USSVI BOWFIN BASE PH 94-219 Wehena Place Waipahu, HI 96797 To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in Submarine Warfare and in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country - 1
Table of Contents 1. Cover Sheet 2. Table of Contents and Editorial Page 3. USSVI National and Hawaii Subvet Officers 4. USSVI Info & Creed 5. Bowfin Base Commander 6. Bowfin Base Treasurer 7. Advertisements 7. Upcoming Events 10. Binnacle List 10. Boats lost in the month of March & April 13. USSVI 2018 Convention Information EDITOR INFORMATION: Submittals or inquires (Chris Cunha, ics.hi@usa.net or PO Box 235718 Honolulu, HI 96823) T Every time you check your e-mail also check out the BOWFIN BASE web site for updated information on base activities and base members in the Bowfin Base Online News and the Bowfin Base Calendar at www.bowfinbase.com Bowfin Base Meetings First Friday of the Month - Social Hour - 6:00pm Meeting - 7:00pm Clean Sweep Bar - Lockwood Hall Submarine Base Pearl Harbor http://www.subforce.navy.mil 2
USSVI NATIONAL COMMANDER John E. Markiewicz www.ussvi.org/officers.asp USSVI WD 6 COMMANDER Raymond J. Rockers www.ussvi.org/officers.asp USSVI Office Fred Borgmann, Manager P.O. Box 3870 Silverdale, WA 98383 (877) 542-DIVE ussvi@telebyte.com BOWFIN BASE MEMBERSHIP George Barlett 46-280 Heeia Street Kaneohe, HI 96744-4148 gggfffbbb@yahoo.com BOWFIN BASE COMMANDER Paul T. Jurcsak 94-219 Wehena Pl Waipahu, HI 96797-5052 jurcsakpt@gmail.com BOWFIN BASE VICE COMMANDER John Dugan 549 Mananai Pl Apt A Honolulu, HI 96818-5379 John.Dugan@gmail.com BOWFIN BASE SECRETARY Brett Kulbis 91-1010 Kaipalaoa St Apt 5603 Ewa Beach, HI 96706-6110 bkulbis@reagan.com BOWFIN BASE TREASURER Carl Tatro 1860 Ala Moana Blvd #2104 Honolulu, HI 96815-1640 rctatro@sbcglobal.net BOWFIN BASE BINNACLE STATUS Dan Del Monte 95-1004 Lalai St Mililani, HI 96789-3710 ddelmonte@hawaii.rr.com BOWFIN BASE CHIEF-OF-THE-BOAT Gary G. Johnson 98-1371A Kaahumanu Street Aiea, HI 96701-2008 ggjohnson18@hawaiiantel.net Bowfin Base WebPage www.bowfinbase.com WEBMASTER Stan Cook webmaster@websitesbycook.com 3
OUR CREED (Modified to include the WWII Subvets Creed) TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF OUR SHIPMATES WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES WHILE VOLUNTARILY SERVING IN SUBMARINE WARFARE and IN THE PURSUIT OF THEIR DUTIES WHILE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY and THAT THEIR DEDICATION, DEEDS AND SUPREME SACRIFICE BE A CONSTANT SOURCE OF MOTIVATION TOWARD GREATER ACCOMPLISHMENTS and TO FURTHER PROMOTE AND KEEP ALIVE THE SPIRIT AND UNITY THAT EXISTED AMONG SUBMARINE CREWMEN DURING WORLD WAR II and TO PROMOTE SOCIABILITY, GENERAL WELFARE AND GOOD FELLOWSHIP AMONG OUR MEMBERS and TO PLEDGE LOYALTY AND PATRIOTISM TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ITS CONSTITUTION 4
BOWFIN BASE COMMANDER Paul Jurcsak has no input this issue because he is on the mainland attending his mother s funeral after she recently passed away. 5
BOWFIN BASE TREASURER Carl Tatro 6
Hawaii Subvets March 2018 Meeting Friday March 2, 2018 at 7:00pm Social Hour 6:00pm Meeting at 7:00pm Lockwood Hall Subase Pearl Harbor Hawaii Subvets April 2018 Meeting Friday April 6, 2018 at 7:00pm Social Hour 6:00pm Meeting at 7:00pm Lockwood Hall Subase Pearl Harbor 7
Tolling of the Boats for Mar & Apr 2018 Wednesday Mar 14, 2018 11:30am SUBASE Chapel Pearl Harbor Wednesday Apr 11, 2018 11:30am SUBASE Chapel Pearl Harbor Punchbowl Ceremony Wednesday April 11, 2018 11:00am National Cemetery of the Pacific Submarine Ball Enlisted - Friday April,13 2018 Officer - Saturday April 14, 2018 Hilton Hawaiian Village Bowfin Base Member Birthdays March - John Brandes, Jeff Snider, Ray Engle, Tim Sparks, Richard Taltavall, Robert Wasson, Frank Caldwell Jr and Paul Jurcsak. Renee Ferguson and Kiddy DeCoster. April - J. Winney Jr, James Kikis, Karl Dye, Gary Sutton, Edwin Mee, and Dave Atkins. 8
