As of today, there are about 950 posts on theleansubmariner. (Some have been archived for now)
I started writing the blog in 2011 and its been a joy to share stories that I have created, stories from history, stories about national and international events and stories about subjects that mean something to me and apparently many of my readers.
In that time, I have picked up over 1600 followers from various social media platforms gathering 654,450 visits. In those 950 posts, there are 253 categories and nearly 1500 “Tags” which are ways of identifying subject matter.
There have also been 3500 plus comments
I get some very interesting comments from time to time. Many reflect agreement with what I have written. To be fair, sometimes the comment writers express disagreement with the subject or content. Starting about six months ago, I began to screen them fairly carefully. The vile and accusatory nature from certain quarters has increased a lot.
It may seem to some like the screening is suppression of ideas and blatant censorship. One could even question if it is un-American to prevent a free flow of ideas.
Well, here is the thing. Every story I write is my opinion. Every single one. It is my point of view. I try to stay true to what the records show, but then I remember that even history is controlled and written by the ones in charge when the books and articles are printed. That has been true since the beginning of time. I purposely look for reference materials on World War 2 that were written by Japanese authors as well as American authors so I can see what their viewpoints were. It doesn’t mean I think either is 100 percent accurate. But its the source material that forms our opinions. And to be honest, sometimes the people who are supposed to write the truth have some difficulty with it.
The comments I get from people who strongly disagree these days often include me being unpatriotic and using my platform to try and influence people to believe in my view of recent events. One guy that I have known for forty six years is a rabid anti-Trump person and has accused me of ripping the flag apart. I’ll spare you the rest of his diatribe. I would encourage him to start his own blog to spread his version of the truth. I do hope when he does, he includes some of his own “leadership” behavior from back in the day that might make his readers understand the true nature of his character. That would be an interesting blog to read.
Anyone is free to criticize my prose, spelling and sentence structure. I’m not always that good at those things. But it will be a cold day in hell when I accept questions about my character from people who have failed to deliver and deeply impacted the lives of those that they were supposed to lead. In Nehemiah, we learn that if everyone swept in front of their own front door, the street would be clean. I think that is an amazing suggestion for all of us.
My goal is to focus as much as I can on the core subjects I started the blog with in the coming year. I need to tell you that from time to time, my other passions may slip through. Sometime next year I will go over 1000 posts. If you can’t find something in those 1000 posts to entertain or inform you, I will understand that you have to depart. But one of my favorite memes on Facebook is the one with the little girl crying as she Slams her fist on the table and says she is leaving the group. Then for the next six months she keeps checking back to see who missed her.
I really love my regular readers and hope that we can continue to share stories together.
But if you think you can come into a place I am paying for and try to bully me by saying I am unpatriotic, you are going to be really disappointed.
You see, the very heart of freedom is having the right to have your opinion and freely state it in the public square. Bullying from the left is just another way to say only your views (however wrong they are) can exist. America will truly come to an end on that day.
theleansubmariner 
Well said. Thanks for being the free thinker that you are.
I appreciate your feedback. True brotherhood is a valuable thing
Mac
The looney Left is all about censorship and eradication of our freedoms. We must stand up and stem the tide that seems to be in the making. Keep up the good work Mr. Mac!
Love reading your prose and even if I disagree with something said, I respect you because of your service (after all, you weren’t a nuc, so you couldn’t be perfect) in submarines. Keep writing, my friend, and if you ever want a place to stay near the beach let me know.
I also moderate my comments. I decided that as my blog was “my place” I didn’t need to put up with someone coming to my place and being unpleasant. I don’t mind honest disagreement or critical comments, i do very much mind someone coming and attacking me on MY blog. I don’t see why I should have to put up with that. I don’t do it to others and I doubt you do either. I wouldn’t allow it in my home and I won’t allow it on my blog. I’m glad to see others stand up about it too.
Thanks for the note. It seems like anymore, anyone with a keyboard becomes too sanctimonious and ready to crucify. The answer is fairly simple really. If someone objects to a blog, stop following it. There is no need for poor behavior. The internet is filled with wonderful places that can inform, educate, entertain and stimulate a person. If that person believes their candidate did not steal an election for instance, there are thousands if not millions of sites they can go and reinforce their opinion. They can wallow in misinformation until their eyes are bloodshot and their heads explode. This blog would not be that place of course. But you get my point.
You are right about our blogs becoming our homes. 900 plus stories is a lot of me (even the parts I only edit from source materials). So it is kind of personal.
Happy New Year my friend.
Mac
Keep up the good work Mac.
Right on the bull’s-eye Mister Mac. That’s what I like about reading your articles since I was never on an active submarine, except one, tied up to the USS Proteus in Holy Loch, Scotland in 1961. Being in the Seabees and our motto is “CAN DO”, . . . . . I did.
Also, I did see a submarine tied there nearly every day after arriving on May 27th 1961 aboard the USS De Soto County with MCB-4, Detachment KILO to erect the AFDB-7 Los Alamos floating dry-dock. We stayed aboard the APL 42, a Navy non self-propelled barracks ship (we called it The Apple), till November 13th 1961 when we left on USNS Gordon headed for home.
For those of you who have not read my article on theleansubmariner, AFDB-7 LOS ALAMOS, Holy Loch, Scotland, “In the Beginning” check it out at the link below:
https://theleansubmariner.com/2014/04/04/afdb-7-los-alamos-holy-loch-scotland-in-the-beginning/
Thank you, Mister Mac, for including my article on your website way back on April 4, 2014 and being a friend that I have never met.
I did go aboard the USS Clamagore (SS-343) many years ago. It was a museum ship (sub) at Patriot’s Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Charleston, SC. In early 2020, the museum formed a plan to sink Clamagore at the Vermilion Reef site before the 2021 hurricane season. The following is the latest I can find on its fate:
Scheduled to be sunk as an artificial reef by 2021
Status: Museum ship at Patriot’s Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Charleston, South Carolina since 1981.
The World War II submarine will go on “eternal patrol” as part of the Vermilion Reef, located about 30 miles east-southeast off Winyah Bay. The term “eternal patrol” was coined to honor those submarines and their crews who never returned to port.
Norman Rachels SWE-2
Happy New Year Norm. I have enjoyed your emails and your article about Holy Loch got a whole new audience this month on a Facebook Page that focuses on Holy Loch and old photographs. Some really nice people who live the history and for the most part appreciated the Americans being part of their history. Your article is a very important part of that history and one that only someone who was there could have written. I am indebted to you for your friendship and your contribution.
Lets hope for a better New Year my friend
Mac