Hundreds of Fathoms

Submarine R-12 Memorial Dedication

2007-10-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

All Hands are invited to join the Ocean State Chapter of the Submarine Veterans of World War II and the U.S Submarine Veterans, Inc. Rhode Island Base at a dedication ceremony for a memorial to the submarine USS R-12 (SS 89), lost on 12 June, 1943.

The ceremony will be conducted at 1PM on Saturday, 6 October, rain or shine. A "Tolling the Boats” ceremony will also be conducted, remembering all 52 submarines lost during WW II. The ceremony will be conducted at the WW II Submarine Memorial, located at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery on Route 2 in Exeter, R.I.

Invited guests and speakers include The Honorable Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Commanding Officer of the USS Providence (SSN 719).

Chaplain from Naval Base Newport Manuel Biadog and the Silver Dolphins Color Guard from Submarine Base Groton will be providing their services for the memorial dedication.

(Photo: National Archives)

USS R-12 (SS 89) June 12, 1943 - 42 Men Lost

On June 12, 1943 between 12:20 and 12:25pm the R-12 was underway to conduct a torpedo practice approach. As she completed preparations to dive and was riding on vents, the forward battery compartment began to flood. The collision alarm was sounded. The Commanding Officer from the bridge gave orders to blow main ballast and close the hatches. The R-12 sank in an estimated 15 seconds from the sounding of the collision alarm. The Commanding Officer, two ships officers and three enlisted men were on the bridge at the time and were the only survivors. Those lost include four U.S. Naval officers, and thirty-six U.S. Naval enlisted men, and two Brazilian observers.

It was the opinion of the Court of Inquiry that the cause of the loss of R-12 was unknown, but probably was caused by the rapid flooding of the forward part of the ship through a torpedo tube.

The R-12 rests in six hundred feet of water near the Key West, FL submarine operating area.

(Photo: National Archives)

Sailors Lost On USS R-12 (SS 89) 6-12-1943

Almeida, A. G. D. LT (Brazilian Navy)

Bacon, G. W. EM3

Bronson, R. B. F2

Buckley, J. J. SM1

Cashell, F. E. ENS

Clayton, H. L. CSMA

DeMoura, J. L. LT (Brazilian Navy)

Flisher, R. F. F1

Garbulsky, L. E. S2

Graziani, F. P., Jr. GM1

Hall, J. C., Jr. EM3

Harman, E. L., Jr. CRMA

Horton, J. U. LTJG

Horvath, J. S. TM1

Knapp, H. H. S2

Krigbaum, E. CMOMMA

Kymer, L. V. MOMM2

LeVan, C. B. S1

Lobeck, H. P. TM3

Mathis, C. V. TM3

McKibben, P. R. EM1

Moncada, J. MM1

Mullis, A. J. F2

Ness, G. W. S2

Noonan, P. L. S2

Rabbit, J. H. RM3

Rafferty, E. J. MM2

Schnake, L. E. F1

Scott, C. "R" F2

Secor, H. R. RM2

Shellenberger, H. H. F3

Smith, C. S. S2

Starks, R. N. LT

Sullivan, D. C. RM3

Thompson, R. A., Jr. S2

Unger, J. D. LTJG

Vincent, E. W. MOMM2

Walker, N. W. MOMM1

Walsh, E. F. MOMM2

Wheeler, K. J. SC3

Young, W. D. STM2

Zimmerman, G. A. F3

Of the 52 Submarines lost in WWII the R-12 (SS 89) is designated as the lost boat for the State of Rhode Island.

Coincidence or Conspiracy?

2007-08-31T23:08:00.000-04:00

Have you noticed that pairs of Middle Eastern men have been popping up in the news this August, only a few weeks away from the 6th anniversary of 9/11?

Case #1

Suspicious behavior on the Washington State Ferry system.
(Identities unknown)

Aug 20 the FBI asks for the public to help identify the above two men.
From Seattle King 5 News:

The FBI says the men were seen on more then one ferry and more than one run over the past several weeks. They were also taking photos of parts of the boat, which the agents won't reveal, but that apparently aroused the suspicions of passengers and crew alike.

Case #2

Indicted for carrying explosives in South Carolina.
(Ahmed Mohamed & Youssef Megahed)

As reported by the AP

TAMPA, Florida - Two Egyptian students at a south Florida university were indicted Friday on charges of carrying explosive materials across states lines and one was accused of teaching the other how to use them for violent reasons.

Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed, 24, an engineering graduate student and teaching assistant at the Tampa-based University of South Florida, faces terrorism-related charges for teaching and demonstrating how to use the explosives.

