May 2015 Meeting Notes

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

Old and New Business: 
Base Float Update – We want to thank Jim Harper for storing the float for the past few years. We are talking with one of our members about moving the float and shelter to their land. If all goes well, sometime after the Tolling ceremony in August we will be asking for volunteers to help level the area and set up the shelter in the new location.

Base Calendar – We discussed the upcoming Memorial Day events.

Seattle Base USSVI members at the Tahoma Memorial Day Ceremony

The next event on the calendar is an appearance at the Bass Pro Shop in Tacoma on June 14, Flag Day. Be sure to mark it on your calendar, we will be looking for volunteers to help out on that day.

The signup sheet for our Smokey Point fund raiser on July 1st through the 3rd will be at our next meeting. Be sure to talk with Steve Shelton if you want to join us at Smokey Point. Remember to check the Base Activities Calendar page for more upcoming events.

Seattle Base Raffle – Pat Householder reminded us about the raffle to win a submarine cutaway. You can read more about the raffle at this blog entry. The raffle tickets can be purchased for $5.00 each or five for $20.00. The drawing will be held at our June meeting, so you don’t have much longer to get your tickets.

Travelling Dolphins – The Western District 4 Travelling Dolphins were on display at the meeting. You can read more about Seattle Base capturing the Travelling Dolphins in this blog entry.

Pat Householder with the Travelling Dolphins

May Program: 
The speaker for May was Paul Harvey, a former Navy P2V pilot. Paul is a Seattle native, he joined the Navy as an Aviation Electrician, was assigned to a squadron at Whidbey Island, and then went to the Naval Academy. While at the Naval Academy, Paul rowed on the crew team and still participates in rowing today. He also spent a Midshipman cruise on USS Cutlass 9SS-478). After graduation, he was assigned to flight training, learning to pilot the P2V Neptune ASW plane. His new squadron was based on Whidbey Island and Paul joked that he had joined the Navy to see the world, but they kept sending him back to Washington State.

He didn’t stay in Washington for long though as his squadron was deployed to the Western Pacific and then to Vietnam. While in Vietnam Paul took part in Operation Market Time, the Navy’s effort to stop the flow of supplies and troops into South Vietnam from North Vietnam. After he left the Navy, Paul was a pilot with Western Airlines, worked at a brokerage firm, and is currently a docent at the Museum of Flight.

May speaker Paul Harvey answering some questions

We really enjoyed Paul’s presentation and Base Commander Dick Gonzalez presented Paul with a certificate of appreciation with a photo of USS Cutlass.

Paul, looking at certificate with the Cutlass photo, and Dick Gonzlaez

Memorial Day 2015 Events

Memorial Day honors those who lost their lives while in the military service. Additionally, it marks the start of summer and vacation season.

Here are a couple events Seattle Base USSVI is attending.

A view of Mt Rainier from Tahoma National Cemetery

Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at Tahoma National Cemetery. 
The ceremony is on Monday, May 25 and starts at 1 PM. It will commemorate Memorial Day and the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The keynote speaker will be Vietnam veteran and former First Gentleman Mike Gregoire, with additional remarks from state Senator Joe Fain. Remember that parking is limited.

Tahoma National Cemetery (click here for a map and directions)
18600 SE 240th St
Kent, WA 98042

Cruzin to Colby Car Show 
The Seattle Base float will be at the Cruzin to Colby car show in Everett WA all day on Monday, May 25. Be sure to stop off and say hi while you’re enjoying the vintage cars. There are events planned for Sunday and Monday, be sure to check the Seattle Rod-tiques website (event calendar) for a list of events and photos from past shows.

We hope to see you at one or both of these events!

May 2015 Meeting Reminder

The next Seattle Base meeting is this coming Wednesday, May 20. 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.

Our guest speaker this month will be Paul Harvey, a former Naval Aviator who flew the Lockheed P-2 Neptune. Paul is a dynamic speaker, a docent at the Museum of Flight, and you will not want to miss this presentation!

A P-2 Neptune ASW Patrol plane

Prior to the introduction of the P-3 Orion in the mid-1960s, the Neptune was the primary U.S. land-based anti-submarine patrol aircraft, intended to be operated as the hunter of a '"Hunter-Killer" group, with destroyers employed as killers. Several features aided the P-2 in its hunter role:

Sonobuoys could be launched from a station in the aft portion of the fuselage and monitored by radio. The AN/ASQ-8 Magnetic Anomaly Detector was fitted in an extended tail, producing a paper chart. A belly-mounted AN/APS-20 surface-search radar enabled detection of surfaced and snorkeling submarines at considerable distances.

Paul also spent some familiarization time sailing aboard USS Cutlass (SS-478). He will talk about his experiences in ASW Patrol Squadron VP-17 (White Lightnings), the ASW Air community in general, Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) operations, and flying ASW Patrols.

VP-17 patch

All area Submarine Veterans, current members or not, are invited to join with us for this informative and interesting talk. Also feel free to bring along your friends and family.

We hope to see you there.

2015 Armed Forces Day Events

Seattle Base will be celebrating "Armed Forces Day" at the Cabella's Tulalip store (9810 Quil Ceda Blvd Tulalip WA 98271) with another "Meet and Greet" on Saturday May 16, 10:00 to 16:00. We will have our float set up outside the store with other veteran organizations and supporters. It should be a good time and it is always great to get out and talk with the public and other veterans, so come join us for as much time as you can spare.

A photo from last year's event

The Cabela’s store has events planned throughout the weekend, be sure to check their website for the schedule.

Another option to consider would include a scenic drive to Bremerton for their 67th annual Armed Forces Day Parade. Bremerton USSVI Base will be attending the Bremerton parade and would be happy to have you join them. You can see more information on the Gertrude Check.

May - June Dolphin Brotherhood Posted

The May - June issue of the Dolphin Brotherhood has been posted to the Seattle Base website.

This issue has information about the latest Seattle Base raffle, photos from the March event at Cabela’s and the field trip to the Museum of Flight restoration center, and the list of currently planned activities for the Seattle Base, along with the usual base news and other submarine related articles.

You can win your choice of one of these museum quality submarine cutaways from the Seattle Base Raffle. The drawing will be held at the June meeting and you do not have to be present to win. Be sure to get your tickets soon!

Hardcopies of the newsletter will go out this weekend. I hope you all enjoy it.

As a reminder, we’ve introduced a way for you to get copies of the Dolphin Brotherhood sent directly to your email inbox. If you would like to get the PDF, full-color, version of the newsletter by email, just send a message to the email address: seabase_editor@yahoo.com with the subject “Subscribe” and include your name in the message. Alternatively, you can just speak with me (Dave Schueler) at a base meeting or event.

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