Monday, November 30, 2015

December 2015 Commander's Corner

I know you will agree that we are most fortunate to have a good number of committed board members and dedicated volunteers insuring we succeed as a Base. We appreciate them and often make it a point to recognize their work. By their example we hope others will be inspired to participate during this current election cycle.

Another major asset we may sometimes fail to recognize are the woman in our midst. They play a large roll often working behind the scenes directly or indirectly. They inspire us, participate, and provide supporting rolls in so many of our events. They are our wives, partners, and associate members. We owe them a debt of gratitude and are better off because of them.

Looking back, we had a terrific year and as I step aside to make room for a new leader. During this period, I gained a greater appreciation for the meaning of our “Brotherhood.” I met and enjoyed collaborating with other bases including the national USSVI leadership. They are inspirational and strive to insure we perpetuate our special union.

I wish to thank my shipmates for encouraging and motivating me throughout the last two years. I am honored.

I hope each and every one of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Santa arriving on USS Providence (SSN-719)

Dick Gonzalez
Seattle Base Commander

Saturday, November 21, 2015

November 2015 Meeting Notes

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

Storekeeper Ralph Sterley let us know that 2016 calendars are available for $10.95. Be sure to get your copy soon.

Old and New Business:

Auburn Veterans Day Parade – We recapped the parade (you can see pictures here) and we were told that the USSVI Bases and SubVets of WW II that participated in the Auburn parade won the "Memorial Award to Harold Page - Best Veteran Service Organization Entry" award.
Award from the Auburn parade
This is the third highest award given by the city to parade entries. Congratulations on the award and thanks to Ric Hedman for organizing things for the parade.

Holiday Luncheon Update – The Holiday Luncheon is set for Saturday, December 5 at the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club. You can find registration forms in the form in the latest newsletter and at this link. Don’t forget to get your registration form in as soon as possible and help get the word out to others.

Arizona Silent Service Memorial – USSVI Perch Base is working to establish a Silent Service Memorial on the grounds of the capital in Phoenix. To help raise money they are selling brick pavers for engraved messages. You can find out more about the project and how to buy a brick at the Arizona Silent Service Memorial web page. Seattle Base is donating $100 to the project.

Base Elections – Seattle Base elections will be this coming January. Our base needs members to stand for the positions necessary to keep the base running. Especially the Base Commander, Sr. Vice Commander, and Jr. Vice Commander positions. 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. If you are interested in running for an officer position or chairing a committee, please contact one of the Base Officers for more information.

Reminder of National Dues Increase – If you are a year-to-year member, you should note that the USSVI National dues are increasing to $25 per year on January 1, 2016. However, if you renew before the end of the year the dues are still only $20. Note that Seattle Base dues are not increasing.

November Program:
For November’s program, base members Keith Watson and Bill Lightfoot put on a presentation on Bill’s book “Beneath the Surface: Submarines built in Seattle and Vancouver 1909 – 18” along with information from Ric Hedman’s Pigboats.com website.
They started with some brief information about each of the submarines built in Puget Sound area. They also talked about the Moran Brothers shipyard, which built most of the submarines. They showed photos of the construction process and initial testing. They also talked about how some of the boats were disassembled and crated off for shipment to Imperial Russia. Including a number that were later purchased by the U.S. Navy, and reassembled in Bremerton, after the fall of the Tsarist government. Keith provided more information about the boats purchased by the U.S., including the sad fate of USS F-4, which was rammed and sunk by it ‘s sister sub. They also talked about the submarines purchased by the government of British Columbia and later Canada in 1914, which established the Canadian submarine force.

Bill Lighfoot and Keith Watson during the program
The program was an interesting look at the little known early history of submarines in Puget Sound. If you are interested in reading Bill’s book, you can borrow the copy in the base library (just contact Newsletter Editor Dave Schueler) or you can still get copies on Amazon.com.

