1

Editor Note: As most of you know, Dick &

Debbie‟s daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth &

Matt, were in a serious vehicle accident in Atlanta

on Saturday, Nov. 23rd. The good news is that

they are on their way home now. Here is the

information in chronological order as sent to me:

11.23.19 Text from Dick: I‟m going to be off

line for a few days. My daughter and her husband

were in a serious wreck in Atlanta. We are leaving

for there tonight. My daughter has a broken neck.

Her name is Elizabeth Cappella. We don't really

have an update on her husband but know that he

is alive.

11.25.19: Text from Dick (he also put this on

FaceBook): I can‟t begin to thank everyone for

your well wishes for my daughter Elizabeth. She

was just transferred from ICU to a regular room.

Her ankle was not fractured but torn ligaments, no

broken hip but bone spurs, she does have 2

fractures in her spine, L2, no operation for now,

the fractures are pressing on her arteries. She will

be out of action for quite a while. May be released

in a few days but has to fly home, good luck on

that over Thanksgiving.

11.26.19 Text from Dick: Elizabeth being

released today, Debbie, Matt and Elizabeth flying

home tonight, Alexis and I will be driving back.

She will see specialist on Monday.

11.27.19 Email from Dick: We are home. She

will go to the neurosurgeon for further evaluation.

Elizabeth, her husband and Debbie flew home

last night. I drove with my granddaughter and got

home about 2 hours after, they could not drive, I

dropped them at the airport earlier. We are just

relaxing now, exhausted after the weekend.

Everyone in Atlanta was very nice and helped us

a lot. I think the dozen or so prayer chains

worked.

——————————————————————

REUNION CONTROL CENTER

2020 Stimson Reunion

October 7-11, 2020

Hotel: Holiday Inn

1717 Airport Exchange Blvd.

Erlanger, KY 41018

Greetings from Cincinnati

Stimson Shipmates.

We are well on our way in

preparations for the 2020

reunion. All of our group

activities have been set. Please

check the web site for the

VOL. 2019 #12 DECEMBER 2019

U S S H E N R Y L . S T I M S O N A S S O C I A T I O N S S B N 6 5 5 N E W S L E T T E R

A s s o c i a t i o n O f f i c e r s & B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 2 0

PRESIDENT Tom [Marie] Krauser

VICE PRESIDENT Steve [Terry] Novic

SECRETARY Nick [Linda] Nichols

TREASURER Ken [Diane] Meigs

OUTGOING PRESIDENT Ray [Rita] Kreul

HISTORIAN / CUSTODIAN Larry [Linda] Knutson

WEBMASTER / NEWSLETTER Nick [Linda] Nichols

CHAPLAIN Jake Morris

STOREKEEPER / SHIPS STORE Jim [Suzie] Weaver

O t h e r P o s i t i o n s 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 2 0

2

reservation form and activities POR (Plan of

the Reunion). I know it seems like a long way off

but time passes quickly. Please plan on attending

and renewing old friendships.

There have been a few registrations already

and those are listed on the reunion webpage.

Early reservations will help us immensely in our

planning. For those that reserve their hotel rooms

and send in the reunion registration by April 1st

we will be raffling off two free rooms a $129.00

value for each room.

I have been updating our Face Book site on a

weekly basis with the planes that you can see at

the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. This is a

must see, its regarded as the biggest and best

military museum in the world. It has 4 large

hangers jammed with planes and missiles dating

back to WWI.

Any Questions please feel free to contact me

using the Reunion email address. //Dick Young

stimson655reunion2020@aol.com

WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE

BELLE OF CINCINNATI RIVERBOAT –

DINNER AND CRUISE

——————————————————————

From the Association President -

Tom Krauser, MM1(SS) B 72-74:

From the Association President – Tom

Krauser, MM1(SS) B 72-74

As Christmas approaches let us

be thankful for our family, good

friends, and shipmates and

remember that Christmas is not just

about what we can buy but what we

can share. Let us all try to do

something special for someone

outside of the people we know. My

granddaughter, Caitlin, has participated in a

special program for the last 3 years that collects

gifts for children who may not normally have

anything for Christmas. She generally collects

between 2000 to 3000 gifts each year for children

who otherwise may not have a Christmas.

Dick Young and the reunion committee are

making great progress in setting up the 2020

reunion in Cincinnati Ohio. Look for his updates in

the newsletters. I have already sent in my

registration and hope everyone is making their

plans to attend also.

3

If you have any questions or concerns for the

board, please feel free to contact us so we can

address them.

——————————————————————

From the Association Historian/Memorabilia

Custodian - Larry Knutson, MMCS(SS) B 79-81

USSVI-Charleston Base:

If you were on the Gold Crew

during any portion Bob Weeks was

the CO you completed a check-in

card for him. The box of cards is

now held by our base secretary. If

you would like a copy of your card

sent to you please contact our

Secretary at 655webmaster@ssbn655.org.

——————————————————————

From The Editor

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

USSVI MEMBERSHIP: We have another Stimson

shipmate who has joined the United States

Submarine Veterans Inc. (USSVI) membership.

USSVI is a great organization and we have many

of our shipmates who are members. They are

notated on the secure Sailing List with SV. I would

like to congratulate the following on joining

USSVI:

John Glaub, MM2(SS) B 71-74

Qualified SS in 1973 on HL Stimson

USSVI Member At Large

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

LOST CONTACT WITH THESE SHIPMATES

After sending the October and November

newsletters I received bounces from the following

Stimson crewmembers. If anyone can give me a

current and good email address on these

shipmates I will very much appreciate it. LKA =

last known address

Boggs, Charles „Chuck‟ [LKA: Largo FL]

Wise, Bill [LKA: Philadelphia PA]

Hobart, David „Dave‟ [LKA: Sweet Home OR]

Brittingham, Richard [LKA: Two Rivers WI]

Appel, Al [LKA: Stonefort IL]

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sharing Pictures with Shipmates:

If anyone has pictures you would like to share

with your shipmates please follow the directions in

this link and I will be glad to put them in the

newsletter.