BOWFIN BASE NEWS 9
USSVI Bowfin Base Binnacle list March,2018 Please keep all our Ohana in your good thoughts and prayers. I hope all who have the flu or worse have a speedy and complete recovery. Dan Del Monte USSVI Binnacle Chairman Bowfin Base LEST WE FORGET BOATS LOST IN THE MONTH OF MARCH USS Perch (SS-176) Lost on March 3,1942 near Java with no immediate loss of life, while on her 1st war patrol. She survived 2 severe depth charging in less than 200 feet of water by 3 Japanese destroyers. The crew abandoned ship and scuttled her. Of the 59 officers and men taken prisoner, 53 survived the war and six died as POWs. USS Grampus (SS-207) Lost on March 5,1943 with the loss of 71 officers and men, on her 6th war patrol. She was lost in Vella Gulf, sunk after engaging 2 Japanese Destroyers. USS H-1 (SS-28) Lost on March 12, 1920 with the loss of 4 men as they tried to swim to shore after grounding on a shoal off Santa Margarita Island, off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Vestal (AR-4), pulled H-1 off the rocks in the morning of 24 March, only to have her sink 45 minutes later in some 50 feet of water. She was originally named the USS Seawolf before becoming H-1. 10
USS Triton (SS-201) Lost on March 15,1943 with the loss of 74 men. She was sunk north of the Admiralty Islands during a fight with 3 Japanese Destroyers. Triton was the 1st boat to engage the enemy in December 1941 off Wake Island, sinking 9 ships, 1 submarine and a destroyer. USS Kete (SS-369) Lost on March 20,1945 with the loss of 87 officers and men at the end of her 2nd war patrol. Probably sunk near Okinawa, by a Japanese submarine that itself was subsequently lost. USS F-4 (SS-23) Lost on March 25, 1915 with the loss of 21 men. She foundered 1.5 miles off of Honolulu when acid corrosion of the lead lining of the battery tank let seawater into the battery compartment, causing loss of control. She was raised in August 1915. USS Tullibee (SS-284) Lost on March 26,1944 with the loss of 79 officers and men, on her 4th war patrol. It's believed she was a victim of a circular run by one of her own torpedoes. The lookout was the only survivor and he survived the war as a Japanese prisoner. USS Trigger (SS-237) Lost on March 26,1945 with the loss of 89 officers and men, on her 12th war patrol. She was lost during a combined attack by Japanese antisubmarine vessels and aircraft. Trigger ranked 7th in total tonnage sunk and tied for 8th in number of ships sunk. BOATS LOST IN THE MONTH OF APRIL USS Pickerel (SS-177) Lost on April 3,1943 with the loss of 74 officers and men, while on her 7th war patrol. She was lost off Honshu. The exact cause of her loss has never been determined, but her OP area contained numerous minefields. USS Snook (SS-279) Lost on April 8,1945 with the loss of 84 officers and men. Snook ranks 10th in total Japanese tonnage sunk and is tied for 9th in the number of ships sunk. She was lost near Hainan Island, possibly sunk by a Japanese submarine. 11
USS Thresher (SSN-593) Lost on April 10, 1963 with the loss of 112 crew members and 17 civilian technicians during deep-diving exercises. 