A Bob “Dex” Armstrong Christmas

In 2014, we said goodbye to Dex Armstrong. In his honor, I am reposting one of his most memorable Christmas Stories. Its hard to believe four years have already gone by. This picture comes from the web site: http://www.olgoat.com/substuff/abr.htm Mister Mac A “Heartfelt Merry Christmas” From Robert “Dex” Armstrong, and his loyal Sidekick Adrian Stuke.. […]

The World of Polaris

One of the best weekends of my life was our Perfect Scottish Weekend. We travelled the Highlands in August of 1991 and visited Newtonmore for a visit with Clan MacPherson. Then we went to Edinburgh for the world famous Tattoo. I hope you get a chance to visit it someday, it is breathtaking. Recommend that […]

Something completely different for me

I recently did an interview on Bill Nowicki’s Blog (episode 29) Pretty interesting stuff… if you have a few minutes, check it out http://www.nowickimedia.com/ep29-the-lean-submariner-and-coach-bob-macpherson/ Thanks Bill Mister Mac

The Submariner’s Lament; When you remember

The story called “When you understand” was posted originally on Facebook in April 2014. It has been shared over 9711 times in the time it has been on Facebook On May 22, 2018, the short story I composed in October of 2014 (originally titled “When you understand”) was formally registered with the United States Copyright Office with the […]

A little respect… 42 years later, its still not that big of a deal

Recently I was following a post on one of my submarine Facebook pages. The original guy had posted about a lack of recognition. To be fair, he had a lot of supporters and frankly I can’t give him a hard time since I have seen some of this through the years myself. “Okay I have […]

AFDB-7 Los Alamos Holy Loch Scotland “IN THE BEGINNING…”

For the second time in the history of theleansubmariner, I am posting an article from a Shipmate that I have come to know via our common interests in history and events that shaped it. This article comes from Norman Rachels SWE4 (formerly of the United States Navy). Norm was one of the guys who arrived early […]

The Measure of a Man

I have been infatuated with the United States Navy since I was a small boy. Wearing my Dad’s old Navy uniforms while pretending to be part of McHale’s Navy was a routine part of growing up. I think I read every book in the school’s library that was even remotely related to the Navy and […]

shhhhh… Can you keep a secret?

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanack Submarines by their very nature are designed to operate in an atmosphere of stealth. The fact that they operate beneath the ocean’s surface places them in a dangerous environment under the best of circumstances. From the very beginning of […]

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 […]