Picture Upload Instructions (to Dropbox)

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

——————————————————————

The Lean Submariner

Here‟s the latest posts on the blog. Still going

strong. The link to his blog is

https://theleansubmariner.com/

*****

Veterans Day 2019 – Thanks to all

who served by Mister Mac - Originally posted

on theleansubmariner: Original Post from 2014: I

posted this a few days ago on Facebook and the

response has been pretty terrific. Lots of

“Shares” and hundreds of “Likes” from all over

the world. The picture has been on the blog a

few times but I was thinking about what a

veteran really […] Read more of this post

*****

Veteran’s Day 2019 – Neptune’s Cadillac

Redux by Mister Mac - Veteran‟s Day is about

remembering the men and women who

sacrificed so much for the country. If you asked

most of us, and we were honest, we would

simply say that we did our jobs. This article

came from the Honolulu Advertiser and was

written about the USS San Francisco shortly

after we made the […] Read more of this post

*****

After the parades are over… by Mister Mac -

The Day After Veteran‟s Day Proud… standing

straight and erect with shoulders held back and

eyes focused forward with a steel and resiliency

that is unquestionable. Months of practice have

made sure that even a sudden noise won‟t

change that. Crisp uniforms, flawless creases,

perfect lines and hands glued in place at their

sides. Chiseled […] Read more of this post

*****

Courage? I could never describe myself that

way could you? by Mister Mac - Recently, I

made the decision to run for a local office. I

figured after a lot of time of scrubbing shitters

and shooting garbage out of the TDU, I would be

a perfect candidate. Bilge diving seemed to also

fit the bill so I filled out my paperwork to

compete for a Township Supervisor. Not […]

4

Read more of this post

*****

Elections… the good, the bad and the ugly

by Mister Mac - This will be my last pre-

election post. Its been a fun and interesting

(and slightly stressful) nine months. Tomorrow

the public will decide. The amazing thing is

this: there will be an election. People will have

a chance to influence the way their

communities are run. What passes for

democracy will be on display all […] Read

more of this post

*****

There’s no place like home for the

holidays… even if home is greater than

200 feet by Mister Mac - Blessings in disguise

We are getting ready to head out to my

nephew‟s house for Thanksgiving Day dinner.

The house will be filled with people and the

smells of the season will wrap around us as

we enter. Thanksgiving has always been one

of my favorite times of year. But the way we

celebrate has […] Read more of this post

——————————————————————

The following Stimson Shipmates have

departed on Eternal Patrol.

=====

MT1(SS) Stephen J. ‘Steve’ Paul B 67-69

Departed on Eternal Patrol 2 August 2019

(Reported by USSIV National)

=====

The direct link to the Association Eternal Patrol

page is: http://ssbn655.org/eternal-patrol/

eternal-patrol.html

=====

_______________________________________

WELCOME ABOARD: Found & Updated

Shipmates

(Shipmate has contacted us to be added or have

info updated on our Sailing List. Please check the

online Sailing List to for shipmates contact info.)

**********

IC2(SS) Brian M. Leonard B 77-80

(info updated by shipmate)

Many of our shipmates are on FaceBook but are

not listed on our Sailing List. Please check the

new „Looking For‟ Sailing List on the website to

help locate these shipmates. When you see

shipmates on Facebook ask them if they are on

the Sailing List and please send them a personal

invite to contact 655webmaster@ssbn655.org to

be listed and become a member of the Stimson

Association.

—————————————————————

BINNACLE LIST

(if you would like to be placed on our Association

Binnacle List please send an email to

655webmaster@ssbn655.org)

====================================

William ‘Sandy’ Hastie, CAPT B CO 80 (Oct-

Dec)

Cards to: 365 Kenmure Dr., Flat Rock NC 28731

No new updates

10.24.19: Dear Friends,

This is a complicated update to write. One

thing we have learned on our journey is that there

are no black and white results. Each have a

caveat and there is always an ―however‖ after the

result. This is the story we have received these

past days and weeks. This is a brief

history: Sandy gets a Keytruda infusion every

three weeks and a PET/CT scan every three

months to determine if the Keytruda is controlling,

and in some cases eliminating, the mesothelioma

cancer. On September 1, 2019 the PET/CT scan

showed that the mesothelioma had returned. We

have always known there is no cure for

mesothelioma, and that it will return, but we

continue to pray for longer periods of time before

it does so. This is the second time we have

received this news, once six months after the

surgery at Duke Medical, and the second on

September 13, 2019. It is never easy to hear.

When we saw Dr. Hill (Sandy‘s local

oncologist) on September 3 he said that based on

the results of the scan, the Keytruda would be

discontinued and the only other treatment would

be to go back on the chemotherapy Sandy had

5

before surgery. In comparison to many others,

Sandy did OK on the chemotherapy, but was very

tired, had no energy, and had severe nausea. We

asked Dr. Hill if when Sandy was off the Keytruda

for six weeks in June, if the mesothelioma could

have grown rapidly during that time. Dr. Hill said it

was possible but he could not know for sure. We

agreed on a compromise that Sandy would get

two infusions and then have a PET/CT scan early

to determine if the cancer continued to grow or

was controlled by the Keytruda.

He was scheduled for a scan on October 13

and meet with Dr. Hill on October 15. If the

cancer was controlled he would continue to get

the infusions; if not, they would be

discontinued. On the way to the hospital we

received a call that the scanner broke and his

scan was cancelled. We had a carefully planned

week that included our appointment with Dr. Hill

and then leaving that afternoon to go to Duke

Medical to meet with his oncologist Dr. Clarke and

his team there. Thanks to great help from our

nurse navigator Cathy Jenkins, she was able to

reschedule everything for the following

week. Sandy had the scan on Oct. 20 and the

mesothelioma was still visible and had grown, but

not as significantly as it did on the Sept. 1

scan. We talked with Dr. Hill and he said after

viewing the scan he was ready to recommend

Sandy continue the Keytruda. This was

significant because in most cases when the

cancer returns, the treatment is stopped. With

this hopeful news, we drove to Duke and met with

Dr. Clarke on Wednesday. He studied the last

three scans before we met with him and after

discussion, said he was ready to make the same

recommendation. Mesothelioma is a very

aggressive cancer and it appeared that the

Keytruda was controlling the cancer to a good

extent. He also said that there was no other

viable option for treatment except going back on

chemotherapy. He said we would ―ride the

Keytruda horse‖ as long as possible and pray

there would be a break-thru treatment in the near

future.

So the ―however‖ in this case is that Sandy will

continue to get the Keytruda infusions every three

weeks; ―however‖ based on the regrowth of

cancer he will get a PET/CT scan every two

months for the foreseeable future.

We talked a lot driving home from Duke and

know we have to treat Sandy‘s cancer as a

chronic disease, similar to diabetes or heart

disease, where medication and treatment are

needed on a continual basis to ensure a good

quality of life.

We have asked ourselves how should one

respond if your whole world was turned upside

down? It‘s hard to know in advance, but this is

the second time we have heard ―the cancer has

returned‖, so we have some history in this area. If

that time ever comes in your life there are a few

anchors that can hold you in place – including

faith in our unshakable God and Jesus Christ to

intercede on your behalf; and the support of a

loving family and friends who share that faith. The

Bible tells us that the good that comes to us

through bad experiences has nothing to do with

feelings or circumstances. Instead, it‘s a question

of becoming different than we were before our

troubles began: stronger, more hopeful, more

loving, more faithful. We both strongly believe that

is the case with our almost three-year

journey. We value each day and look forward to

as many as God gives us.