Good of the Order: 
Ric Hedman brought a copy of the new book “Seventeen Fathoms Deep” about the loss of USS S-4. It was a great looking book and is highly recommended.

Monday, November 16, 2015

November 2015 Meeting Reminder

The next Seattle Base meeting is this coming Wednesday, November 18. We will meet at VFW Post #2995 (4330 148th Ave N.E., Redmond WA 98052). Social hour starts at 6PM with business meeting at 7PM.

This is the final business meeting of 2015. We recap the Veterans Day activities, cover the plans for the upcoming Holiday Luncheon, and talk about 2016.
Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club main building

Speaking of the Holiday Luncheon, we will be at the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club in Bellevue again this year and you can find a copy of the registration form in the latest newsletter and at this link. Don’t forget to get your registration form in before the end of November.

We hope to see you at the meeting!

Monday, November 9, 2015

2015 Auburn Veterans Day Parade Photos

It was a cool, rainy Saturday for the 50th annual Auburn Veterans Day Parade. The rain showers came and went, but finally went once the parade started. However, the rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowd, who were as enthusiastic as ever, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Our turnout was a little lighter than normal, with members from Seattle, Bremerton, South Sound Bases, and Silent Service Motorcycle Club showing up. But it was still a good time and great to see all the veterans out for the parade.
Here are some photos from the event.
SubVets Group photo
Before the parade we had a little time to swap a few sea stories in rain.
Getting the Bonefish float ready
Swapping a few stories
Yep, it is still raining
Talking over future plans
Bonefish float is ready to go
Seattle Base float is ready to go
A B-25 flyover kicks off the parade
Bremerton Base leads off for our group
Followed by the Bonefish float
Then the marchers
And the Seattle float
Waving to the crowd



Thursday, November 5, 2015

2015 Auburn Veterans Day Parade Reminder

Seattle Base will be participating in the Auburn Veterans Day parade on Saturday, November 7, 2015.
We are joining members from Silent Service Motorcycle Club, Bremerton Base, and South Sound Base . In addition to the Bonefish and Seattle Base floats, there will be a couple cars for people to ride in.

Check-in starts at 9:30 and we expect to meet at the staging area near K St. NE and Main St by 10:00 AM. The parade starts at 11:00.

There is plenty of parking available at the parking garage on 2nd St. in Auburn (near the Transit Center on the map below, click on the map for a larger view).
This is the 50th Auburn Veterans Day celebration and as part of the anniversary there are events planned for the entire week of November 2 through November 8, including movies, a Veterans Talent show, and much more.In addition to the parade on Saturday, there is a breakfast at the American Legion (from 7:00 to 9:30 am), a static display area, lunch at the Auburn Noon Lions Club, and other events throughout the day.See the Auburn city community calendar web page for more information.

We hope to see you there!

Tahoma National Cemetery Veterans Day Ceremony 
For those of you not participating in other events on Veterans Day, Wednesday November 11th, plan on attending the Veterans Day ceremony at Tahoma Cemetery at 11:00.

The Keynote Speaker for the ceremony will be Vietnam Veteran Jim Martinson and the guest speaker will be the Canadian Contingent Commander. 

Tahoma Nation Cemetery is located at 18600 SE 240th St, Kent, WA 98042

Sunday, November 1, 2015

November - December 2015 Dolphin Brotherhood Posted

The November – December issue of the Dolphin Brotherhood has been posted to the Seattle Base website.

This issue has information about the 2015 Auburn Veterans Day Parade and the Seattle Base Holiday Luncheon, including the registration form, along with the usual base news and other submarine related articles.
Submarine Veterans at the 2014 Auburn Veterans Day Parade
The Holiday Luncheon will be at the Meydenbaur Bay Yacht Club in Bellevue and you can find a copy of the registration form at this link. Don’t forget to get your registration form in before the end of November.

Hardcopies of the newsletter will be in the mail shortly. 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