He and Youssef Samir Megahed, 21, an engineering student, were stopped for speeding Aug. 4 in Goose Creek, South Carolina, where they have been held on state charges. A federal grand jury in Tampa handed up the indictment.

Observations:

Both these incidents have similarities other than pairs of middle eastern men being involved. Both occurred near Naval installations and both installations have nuclear submarines berthed.

In the first case, of the men on the ferry, one of largest ferry routes is the Seattle to Bremerton run. Bremerton is the home of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) where nuclear powered ships are serviced including submarines.

The second case occurred in Goose Creek SC outside of the Charleston Naval Weapons Station. The Naval Weapons Station also has a command that trains nuclear reactor operators on a former Ballistic Missile submarine.

I wouldn't want to speculate too much but this coincidence is a little disturbing to this former bubblehead. I wonder if the FBI is checking the records of foreign trained ferry captains and harbor pilots?

Seasickness it’s not just for surface pukes

2007-08-29T23:45:00.000-04:00

Time for a sea story inspired by a post by Vigilis at Molten Eagle .

I only got seasick once when making patrols and yes it was on the way back in after a full 70 day deterrent patrol.

On the Simon Bolivar we were heading back into Kings Bay GA with an ETA to tie up alongside the tender Simon Lake shortly after sunrise. That meant we’d surface at O-dark-30 and transit in with the sunrise at our backs. I pictured seeing the low lands of South Georgia and getting use to the distinctive smell of the coastal estuary again. No more gray bulkheads and San-1 inboard venting. A nice calm ending to another FBM patrol, Not So!

USS Providence (SSN-719) US Navy Photo
"More speed than sea state."

I had the mid-watch which meant I’d be the Nav-ET tech on watch for our transit in. Got up and headed for mid-rats, PIZZA! “I’ll have mine loaded with pepperoni, thanks”. With a contented belly full of greasy pizza I made my way to the Nav-center to relieve the watch. Two hours later I was sitting in the dark on the ESM stack while we were surfacing in GAIL. “No Close Contacts” was called from the scopes and me on the ESM. After all what idiot would be out in a full Gail at 2 or 3 in the morning? Other than the US Navy that is…

We surfaced the ship and headed in with no one on the bridge at first because of the weather. Eventually the bridge was rigged and I was shifted from the EMS to the Radar. With bucket at the ready I was prepared to watch the radar do that roundy roundy thing as the boat heaved, rolled, pitched and shuttered. Occasionally a large amount of water would come cascading down the bridge access trunk into the bear trap at the bottom of the ladder. I can remember thinking “Man, those poor F&*%ers on the bridge were getting hammered”. This went on for a good part on the remainder of my watch.

When I was relieved on the radar, lets just say, my bucket was empty but only because of my somewhat centerline orientation. Back aft I heard tell it was a hurl fest in nuke land. I was safe and had dodged the puke bullet or so I thought. It was time for a pee call and down to the lower level crews head. The closer I got to the head the stronger the puke smell and then the chains and signs “BLOWING SANITARIES”. Do I hold it, chance it and find a bowl that wasn’t full of puke or trek aft to the one head near the nuke land vomitorium?

Boom, woosh that golden flapper sound, someone had just opened the ball valve on one of the heads. I not only got to see the aftermath but also smell it. A putrid mix of vomit and the remaining contents of the sanitary tank, the poor SOB had vomited in the bowl then vented it back in his face. I lost it then and there in the bucket I was getting ready to stow.

“Station the piloting party.” Feeling somewhat purged, you always better after letting go a good one, I headed back up to control ready to help plot our course into the calmer waters of Cumberland Sound.

That was a 425 foot Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine, I can only imagine the rocking and rolling an SSN goes through. Seasickness it’s not just for surface pukes.

Four Months Submerged at the Pier

2007-08-20T22:22:00.000-04:00

She has been sitting on the bottom for over four months and now it’s the US Army, or is that, the US Navy to the rescue.

(Juliett 484 (K-77) Summer 2006)

The Juliett 484 (K-77) Soviet era cruise missile submarine and co-star in the movie “K19: The Widowmaker” with Harrison Ford has been a floating museum in Providence R.I. for the last few years. The sub stopped being a floating museum back in April of this year when an intense spring nor’easter overwhelmed its rusting and leaky aft ballast tanks. Stern down the sub started taking on water through the aft public access hatch cut through its pressure hull. She flooded stern first and within about a day she was on the muddy bottom in over 35 feet of water. The next day she settled and rolled to port, parting a mooring line like a gunshot. The US Coast Guard closed the pier for public safety reasons.