We have placed our lovely mountain home on

the market and have a cottage at Deerfield

Episcopal Retirement Community near Asheville,

NC. We expect our cottage will be ready in late

December and we will move in early January

2020. As we begin the next part of our journey,

please know we appreciate your prayers and

continued support. We ask for prayers that the

Keytruda will continue to control Sandy‘s cancer

and he will continue to enjoy a good quality of life

at Deerfield.

Blessings, Donna and Sandy

==================

Jim Gray, MM1(SS) B 69-71

Cards to: 1 Rugby Ct., Toms River NJ 08757

No new updates

7.28.19: I met with my doctors at U of Penn. I

gave them permission to access my tissue

samples from my operation for checking my T

cells. Turns out I have a 95% chance that my T

cells will work to help attack the mesothelioma.

6

Will be meeting with a doctor next week to find out

further details. I am feeling encouraged about this

new information, and keeping an open mind.

3.26.19: I have been having quite the time of

things with my mesothelioma. Mar 20, 2017 with 2

weeks in the University of Pennsylvania Hospital

all cleaned out of my left lung cavity lung sacks

still intact with an air pocket in the cavity outside

of the sacks (slight problem). Went through 3

cycles of the first rounds of chemo recommended

which end on July 26, 2018. CT scan showed that

it was mostly clean with a few traces of the

mesothelioma which raised concern. So we tried

the Keytruda (Immunotherapy) for its rounds. Ct

scans showed no improvement as a result of this

treatment. Now on the Gemzar chemo which is

wreaking havoc on my body more than the

previous IV Stuff. Hopefully this will be the

combination that will do it. Keeping my positive

attitude and praying that all will be better.

Thank you all for your concerns and prayers. I am

feeling those good wishes in my dreams. Betty

and I are blessed to have so many friends in our

life. //Jim Gray & Betty Trasko

6.20.18: I am still alive. Got out of the hospital

after the operation on Apr 2 after 2 weeks being

there. Started the chemo May 23 went fine no

problems. Then got my 2nd chemo on June 13

and all hell broke loose on evening of the day

after. Thursday, Friday and Saturday side effects

and humility. Father's day was quiet since I was

relaxing and sleeping. Monday another lesson in

humility. Yesterday and today moving toward

normal.

2.5.18: I have been recently diagnosed at my

local hospital as having mesothelioma.

==================

Bob Faulkner, MT1(SS) B/G 80-86 OVHL2

Cards to: 2901 N 82st Place, Scottsdale AZ

85251

No new updates

11.7.17: Remember Bob as he continues to find

the best result to manage Parkinson's Disease

symptoms.

——————————————————————

GREAT LINKS TO SPEND TIME WITH

(all links from “The Draft” will be on the

website)

**********

655 Association Website

www.ssbn655.org

**********

Submitted by Jeff Morse, STS1(SS) B 86-90

SSBN 655 Christmas 1989

Andy Sierra

Published on Dec 29, 2014

Henry L. Stimson SSBN 655B Christmas in Kings

Bay, Ga.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=mZSpFQpJCqY

**********

Burl Ives - What shall we do with the drunken

sailor

https://www.youtube.com/embed/

GFwpWvG4ZVw

**********

Free Stuff You Can Really Use

Dozens of freebies worth paying for, but you

don't have to spend a dollar

by Shelley Emling, Tamara Lytle and David Schiff,

AARP, October 4, 2019

www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-

2019/free-stuff.html

**********

How to Stop Vertigo—What to do when the

room starts spinning

by Barbara Stepko, AARP, October 14, 2019

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-

treatments/info-2019/vertigo-causes-

treatments.html

7

——————————————————————

VETERANS AFFAIRS - RETIREE INFO

https://www.va.gov/

And FLEET RESERVE

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VA and Pet Partners combine efforts to bring

therapy animal services to more Veterans

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

partnered with non-profit organization Pet

Partners in October to help improve quality of life,

social engagement and health of Veterans, by

increasing access to animal-assisted activities

(AAA) and animal-assisted therapy (AAT) services

throughout the VA health care system.

Pet Partners and VA will train therapy animal

teams, encourage VA medical facilities to

establish and expand trained therapy animal

visitation, and provide AAA and AAT programs to

give patients connection, comfort and joy that

comes from spending time with animals.

“Emerging research recognizes the positive

effects interactions with animals can have on

patients,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “VA‟s

work with Pet Partners provides unique resources

to our Veterans, through animal-assisted activities

and therapy.”

The partnership also provides Veteran

communities with volunteer opportunities and

helps integrate Veterans and their families into

Pet Partners‟ activities and events.

A wide range of research and studies suggest

the human-animal bond can lead to lower blood

pressure, reduced risk for cardiovascular disease,

lessened anxiety, pain and loneliness. Time with

therapy animals not only promotes physical and

mental health but also supports wellness across

variables such as social interaction, rate of

recovery and personal motivation.

For more information, visit health

partnerships.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

New Disability Claims Tool Tutorial Videos

This new self-service tool dramatically simplifies

the process of submitting disability claims.

The platform help Veterans provide clear and

complete information which speeds up the

adjudication time for Veterans to receive a claims

decision. WATCH VIDEO LEARN MORE

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Vietnam Veterans eligible to receive lapel pins

More than 11,000 commemorative partners

conduct events in their local communities

throughout the year to recognize Vietnam

Veterans and their families. Vietnam Veterans are

eligible to receive a lapel pin during these events

or may contact a commemorative partner to find

out details on the next event. LEARN MORE

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Commissary, Military Service Exchange, and

MWR Access Extended to More Veterans

Beginning January

Starting Jan. 1, 2020, the Department of

Defense is expanding access to military

commissaries, exchanges, and morale, welfare

and recreation facilities for certain Veterans and

caregivers. Those eligible for access include all

service-connected Veterans, Purple Heart

recipients, former Prisoners of War (POW), and

those approved and designated as the primary

family caregivers of eligible Veterans. To acquire

the in-person privileged access, all eligible

Veterans must obtain a Veteran Health

Identification Card (VHIC). LEARN MORE

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The VA Card Is Required for Some Veterans to

Have Access to Commissary, Exchanges &

MWR

The Department of Veteran's Affairs has

expanded access to commissary, military

exchanges, and to morale, welfare and recreation

(MWR) services for Purple Heart recipients, VA

designated caregivers of disabled veterans,

former prisoners of war and veterans with VA

documented service-connected disability. This

expansion is mandated by the Purple Heart and

Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 and

takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.

These eligible individuals are required to

obtain a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHID)

from the VA in order to gain entry to Department

of Defense and Coast Guard facilities. Caregiver

8

eligibility will be limited to caregivers who are

designated as the primary family caregiver of an

eligible veteran under the VA Caregiver program

and will need to show an acceptable credential,

along with their eligibility letter. The other eligible

groups without a VHID card can shop exchanges

online. For more information, go online.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

New Sponsor for Military Retiree Survivor

Comfort Act

In the wake of Rep. Walter B. Jones (S.C.)

passing, Rep. John Garamendi (Calif.) has

become lead sponsor of FRA-supported Military

Retiree Survivor Comfort Act (H.R.463). This bill

would authorize the retention of the full final

month's retired pay by the surviving spouse (or

other designated survivor) for the month in which

the member was alive for at least 24 hours.

