All ahead slow

All ahead slow. Mister Mac Note: If you are a sensitive soul and easily offended, this is probably not a great story for you to engage in. Check back later for more submarine related stories Many years ago, when I was I the middle of my second career (2006), I went on my first trip […]

The 2025 Military Salute Regatta in Charleston Harbor – Another bucket list item checked off

A lifetime on the water Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, my life experience included sailing on the rivers that cut through the Mon valley and converge at Pittsburgh at the point. I remember the gentle rides we took on both powerboats and houseboats. My grandfather Bob had a great lakes v hulled cruiser that was […]

I hated the PRT… until I realized how bad things could get without it

I’ll be the first person to admit that of all the things I encountered in the navy, the PRT (Physical Readiness Test) was my least favorite thing. I can imagine there are a lot more like me out there. Let me explain. From the day you join any of our armed services, they start breaking […]

April 24, 1972 Revisited

We are really settling in to our new community. Del Webb Cane Bay in Summerville SC encourages people to participate in a number of clubs. I am one of the leaders in the Veterans Club and enjoy meeting with so many people who served the country. We also belong to the Wine Club where we […]

Happy Birthday in Heavan Dad – You made a difference

April 19, 1927, was the day my dad made his entrance into the world. I’ve written a number of articles about his contributions to the world he lived in. Like all of us, he was not a perfect person, but he more than made up for that in the service he did in so many […]

March 1915 – At a Crossroad in the Deveopment of U.S. Navy Submarines

A little under fifteen years from the day the US Navy purchased their first submarine, the future of the small craft was still not settled. In 1915, the United States faced a number of challenges as it observed the growing war in Europe. The conflagration of large-scale war was being brought home to America in […]

James R Webb – an American Submarine Hero

Everybody needs heroes. You know, a bigger than life person that stands out among other people. Someone who lives a life of adventure and leads others through periods of adversary and innovation. The kind they write books about. When I was a kid, it was Horatio Hornblower. Hornblower was the most memorable character in a series […]

Rear Admiral Robert Stocker – A visionary Constructor that Changed the Course of a War He Never Saw

Retiring from any long-standing position is always a memorable event. I retired the first time when I was forty years old. It was sooner than I had planned but circumstances made it a reality and I just went with the flow. It was a nice affair and even thirty years later, I remember how honored […]

Del Webb Cane Bay – Veteran Friendly Home for our last Duty Station

Home at last. After traveling around the world and the country for over 70 years, we made a decision to settle down for good. Our new place is nice and just the right size after a massive downsizing. But what makes it nice besides the fact that there are no stairs to navigate anymore is […]

Libraries … temples of learning, ambition, aspiration – USSV CF Library Fund

Being a baby boomer, I grew up in a world where books and periodicals were still central to most of our lives. From the time I was able to read, my world really revolved around printed information. We had one television which was black and white and it was very much subject to rules. Not […]