USSVI Th resher Base News November 2006 September Meeting Minutes The September 2006 meeting of unteered to help with any upcoming job. His last day as treasurer will be Thresher Base was held at the VFW Memorial Services and the Thresher December 31. Please let Gary know if in Portsmouth. The meeting was Memorial in Washington. The Phil- you are interest ed. called to order followed by a prayer lippi family was also very pleased with 9) Base Nominations - this is the and pledge of allegiance. making this contact. meeting were nominations are ac- The tolling of the bell was sounded New Business - cepted for officer positions. There was for those boats lost in September and 1) Database update - 600 entries, a very low turn out, but there were October followed by a silent prayer for but only 111 members. The rest are enough to hold a quorum. Comments all those shipmates on final patrol. A former members, family, crew, other were made regarding holding it over to sound off of all those present was con- bases. the November meeting. No decision ducted. We welcomed new member 2) National Database is now online was made. Ken Cowan and his wife Meg. - our database matches their database. Thresher Base minutes of July’s Members have the ability to make continued on page 2 meeting were read by Kevin Galeaz. changes to the database. Members There was no treasurer’s report be- must log into the database and “un- cause Roy Pierce was unale to attend. lock” their information if they want Thresher Memorial Committee - no other members to see their informa- Next Meeting report yet. Need to contact Jack Mc- tion. There is a link on our website to Nally and get started. Kevin Galeaz USSVI’s website. Due to privacy laws, The next meeting will be held Sat- will get back to the group soon. National can not post your personal urday, November 18 at 1300 at the Old Business - Gary Hildreth was information - the member must ap- VFW in Porstmouth. There will conta ed by Anne Metcalf regarding prove posting of phone, address , etc. be a potluck meal following the the Thresher Memorial Service. Anne 3) New member joined through meeting. All spouses and guests was dating James Phillippi when the national and Larry is in the process of are welcome to attend. Thresher was lost. Due to the time pe- conta ing him - Bruce McKenna of riod, girlfriends were not as welcomed Goffstown. into the family units unlike today’s 4) Memorial Bridge Dedication on Navy. She grieved for 43 years private- October 14. ly and finally purchased a computer 5) Ken Cowan, our new member, is which allowed her to find USSVI planning a reunion for the Augusta. Table of Contents Thresher Base. She conta ed Gary re- If you have planned a reunion, please September Meeting Minutes ........... 1 garding the service, but while traveling share this information with him. New Members ...................................... 2 from Hartford, CT she was late and 6) Dues will be coming due soon. Eastern D1 Commander ................... 2 missed the service. She felt bad, but 7) Tentative date for Sculpin dedica- Treasurer Needed ................................ 2 Gary was ale to make arrangements tion is November 11. As soon as Gary Member Profile .................................... 3 for her to participate in the Memorial has more information he will forward To Perpetuate the Memory ............. 4 Day Service at Albacore Park. it to Kevin Galeaz for pulication. It National Database/Website ............ 5 With the help of Larry Oiler, Gary will be located near the Squalus. USS Wahoo ........................................... 6 was ale to contact the family of 8) Roy Pierce is no longer ale to Admiral Nimitz Foundation ........... 7 James Phillippi which resulted in continue as the base treasurer. He Next Meeting .......................Back Page Anne getting in contact with his has been the treasurer for 16 years. Upcoming Conventions ...Back Page family. She says that this contact has The base must have a treasurer and been very theraputic and would like to Roy is willing to train anyone who is thank Thresher Base. She has also vol- interest ed in taking on this important Page 1 Base News New Members have assured Ken that it is well worth New Eastern District 1 Welcome aboard Kenneth L. Cowan. the effort. The Cowan’s reside in New Commander Ken reside London, New Hampshire by PW Louthain in New London, Welcome aboard Bruce R. McKenna. It appears that I will continue to New Bruce joined USSVI and THRESHER serve you as ED1 for the next two Hamp- Base Chapter on 20 July. He quali- years. Prior to this time I have been shire and fied in submarines