Vol. 8, No. 10 October 2012 United States Submarine Veterans - Charleston Base Newsletter USSVI Creed “To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of their 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 Meeting: Special Officers Click to email Phone Number October 11 2012 Social hour 1800 General Meeting Chief of the Boat Rick Sparger 843-553-5594 1900 Public Affairs Ed Stank 843 863-8474 Location: Veterans Affairs Jim Morrison 843-832-9716 Fleet Reserve Association Branch 269 Low Country Home Chaplain John Nichols 843-452-3189 99 Wisteria Rd Membership Carl Chinn 843-875-3098 Goose Creek, South Carolina Phone 843-569-2962 Holland Club Vacant Base Officers Click to email Phone Number Scholarship Julian Villegas 843-871-6135 Commander Carl Chinn 843-875-3098 Newsletter Steve Morawiec 843-410-0131 Vice Commander Jerry Stout 843-871-9533 Storekeeper Ken Hutchison 843-553-0935 Secretary Vacant Webmaster John Nichols 843-452-3189 Treasurer Terry Trump 843-873-9563 Historian George Scharf 843 873-3318 Minutes of the Sept 2012 meeting Attendance for the September 2012 meeting was 110. Opening Ceremony : Base Commander Carl Chin called the meeting to order. A quorum was present and the meeting started at 1900. Introductions : Gordon Long, RM2 (SS) Secretary : Asked for a motion to accept the minutes as published in the newsletter. Seconded and the motion was carried. Treasurer : Terry gave report for the month of August 2012. Vice Commander : Attended the National Convention in Norfolk, VA. I was present at the closing ceremony of the WW II Veterans. It was a very moving event and was a great tribute to our WW II veterans who have contributed so much to this great nation. Storekeeper : Two of our members have visited Clyde Peters. It was noted that he received a zero grade in conduct. 2013 calendars are in. This year is dedicated to the most decorated boats of WW II. June’s boat is the USS Barb SS 220 and we have one of the former crew members in attendance tonight. Bravo Zulu to Willie Jones, WW II submarine veteran extraordinaire. Calendar price is $10.00 each. Scholarship : Tickets are still available for the 24” wooden dolphins being raffled off at this year’s Christmas Party. A thank you card has been received from the grandson of Ray Sparks for his scholarship. He states it will be put to good use. Public Affairs : Ed Stank has relieved Larry Starland as Public Affairs. He is glad to be back in the fold. Charleston Base meetings will be posted in the local section of the Post and Courier. Chaplain : During our next meeting, we will conduct a short memorial service for our shipmate, TM2(SS) Samuel Ernest Strickland, a World War II submarine veteran, who departed on eternal patrol on June 11, 2012. We learned of his funeral service too late to participate, but offered the family a Memorial Service when they were ready. • Welcome back to Richard Cleeve. • Bob Bruce was in the VA hospital on August 14th for an infected salivary gland. He went home on August 16th and on the following Sunday, August 26 th , he passed away at home. A military ceremony was held at the Ladson VFW on Thursday, August 30th. • Barry Wilson had colon surgery on August 22nd and the surgeon was able to get the entire tumor. He is now recovering. There will be some chemo. The good thing is that his pancreatic cancer is still in remission. • Carol Hix went to Summerville Medical ER on August 28th then transferred to Trident ICU the following day. He was diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer and discharged on August 31st. He is doing well. • Jimmy Legg had back surgery on August 30th at Roper St. Francis. The surgery went well. He was discharged on August 31st and is doing well. • Tom Lufkin is a Red Cross Disaster volunteer and was deployed for a couple of weeks to Hattiesburg MS to support the relief effort after hurricane Isaac came through. He is here tonight. • Clyde Peters continues to decline as his Parkinsons Disease progresses. The VA has decided that he needs 24 hour care and he can’t remain at home. He is at Mt. Pleasant Manor Nursing Home, 921 Bowman Rd, Rm. 323. Visitors are very welcome. Also remember Sue as she ensures he is cared for. • Art Hance shattered one of the bones in his left foot and he's now in a cast. He is here tonight. • Lee Allison had an MRI this past Tuesday and will have the results the first