Getting ready for the Kirkland Independence Day Parade
This issue has some information about our appearance at the Tulalip Cabelas store on Armed Forces Day, plans for the Kirkland Independence Day Parade, and a reminder about the August Tolling the Boats Ceremony. There is also the usual base news, upcoming events, and other submarine related articles.
Hardcopies of the newsletter are going out today. I hope you all enjoy it.
As always, don't forget to check back here for base updates and other articles of interest. You can find old issues of the newsletter at: Dolphin Brotherhood Archives, which is also a link on the right side of the blog.
There are only a couple more days until the start of the Smokey Point Rest Stop event at the southbound rest stop. Everything starts around 1:30 on Friday June 28 and we need to man the coffee booth until Monday around 1:00.
Steve Shelton has updated the volunteer schedule and you can view it here. There are still some open times on the schedule (especially on Sunday and Monday). If you would like to fill one of the slots you should contact Steve as soon as possible (you can get his phone and
email at the bottom of the schedule page). It is always a fun time and you get to meet some interesting people.
Additionally, we can use donations of
cookies (or donations to buy cookies) to hand out from the coffee booth.
We began the June meeting with the Tolling of the Boats for May, birthday wishes for our members, introductions, and officer reports.
We also had a visit from the new Western District 4 Commander, Al Durkee. Al has been going to meetings of the bases in WD4 to introduce himself. He also let us know that Seattle Base member Robbie Robertson was one of the people that signed his qual card when he was qualifying on USS Seawolf.
Western District 4 Commander Al Durkee and Seattle Base Commander Doug Abramson
Old and New Business: Armed Forces Day Weekend at Cabela's - On Saturday May 18 and Sunday May 19 Seattle Base set up our float in the parking lot of Cabela's Tulalip store. You can see a few photos from the event here. We had a good time talking with all the people coming to the store, including some submariners that didn't know about our organization, and picked up several hundred dollars in donations from the event. It was so successful that we are planning on going back for another event on August 24-25. We will have more information as the date draws closer.
Smokey Point Rest Stop Event - The Smokey Point Rest Stop event is set for the southbound rest stop on June 28 - July 1. We have posted the current schedule here, but we can use more volunteers. If you would like to fill in one of the open slots, contact Steve Shelton as soon as possible (you can get his phone and email on the schedule page). Additionally, we can use donations of cookies (or donations to buy cookies) to for the event.
Kirkland Independence Day Parade - We will be participating in the Kirkland parade on July 4. The City of Kirkland goes all out for veterans and always has treats, a pizza lunch and boutonnieres for all military members and veterans in the parade. Additionally, WWII Subvets and members of the Silent Service Motorcycle club, including the Snorkel Schnauzer, will all be there.
We will muster near Heritage Hall, the large white two-story building on the north side of the street, at the corner of Central Way and Market Street. The float will be in place before 10:15 and all members should be in place by 10:30. If you run into problems at any street barricades, just tell the police that you are marching in the parade.
DIRECTIONS: To get there, you take Exit 18 off of Hwy 405, head west toward Kirkland. This road turns into Central Street. Follow Central until you reach Market and turn right to find parking at Heritage Park. You'll pass Heritage Hall while looking for parking.
The Children’s Parade starts at 11:30, followed by the main parade at noon.
Edmonds Independence Day Parade - World War II Submarine Veteran Ervin Schmidt has been named as the Grand Marshall for the “An Edmonds Kind of Fourth” Parade. If you can't make it to Kirkland, consider going to the Edmonds parade and waving to Ervin.
Tolling the Boats Ceremony - The Tolling ceremony is set for August 17 at the Kirkland Marina Pavilion. Be sure to reserve the date on your calendar. As with previous years, there will have a burger cookout before the ceremony. We again want to thank base members John Roberts and Dick Gonzales for stepping up to take care of this important event.
Missing in America - Bob Opple gave a short talk about the Missing In America project. The purpose of the Project is to locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans through the joint efforts of private, state and federal organizations. To provide honor and respect to those who have served this country by securing a final resting place for these forgotten heroes. Bob recommended that the Seattle Base look into helping out the project. You can read more about the project at their website.
Possible Event at the Seattle Museum of Flight - Dick Gonzales let us know that he is talking with Museum of Flight about letting us set up a booth with our float at the museum's SeaFair events. He and Pat Householder are planning to present information about our organization and WWII Submarine Lifeguard League to the museum. We will let you know how this turns out.
June Program:
Pat Householder showed a short video about the attack on Nagasaki harbor by USS Tirante during World War II. After the video he asked Robbie Robertson to share his memories about the attack. Robbie told us about this action and other actions he was involved with, including the action that earned the sub's CO George Street the Medal of Honor. He also told us about his memories of making the film that Pat showed.
You can see the video below, the story about Tirante starts at the 29:14 minute mark (if the embeded version doesn't work, click here to go to the YouTube page).
Good of the Order
Al Smith, South Sound Base Commander, was in attendance at the meeting and let us know that South Sound Base recently took the WD4 Traveling Dolphins back from Bremerton Base. He told us that Bremerton Base is planning to try to take them back and he invited Seattle Base to try and capture the Traveling Dolphins too by having 3 members (including a Base Officer) attend the South Sound Base meeting on July 11, 7 PM at VFW Post # 969 (3510 McKinley Ave., Tacoma, WA 98404).
Sam Ronnie let us know that he has a hospital style bed available for any Base member interested in taking it off his hands (no charge).
Binnacle List:
Gene Posel is still recovering from a torn back muscle.
