2020 • Second Quarter • $6.00 Second Quarter 2020 | American Submariner | 1 You served your country with honor and loyalty. Plan your next reunion in NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS! SUBMARINE• Full REUNIONrun of USS Razorback PACKAGE Have your next reunion at USS • Experienced sub vets on-hand Razorback (SS-394), a 90-percent • Group photo operational sub maintained by • Hospitality space at museum vets like you. FULL RUN of the • Engine lighting ceremony boat and assistance from our • Free reunion planning assistance experienced reunion team! • Gorgeous views of the Arkansas River LET US • AccessHOST to Hoga, a tugboat fromYOUR Pearl Harbor Now, let us serve you. • Planning spouse outings around town • Assistance with caterers and group dining NEXT• Planning REUNION assistance with entertainment Asbestos widely used throughout submarines endangered everyone aboard. As crew members Reservations include a full, hot breakfast buffet spent long periods confined in the vessel, asbestos fibers re-circulated throughout the ship, 3 blocks from AR Inland Maritime Museum Two ballrooms divisible by seven sections significantly increasing every crew members’ risk of deadly Mesothelioma. Six breakout rooms Two Hospitality Suites At Waters Kraus & Paul, our lawyers have represented veterans for over 20 years. We have the 220 spacious newly renovated guestrooms research to identify where your exposure to asbestos occurred. Our team is dedicated to helping Your Reunion Team Complimentary airport/downtown shuttle submariner vets and their families receive immediate help and compensation. Jim Gates (USS James K. Polk); Complimentary shuttle to & from maritime museum Call us at 800-226-9880 to learn more. Camille Smith; Myna Miller; Greg Complimentary parking Zonner (USS Von Steuben); Joe Mathis Outdoor Pool (USS Jefferson City) 2 award winning restaurants & lounges on site Helping Veterans for Over 20 Years BOOK TODAY: Scott Sudduth (501) 404-0397 Waters Kraus & Paul: 800-226-9880 222 N Pacific Coast Highway Suite 1900 El Segundo, California 90245 C. Andrew Waters is the attorney responsible for this advertisement 2 Riverfront Place Los Angeles | Dallas | Baton Rouge | Moline (by appt.) | waterskrauspaul.com North Little Rock AR 72114 Call 1-866-657-4458 for more information 2 | American Submariner | Second Quarter 2020 Second Quarter 2020 | American Submariner | 3 THE AMERICAN SUBMARINER VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE The Official Magazine of the United States Submarine Veterans Inc. is published quarterly Wayne Standerfer by USSVI. United States Submarine Veterans Inc. National Commander is a nonprofit 501(c)(19) corporation in the State of Connecticut. Contents NATIONAL OFFICE Fred Borgmann POB 3870 12 From the Submarine Library Silverdale, WA 98383 USSV Charitable Foundation Quarterly Report (877) 542-DIVE Newsletter Research Supported Low-Yield SSBN Warhead USSVI COMMITTEES Last August, during the combined meeting for base commanders and district MEMBERSHIP commanders at the National Convention in Austin, I told those in attendance that 13 Wes Harvey: His Brilliant Naval Career Before the Thresher Steve Bell, NJVC sometime this year, I would be scheduling teleconferences for each of our 160-plus (704) 824-3510 bases one district at a time. These sessions would allow me to talk directly to the [email protected] 20 Submarine Memorials Dedicated at the National Museum leadership of our bases instead of forwarding an e-mail down through a chain of of the Great Lakes WAYS & MEANS command where the message may be lost or misinterpreted. These conferences are NATIONAL EDITOR Jon Jaques, NSVC underway and completed in our eight Western Region districts, and hopefully, by [email protected] T Michael Bircumshaw 21 William “Doc” Charette HMCM(SS)—Medal of Honor Recipient POB 892616 the time you read this, all of the districts in the Central Region. The Southeast and (615) 893-7800 Northeast Regional bases will follow. These conferences will enable me to clarify the Temecula, CA 92589-2616 CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS 22 The Refuge importance of complying with the operational reports and requests sent to our bases. [email protected] Skip Turnbull (951) 775-4549 They will include time for open floor discussion between myself and base officers for (Parliamentarian) Fax (951) 239-0522 26 From Father-to-Son-to-Father questions or comments the base officers need to address. This telephone meeting is (217) 487-7710 the first to be done by a National Commander. I was a little apprehensive as to how [email protected] TREASURER it would be received. I am happy to report that the participation and acceptance by Paul Hiser 28 Candidate Statements AWARDS (910) 691-5778 base officers