of next week. • Our new National Chaplain, Ray Fritz, is from Lake Wylie, SC. The following shipmates departed on Eternal Patrol this past month. None were members of Charleston Base. Online memorial entries were made. STSCM (SS) Pete Manias, US Navy, Retired, departed on eternal patrol as a result of cancer on August 25th in CT. He served on Archerfish, Finback, and Norfolk as well as the COMSUBLANT TRE Team and was the COMSUBLANT Force Sonarman before retiring in 1997. Pete was not a member of USSVI. Harry John Wamboldt, US Navy Veteran, departed on eternal patrol as a result of cancer on August 30th. He served on Barbel (SS 580) from 1968 to 1974. He lived in Mount Pleasant, SC. Harry was not a member of USSVI. We have received the following cards: From Evelyn Fuhr, Ken’s wife: I want to thank you for the cards. They do lift my spirits. From Ed Stank: To my brothers of the ‘phin. I have always been proud to call myself a submariner, but your support over the past year has increased this pride tenfold. Pauline and I thank you for all the prayers and kindness during this stressful time. Webmaster : Our website: http://www.ussvicb.org/ Please have your photograph taken if you haven’t already done so. Also, please complete your Page 2 if you haven’t already done so. Veteran’s Affairs : No report Little David: No report Holland Club : John Lookabill has tendered his resignation and we will be looking for a new chairman. A Holland Club member would be a nice choice. SUBVETS WWII : Ed Stank reports that he will be going to Kings Bay the end of next month for the WW II SubVets Memorial Ceremony. WW II Sub Vets has been dissolved, but we will still meet at Ryan’s in Summerville every third Thursday every other month. Next meeting will be next month on October 18th. It has also been determined that the Ladies of WW II SubVets will now be regular members of our chapter as they have put up with these old DBFer’s for over 70 years. The Veterans Associations of Anderson, SC has invited the WWII SubVets to attend the annual parade on the 10th of November. Let me know so I can answer the letter they sent us. Lee Allison is still a work in progress. He will be getting an MRI next Monday to determine what needs to be done to repair his nerve. Historian : No report Nuclear Historian : While attending the recent CPO Selectee breakfast I posed the following question. What does the word “snipe” mean? This seemed to snow about 90% of them until I called them f**kin’ nukes. Those in attendance seemed to understand then. The following story seems to relate to the above tidbit. A NUC was seated next to a little girl (who happened to be the daughter of AUX-ILIARY-MAN) on an airplane when the NUC turned to her and said, “Let’s talk. I’ve heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.” The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to the NUC, “What would you like to talk about?” “Oh I don’t know” said the NUC. “How about nuclear power?” and he smiles. “OK,” she said. “That could be an interesting topic, but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow and a deer all eat the same stuff – grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?” The NUC, visibly surprised by the little girl’s intelligence, thinks about it and says, “Hmmmm, I have no idea.” To which the little girl replies, “Do you really feel qualified to discuss nuclear power when you don’t know shit?” Membership : Dues are due 1 October 2012. Please be prompt in paying your dues. Fleet Reserve : Monthly meeting next Thursday the 20th. If you haven’t joined why the hell not? Newsletter : Snail mail newsletter went out today. Electronic newsletter is promulgated. If you didn’t receive it please let me know. Send me your inputs as this is your newsletter. Letters to the editor, articles or anything else pertinent. District Commander : The lowest number of the USSVI membership voted in the latest National election: 2681 out of 13,000. Next year’s convention will be in Rochester, MN. The 2014 convention will be in the San Francisco area. The WW II SubVet Memorial in Kings Bay will not be supported by BBQ. Springfield Hotel and Suites are taking reservations at $49.00 per night. Contact me for info. Public Events : The Summerville JROTC has invited us to pull our float in the Homecoming Parade on the October 17 th – a Wednesday afternoon at approximately 1400.