in 1964 on USS filling in for Gib Hanley who had joined CLAMAGORE (SSN 343). Bruce asked for relief due to health concerns. USSVI was an FTB1(SS) and also served on I hope that he is well and that he is and USS JOHN C. CALHOUN (SSBN happy with my service in his stead. THRESH- 630). Bruce and his wife Mary Anne As this is now my watch I will provide ER Base reside in Goffstown, New Hampshire. you with my goals for the term. Chapter Welcome aboard Thomas “Doc” (1) Provide support as needed to as- on 16 September. He qualified in sub- Clayton. Doc joined USSVI and sist Bases and Base Officers in ED 1. marines in 1985 on USS AUGUSTA THRESHER Base Chapter in Sep- (2) Attend at least one meeting per (SSN 710). Ken was an YN2(SS) and tember 2006. He qualified in sub- Base each year (per USSVI C&B). is putting his Yoeman skills to good marines in 1971 on USS HENRY L. (3) Increase communications be- use in planning the first reunion for STIMSON (SSBN 655). Bruce was tween Bases and promote teamwork the AUGUSTA. Planning a subma- an CWO4 and also served on USS for the District. rine reunion requires a significant NATHANAEL GREENE (SSBN A. Promote cross attendance of meet- amount of work, but some of us old 636). Doc and his wife Peg reside in ings and events. timers who have planned reunions Eliot, Maine. B. Promote District buying power and raising of needed funding for Base business. September Minutes continued from page 2 C. Promote shared knowledge for 10) Senior Vice Commander - Larry Young attended and commended the solving prolems and developing ideas. will continue in this roll as long as pos- Razorback Base on a great job. The (4) Help develop new Bases, regular sile. He is needing to provide medical big thing was the push for the Alaska or satellite, as needed. care to his sister which has prevented cruise - they need to sell 150 more (5) Remember and honor our Creed. him from attending some meetings. suites to have “control” of the ship. He apologizes for missing these meet- 13) Tom Young discussed his trip to ings. the Russian Sub Club in St. Peters- 11) National Elections - Very low burg. He received a great welcome and Base Treasurer Needed Due the upcoming resignation of Roy vote return - 14% of 11,000 mem- they were willing to help him in any Pierce, Thresher Base is in need of a bers voted. 15 Bases did not send in way. It is a beautiful city. He keeps in Treasurer. Roy is willing to train any- any votes. Voting was done via paper contact with them. He has received one who is interest ed in this position. ballot this year rather than electroni- some great pictures via email - Christ- Due to the National and IRS regula- cally as last year. It appears that the mas tree on the periscope riding tions, the base must have a treasurer. national has the same issues as local through the water. He will share the Please contact Gary Hildreth if you bases do in terms of finding volunteers website with Kevin Galeaz. are interest ed in this position. to run. Tom Young brought up the Meeting was adjorned. lack of progressing through the ranks in the USSVI organization like other organizations. 12) National Convention - Tom Page 2 Member Profi le CDR John J. McCarthy, USN, Retired John was in the Mer- * Served on USS – 1978, where he retired from the chant Marines prior to HOLLAND (AS Navy on 31 January 1978. enlisting in the US Navy 32) in Rota, Spain, in May 1947, where he 1965 – 1968; pro- EDUCATION: BS, MPA, JD served for over 30 years. moted to CWO-2 Synopsis of John’s career and Ensign while CIVILIAN Employment: Technical follows: onboard. Representative with VITRO Labs and * Transferred to ESSEX, both jobs were at Portsmouth * Boot Camp, Great HI MAF, North- Naval Shipyard. Lakes, IL, May 1947. ern I Corps in * Naval Prison, Ports- Vietnam, 1968 OTHER: Served on Volunteer Fire mouth, NH (duty person- – 1969. Served Department, Budget Committee, and nel), 1948 – 1950. While with 1st Marine Board of Selectmen at New Castle, station at Portsmouth he Division and later NH. He was a State Representative did a temporary assign- with for the towns of New Castle, Rye, ment of duty (TAD) tour * 101st Air- and North Hampton, NH. John also on the ex-U505. borne; promoted served 8-years on various state com- * Attended Submarine School. to LTJG. mittees at Concord, NH such as Vice * Served on USS HALFBEAK (SS * Served at Nuclear Power Train- Chair of State Institutions Commit- 352), 1951 – 1953. ing Unit, Windsor, CT, tee, Chairman of * Qualified in Submarines on 1969 – 1972; promoted Judiciary Com- HALFBEAK in April 1952, rating to LT. mittee, Chairman when he qualified was YN2.