The one thing you can’t stop

Today marks the end of yet another year. The world has turned 365 more times in its journey and I feel fortunate to have had more good days than bad ones during that time. I find myself in a much better place today than I did a year ago and for that I am grateful. […]

2017 – What a great year.

2017 was quite a year There have been a lot of changes in my life the last year. Health events, career events and just general life events have all added to the mix. Some of the events have been surprising to say the least and frankly you could look at what happened in 2017 and […]

Sinking of the F-1 on December 17, 1917

The F-1 Started out as the Carp (SS-20) The submarine torpedo boat Carp (SS-20), the latest and most efficient type of underwater fighter, was launched on September 6, 1911 at the Union Iron Works. Miss Josephine Tynan, little daughter of Joseph. J. Tynan, general manager of the Iron Works, christened the fish-like craft, and the launching was […]

Submarine Casualties that Could Surprise You

Submarine Casualties Booklet I am doing some research on older submarines and stumbled across this little gem. I’ll include the link to the whole article at the end of this page. The Booklet was written before 1966 so does not include any accidents that may have happened after that time (including the loss of the […]

Dedication Ceremony for the Submarine Service Memorial at the Cemetery of the Alleghenies

It was an honor today to be present as a Memorial Stone was Dedicated by the USSVI Requin Base Pittsburgh PA at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies near Pittsburgh. The pictures tell the story. Hand Salute!

“The sea – like life itself – is a stern taskmaster” The Story of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz

The sea – like life itself – is a stern taskmaster. This was the early childhood lesson taught to the boy who would later become one of the most influential leaders in the United States Navy. He was significantly influenced by his German-born paternal grandfather, Charles Henry Nimitz, a former seaman in the German Merchant […]

In the Waters of Pearl – Building the Pearl Harbor Submarine Base 1918-1945

I spent a number of years in my youth living and sailing out of Pearl Harbor. The last time we were there was in 2003 and the changes even then were astonishing. Many of the old buildings were still there but a modern bridge attached Ford Island to the mainland. The Chapel at Sub […]

New London – The Cradle of Submarine Life in America (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow)

The Cradle of Submarine Life in America began its story 150 years ago April 11 1868-2018 I was reading through a Naval History record of Building the Navy’s Bases in World War II (Volume I (Part II)) Part of the massive construction done to support the war was the story about the expansion of the […]

Some traditions are worth forgetting – Real Submariners

Each submariner’s journey begins when they finish all of their training and the hatch closes when the last man is down. For a hundred and seventeen years, submariners have steered a course unique to their own generation and their own type of boat. From the wildly dangerous gasoline powered boats to the sleek new nuclear […]

Diamond Anniversary – The First Battle of Savo Island (Part 7 – The Marines on Shore and the Consequences)

The operation at Guadalcanal was named “Watchtower” but to the Marines involved, it would forever be known as Operation Shoestring. As history records, the entire operation was put together in a hurry with limited resources and even less intelligence. One misstep after another compounded their misery and the disastrous events of the First Battle of […]