Surviving spouses who are unaware that the

Defense Finance and Accounting Services

(DFAS) should be immediately notified about the

death of the military retiree, are surprised to learn

of this requirement. Those who had joint bank

accounts, which retirement payments were made

electronically, gave little if any thought that DFAS

could swoop down and recoup any overpayments

of retirement pay from such accounts. This action

could easily clear the account of any remaining

funds whether they were retirement payments or

money from other sources. All these proposals go

to the Senate for further consideration.

——————————————————————

SOMETHING FROM OUR SHIPMATES:

SEA STORIES, COMMENTS, JOKES, ETC.

=====

Submitted by Linda Ford (wife of James (Hank)

Ford MM1(SS) served 72-76, Eternal Patrol 2001)

SHINGLES...TAKE YOUR SHOTS!!! I personally

got shingles in May. I am one of the ones with

LASTING POST SHINGLES PAIN. You need to

do all you can to lessen or prevent SHINGLES.

Pain is unreal!!! It is difficult to even wear clothes

for some. Mine is from the front rib in a line all the

way back to the middle of the back. Please take

care of yourselves with this disease.

=====

Submitted by Thomas ‗TR‘ Bietsch EM1(SS) B 72

-74

I'm trying to make contact with Jerry Wieskamp

former Stimson blue crew with me. Do you have

any contact info? Tom

Editor: The only info on the sailing list is that

Jerry lives in Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526-6644

=====

Submitted by Frank Morris, YN1((SS) G 68-70,

USSVI Perch Base

I'd like to know if anyone happens to know if

there were any yeomen other than myself that

stood watch when underway on patrol as chief of

the watch. I did for four patrols, 1969 and 1970. I

went on board in 1968 and spent the usual two

patrols to complete basic qualification. When it

was realized that our crew was a bit short with

chiefs of the watch, I was asked if I would qualify.

I did. Please respond to me at

fsm2121@msn.com. Thank you.

=====

Submitted by Chuck Linhart, QM1(SS) G 68-74

Cell Phone Cover

=====

Submitted by ‗Pete‘ Peterson MM1(SS) B 70-72, SV

MAL

Ain’t it so

An Indian walks into a cafe with a shotgun in one

hand and pulling a male buffalo with the other. He

says to the waiter: "Want coffee."

The waiter says, "Sure, Chief, coming right up."

He gets the Indian a tall mug of coffee... The Indian

drinks the coffee down in one gulp, turns and blasts

the buffalo with the shotgun, causing parts of the

animal to splatter everywhere and then just walks out.

The next morning the Indian returns. He has his

shotgun in one hand, pulling another male buffalo with

the other. He walks up to the counter and says to the

9

waiter: "Want coffee."

The waiter says, "Whoa, Tonto! We're still cleaning

up your mess from yesterday. What was all that about,

anyway?"

The Indian smiles and proudly says: "Training for a

position in United States Congress... Come in, drink

coffee, shoot the bull, leave mess for others to clean

up, disappear for rest of day."

=====

Submitted by Sandy Hasty CAPT B CO 80 (1

patrol-Oct-Dec)

Veterans have great value!

On Monday, Veterans Day will be celebrated

across the United States. The holiday, originally

named Armistice Day, marked the end of fighting

in World War I when the Allies and the German

Empire declared a cease-fire.

The holiday has continued to evolve with the

nation.

After World War II and the Korean War saw

millions of Americans put into uniform, Congress

knew that all who served must be honored. On

June 1, 1954, Armistice Day was amended to

Veterans Day to reflect all of their contributions to

protecting freedom and the homeland.

Even to this day, there is some confusion

among Americans about the differences between

Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but the

distinction matters.

Memorial Day is a chance to remember all the

men and women who have died in service to our

country. Veterans Day is a celebration of all the

service members and veterans who have served

our country.

There are currently more than 18.2 million

veterans in the U.S., making up almost 10% of the

entire adult population. Statistics show that these

veterans thrive in the workforce because they

bring their unique skills and leadership to nearly

every industry and community in our country.

Veterans from the 9/11 era hold an

employment rate of approximately 78%, a full 8%

higher than the civilian population. Additionally, in

2015 it was shown that veterans‟ yearly average

income reached $80,000, as compared to only

$68,000 among non-veterans.

Their success doesn‟t stop there. According to

a 2017 study by the Graduate Center at the City

University of New York, 1 in 8 young adults in

America did not graduate from high school. By

comparison, only 1 in 33 veterans failed to

graduate.

Local communities especially benefit from

having resident veterans because their civic

participation and volunteerism are unmatched.

Veterans vote in local elections at a rate

of 73.8%. Non-veterans vote at a rate of only

57.2%. They also put in an average of 177 hours

of volunteer work each year, 25% more than the

rest of the population.

These are America‟s future leaders and

innovators, individuals dedicated to bringing

military values to the federal government and

private sector.

As a civilian, it isn‟t always clear how to

appropriately honor the veterans who still walk

among us. Not everyone can attend Veterans Day

parades or afford to donate to veterans advocacy

groups.

Fortunately, there are many ways to express

your gratitude.

Simply speaking to a service member about

their experiences, visiting a VA hospital, or writing

to troops deployed overseas are all great ways for

citizens to do their part. Participating in

the Veterans Day moment of silence, observed for

two minutes at 3:11 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time,

is another simple yet effective way to take part in

the day.

Unfortunately, it appears there never will be a

war to end all wars, but there also will never be a

day in which the U.S. military isn‟t ready to protect

our country no matter the cost.

Thank you to all who have served, and happy

Veterans Day.

COMMENTARY BY Thomas Spoehr

Thomas W. Spoehr, a retired Army lieutenant

general, is director of the Center for National

Defense at The Heritage Foundation.

Jack Penders

Jack Penders is a member of the Young Leaders

Program at The Heritage Foundation

——————————————————————

10

The Computer Corner

By: George Birmingham, ET1

(SS), Gold 69-74

Manage Notifications in Windows 10

As this is the last article for 2019, then it‟s time

to wish all of you, and your families, a very Merry

Christmas!!!

Notifications are an important and integral part

of the Action Center functionality in Windows 10,

starting with the first version and continuing with

the latest version. We often want our applications

to alert us for specific events, but receiving a

stream of those less important notifications can

often create unwanted interruptions. That‟s

especially true if you have multiple applications

that push out notifications every time anything

happens.

Well, shipmates, there is good news. You can

turn notifications on and off in Windows 10

Settings fairly easily. The only requirement is that

you have already received a notification from the

application, at least once.

