Lest We Forget. USSV CF Memorial and Museum Boat Fund

 

Lest We Forget. USSV CF Memorial and Museum Boat Fund

The desire to memorialize the great sacrifices made for a nation or cause goes back to the earliest times. Cave drawings and crude monuments to great battles are found in all parts of the world. The Romans mastered the art with buildings and statues littering the landscape of Italy and their conquered territories. Other civilizations would follow and erect monuments to the brave men and women that sacrificed so much for their countries or causes. So, it should be no surprise that America is also filled with tributes to her warriors from every conflict.

Growing up in Pennsylvania, I was introduced to some of the most prolific examples that exist anywhere.

In Pittsburgh, the center of that effort was a building that was erected by the survivors and grateful citizens of Allegheny County after the Civil War. That war unleashed the most cruel and destructive energy on a people with destruction untold to the population of the North American Continent. There were very few families that were not affected by the mechanized death that nearly tore the nation apart.

When the boys in blue came home, there was a great desire to not forget those sacrifices, so a place was set aside where a Soldiers and Sailors Memorial was built.

My Great Grandfather was the first of our family born in America and he participated in the Pennsylvania 5^th Heavy Artillery. When he came home, he became involved with the Grand Army of the Republic which was a veteran’s organization. He played a leadership role in the Rankin Post which was located in the township where his family settled.

Never forget the sacrifices made

Those men and their families understood the importance of remembering the great sacrifices and their efforts resulted in a first class that still stands today as one of the premier places of learning for young people. (Fun fact: Part of the movie Silence of the Lambs was actually filmed in the upstairs ball room. Every year, as a fund raiser, Soldiers and Sailors does a mini recreation of the film’s scene).

My wife and I have traveled all over the country and one of our stops when we do travel is to visit the memorials and armed forces displays wherever we travel. Even in our overseas travels, we have been to many places that capture the sacrifices of the men and women who fought and died for freedom. One of my favorites is the place where my dad went to boot camp. The veterans of that era bonded together to make sure the little place in New York that has been returned to being a park would not be forgotten. When we travelled there, I could almost feel what it was like for him to be a young man of 17 and away from his parents. It was the spring of 1945 and many of his fellow boots would find themselves on ships headed towards the western Pacific.

Remembering our submariners 

Monuments and museums are also scattered around the country to remember the great sacrifices of the submariners of World War 2. They were put up by the hard work of the boys who became men on the submarines that took the fight to the enemy. In the beginning of the war, submarines rapidly became one of the most important weapons available to hit the enemy. The battleships took a tremendous beating at Pearl Harbor and the speed of the aircraft was creating a whole new way of fighting. Aircraft carriers would become the critical factor in sea battles, but submarines were setting their own path as destroyers of ships of war and commerce.

Sadly, there was a horrific cost. 52 boats would not come home.

Many of their crews gained victories but also claimed watery graves.

The men who came home wanted to remember them.

Examples are scattered all over the country and serve as testaments to the bravery and sacrifices of those heroes.

Now, we are more than 80 years away from the end of that war. The last of the veterans are reaching close to or more than 100 if they are still alive. They have passed the torch to the next generation. For those of us that participate, that means the USSVI. All around the country, USSVI bases have taken up the mantle of leadership. Some are more engaged than others. But the opportunities to serve are still strong. One way that members can leave a lasting legacy is through supporting existing boats or monuments in their areas. That is why one of the funds in the USSV CF is the Memorial and Museum Fund.

Memorial and Museum Boat Fund: Don Young Fund Manager

https://www.ussvcf.org/memorial-fund.html

The US Submarine Veterans’ Charitable Foundation established the Memorials Fund to act as a tax-deductible means to aid in the construction, maintenance and repair of submarine related memorials, Many of these existing memorial sites were originally constructed, repaired and maintained by SubVets of WWII, but most are being turned over to the USSVI Base volunteers that devote their precious spare time to insure the presentability of our heritage. In addition, USSVI is building additional memorials, and some bases carry our maintenance work on USN Museum Submarines.

• MEMORIALS are any structures or monuments permanently installed on land.
• SUBMARINE MUSEUMS are any submarines, either moored in rivers, harbors, or mounted on land, that are open for public viewing and include any structures supporting those submarines.
• NON-SPECIFIC DONATIONS are an important aspect of the Memorials Fund, as they provide flexibility in fund allocation. These are donations to the Memorials Fund with no specific submarine museum or memorial project(s) designated. At the discretion of the Fund Manager, these donations can be used for any qualifying submarine memorial or museum in the USSVI I USSVCF family.
• SPECIFIC DONATIONS are any donations made for a project that the Memorials Fund Manager approved.
• During FY 1/31/2024 the foundation used $15,347 to improve and maintain memorials in the U.S.
• During FY 1/31/2023 the foundation used $49,795 to improve and maintain memorials in the U.S.
• During FY 1/31/2022 the foundation used $19,593 to improve and maintain memorials in the U.S.

Something critical to remember.

If we do not take up the challenge to maintain these important parts of our heritage, who will? One reason the monuments are placed is to remind the future generations of the cost of war and the level of sacrifice needed to maintain freedom.

Recently, I saw some traffic on Facebook regarding one of our submarine memorials. The person who posted asked why the Nathaniel Greene SSBN-636 was standing in a location in Port Canaveral? The answer was that the Nathaniel Greene’s sail was mounted there as a monument to the “41 for Freedom.” Shortly after that, another person posted: “they put the sail there to be neglected and rust away”. I would encourage anyone who is involved with this monument reach out to USSV CF if there is any amplifying information.

https://theleansubmariner.com/2019/03/30/for-the-defense-of-our-own-uss-nathanael-greene-ssbn-636/

A few years ago, I was giving a private tour of the USS Requin in Pittsburgh. The young men that I was leading were surprised at how cramped the quarters were and how many things there were to learn to become a submariner. You could tell at the end of the tour that they got it. Their questions were meaningful, and both later told me how much they learned that day. If we lose those boats and museums, that learning will be lost forever.

One additional thought about these exhibits. Sharing our stories with future generations allows the young people who will be needed to defend our nation the opportunity to connect with our heritage. When you consider that we have an all-volunteer force, attracting the right individuals is critical to our safety.

I am grateful to every single volunteer that contributes to the maintenance, upkeep and financial contributions to these precious resources.

Ambassador Mac