Bonefish Base Member Biography Michael “Willie” Williamson EN2/SS Joined June 1974, 2- weeks after High School Served from April 1975 until April 1980 Qualified Sept. 3, 1976 USS Bonefish SS-582 Willie was born in Savannah Georgia, moved to Jacksonville Florida, then to Bloomington California in 1959. He graduated from Bloomington High School and attended San Bernardino Valley College. After graduation from High School in June of 1974 I had already been taking automotive classes at San Bernardino Valley College, and working 50-hour work weeks at a filling station. The Navy promised me Engineman A school on a delayed entry program called the Navy “CACHE” Program. Room, board, pay, and school. How can one go wrong? April 1975 rolled around and I went to San Diego, then Great Lakes, and then Groton. Then the Navy sent me to Pearl Harbor Hawaii where I reported on board the USS Bonefish SS-582 in Squadron 1. I spent 4 ½ years there. In that time span I did two West Pac deployments, one UNITAS XX, one Northern Run, fifteen countries, and the Arctic. I have been across the International Date Line four times (officially). Through the Panama Canal twice. The Equator twice and around the Horn of Chile. Two oceans, and many seas. I learned what D.B.F. meant by all the Spec. Ops. we took the place of Nuke boats who were either broken, or could not get underway fast enough. We set a record in Squadron 1 getting underway in 2 ½ hours (including crew assembly) when we were steaming past Ford Island, rendering honors to the USS Arizona. We were “Deep Diving, Depth Defying, Steely Eyed Demons of the Deep, Diesel Boat Sailors”! We worked with entities I am still not allowed to speak of who we dropped off and picked up. The SEALs, Marine Recon, and ROK Marines are a couple I can name. After discharge, I married Shirley & started a family. I raised a boy & a girl who have made me proud to this day. I have recently retired with my hobbies. 0251661312 0251661312 Pride Runs Deep .