Here are a few articles to get you headed in

the right direction from Microsoft and a few other

sources:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/

help/10761/windows-10-change-notification-

action-settings

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-

to-turn-off-notifications-in-windows-10/

I‟m running Windows 10, version 1903 from the

08/17/2019 update, so my screen looks slightly

different that some of the articles I have

referenced. But the functionality and actions are

the same.

The following screen shows how to turn off

notifications by application.

Note the comment that states that some

“senders” or applications can have their own

custom settings, so if you leave a sender enabled,

then be sure to check for any custom settings that

might produce unexpected notifications. For

instance, here is what my Security and

Maintenance application provides:

I found that most applications have a similar, if

not identical, set of options. However, if you have

purchased a user written application from the

Microsoft App Store, then the developer may have

included other options for notifications. Be sure to

check those custom application settings...

Windows 10 allows setting Quiet Time for

notifications. It‟s on the Focus Assist page, under

11

the Automatic Rules section. Here‟s an article that

may help you set up the proper quiet times for

applications:

https://www.howtogeek.com/279192/how-to-

change-the-default-quiet-hours-in-windows-10/

Ever see advertisements when your computer

is locked (Lock Screen)? Well, here‟s an article

that may help:

https://www.howtogeek.com/243263/how-to-

disable-ads-on-your-windows-10-lock-screen/

From my family to yours, we hope everyone

has a wonderful holiday season. It‟s always great

to spend time with the children and grandchildren

and share good times and make memories! Merry

Christmas!!!

As always, shipmates, comments and

suggestions for future topics are welcomed. I am

in need of topics for future articles, so please send

your ideas along to me. Contact me at

subvet_ssbns@bellsouth.net.

And if you have a difficult computer or network

problem you need help with, contact me. I‟m

always glad to help out if I can.

//George

——————————————————————

Submitted by Jeff Morse, STS1(SS) B 86-90

Navy Submarine, Missing for 75 Years, Is

Found Off Okinawa

John Ismay

CNN Video

A 75-year-old mystery has been solved, and

the families of 80 American sailors lost at sea will

now have closure: the U.S.S. Grayback has finally

been found.

It was hidden from discovery all this time by a

single errant digit.

The mystery began on Jan. 28, 1944, when

the Grayback, one of the most successful

American submarines of World War II, sailed out

of Pearl Harbor for its 10th combat patrol. By late

March it was more than three weeks overdue to

return, and the Navy listed the submarine as

missing and presumed lost.

After the war, the Navy tried to piece together a

comprehensive history of the 52 submarines it

had lost. The history, issued in 1949, gave

approximate locations of where each submarine

had disappeared.

The Grayback was thought to have gone down

in the open ocean 100 miles east-southeast of

Okinawa. But the Navy had unknowingly relied on

a flawed translation of Japanese war records that

got one digit wrong in the latitude and longitude of

the spot where the Grayback had probably met its

end.

The error went undetected until last year, when

an amateur researcher, Yutaka Iwasaki, was

going through the wartime records of the Imperial

Japanese Navy base at Sasebo. The files

included daily reports received by radio from the

naval air base at Naha, Okinawa — and the entry

for Feb. 27, 1944, contained a promising lead.

The report for that day said that a Nakajima

B5N carrier-based bomber had dropped a 500-

pound bomb on a surfaced submarine, striking

just aft of the conning tower. The sub exploded

and sank immediately, and there were no

survivors.

“In that radio record, there is a longitude and a

latitude of the attack, very clearly,” Mr. Iwasaki

© Mary Inhea Kang for The New York Times Tim Tay-

lor, an undersea explorer, set up the Lost 52 Project

with the goal of finding the wrecks of every American

submarine lost in World War II.

12

said. And it did not match what was in the 1949

Navy history, not by a hundred miles.

Mr. Iwasaki is a systems engineer who lives in

Kobe, Japan, and who became fascinated as a

teenager with the Japanese merchant ships of

World War II — four-fifths of which were sunk

during the war, he said. Uncovering the history of

those ships necessarily brought him into contact

with records on submarines. “For me, finding U.S.

submarines is part of my activity to introduce the

tragic story of war,” he said. “It is my hobby, and

also my passion.”

His work brought him to the attention of Tim

Taylor, an undersea explorer who has set out to

find the wrecks of every American submarine lost

in the war. In 2010 he found his first submarine,

the U.S.S. R-12, off Key West, Fla., where it sank

during a training exercise in 1943. He set up the

privately funded Lost 52 Project to track down the

rest, relying on technology that had become

available only in the last 10 to 15 years.

Mr. Taylor says that of the 52 lost American

submarines, 47 are considered discoverable; the

other five were run aground or destroyed in known

locations.

Mr. Taylor and his wife, Christine Dennison,

have been searching for those 47, and have

begun to focus on the ones that were probably

sunk near Japan.

Through his work in undersea exploration, Mr.

Taylor was introduced to Don Walsh, a former

Navy submariner who, as a lieutenant in 1960,

reached the deepest point of any ocean on Earth,

in the Mariana Trench near Guam. Mr. Walsh

gave Mr. Taylor his copy of the 1949 Navy history,

“U.S. Submarine Losses, World War II.”

Armed with the information in that book and

Mr. Iwasaki‟s discovery, Mr. Taylor and the Lost

52 team decided to make a run at finding the

Grayback.

The Grayback‟s last patrol was its third under

the command of Lt. Cmdr. John A. Moore, who

had been awarded the Navy Cross for each of the

first two. His third Navy Cross would be awarded

posthumously, after the submarine sent 21,594

tons of Japanese shipping to the bottom on its last

mission. In all, the Grayback sank more than a

dozen Japanese ships. The Navy considers

submarines like the Grayback to be “still on

patrol.”

Like Commander Moore did 75 years before,

Mr. Taylor launched his mission to Okinawa this

spring from Hawaii. When they reached Japanese

waters in June, he and his team fought through

mechanical and electrical problems that bedeviled

their mission.

They were searching an area where the ocean

was 1,400 feet deep, and their main search tool

was a 14-foot-long autonomous underwater

vehicle weighing thousands of pounds that Mr.

Taylor likened to an underwater drone. It would

dive to just a few hundred feet above the sea floor

and then spend 24 hours pinging with different

sonars back and forth across about 10 square

nautical miles. When the drone returned to the

mother ship, technicians downloaded its data,

using computer software to stitch all of the sonar

imagery into one coherent picture that they could

quickly review.

“When you‟re on these sites, you feel like

you‟re one breakdown away from having to go

home,” Mr. Taylor said of the search area. “So

every day is precious.”

On the next to last day of the expedition, the

drone reported a malfunction one-third of the way

through a planned 24-hour mission. As they

recovered the drone, Mr. Taylor said, half of his

crew started getting the ship ready to return to

port, thinking that the vehicle was likely to be

beyond quick repair. But Mr. Taylor began

reviewing the images captured by the drone.