Don Ulmer is recovering from shoulder surgery.
Art Thompson is recovering from foot surgery.
Robbie Robertson is still battling prostate cancer, but is doing better and has officially removed himself from the Binnacle List.
The next Seattle Base meeting is this coming Wednesday, June 19.
We will meet at VFW Post #2995 (4330 148th Ave N.E., Redmond WA 98052). Social hour starts at 6 PM with business meeting at 7PM. Don't forget to review the previous meeting minutes, you can find them here on the blog or on the Seattle Base website, just click the Minutes button on the left.
On the Agenda: preparations for the Smokey Point event and Kirkland Independence Day Parade, and USSVI District 4 Commander Election.
Smokey Point: On June 28 to July 1 we will be at the coffee booth at the southbound Smokey Point rest stop. Be sure to mark the dates on your calendar. Steve Shelton will have sign-up sheets available at the meeting to pick your spot. We will post schedule information on the blog.
SSMC and other SubVets at last year's parade
Kirkland Independence Day Parade: We will be participating in the Kirkland parade on July 4. The City of Kirkland goes all out for veterans and always has treats, a pizza lunch and boutonnieres for all military members and veterans in the parade.
Additionally, WWII Subvets and members of the Silent Service Motorcycle club, including the Snorkel Schnauzer, will all be there.
We will muster near Heritage Hall, the large white two-story building on the north side of the street, at the corner of Central Way and Market Street. The float will be in place before 10:15 and all members should be in place by 10:30. If you run into problems at any street barricades, just tell the police that you are marching in the parade.
DIRECTIONS: To get there, you take Exit 18 off of Hwy 405, head west toward Kirkland. This road turns into Central Street. Follow Central until you reach Market and turn right to find parking at Heritage Park. You'll pass Heritage Hall while looking for parking.
The Children’s Parade starts at 11:30, followed by the main parade at noon.
USSVI District 4 Commander Election: It is time for submarine qualified Seattle Base members to cast their vote for District 4 Commander. There is one declared candidate, Al Durkee, but write-ins are allowed. You can make your choice and let Base Commander Doug Abramson know or you can email your choice to him. Doug will tally up the votes and forward total to Western Region Director John Mansfield.
Voting closes on 30 June 2013.
Brief Biography of Albert W. Durkee:
I am a member of Bremerton Base and the Barbel Base. I have held all elected offices of the SubVets Yuma – Barbel Base except Vice Commander. I have been a member of the Board of Directors of the SubVets Yuma - Barbel Base for all 10 years of its existence. I now live in White Salmon Washington, toward the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge. I winter in Yuma Arizona.
Born 24 March 1930 in Acton Massachusetts to Albert P. and Florence White Durkee. Raised and attended schools in Acton. Upon High School graduation in 1947 worked as a clerk for a New England grocery chain for four years.
On 28 February 1951, I joined the Navy and attended recruit training in Newport R.I. followed by Machinist Mate A School at Great Lakes. Assigned to USS Cape Esperance (TCVE-88). Cape Esperance was an aircraft transport ship ferrying aircraft from Alameda California to Yokosuka Japan. We made 18 round trips across the North Pacific in 24 months. Tiring of the North Pacific, I transferred to USS Neches (AO-47). Neches was in the process of changing its homeport from Alameda to New York City. We never saw New York City, and deployed directly to the Mediterranean for a one year tour. While assigned to Neches, I was selected as a MM3 to join the Submarine Force.
While a Submariner, I was assigned to the following Commands:
1954 USS Pickerel (SS-524) As a MM3 I was assigned as the only underway watch stander in the after engine room on my first day aboard! A snorkel boat yet. The qualified throttleman in the forward engine room was busy keeping track of me!
1954 – 1961 USS Seawolf (SSN-575) I was assigned duties in both M and A division as MM3 through MMC SS. Qualified in Submarines in 1957. Detached as LDO Ensign in 1961.
1962 – USS Becuna (SS-319) I was assigned duties as Assistant Engineer, Assistant Ops and Sonar Officer.
1963 – 1964 USS Seawolf (SSN-575) Assigned duties as Communicator and Assistant Ops.
1964 - Instructor Submarine School New London Ct.
1965 -1966 COMSUBDIV 72 Engineer, Pearl Harbor Hawaii
1967 – 1968 Instructor, Fleet Submarine Training Facility Pearl Harbor Hawaii
1975 – 1978 - Staff, COMSUBLANT Material Officer for SSN’s prior to SSN 637
1979 Assistant Repair Officer for Submarines, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton Washington
1980 – 1981 SUBMARINE BASE BANGOR, Silverdale Washington, Operations and Security Officer.
On 1March 1981 I Retired upon completion of 30 years Naval Service. After retiring from the Navy, I worked for two Engineering Services Companies on various US Navy and Washington State Department of Transportation projects. I declined to accept more assignments after 1985.
I was married in 1961 to Olive Trefethern. We raised two children. She passed away in 1985. I was remarried in 1989 to Jean Ury. She passed away in 2005.
We hope to see you at the meeting and all our other events.
We wanted to remind you that a memorial service for June Schmidt, WWII Veteran and Seattle Base member Ervin Schmidt’s wife, will be held on Saturday, June 8th at 1:00 pm at the First Baptist Church, 22800 56th Ave W, Mountlake Terrance (the church just about a block from the Seattle Fleet Reserve Association Branch 18 building).
Everyone is encouraged to attend.
Thanks,
Dave Schueler
Seattle Base Newsletter Editor
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.