From the outset the USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, owners of the Juliett, have said they intend to raise and restore the submarine but were unsure where to get the funds to so. The first hurtle a detailed salvage survey and engineering work is no longer a concern. U.S. Navy and Army divers will be conducting the survey dives and Navy Engineers will also be involved.

The US Army LCU (Landing Craft Utility) New Orleans (LCU-2031) has arrived in Providence RI from Tampa FL and will act as the diving support platform. Approximately 30 divers will be involved as part of the Department of Defense's Innovative Readiness Training program. The Army divers are coming from Fort Eustis, Va., and the Navy divers are coming from Norfolk, Va.

Both the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) will be involved in the operation. NECC will be conducting the diving operations and NAVSEA will be providing the engineering expertise for planning the eventual recovery of the submarine.

(LCU-2031 at the Pier in Providence RI site of the sunken K-77.)

The Providence Journal quoted Lt. Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, public affairs officer with the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command as saying “The idea is to give the divers training that differs depending on the location and conditions in terms of underwater visibility and other factors.” continuing that “Whenever possible, we want to simulate a realistic training environment”.

As with all things submarine related the Army and Navy involvement in the recovery of the K77 has been kept low key until finalized. This blogger knew about the Navy’s involvement over a month ago but like a good sailor kept running silent until the news broke today.

MIR Symbolism

2007-08-03T21:57:00.000-04:00

The story of the Russians planting a flag on the sea floor at the geographic north pole is too rich to pass up all the metaphors, both the press and me included.

New cold war.
Hotly contested claims of mineral rights.
Canadians say Russian claims have no grounds.
Russia rejects cold reception.

(Russian English Language News Footage)
I have a previous post back in march covering the tourism aspect of the MIR expedition and how you could have been there for $80,000USD or $15,000 to stand on the deck and watch.

Of course we all know that this is only possible because of Global Warming (which has been, according to NOAA, about 1.0 to 1.7°F between 1906-2005.

Along the lines of North Pole symbolism, a Brit was up there a couple of weeks before the Russians for a little global warming dip.

(A very cold swim)

On a truly Scientific note:
Nearly a month before the Russian submersibles, accompanying news crews and the 37-year old British lawyer/swimmer the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has been quietly conducting polar sea floor research with AUVs. The WHOI scientists are exploring the arctic ocean's Gakkel Ridge the deepest mid-ocean ridge, ranging from 3 to 5 kilometers (1.8 to 3 miles) deep, and it is also perhaps the slowest-spreading ridge.

The goal of the Gakkel Ridge expedition is to see if active hydrothermal vents are really there, to find them, and to learn if they, and the communities of life around them, are different. Videos of this exploration and its goals can be found Here.

I'll take the science over the symbolism, but there is something to be said about doing something really cool, even if it was mere symbolism. -LL

Tomahawk Shooter - SSN old school

2007-07-18T21:41:00.000-04:00

Bubblehead has a cool video up on his site of the USS Florida (SSGN 728) doing a multi TLAM launch.

I did my own little search of GoogleVideo and found this interesting clip of the USS Louisville (SSN724) doing that TLAM thing the per Trident SSGN way.

Great remix with the SNL clip of the VP doing a Slim Pickens Dr. Strangelove impression.

Vintage 2003 opening salvo footage.

USS Wahoo Remembered

2007-07-11T23:44:00.000-04:00

USS Wahoo (SS-238)

Video: Navy honors the memory of the USS Wahoo.

Marines are Mammals?

2007-07-09T21:56:00.000-04:00

Interesting news film on the Pentagon Channel today on the Navy's Marine Mammals program.

From an Armed Forces Press release:

"The Pentagon Channel was granted extensive access to these remarkable animals and their trainers, handlers and veterinarians, and afforded rarely seen underwater video of the mammals in action."

Submarines have been known to transport Navy SEALS on occasion could Seal Lions and Dolphins be next?

SSN719 helps celebrate a 231 Birthday and 222 Anniversary

2007-07-06T18:30:00.000-04:00

This past July 4th was the nation's 231 birthday, it was also the 222 consecutive holding of the Bristol, RI 4th of July Parade. Bristol's Annual Fourth of July Celebration was established in 1785 and is the oldest continuous celebration of its kind in the United States.

This year the local WWII Submarine Veterans, RI Base of USSVI and about 40 of the Officers and Crew of the USS Providence participated in the parade.