He quickly spotted two anomalies on the sea

floor, and readied another of the ship‟s remotely

operated vehicles to visit the bottom. Unlike the

drone, this one was steered manually from the

mother ship, and had high-definition cameras.

In a matter of hours, Mr. Taylor was looking at

the hull of the Grayback and, lying about 400 feet

away, was the submarine‟s deck gun, which had

been blown off when the bomb exploded.

“We were elated,” Mr. Taylor said. “But it‟s

also sobering, because we just found 80 men.”

The next day, Mr. Taylor and his crew held a

ceremony to remember the sailors lost aboard the

ship and called out their names one by one.

One of those names was John Patrick King.

13

His nephew John Bihn, of Wantagh, N.Y., is

named after him. Mr. Bihn, who was born three

years after the Grayback went down, remembers

him as a constant presence in his maternal

grandparents‟ home, where a black-and-white

photo of the submarine hung in the living room

near a black frame holding Mr. King‟s Purple

Heart medal and citation. But in his family, the

subject of his uncle‟s death was “too sad to ask

about,” Mr. Bihn said. “My mother would cry very

often if you spoke to her about it.”

With no body to bury, Mr. Bihn‟s grandparents,

Patrick and Catherine King, memorialized their

son on their own headstone. Under their names,

Mr. Binh said, they had engraved, “John Patrick

King „Lost in Action.‟”

Mr. Bihn got a text message from his sister

Katherine Taylor (no relation to Tim Taylor) two

weeks ago, saying the Grayback had been found.

She had gotten the news from Christine

Dennison. “I was dumbfounded,” he said. “I just

could not believe it.”

"I wish my parents were alive to see this,

because it would certainly make them very

happy,” he added.

In a video taken by the vehicle that surveyed

the wreck, Mr. Binh said, the camera tilted upward

at one point to show the conning tower, and a

plaque reading “U.S.S. Grayback”

was plain to see.

“It‟s like someone wiped it clean,” Mr. Bihn

said. “It‟s like it wanted to be found.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/navy-

submarine-missing-for-75-years-is-found-off-

okinawa/ar-BBWyxCp?ocid=spartanntp

——————————————————————

Norfolk Naval Shipyard completes moored

training ship conversion of USS La Jolla

Michael Brayshaw, Naval Sea Systems

Command, November 12

NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD, Portsmouth,

Va. —

Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) successfully

completed the conversion of USS La Jolla (SSN

701) into a Moored Training Ship Nov. 7.

La Jolla is the first of two next-generation

training ships converted at NNSY to become land-

based platforms for training nuclear Sailors at the

Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) in

Charleston, South Carolina. The second, USS

San Francisco (SSN 711), has been at NNSY

since January 2017.

“Converting USS La Jolla into a moored

training ship is a great investment in the Navy‟s

future and a commitment to fleet excellence,” said

CDR John C. Smith, commanding officer.

“Training on a more modern plant design provides

a major upgrade and equips our sailors with a

reliable platform for the years ahead, which is key

to ensuring maximum effectiveness across the

Fleet.”

As the first MTS conversion ever performed at

NNSY, and the Navy‟s first one in nearly 30 years,

the effort proved similar in many ways to

constructing the first ship in a new class. During

its conversion, La Jolla underwent two complete

hull cuts, separating the boat into three pieces,

recycling the center section, and adding three

new hull sections, adding 76 feet to the overall

ship length. The new hull sections arrived from

Electric Boat via barge and were craned into the

dock. In the midst of that massive undertaking, the

conversion also included work typical of

engineered overhauls NNSY conducts on other

Los Angeles-class submarines.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in

the conversion of USS La Jolla, which was a long

and challenging process, but also one important

to our growth as an organization and an

achievement vital to the development of our Navy

Sailors,” said Shipyard Commander Captain Kai

Torkelson. “It‟s truly a remarkable

accomplishment to complete the conversion of a

fast-attack submarine into a moored training ship,

the closest NNSY has come in more than 60

years to constructing an all-new vessel. Along

with USS San Francisco, La Jolla will provide a

modern platform for enabling highly skilled and

fully capable 21st century fleet operators.”

The conversion‟s unprecedented work for the

shipyard presented unique challenges in all

phases of the project. NNSY naval architects,

docking officers and La Jolla project team

members collaborated extensively to safely and

successfully dock the boat on strongbacks, which

are more than twice the height of blocks usually

14

used at NNSY. The docking challenge hinged on

having the boat sitting as high in the water as

possible without creating an unstable buoyancy

condition. This challenge was effectively met by

pulling 40,000 pounds of material off the boat

before docking, and “superflooding” the dock

three feet above the river level during the

breasting over of the ship on top of strongbacks.

“This is the first time, to my knowledge, that a boat

in the U.S. Navy has been dry docked using

strongbacks,” said NNSY Stability and Weight

Control Branch Lead Engineer Gus Goddin.

Per the NAVSEA Campaign Plan to Expand

the Advantage 2.0, shipbuilding and maintenance

sites should effectively partner and assist one

another as needed, something that‟s been done

throughout the La Jolla project. “In our work

partnering with Electric Boat on the conversion,

we also helped build an environment promoting

increased levels of innovation, collaboration and

knowledge sharing across the shipbuilding,

maintenance and repair community,” said

Torkelson.

The Navy has used moored training ships for

30 years, with the current two at NPTU—ex-Sam

Rayburn (MTS 635) and ex-Daniel Webster (MTS

626)—having been converted at Charleston Naval

Shipyard. Following that shipyard‟s closure in

1996, NNSY assumed maintenance

responsibilities of both Rayburn and Webster, to

include their upcoming inactivations.

——————————————————————

Submitted by Jeff Morse, STS1(SS) B 86-90

Over the last year or so, I‘ve had the distinct

honor and pleasure of interacting with literally

hundreds of submarine veterans, both in person

and online, during the process of writing and

rewriting our book entitled Poopie Suits and

Cowboy Boots. My own journey in this endeavor,

as a civilian physician and part-time writer, began

as an interest in helping to put together a book

explaining some of the basics of submarine

operation, all told in the context of my brother

Frank‘s Navy story as a junior officer aboard the

USS Seahorse nearly 50 years ago. The process

of collaboration with Frank on this project led me

to become aware for the very first time of all of the

fantastic stories—some humorous, some daring,

and some offbeat—of the secretive world of

submarine service. I saw a real need to peel

away the layers of dust and concealment from

these stories, many over a half-century old,

especially those that weren‘t classified and really

needed to be shared with the public. These guys

had done some amazing things! But, very few

people were (are) the slightest bit aware. As I

kept digging, I developed a greater appreciation

for the vital role that these men played during the

Cold War era to maintain the peace. It is one of

my passions nowadays to get the word out about

their contributions, while this generation of men is

still around to tell their stories, so that they can be

properly appreciated and take their rightful place

in history.

