisting USS COCHINO off Norway, Boat survived NEXT MEETING 12 noon, Saturday, Aug . 8, 2009 American Legion Post #105 3534 W. · Calavar Rd . , Phoenix, AZ 85053 2009 Booster and Float Support Members Perch Base, USSVI, cannot support its on-going operations and provide funds for the Base's float activities on dues alone. While the Base tries to develope activities to raise additional funds, we salute the members, listed below, who have supported the base with additional contributions. Shipmates. we salute.you! ~~ "---'\ are the 2 9 Contributors.. Have ~ I( /', you iven you support? ~ ~ Jerry Allston~ Reynaldo Altos, Gary_/Bartlett, ~ ~ Ken Becker, Dick Bernier, Walt·/Biomgren, (t) ~ Bradley Butler, Michael Dahl, Jim Denzien, ¥. Howard Doyle, Joe Erran,te, John Graves, Dave Harnish, Stephen Hough, Davey Jones, -£~ lA • • ~~ . II I • _._ .._ \ 4 1 - 'v''"e~eunng, uarr-e-n~.::amb-er.,--o-ew-ayne Lober, Burtis Loftin, George Marions, Ray Marshall, David Meese, Angus McPherson, Alan Miller, Tim Moore, James W. Newman, Craig Olson, Ernest Plantz, Stan Reinhold, Robie Robinson, Stanley 'Rud, Frank Rum­ baugh (in memory), Garry 'Shumann, Rick Simmons, William Tippett, Forrest Watson, Donald Whitehead, Ed Wolf, Jerry Yowell, $?:0,__ 5/c:Jcb ~S.~J j~-J fv ~6 ~1 ~ 7 Page 2 , hW? .. J ~ ~~{fijYI(vj >~ I ~111 BASE OFFICERS COMMANDER: Jim Denzien 2027 South 85th Ln. Tolleson . AZ. 85353-8752 (623) 547-7945 [email protected] Sailing VICE COMMANDER: Warner H. Doyle 13600 W. Roanoke Ave. Goodyear, AZ. 85395 Orders (623) 935-3830 [email protected] SECRETARY: Next Base meeting will be August 8. There Tim Moore 5751 W. Bloomfield Rd . will be no meeting in September (the Na­ Glendale, AZ 85304-1832 tional Convention) and our October meet- (602) 574-3286 [email protected] ;o,J i ~ g will. b, the 10TH. TREASURER: 0 h4'WI . j;hv,/Lc) ') Dave Harnish 6509 W. Devonshire Ave. Phoenix. AZ. 85033-3350 (623) 846-0367 [email protected] Coming up: Joint Arizona Bases picnic at CHAPLAIN: Walt Blumgren Picacho Peak park. More details will be a 5120 W. Gelding Dr. future edition of the "MidWatch." Glendale, AZ 85306 (602) 843-3681 [email protected] f!~?,· NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Chuck Emmett 011 West Risner ~d . ta· P~~l-L · u, endale, AZ 85308-8072 ~ (623) 466-9569 chuckster41 @cox.net h~ f<;luf COB: (Vacant) STOREKEEPER: DeWayne Lober 8509 N. 16thAve. Don't wait! The next USSVI convention is right around the Phoenix, AZ. 85021-5424 (602) 944-4200 corner and this time, it practically next door. San Diego Base [email protected] is hosting --an easy few hours drive AND gas prices are low! FLOAT COORDINATOR: But the big news about this convention is that it's a joint ven­ Barry Bowers 9450 W. Cabela Dr. ture with the /SA-USA (International) Convention. This is the Glendale, AZ 85305-1305 first time (in recent memory) that the International is meeting (623) 237-1121 in the US and the very first time, a joint convention is held. [email protected] WEBMASTER: And-- late breaking -- Our float of the USS Phoenix Ramon Samson will be a feature of the final/SA banquet!! 13210 N. Lake Forest Dr. Sun City, AZ 85351-3252 Just think! Smooze with not just US boat sailors, but German, (623) 815-9247 French, Russian and English. [email protected] Check the internet link just below to go to the special conven­ HISTORIAN: tion web site. James W. Newman 3422 North 51st Place Phoenix. AZ. 85018-6120 http://www.ussvisandiego.org/ (602) 840-7788 [email protected] Convention2009/index.htm Page 3 i?·~e~ o [)?/ MJ) 1 (];-8// LvJL~ e~) f. (480)396~4&& :~ tB61}8D-761·f ZT16N . ~ Rd .. ~10f Masa.~as21a --RC p 6()2,971.4 20(1 f 602. 9i'1, 42 01 p ri ntf.!r.l c, rei mp res> ions . com •·'W'•'"•ot ·ci n) p r e$$ <·C> ~~ . c o m ~. £~.··.;;.-. ..'