Seattle Base USSVI at Tahoma Veterans' Day Ceremony
This issue has photos from the Auburn Veterans' Day Parade, Tahoma Veterans' Day Ceremony, and Joint Holiday Luncheon, along with the usual base news, upcoming events, and other submarine related articles.
Also, I want to remind everyone that Seattle Base elections are scheduled for the January meeting. The base only continues to operate effectively because people are willing to step up and help out. If you are interested in running for a base officer position, please contact Steve Shelton (see page 4 of the newsletter for his contact number). Even if you aren’t ready to be a base officer, you can still help out as one of the committee chairs or appointed officers for the base. Committee chairs and appointed officers are really needed to handle the necessary base functions that make our base valuable to us all.
Hardcopies of the newsletter should be going out today. I hope you all enjoy it.
As always, don't forget to check back here on the Seattle Base Blog for updates and other articles of interest. You can find old issues of the newsletter at: Dolphin Brotherhood Archives, which is also in the Links section on the right-side of the blog.
Happy New Year to all!
Dave Schueler
Seattle Base USSVI Newsletter Editor
On Saturday, December 17th, World War II submarine veterans, USSVI submarine veterans, family, and guests met at the Seattle Yacht Club for the Lockwood Chapter Submarine Veterans of World War II and Seattle Base United States Submarine Veterans Inc.’s Joint Holiday Luncheon.
The day started in the Seattle Yacht Club’s Ward Room, which overlooks the yacht basin and Portage Bay. The social time provided up with a chance to visit and peruse the submarine memorabilia on display.
Then it was on to lunch, our annual toasts, and presentations. The Shipmate of the Year Award was presented to Newsletter and Blog Editor Dave Schueler. A special Certificate of Recognition was presented to Paul Hager for all his help with the Seattle Base float. The winner of the base raffle grand prize was Fred Ensslin, he is planning to get a Gato class plaque (probably USS Greenling), and the runner-up prize went to Karl ‘Dutch’ Krompholz. The day concluded with a piano performance by Lei-Lah Smith that included the Navy Hymn and God Bless America.
It was another fine event coordinated by our favorite NQP, Charlie Ryan, although he was unable to attend this year. Thanks to USSVI shipmate Doug Abramson and wife Connie who provided corsages for the ladies and everyone else that helped out with the luncheon.
Here are some photos from the event. I want to apologize if I missed getting a picture of you at the event, we had a memory card failure in our camera and some photos were lost. If you have photos you would like to share from the Holiday Luncheon, please e-mail them to me and I will add them to the blog.
Pre-Lunch Visiting
Ric Hedman manning the drink scrip table with Tim Floresch
Memorabilia Table
Pat Householder with a USS Harder poster
Fred and Josie Ensslin
Dick Shelton, with Sandi and Ed
Doris and Ben Harrison
Terry and Robbie Robertson
Paul and Ae Cha Christofferson
Loma Taylor
Lei-Lah and Admiral Horton Smith
Winnie Miller and Angus McDonald
Don and Carol Ulmer
Miri and Jay Davis
Dorothy Holman and Carol Swackhammer
Nan and Larry Abbott
Barbara and Karl 'Dutch' Krompholz
Bob and Chris Opple
Bob and Peggy Vanderway
Doug and Connie Abramson
Frances and Dick Gonzales with Josie and Fred Ensslin
Gloria Christopher, Dorothy Holman, and Sandi Conry
Dave and Lynn Schueler
Howard and Dorothy Botts, Paul Hager and Vicki Burrows
Jean McNamara and Ralph Sterley
Jim Harper
Ric Hedman
Linda and Karl Peterson
Lois Mezek and Sam Ronnie
Don and Rachel Dufour with Loma Taylor
Lynda and Steve Shelton
Ron Alfonso and Gloria Christopher
Robbie and Terry Robertson with daughters Sue Greenfeld and Amy Wade
Pat Householder and Tim Floresch
John McKeon and Dave Schueler
Ben and Doris Harrison with Admiral Smith
Schell and Av Harmon, Eric and Sherry Muller, Miri and Jay Davis, and Loma Taylor
Barbara and 'Dutch' Krompholz, Pat Householder, Tim Floresch, Ric Hedman, Ed, Dick Shelton, and Sandi
Jim Harper with the Seattle Base Honor Roll plaque
Starting the program with the Pledge of Allegiance
Angus McDonald making a toast
Dave Schueler receives the Shipmate of the Year award from Seattle Base Commander Keith Watson
Seattle Base Commander Keith Watson presents Certificate of Appreciation to Paul Hager
Last year we posted the poem "The Night Before Christmas - Submarine Style." This year the submarine force has done one better by recording it it in their Holiday Message. I hope you enjoy it. (if the embedded file doesn't work, you can find the video on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/KL6uhaP_KSA).
Holiday Message from Seattle Base Commander Keith Watson
MERRY CHRISTMAS SHIPMATES AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Judy and I hope that you and yours have a wonderful Holiday and look forward to seeing you next year!
Keith & Judy
P.S. The next base meeting is January 18th, 2012.
Holiday Message for USSVI National Commander Michael Bircumshaw
Shipmates,
As 2011 winds down and 2012 becomes the new date we will tend to forget to put on our checks until sometime in February, I want to take this moment to wish you and your families the very best of holidays and a very merry Christmas along with the hope for a better new year. ( I also wish for all of your 2012 Resolutions to endure).
This is one more of those times that family and friends become our focus as we look (or trust that the shopper in our family will) for what they can find to fill those stockings and to wrap for placement under the colorful tree standing in the front room. In view of the belt tightening times that we live in I am hoping that whatever does not get delivered by Santa, and those pesky reindeer, can be found in everyone’s hearts and minds to make it a positive and caring season.
I try to make every day one of “Thanksgiving” and “Christmas”, always wanting to give more than I receive to those I love and care for, which includes all of my family and friends. My shipmates all fall in there somewhere as I have brothers who sailed with me or have served with me in Sub Vets that are truly “family” and a multitude of friends, most of whom wear dolphins.
A special thanks to those of you who have contributed your thoughts, ideas and efforts to help make Sub Vets as good as it can be this past year.
Please drive safe, take care, take your meds, and temper the salt and sugar in your lives. I would like to see you, both healthy and happy, in Norfolk or where ever our paths may meet.
VFW Post 2995, where we hold our monthly meetings, is in need of some serious repairs and the post is hoping to raise some funds to cover the repairs.
You can support Post 2995 at a Dinner and Auction fundraiser this Friday, December 9 at 6 p.m. For a $20 admission, attendees will enjoy a delicious surf & turf dinner and be able to bid on a variety of donated items. Please call Post 2995 at (425) 883-2995 to RSVP or make a donation.
Ric Hedman recently recorded a series of video memories by Seattle Base member Ervin Schmidt. Ervin was on the battleship USS California during the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, went on to serve on the cruiser USS Chicago until it was sunk at the Battle of Rennell Island, and then served on the submarines USS Saury and USS Torsk.
Ervin talks about his experiences in the videos below. Each video is about 8 to 10 minutes long.
Thanks again to Ric Hedman for recording these and posting them to YouTube.
Note: if the embedded video doesn't work, just click the YouTube link by the part number. Once the video is running, you can click on the Full Screen icon (the four arrows on the lower right) to expand the picture.
We are United States Submarine Sailors! We were, and are, members of the elite fighting force of the United States Navy. We are all QUALIFIED IN SUBMARINES.