This tribute was published just recently in the

American Submariner magazine, one of the many

fringe benefits of USSVI membership. For those

of you who aren‘t members, the essay is

reproduced below. Don‘t forget! Our book is still

on sale for the crazy-low introductory price of $15!

It includes this essay and many others. Thanks--

Charles Hood

HOW TO SPOT A BROTHER OF THE PHIN

Since the middle of 2017, when Frank and I

began our research and writing on Poopie Suits

and Cowboy Boots, I‟ve given book presentations

at the regular meetings of nearly a dozen USSVI

bases (with more planned), and I‟ve had several

opportunities to eat and chat casually with a wide

range of these men, from those in their 30s who

have only recently gotten out of the Navy to

several of the living legends of the World War II

fleet boat generation. During these get-togethers,

I‟ve had a rare opportunity to glimpse their culture

from the inside. Through our well-followed

Facebook page on submarine history and by

email, I‟ve corresponded at length with dozens of

sailors who have shared their submarine stories,

photos, and expertise. Many of these men have

volunteered significant chunks of time to help

correct the technical details and refine our

narrative about the exploits of the Silent Service

during the Cold War years. While these men are

different in countless ways—age, ethnic

15

background, political and religious persuasions,

for starters—their years serving aboard

submarines shaped their lives profoundly in both

obvious and subtle ways. As an outside observer

of this fascinating group, I have noticed several

common attributes among them that form the

basis of this essay. I‟d like to share a few of these

thoughts as a tribute.

Submariners are a proud and elite group. What

makes these guys tick? Short answer: The

irrefutable sense that their service aboard

submarines was critically important in the safety

and security of our country. At the core of their

self-identities is pure patriotism; not the attention-

seeking kind associated with bumper stickers and

flag lapels and other fanfare, but a quiet and more

informed version. These are the men who

decided that it was worth it to put their personal

lives aside—for a few years, or even an entire

career—to answer the call to volunteer for the

corps that defends our nation‟s defensive

interests at sea. About those precious personal

freedoms that the vast majority of us just accept

as inherent rights…the reason we civilians can

take them for granted is because these guys

didn‘t. While they were putting their families and

personal ambitions on hold, they served for long

stretches in cramped and unforgiving

surroundings. The missions they accomplished

remained largely secretive and therefore

unheralded. They accepted the underappreciated

anonymity of working in the shadows, even

though it deprived the rest of us the privilege of

knowing as much as we should about their

important contributions to national security.

Submariners like to kid. The jokes can come

fast and furious, often right after the initial firm

handshake, and if you‟re not prepared for them,

your first impression might be that these guys are

out to harass you. The truth is, they do enjoy

yanking your chain. The practice evolved as a

sort of warped survival skill, honed after many

months at sea, to boost morale and preserve

some degree of sanity during those times of great

pressure and uncertainty. But even today, the

humor serves a very important purpose. By

disarming you with a quip or mild insult, they are

checking you out. Can you take a joke, or do you

wither under the heat? In the end, they won‟t

waste time with someone who doesn‟t pass

muster. So I take it as a good sign that, during my

talks to the USSVI audiences, several of the guys

will continue to blurt out jokes or witty remarks.

Submariners appreciate individuals with thick

skins. They‟re not so keen on those who pack up

and run at the first perceived slight or ridicule.

And they really can‟t stand the related notion of

political correctness.

Submariners revere the American flag, and

what it really stands for. When our national

anthem is played at a sporting contest, we

civilians may only see the familiar stars and

stripes before us, For these men, though, the

song hearkens them back to their years aboard

the submarines, recalling the solemn ritual of

raising and lowering of the ensign at Morning and

Evening Colors. As the song rolls on, they think

about the close calls that they had during their

Navy days, and how fortunate they are to be

standing there saluting the flag at that moment—

posture erect, hand over heart-- and intensely

appreciating the moment, while silently thanking

those who were lost at sea while heeding the call.

Understandably, then, they don‟t appreciate

attempts to politicize this sacred tradition.

Submariners are comfortable in their own

shoes. Pretense is not in their repertoire. They

call things as they see them, but they don‟t need

to always hear the sound of their own voices to be

content. It‟s not that they don‟t like to talk, but at

gathering with their civilian friends and family, they

are masters at deflecting the topic of conversation

away from their years in the Silent Service. But—

put two of these sub vets together in the same

room—especially if cold beer is involved—and

you may never hear the end of their lively

discussions about the “old days”.

Submariners do not suffer fools gladly. These

are guys who were held to extraordinary

standards of competency while serving aboard

our nation‟s subs. They practically invented the

mantra, “zero mistakes”. So don‟t try to B.S.

them. They‟ll see through the artifice in a skinny

minute. They appreciate straight shooters. And

they themselves are the prototypical straight

shooters.

16

Submariners don’t like to guess. For every

question or problem, there‟s a right answer, and if

you work alongside one of them, they would

rather keep striving until the proper answer is

found. This sense of precision, inculcated by

submarine service, also applies to timeliness.

Don‟t be late for things. These guys expect

punctuality and live by the rule, “If you‟re five

minutes early, you‟re late.” Their very DNA

seems intertwined with the science of unflinching

exactitude. But I get it. When the fate of you and

your crewmates on the same submarine hinged

daily on flawless execution of your assigned

duties, well, that mindset had a knack of following

you into your post-military life. So forgive these

men if they seem befuddled when the rest of the

human race doesn‟t seem equally disciplined. It‟s

a shame that the same sense of personal

responsibility and accountability isn‟t also a given

in the civilian world. Sloppy work and tardiness

are major annoyances for these men.

Submariners are a little wary of strangers. I

think this has to do with the oath to secrecy that

they all had to sign upon penalty of imprisonment.

Since they are forbidden from talking about a

substantial part of their personal histories, they

can seem a little suspicious of those who may try

to draw them out in conversation or otherwise

attempt to ingratiate themselves. That makes

sense to me. Trust is a precious commodity to

them, and it is not earned without some time and

effort. Once that hurdle is crossed, though, they

will bend over backwards to help you. In offering

their help to me countless times over the course

of the last 12 months, they have exemplified the

giving spirit in so many ways. You get the feeling

after working with so many of them that they

would give you the shirt off their back if you

needed it.

Submariners are very frugal individuals.

While generous with their time and talents, they

are careful about how their hard-earned dollars

are spent, and they won‟t open up their wallets to

just any cause. This reputation for penny

pinching makes sense; they didn‟t exactly earn a

fortune while serving aboard submarines, and the

strong disincentives about unnecessary waste

that governed ship duty simply reinforced the

notion of “waste not, want not”. Still, despite their

understandably thrifty tendencies, they make

tremendous contributions to their local towns and

cities through endowed scholarships, fund-raising

for worthy causes, and various community

awareness projects. I have seen how the USSVI

gives them the vehicle to make these things

happen and to continue to make a difference with

their neighbors.

