Thursday, June 26, 2014

July - August Dolphin Brotherhood Posted

The July - August issue of the Dolphin Brotherhood has been posted to the Seattle Base website.  

Submarine Veterans at the 2013 Kirkland Independence Day Parade
This issue has announcements about the upcoming Kirkland Independence Day Parade and Tolling the Boats ceremony, along with photos from Memorial Day and Cabela’s, information about voting in the USSVI National Elections, the usual base news, and other submarine related articles.

Hardcopies of the newsletter are in the mail. I hope you all enjoy it.

As always, don't forget to check back here on the blog 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. 

Dave Schueler
Seattle Base Newsletter Editor

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

2014 Smokey Point Rest Stop Event Update and Reminder

The Smokey Point Rest Stop event starts this Friday at for the northbound rest stop. We need to man the coffee booth from 1:30 PM on Friday, June 27, until 1:00 PM on Monday, June 30.
Jim Harper, Art Thompson, and Dutch Krompholz at a previous Smokey Point Event
Steve Shelton has updated the volunteer schedule and you can view it at this link. There are still lots of open times on the schedule and we could use some help filling them. If you would like to fill one of the slots, please 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.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

June 2014 Meeting Notes

We started off the June meeting with Tolling the Boats lost in June, followed by birthday wishes for our members, introductions, and officer reports.

Old and New Business:
Smokey Point Rest Stop Event – We will be back at Smokey Point Rest stop this year. We are scheduled to cover the north bound rest stop on June 27, 28, 29, and 30. There are still a few openings available to man the coffee booth and it is always good to have multiple people at the booth. If you are interested in in lending a hand, contact Steve Shelton.

Independence Day Parade – We will be in the Kirkland parade on July 4. 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 around 10:00 and all members should be in place by 10:30. The parade starts at noon. This is becoming a tradition with our group and we hope we can count on you to be there too. Details for the parade will be in the next newsletter and posted to the blog.

Seattle Base Tolling the Boats Ceremony – The annual Tolling the Boats ceremony and picnic is set for August 16 at the Kirkland Marina Park. The picnic will probably start around 11:00 with the ceremony starting around 1:30. We will have more information on the start time as we get closer to the event, but be sure to mark it on your calendar.

2014 Holiday Luncheon – Our holiday luncheon is booked for December 20 at the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club in Bellevue. We will have more details including cost per person (which will be less than last year) menu selection, maps, and a sign-up sheet in a few months.

2014 USSVI Elections – Pat Householder provided an overview of the National USSVI election process and an opportunity to vote at the meeting. The ballot was included in the latest issue of The American Submariner and can be filled out and mailed to the Election Master. You can also vote online through the USSVI website by clicking the Vote Nat Election button in the upper left, entering your login information (if you haven’t used the website before, just follow the on-screen instructions) and make your vote. The last day to vote is August 28 (paper ballot must arrive by August 28).

Good of the Order:
The Canadian Submarine Force is celebrating its 100 anniversary this year and they have invited all submariners from around the world to join in their celebration. The West Coast celebration is being held in Victoria BC on August 5 – 8, 2014. You can find out more at the West Coast Submarine Week website.

June Program:
Our June presentation was by former Base Commander Keith Watson. Keith did a splendid job providing us with a view of Puget Sound at turn of the century history combining area history, early development of coal and oil, and submarines. Black Diamond was historically a major contributor to Puget Sound’s growth during this era and a focal point of the Keith’s presentation. Keith is a valued and active member of his community. We are fortunate to Keith in our ranks, as he typifies one our best.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

June 2014 Meeting Reminder

The next Seattle Base meeting is this coming Wednesday, June 18. 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.

We are planning a full agenda that will include, but is not limited to:
  • Pat Householder will provide an overview of the National USSVI election process and an opportunity to vote at the meeting. We plan to provide extra copies of voting ballets and have a few laptops for on line voting at the meeting for your convenience. 

  • We have finalized plans for our Seattle Base 2014 Christmas lunch and will share some preliminary details with you at the meeting. 
Finally, our friend and former Base Commander Keith Watson will be our in-house speaker. Keith will share a fascinating account of local submarine history that I know you will enjoy.

Here is a preview of Keith’s presentation:
The Silent Service is now 114 years old. The question is: what was going on in our Puget Sound area prior to 1900, when the US Submarine Service was founded?

Of course none of us was around in 1900 and it is may be hard to relate to that period or is it?

Keith will take us back to that era and provide some interesting perspectives. So on Wednesday night take a trip with us to remember and relate to what was transpiring in the US Navy and specifically the US Submarine Service.

We hope you plan to attend.

Dick Gonzalez
Seattle Base Cmdr.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Binnacle List: Al Smith

Seattle and South Sound Base member Al Smith underwent open heart surgery on Thursday at Virginia Mason Hospital. The surgery was to correct a blockage not fixable by the placement of a stent.

Pat Householder spoke with Al on Saturday morning and Pat reports that Al is doing well, ahead of the curve, and expects to be home either Sunday or Monday. Al said he expects to be in recovery/rehab mode for 2-3 months and asked Pat to pass on his greetings and best wishes to all his bubblehead buddies. Please keep Al in your thoughts and prayers, he appreciates your concern.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Reminder: Ervin Schmidt's Memorial Service

We wanted to remind you that the memorial service for Ervin Schmidt will be this Saturday, June 7, at 1:00 PM. All submarine veterans are welcome to attend and remember our shipmate. 

The service will be held at (map link):
      First Baptist Church
      22800 56th Ave. W
      Mountlake Terrace, WA