Why indeed.

I have planned and executed three reunions for my third submarine (USS San Francisco SSN 711) to date. I am in the process of putting together the fourth. My beautiful bride of forty-three plus years has told me that this will be the last one I put together. I had forgotten how much work goes into the planning but now that I am retired, I have some bandwidth that was not in use.

It’s a long tradition.

 

The San Francisco has a long history of reunions. While I have dubbed ours a gathering of saints, we had a great role model. The guys from the World War 2 cruiser held regular gatherings for many years after the end of their war and the decommissioning of their ship. The cruiser was one of the ships that emerged from Pearl Harbor as a fighting ship. One of the worst days of her life was also one that helped turn the tide of war.

On the night of November 13, 1942, she was the flag ship for Admiral Callaghan in a task force of cruisers and destroyers. They had been sent to Guadalcanal to try and stop a force of battleships, cruisers and destroyers that were coming to bombard the airstrip and men on Guadalcanal. The night battle is one of the most famous in naval history and resulted in the smaller American force turning the Japanese away. But the cost was tremendous. Admirals Callaghan and Scott along with Captain Cassin Young lost their lives and we lost many ships. The Sullivan brothers were all lost on the sinking of the USS Juneau leading to changes in the policies of the navy about brothers serving together. (Side note: in the 1980’s the submarine San Francisco would actually have four sets of brothers on board the boat at the same time).

The San Francisco sustained major damage and eventually ended up in the shipyard at Mare Island. She would return to the war and win many battle stars. But the tragedy and shared sacrifices bonded the men together. When the submarine named after her came to San Francisco for her Fleet Week appearance in 1981, the remaining local members of the cruiser crew threw us a party and welcomed us into their family. It was a great honor.

So why are reunions still popular with some?

I have some ideas, but I am sure I will hear from others.

Probably the most important was that we were family. In my time, that meant brothers, but we have added a number of sisters along the way. Brothers in the sense that we shared some things that most people never experience.  Living inside a submarine under the water for months at a time certainly creates bonds that last a lifetime. These were people who you put your life in their hands. Whether at sea or in port, you belonged to something. We came from all of the corners of the country. From Maine to Hawaii, I met and worked with people of every walk of life. We transcended color, race, religion and creed. I have served alongside men who I would never have even met had it not been for the navy and learned so much about who they were.

An indescribable closeness

When you are standing watch in a confined space, you just can’t help but get to know and understand the various human elements we all possess. In routine times, you hear about family, growing up in various cultures, personalities and even their future hopes and dreams. Some express disappointment at the choices they made (including enlisting) and the missed opportunities. More than once I heard about a current or lost love.

For the married guys, how much they miss their kids and can’t wait to see them again. Too often, the sadness of missing a first communion, a first word or their child’s first steps. We served to defend a nation and all that it means. But the sadness that comes with personal sacrifices too often comes into play.

We also learn what it means to support one another. Whether it’s finding out that someone close is sick or even the unexpected loss of a family member, the shipmates close ranks and give their support. It never fails that the boat is too far from a port, or the mission can’t be stopped for any reason. You just keep moving. The bond gets stronger as we support each other.

A major tragedy also creates an impenetrable bond. Just as the survivors of the WW2 attacks stayed close for many years, the ones who survived the collision with the sea mount have an exclusive type of bond. Their collective will and their focused training helped them survive the unthinkable. I have spoken with a number of them over the years and will forever hold them in my highest esteem.

Reunions are the best way to renew those bonds.

Every gathering we have held so far has been a joy. It’s almost as if the years strip away and we all become the age we were when we last served together. Submariners are no different than other sailor in the way we kid each other and bring up old stories from those days. I am often amazed at how the stories have changed over the years but even those versions are fun to listen to.

We all had roles to play while we were on the boat and maybe some of the memories were not as pleasant. But what I have discovered is that looking in the rear-view mirror, with a little maturity, most of us have looked past any things that might have been negative.  In fact, it’s easier to see why someone was such a hard ass under certain circumstances and what actual benefit came from those actions. I do not know a single person that wanted to be rousted from their bunk for a drill after only twenty minutes of sleep. But I can assure you that all of us were grateful that we found ways to overcome that uncomfortableness when the shit hit the fan.

Shared Sacrifice

I am glad I grew up in a good family. But I am eternally grateful to have been part of a number of navy families. We worked harder than I can ever imagine. We travelled the world together and faced so much that we can never really say (especially since my Brother Bruce Cosby would put us in hack if we did… love you Brother).  We don’t say that much because we have a new generation that are out there doing what we did, and we understand the cost of breaking that trust.

The great thing about reunions is that you can actually talk about those things with people who were there. We just make sure we don’t have any spying waiters or beautiful bar girls nearby with recording devices stuffed in their garments…lol

I stay in touch with a lot of folks on social media and occasional phone calls. But there is nothing like being in the same room with the people who helped me so much along the way.

The San Francisco family will be meeting in April 2024 from the 10th to the 14th.

The location will be the North Charleston Marriot which is close to the airport and all of the activities that are currently being planned.  We will be scheduling some activities with the Charleston USSVI (which I am now a member of) and possibly meeting with some of the young folks that are currently training at the MTS San Francisco. For security reasons, we will not get to the facility. But just spending time with the locals and the future submariners will be a hoot.

Structure

The Charleston USSVI Base has a meeting on THURSDAY April 11 which corresponds with the Birthday of the American Submarine Service. It will also be a Holland Club Induction which means the fifty-year anniversary of those who became qualified in 1974. I will be joining that group since I qualified in August of 1974 on board the USS George Washington SSBN 598B. The group meets at the FRA in Goose Creek (1800 Social Hour – 1900 Meeting)

https://ussvicb.org/events/index.html

Friday will have a couple of opportunities which I am still working on. There are a number of historical sites in Charleston including Fort Sumpter. Mark Motley has suggested a side trip to the Horse and Cow on one of the days. That is located in Kings Bay and is about 3.5 hours away from where we will be staying. That might be a bit aggressive for this short gathering but certainly something you could plan on your own once we break camp on Sunday.

Saturday there are two events.  USS Amberjack SS-219 Memorial Service / Lost Boats / Submarine Birthday Ceremony

The first will be held at the Cold War Memorial Patriot’s Point in Mount Pleasant. The ceremony begins at 1000 and muster tie for participants is 0930. This ceremony is to honor the lost boats of WW2. I have inquired about how we might participate.

The second event is the Submarine Birthday Ball which will be held in the same hotel we are going to use as the gathering hotel. More details as they become available. I have been in touch with the training command, and this might be a good place to meet with some of the trainees. The costs will be separate from the gathering, so it is an optional event if you choose.

Note: I have negotiated rates with the Marriott Hotel but do not have the key codes yet:

Do not make your reservations until I have sent that information out.

You will not get the rates negotiated and frankly, we will not get credit for the contract I have signed.

The hotel has given us a special offer where you will receive triple your mileage points so, please do not do anything just quite yet. 

My email address is bobmac711@live.com if you have any questions.

I hope to see you there. A lot more information coming but I think it’s going to be worth your time.

Big Mac