­ j~ ---~';lfi '1-"C•>>= 2650 E. Mohawk LCin~J, Sre . 156 !!•l!ti~ '"fiilil ~.,..",it(.,,' ~.~~ !1 Pho ll"i ~ .. Arizcn<l 3505{) LA~ J4rlrter: AUTO RERL\IRINC. BOB&. ELLEN FRISBY ()4_lln.f~ (602) 278-5558 (602) 278-iooD (F.AXJ 3845 West I1ulian dr.hool Rd. Pho.(';l'lix, AZ 8:){H9 MEESE PLC LJ.AVU..> P. Jl'J\IEE.S.E~ ]~L "':PA, PI!..<:: ~;_,e-,n:f"'l~B>O'J F 1 Jt--~:- ,tv.,-..;;'Qunl&;lnt:-o 'l1;p.;at'iorn - ~ n ;Cti-~, i ,,Uu ~.a~ .su:ld ' tR;..;;tz._~ J~ . uz!',J r~>"iC-$ ,.. ~~~- st~llte s. an-d 7-Jrrt,:r:sl. ..~ ,., C~l:]poo;ent.i!D'o:s;;:.PDrt.n C'iltS'h i'):l'$ .. .uttl(J ·.LLJCS: - El:.,...piJoyee l'"l'an,:; and! J?.;><eTI!JiJ1>~ Or;11<"•n~i:;r...atiooS< 1\.CQO :U !Jll~ii!!.U:. Sys-U:.-.nlo !:)es;'i,gn ._ "!B u ..sin es."" S£><.1.1-:-ttlp A ."'" · ~ ~oun t i_J..'l£ S c rvii~~~ • , JP"U n ~_J; I W i:i'tl - ~ S - t aG.eJlnen;l.&, Cq:ps;uJ!LiiUi2 Hol ly W~ i ker • lnc'-"'llt"11C: -3i_;u_ ~E-~cirat~:- '1~ - I> Lflll'lnin:s • Oe:fe:r.r.e-d GJi'nlpc.!' !.l:a~-3.11.i¢Jill P l anniitn"}1!: ~"r0pr1e:~r • · l\;.1 . ~ oa ;s;e Jn--enll_-c;;:,_rad O•p·¢: r. aLiqn.~ _.'!\.flal;>'""'-""'i""' :Jl6;Ni , l'\rortnUk:~ -- · sw·re 2:DiO - - Gk:llod,~ r"' AZ: - ~:t!il ~ - f!iii::l3Jl~· ··•.'!flitJS..-":1!~ .. ··· · ···-~·. Page 4 K~N 1EtARLS '~'r'ii~"SE fi!:OrtfGA~£ SPCCIII!JST Custom !l{~mcums • Je.'uJeJry ff(epair • ..l?tppral$al.~ 1Vatdi !R.f,:pair • !Many (jift iJ tems 406 N. Lil Cli FlELD ROAD 'i 1 B ~. p;-~Jt~ rw~ ~no, c. flrc$(titt ·.., "· •. 11:l :BG:3ltl SUITE 200• GOODYEAR, AZ B5338 ~iUl~::tiCi?~~C'~ !Hl"fi>.01c ·!f2g,· ·12--ru115 f.•x li13_...0:!S!ic PHONE (623) 925-1815 r~lt •r,J!iC "i·f~:~i!i;.. ·mwl ilJ i@i;;uf! . ~nli!r!l:ml.ctnl More advertisers are up to you .. Perch Base membersl -~~..---------' . '';· Page 5 Foundation Shipmates These organizations and individuals have contributed to the Perch Base 11 Foundation and deserve special recognition as ~~Foundations Shipmates. Perch Base members are encouraged to use these organizations as a way of saying, ~~thanks. 11 Avondale Toyota Larry Harker Auto Repair Inc. Fairings - Etc White Shears Flowers Frank Bono Metal Design Southwest Steel Sales LLC United Parcel Service (UPS) David L. Meese, Jr. CPA PLC ARC Impressions Page 6 Shipmates, we have decisions to make ... "To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of duties while serving their country." That's the first line of the USSVI Creed. If you don't believe in it, you're in the wrong organization. Now that that is established, how do we, Perch Base USSVI do it? Does meeting once a month, drink a beer, eat some food, shoot-the-shit and then go home qualify? Sure. But, is that all we should do? \/Vhat about the float? Does lugging a scale model of a nuke boat to every event we can get invited to qualify? You bet! But do we want to do that? Or does your idea lie somewhere in between? Shipmates, it's time we find out what we are doing right and what we are do­ ing wrong; what we do that stinks and where we're missing the boat. And we need answers from EVERY MEMBER WE CAN! I have set up a special e-mail account, [email protected] or send it via snail mail to me: Chuck Emmett 7011 West Risner Road Glendale, AZ 85308 I'll even welcome phone calls at (602) 448-3873. Page 7 This makes it official. Perch Base now has the USS Phoenix (SSN-702) monument project. USS .PiroeJzix Commission • Dr.• M(lrtin Zipser, MD, L(lSf C/t(lirmM Save Our Sail!! 1240 E ..Myrtle Ave, PlwellixAZ85020 602 264-4384 • Home 30 June 2009 Dear Friends ofthe USS Phoenix Commission: It is with mixed emotions that we send you an update on the status ofthe USS PJ10enix Commission and the 702 Society. ln April, as part of a general budget-tightening move, the City of Phoenix ended the active status of a number of its Commissions, including ours.