August Meeting Announcement

Greetings shipmates,

We are happy to announce that the next Seattle Base meeting is planned for Tuesday, August 10, 2021. We will meet at VFW Post #2995 (4330 148th Ave N.E., Redmond WA 98052) in the large hall. Social time starts at 6:30 PM with business meeting at 7 PM.

Redmond VFW Post 2995

The executive board met June 24th and voted on the August meeting date to be held at the regular place in Redmond. We are hoping for a big turnout where we can discuss a schedule for the coming year as well as events we wish to pursue and, best of all, get to see each other again.

We hope to see you there. Please feel free to contact the base officers with any questions.

Memorial Services for Paul Christofferson

There are two memorial services are planned for Paul Christofferson.

The first is a more formal memorial service at Tahoma National Cemetery. It is scheduled for Thursday, July 22 at 12:30 PM. Please arrive 15 minutes early. Tahoma National Cemetery's address is 18600 SE 240th Street Kent, WA 98042-4868.

The second memorial will be at AMVETS Post 1 on Saturday July 24, 2021 at 11:00 AM. This event is less formal and more of a social gathering with music, finger food, no official ceremony. Paul's memorabilia will be on display and there will be time to share stories. The AMVETS Post address is 5717 S. Tyler Street Tacoma, WA, 98409.

Both services are open to all and everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend to honor and remember Paul.

Eternal Patrol: Paul Christofferson

World War II veteran, Holland Club, and Bremerton Base member, Paul Algot Christofferson cast off his lines from the pier of life and sailed off on his final and Eternal Patrol on June 2, 2021.

Paul qualified in submarines aboard the USS Raton (SS-270) in 1944, completing 3 war patrols and earning a combat patrol pin. He was a MOMM3(SS) when he left the Navy in 1946.

Paul was active in SVWWII through it's dissolution, serving as Lockwood Chapter President, and also was a District Commander in USSVI. Paul was always a regular at the Auburn Veterans Day Parade and Seattle Base Tolling Ceremony. 

Paul speaking at a Seattle Base Tolling Ceremony

Sailor, Rest your oar.

Memorial Day 2021

As restrictions on gatherings are being lifted and we remember our fallen shipmates on Memorial Day, we wanted to pass along some information about ceremonies in the Seattle area. 

Memorial Day flags at Tahoma National Cemetery

Tahoma National Cemetery will be open for visitors during Memorial Day Weekend, but will not be holding a public ceremony for Memorial Day 2021. They will post pictures of the wreath laying next week.

The Avenue of Flags and individual gravesite flags will be on display during the weekend. There will be staff available on site and additional public restrooms during the weekend.

Garden of Remembrance in Seattle

This year’s Garden of Remembrance Memorial Day Ceremony will honor Korean War POW/MIA Service Members with a keynote address by Korean War Veteran John D. Hosey, followed by the tolling of the bell and the presentation of the wreaths.

The ceremony will beheld at Benaroya Hall’s Garden of Remembrance on Monday, May 31, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

This annual event is held in honor of Washington State Service members who fell in service to their country since Memorial Day of the prior year. The names of the fallen are engraved on the granite walls of the Garden of Remembrance.

Eternal Patrol: KRI Nanggala

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the Indonesian submarine KRI Nanggala. 

On Saturday, Indonesia's Navy changed the status of its missing submarine from sub-miss to sub-sank, as the Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff, Yudo Margono, presented debris believed to be from the vessel at a news conference.

Authorities now expect to carry out an evacuation process to recover the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine and its crew when they pinpoint its exact location. The latest update came as hopes faded for the 53 crew members, who were expected to have run out of oxygen early on Saturday. So far, no sign of them has been found, Yudo said.

Six pieces of debris believed to be from the submarine were presented to journalists at the news conference. The items were found about two miles from the spot where the submarine started to dive before it went missing, Yudo said, and included a bottle of grease, part of a torpedo launcher, part of a metal tube, prayer mats and fuel.

Nanggala was a German-built Type 209/1300 class submarine. The sub was conducting a torpedo drill when it went missing. 

KRI Nanggala in the Java Sea 2015 (Wikipedia)

We offer our sincerest condolences to Indonesia and the family and friends of the crew.

121st U.S. Navy Submarine Birthday

Happy 121st Birthday to the U.S. Navy submarine force on #nationalsubmarineday.

Here are some video celebrations from the U.S. Navy, ComSubLAnt, and ComSubPac

U.S. Navy video and message

The U.S. Navy submarine force is celebrating 121 years of undersea mastery and heritage, which have created, forged, and honed the nation’s most effective military advantage. The submarine force was born on April 11, 1900, when the U.S. Navy purchased John Holland’s revolutionary submarine. Today’s submarine force provides a ready force to the nation to deter war, defeat terrorists, provide relief during disasters, and win if called upon.

SubLant video

SubPac video Facebook link

https://www.facebook.com/SUBPAC/videos/2193538610945140/

Naval Undersea Museum Virtual Tour

If you haven't been the the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport WA in a while (or ever), now is a good time to go on a video tour or to try out their new virtual tour.

Here is the video tour.

For the virtual tour, just click here > Naval Undersea Museum Virtual Tour

You can also find the link to the virtual tour on the Naval Undersea Museum's website.