Submariners like to speak in code. Listening

to them converse among themselves is both an

intriguing and baffling activity. Their language is

steeped in the acronym-laden phrases of Navy-

speak, so unless you have a willing translator, you

may not the faintest idea of what they are talking

about with such enthusiasm. (Coming from the

world of medicine, I thought our jargon was bad!

Not even close.) With some practice, though, the

code may be cracked. For example, here is an

excerpt from a message I received yesterday from

a veteran submariner: “…HGR was our senior

EDO, and he was OINC of a SRF at one time.” I

actually understood him!

Submariners are sentimental about their old

boats. They swap stories with their fellow

veterans about their former rides with great

affection. They like to wear vests adorned with

badges that tell the story of their military service.

They pay homage at every USSVI event to those

boats on eternal patrol, and they hold the fleet

boat generation of WWII in particularly high

esteem because of the tremendous loss of life

sustained by submariners during that global

conflict against tyranny and evil. They thoroughly

enjoy one another‟s company, knowing that each

of them is indelibly linked for life by that youthful

decision to volunteer for submarine service.

Finally, while they may recall those years at sea

as some of the most difficult of their lives,

practically every one of them would do it again in

a heartbeat if asked.

I salute these men—the “Brothers of the Phin”

as they call themselves—proud members of a

storied military fraternity. You‟d be hard-pressed

to find a finer group of men anywhere. They truly

represent the best of us all.

Print a copy, complete and mail with your check to the address below:

Event Registration 655 Reunion #11 7 – 11 October 2020

Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport

1717 Airport Exchange Blvd.

Erlanger, KY 41018

888.294.5067

www.holidayinn.com/cvg-airport Call the hotel number above or reserve on their website.

Reserve Group Rates using either:

Henry L. Stimson 655 Reunion OR Block Code R65

Hotel Reservation Deadline SEPT 16, 2020

Hotel Reservation is the responsibility of the individual.

Reunion Registration Deadline SEPT 16, 2020

http://ssbn655.org/reunions/2020_Reunion11

Please complete (print legibly), print the form and return along with a check payable to: Henry L. Stimson Reunion Mail to: Dick Young, 7209 Austin Woods Ln., Cincinnati OH 45247 Email: stimson655reunion2020@aol.com

Shipmate Name: _________________________________________ Guest Name: _________________________

Relationship: ___ Spouse ___ Significant Other ___ Family ___ Friend

Street Address: _________________________ City: ________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________

Phone: Home: _______________________ Cell: _______________________ Work: ________________________

E-mail: Home: ___________________________________ Work: ______________________________________

Number who will be attending this event in your group: _________

# Patrols on STIMSON: __________ Total # Patrols on all boats: __________

Dates Onboard Rate Crew Dates Onboard Rate Crew

_______________ __________ __________ _______________ __________ __________

Special Needs: _________________________________________________________________________________

(Event attendance will be through advance payment only.)

I am registering for the following per person (Association Member and all guests):

Event package: $80.00 Number: __________ = __________

OR

Registration Fee: (required) $45.00 Number: __________ = __________

Saturday Banquet: $35.00 Number: __________ = __________

Total Enclosed _____________

Two are two scheduled events. Please indicate your interest. Include fees with your check for the reunion.

1. Thursday: Wright Patterson AFB Museum Tour in Dayton OH. This is a 70 mile trip (just over an hour) and we will go by coach bus/s. Cost for the tour/transportation is $30.00 per person.

I/we will attend the WPAFB Museum Tour. $30.00 ea. Number: ___ = _________

(Include the fee in your check for registration.)

2. Friday: Ohio River Cruise and Meal. The cruise departure is less than a 30 minutes from the hotel and we

will go by coach bus/s. Cost for the Cruise/Meal and transportation is $75.00 per person. I/we will attend the Ohio River Cruise and Meal. $75.00 ea. Number: ___ = _________

(Include the fee in your check for registration.)

The Association has established a refund policy for reunion registrations and it is located within our Bylaws in Article V.g. You can view this policy at: http://ssbn655.org/association/bylaws/1610%20655BylawRev.pdf or on the back of this form.

REUNION USE ONLY

Check # _____________

Date Rcvd ___________

Registration # ________

Hotel Resv: __________

Print a copy, complete and mail with your check to the address below:

g. Cancellation of reunion registration and the refund of monies paid will be based on the timing of the cancellation. Registration cancelled prior to the reunion registration cutoff date will result in refund of monies paid minus the registration/office fee. For cancellation after the registration cutoff date, there will be no refund of monies paid.

Cincinnati is located in Southwest Ohio and just across the Ohio River is Northern Kentucky where the reunion will be held. It‘s only 10 miles from Indiana. There are 3 Interstates that lead to Cincinnati: I-74, I-75 and I-71. We are located a day‘s drive (8-10 hours) from most of the East Coast. There will be plenty of free parking at the hotel for cars and RV's.

If you are flying there are 7 major airlines that service Cincinnati (CVG) and several are discount

airlines. They include Air Canada, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest and United. A free

shuttle service from the airport (1.5 miles) is provided by the hotel.

Along with the planned activities here are a few activities that you can do on your own if you arrive early or stay late or don’t plan on going to the Wright Patterson AFB Museum on Thursday. The baseball season will be over but the Reds have one of the best Museums in the Professional Baseball and it‘s located next to the Great American Ball Park. The Museum is free to veterans.

https://www.mlb.com/reds/hall-of-fame Our Zoo and Botanical Gardens are second to none with a White Tiger display and Baby Fiona, a hippo raised from birth at the zoo.

http://cincinnatizoo.org/ Tthe Creation Museum is about 7 miles from the hotel. It‘s a state of the art Adventure through biblical history with stunning exhibits, botanical gardens, planetarium, zoo, zip lining …and dinosaurs. In the Bible??? For real??? You gotta see it to believe it.

https://creationmuseum.org/

The Ark Encounter is 20 miles south and has a real wooden Ark based on the size described in the bible; it is huge.

https://arkencounter.com/

Kentucky Horse Park is about 45 miles away near Lexington Kentucky.

https://kyhorsepark.com/ The Cincinnati Museum Center is near the downtown area and housed in the old Art-Deco Union Terminal Train Station. It has a natural history museum and the Cincinnati History Museum. You can also tour the old railroad control station housed on the top floor. It also features an IMAX theater.

https://www.cincymuseum.org/

The Hofbrauhaus in Newport, KY features the best German food outside of Munich. https://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com/

You may want to check out the restaurant on the top of the Radisson Hotel located in Covington, Ky

(5 miles from the hotel) on the Ohio River. It sits on the 18th floor of the hotel and revolves once

every 45 minutes, giving a great view of the downtown area, and the food is delicious. https://www.restaurantcovingtonky.com/