Below are some photos of the parade's submarine flotilla.
(Click on the Photos for a larger view)

Our three vehicles and the submarine model one of the Subvets brings to the parade every year. The Sub model isn't in any way historically accurate with a 3 bladed screw, missile tubes and the hull number 571 but the crowds and kids love it.

A small but dedicated group of WWII and Cold War Submarine Veterans. The WWII Vets have been doing the Bristol parade for many years. The group of RI Base USSVI Subvets have been helping our senior Brothers of the Phin since founding of our base in 2005.

Special Note:
The gentleman in the upper left in the above photo is WWII Submarine Veteran James T. Butterworth. Jim served on the 'Submarine Killer' USS Batfish (SS-310) on war patrols 4, 5, 6 and 7. That 6th war patrol entered the Batfish into submarine history sinking three enemy submarines and earning it the following Presidential Unit Citation:

"For extraordinary heroism in action against enemy Japanese combatant forces during the sixth War Patrol in the South China Sea from December 30, 1944 to March 3, 1945. Persistent and aggressive in her search for vital targets, the USS Batfish relentlessly tracked down the enemy and in three separate, brilliantly executed attacks, launched her torpedoes with devastating speed and skill and demolished three Japanese submarines. By the destruction of these formidable and threatening hostile Fleet units in a single War Patrol, the Batfish contributed significantly to the successful completion of the war. The courage, superb seamanship and gallant fighting spirit of her officers and men reflect the highest credit upon herself and the United States Naval Services."

Now that is how to conduct ASW operations! The submarine's worst enemy another submarine.
Thanks for your service Jim.

About 40 of The USS Providence (SSN-719) Crew and Officers marched with us this year.
It was an honor to have the USS Providence join us in this celebration.

The banner reads: "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way" John Paul Jones - Commander Sloop Providence, 1776

Some Providence ship name history:
The renamed merchant sloop Katy was the first Navy ship named Providence when it commissioned into the Continental Navy. In 1775, under Captain Abraham Whipple, the sloop fought the first at-sea action of the revolution, engaging a Royal Navy Schooner off Conainicut Point in Narragansett Bay. In 1776, John Paul Jones was given the sloop as his first command. This original PROVIDENCE fought against the enemy aggressively and successfully. She captured or sank forty ships.

The second PROVIDENCE, a frigate built in Rhode Island in 1776, ran the British Blockade of the Providence River on her maiden voyage. She was able to procure guns and supplies from France for Continental naval vessels still under construction. From 1779 to 1780 she served with honor as flagship to Commodore Whipple.

The third PROVIDENCE, an Army gondola, was attached to Brigadier General Benedict Arnold's command on Lake Champlain in 1776. She was heavily damaged at the Battle of Valcour Island.

The fourth PROVIDENCE, a Cleveland-class cruiser, was commissioned in 1945 and recommissioned in 1959 as a guided missile cruiser. She served as the flagship for the Seventh Fleet off the coast of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam conflict. This PROVIDENCE compiled a proud record of service, winning the Navy Unit Commendation from November 1966 to May 1968. She was decommissioned in 1978 and is mothballed in Washington.

The current USS Providence (SSN-719) was built by General Dynamic Electric Boat division and commissioned on July 27, 1985. She is the first 688 class submarine to be built with the Tomahawk Missile Vertical Launch System (VLS). The Sub is home ported in Groton, CT and has received many awards including Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, Navy Expeditionary Medals, Meritorious Unit Commendations, Navy Unit Commendations, and five Battle E (Navy "E" Ribbon) awards, three of which were consecutive, and most recently the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Many thanks to the COB and XO for helping organize the Boat's appearance for the parade.

Our contingent was organized with WWII Submarine Veterans taking point sounding a klaxon diving alarm with their submarine model in tow, followed by the USSVI subvets in two decorated trucks with kids and grandkids waving flags.

The USS Providence crew followed us and received appreciative applause and thanks from many of the people gathered to watch the parade. They deserved the admiration from the crowd having just returned a couple of months ago from a very long deployment around the world. (hat tip: Bubblehead)

One last bit of fun with this post....

I couldn't help but do a periscope shot through the rear view mirror while underway. Had to do a little digital editing to get the right effect of my close contact in the baffles.

Thanks to to Crew for your service and help this year at the 222 Bristol 4th of July Parade. -LL

Update 7/6/07 - 23:00: Navy NewsStand Eye on the Fleet has an image of the Providence as well.

Space Shot

2007-06-21T23:47:00.000-04:00

Astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell describe the filming of a Polaris missile shot from the USS Benjamin Franklin (SSBN 640) as filmed from the spacecraft Gemini VII while in orbit.