for what we are getting done has been significant. Harold W. (Bill) Scott II One subject during the conferences that has come to the forefront across our (512) 826-8876 [email protected] 30 Proposed Bylaws Amendments organization is the acceptance of women into our ranks. Our Navy now has four [email protected] DISTRIBUTION guided-missile submarines with enlisted women serving on both the Blue and Gold NATIONAL CONVENTION Neal Britner 33 2020 USSVI Election Ballot crews, and these numbers will only go up from here. One of these dolphin wearing (315) 409-8476 Richard (Ozzie) Osentoski ladies has now been elected and serving as the Bremerton Base Vice Commander, (734) 671-3439 [email protected] 34 Base Activities Around the Country and the level of competence she has shown in this position should be an example EAGLE SCOUT PROGRAM BOAT SPONSORSHIP CHAIR Pearl Harbor Remembered, a Promise Kept for all of our base officers. Shipmates, this is the year 2020, and women are now David Farran Jack Messersmith an official part of the submarine service. So for those of you who have not already (318) 352-1015 (928) 227-7753 Twin Lakes Base Honors Senior Shipmate done so, come out of your man caves and accept that these dolphin wearing ladies [email protected] [email protected] are now a part of us. Another problem related to this is the bases that are not allowing Thresher Base Celebrates 30 Years BOAT SPONSORSHIP PROOF TEAM women to attend their base meetings. Our Constitution & Bylaws say a USSVI Albany-Saratoga Base Places Wreaths in Rembrance of Jack Messersmith Bill Andrea regular member in good standing may join any number of bases they please. As a (928) 227-7753 Neal Britner Base Members at Saratoga National Cemetery qualified USSVI member, these ladies can join and/or attend any of our base [email protected] Dick Kanning meetings regardless of local base rules. Local base rules cannot contradict or Iowa Submarine Veterans Rededicate S-36 Submarine Memorial BOARD OF INQUIRY John Mansfield conflict with our national C&BL’s. Joan Miner USS Scranton Base Presents Namesake Photo Chairman The national election insert is in this issue of our magazine. Please take the time Ross Sargent (JA) and Base Patch to Local Restaurant STAFF ARTIST to read it entirely and familiarize yourself with the seven PA’s (Proposed Amendments) (703) 629-1119 Tom Denton Seawolf Base Presents USS Wahoo Picture to Local Seafood Grill to our C&BL’s. On June 18, when the voting period opens, cast your vote by either Members (301) 845-0049 going online or snail mail. Do this even if there is only one candidate for each position. Dutch Holland [email protected] USSVI is your organization, and you need to have a voice. Herbert Orth 37 Eagle Scout Project Brings a New Submarine Memorial to Bill Windle We are just five months (August 23-30) out from our 2020 National Convention WWII SUBVET HISTORIAN Oregon VFW Post Jack Jeffries in Tucson, Arizona. If you haven’t done so already, start making plans to attend HISTORIAN (704) 254-2423 and support your shipmates at our Tucson and Perch Bases, who are working very Peter J. Koester [email protected] 38 South Dakota Honors Submarine Veterans With Memorial Highway hard to make your visit a memorable event. Information can be found at (978) 500-5085 ussviconvention.org/2020. STOREKEEPER AMERICAN SUBMARINER DEADLINES Stay close to family and friends, and have a great 2020. Barry Commons First Quarter December 1 All the best, (925) 679-1744 Second Quarter March 1 [email protected] Third Quarter June 1 In Every Issue Wayne Standerfer Fourth Quarter September 1 National Commander HOLLAND CLUB 5 The View From the Bridge 10 Mail Buoy Bud Atkins The American Submariner is not responsible for the (860) 440-3120 claims of its advertisers. The primary focus of this USSVI Committees 18 Kap(SS) 4 Kid(SS) [email protected] publication is for the benefit and service to USSVI 6 Regional and District 36 Lost boats members. Issues concerning Advertisers may KAP(SS) 4 KID(SS) be sent to the editorial staff for mediation. Representatives On the Cover 40 New Members A Navy diver from Naval Special Warfare Logistics Support conducts lockout John Riley The American Submariner is copyrighted under 7 From the Wardroom (203) 668-9131 42 Upcoming Boat Reunions training with the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN-776) the laws of the United States of America. Any re- for material certification. Material certification allows operators to perform real- [email protected] production in any form without the written consent 8 Chaplain’s Corner 44 Eternal Patrol world operations anytime, anywhere. VETERANS AFFAIRS of the editor is forbidden by law. All authorized 9 National Officers reproduction requires acknowledgement of source, U.S.