The First Thanksgiving (Updated from Original Post in 2013)

The First Thanksgiving If you are expecting a traditional story about Pilgrims and Indians, you might as well go back to your search engine and try again. This is a story about my real first Thanksgiving that occurred somewhere in the western Pacific Ocean about 150 feet below the ocean exactly forty years ago today […]

41 for Freedom; Answering a Threat

On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite. This launch was a double blow to the fledgling American rocket program. It proved that the Soviets were able to accomplish something that the Americans had yet to do. It also proved that the Soviets had the ability to launch […]

From out of the Deep to Target

The message to the President of the United States from the USS George Washington upon the successful completion of the first Polaris missile launch came after the boat’s first shot was ” From out of the Deep to Target X Perfect” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh1sqhSUYFM&feature=player_embedded For all of my shipmates; I wonder how many got to shoot one […]

FBM Blue and Gold – The Beginning

Originally posted on theleansubmariner:
Thanks to shipmate Tim Lutes STS2(SS) USS George Washington SSBN 598 for finding this little gem and posting it on FB. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HGrDJSHmXZU#! I sailed on the GW when she was about twelve years old and had clear memories about how old she was (at least every time something broke). At different…

I’d like to be a submariner. How hard could that be?

Caution: Some salty language may be found in this post I belong to a number of very fine military organizations that all have special purposes. The Navy League for instance is a group that supports and promotes the sea services. I think this is important because of the dangers still present in the world at […]

A letter to my Dad

Anyone who has read this blog for the past year knows that I found a box of my Dad’s old letters after he passed away and made them into a book called “Love Your Son Butch”. Those old letters were revealing about a man who served his country during a time of great fear – […]

“Love, Your Son Butch” Chapter 2–Early May 1945

This is a part of a continuing series based on letters my Dad wrote home during World War 2. For information about the series, see the introduction at: https://theleansubmariner.com/2013/04/20/love-your-son-butch-introduction-april-2013/ While John completed his boot camp training at Camp Sampson New York, the war continued to rage with a fierce level of energy. The Japanese knew […]

I love a parade…

I love a parade,the tramping of feet, I love every beat I hear of a drum. I love a parade, when I hear a band I just want to stand and cheer as they come. That rat-a tat-tat, the blare of a horn. That rat-a tat-tat, a bright uniform; The sight of a drill will […]

While America dismantles its forces, others prepare to fill the gap

I am relatively sure that the Chinese are not wasting any resources on sensitivity training as they view the world’s oceans and resources. I wonder if we are maintaining our vision for the last war as they prepare for the next one. China’s Growing Military Might: Top 4 Concerns For The Pentagon Christian Science […]

“Love, Your Son Butch” – Chapter 2

Just a short note before I return to the book. Today (April 27 2013) is the twentieth anniversary of the day John C. MacPherson met Jesus face to face. I’m not sure what time of day it was and frankly at this point it doesn’t matter. On the morning, I was up well before the […]