15 minutes after reaching test depth, she communicated with USS Skylark that she was having problems. Skylark heard noises "like air rushing into an air tank" - then, silence. Rescue ship Recovery (ASR-43) subsequently recovered bits of debris, including gloves and bits of internal insulation. Photographs taken by Trieste proved that the submarine had broken up, taking all hands on board to their deaths in 1,400 fathoms of water, some 220 miles east of Boston. USS Gudgeon (SS-211) USS Gudgeon (SS-211) was probably lost on April 18, 1944 with the loss of 79 men SE of Iwo Jima, but may have been sunk on May 12, 1944 in another attack on an unidentified submarine and heard by several other submarines in the area. Winner of 5 Presidential Unit Citations, Gudgeon was on her 12th war patrol and most likely due to a combined air and surface antisubmarine attack. Gudgeon was the first US submarine to go on patrol from Pearl Harbor after the Japanese attack. On her first patrol, she became the first US submarine to sink an enemy warship, picking off the submarine I-173. USS Grenadier (SS-210) Lost on April 22,1943 near Penang, with no immediate loss of life. She was on her 6th war patrol. While stalking a convoy, she was spotted by a plane and dove. While passing 130 feet, Grenadier was bombed, causing severe damage. She was lodged on the bottom 270 feet and the crew spent hours fighting fires and flooding. When she surfaced, she had no propulsion and was attacked by another plane. While she shot down the plane. When enemy ships arrived, the CO abandoned ship and scuttled the boat. Of the 76 crew members taken prisoner, 72 survived the war. 2 12
018 NATIONAL CONVENTION2018 NATIONAL VENTION2018 2018 NATIONAL CON18 NATIONAL CONVENTION USSVI 2018 National Convention CARIBBEAN CRUISE: OCT 21 28, 2018 ROUNDTRIP FT. LAUDERDALE MS NIEUW AMSTERDAM Dear Submariners, family and friends, 2018 brings a unique opportunity to combine the 55th annual USSVI National Convention with a fabulous Caribbean cruise! We'll sail on Holland America Line's beautiful ms Nieuw Amsterdam, round trip out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida! It's been 10 long years since we sailed to Alaska in 2007. 1,800 Submariners, their families and friends had a wonderful cruise convention and it's high time we did this again! 13
We will be able to conduct all normal convention activities on board ship, which include meetings, a vendor room, hospitality rooms, the Tolling of the Boats ceremony and boat reunions. There are many other special events planned as well. You'll enjoy Broadway style entertainment, a Las Vegas style casino, a full service spa and many other wonderful opportunities for relaxation and fun. You'll enjoy liberty in some of the Caribbean's most beautiful ports including Holland America's award winning private island, Half Moon Cay! There is something new and wonderful awaiting you in every port of call and you'll be able to relax and enjoy the ride as AAA Travel and Holland America Cruise Line make sure that you experience smooth sailing! What a great way to take a break from everyday life while enjoying 5-star service and the company of your shipmates, family and friends! This trip will sell out fast, so book early! We have had a list of Submariners interested in booking this trip even before it was organized, and quite a few that have already signed up. Bring a friend, your spouse or your family, all are welcome to join us and with so many wonderful activities, there is something for everyone on this trip of a lifetime! Don't miss the boat. Join your shipmates onboard for the 2018 USSVI National Convention! Cruise Highlights Liberty in fabulous ports of call Vendor Room Sail to the pristine waters of the Caribbean aboard the ms Nieuw Amsterdam, a luxurious Holland America cruise ship, with a few stops along the way Boat Reunions Tolling of the Boats Ceremony Ladies High Tea Holland Club Breakfast Awards Ceremony All meals on board, social functions, and port fees are included in your booking price Best wishes, RESERVE YOUR SPOT ONLINE http://www.ussvicruise.com/ or call toll-free (877) 802-6894 The USSVI National Board of Directors and Kim Hedges and Amy Ross 14