Dec 6, 1965

Five years earlier the USS George Washington (SSBN 598) first launch of a Polaris is documented in newsreel footage.

July 21, 1960

Borman and Lovell hoping for a low ballistic coefficient on reentry and Franklin and Washington hoping for a high ballistic coefficient.

What did you do on leave?

2007-06-19T23:55:00.000-04:00

Summer 1983
So there we were on the USS Simon Bolivar (SSBN641) at the end of maneuvering watch heading out on patrol from Kings Bay, GA and the Quartermaster turns to me and says "Petty Officer NAVET what did you do while on leave this past off-crew?".

My response was, in a matter of fact voice, "I went sailing in Newport." The Navigator thought it was the funniest thing and laughed out loud, having just heard what a great leave the QM had. Guess he thought I was making fun of my paper and parallels counterpart's story, with a one up story of my own.

Sailors do love to spin stories, sea stories at home and stories of home while at sea, with a goal of one upping someone elses story.

I was serious about the sailing having spent a week crisscrossing Narragansett Bay on my neighbor's 35' sloop. If you're like me and had grown up in Rhode Island half way between Newport, RI and Groton CT. you're bound to have done three things; seen a submarine, gone stripier fishing and been sailing in Newport.

Summer sailing is usually a bit tamer than this, but the video brings back the urge to be "underway under wind power".

That love of wind speed had me windsurfing the 4' to 6' swells off one of my favorate spots, The University Of Rhode Island Bay Campus where the Oceanographic research ship RV Endeavor tires up. I do love it here in the Ocean State....

The Cost of Doing Business in NY

2007-06-12T21:51:00.000-04:00

If you're a private company with primarily with one customer, the US Government, you have to be careful in how you go about improving productivity, saving money and eventually saving US taxpayer's dollars.

Such is what Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. (BPMI) found out on Oct 11, 2006 when they announced plans to close their Schenectady, NY operation and consolidate the majority of its operations at one site in near Pittsburgh PA.

BPMI made this decision after the conclusion of a six month study. Jim Dillon, the manager of procurement operations said: "It is a sister operation of ours in Pittsburgh and we are trying to make sure we provide the best service at the lower price to the Navy."

Bechtel Plant Machinery is a major supplier of nuclear propulsion systems for the US Navy. It's contracts run into the hundreds or millions a year.

Basic nuclear propulsion plant components (very basic)

The Navy continues to struggle with high shipbuilding costs, limited budgets and an aging fleet. The age of current nuclear submarines fleet will be particularly acute in coming years with the predominant 688 class nearing the end of their service life.

The fact that of one of the Navy's key vendors was looking to reduce costs should be welcome news to those in government concerned with controlling defense costs and the federal budget.

NOT SO for the Senators from New York.
One month after the BPMI's restructuring announcement Senators Clinton and Schumer of NY took action to stop the company's consolidation plans.

(Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton of NY)

In November 2006 Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, and Congressman Michael McNulty met with representatives from Bechtel and released a joint statement.

"Today, we met with representatives from Bechtel to let them know, in the strongest possible terms, that we want Bechtel to reconsider its decision to relocate 260 jobs to Pennsylvania from Schenectady. We expressed our extreme disappointment that this decision was reached without any consultation with Congress, the state of New York or the county and city of Schenectady. We have requested specific information from Bechtel and will follow up with them in the near future to continue our ongoing conversations."

After the November 2006 elections in which the Democrats pick up the Senate seat covering the Pittsburgh, PA area Senator Schumer put out a Press Release stating:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2006

Schumer, Clinton, McNulty: Bechtel Puts 60-Day Hold on Further Action

(Washington, DC): -- Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton and Congressman Michael R. McNulty (D-Green Island) have been told that Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI) will wait 60 days to make any further decisions related to its plan to effectively close its facility in Schenectady and relocate 260 white-collar jobs to the Pittsburgh area. Senators Schumer and Clinton and Congressman McNulty released the following statement in response:

"We are encouraged to learn that Bechtel is willing to allow the City of Schenectady and New York State to present arguments for maintaining its current operation in Schenectady. We will continue to work aggressively with Mayor Stratton, County Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage, and State officials in the effort to persuade Bechtel to reverse their decision and keep the 260 jobs in Schenectady."

After getting Bechtel to delay their final decision for 60 days the Senators six days later place further demands on the company with an additional Press Release. In this they urged the company to stop recruitment efforts in Pittsburg and inquiring about relocation plans by employees.

In February 2007 Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. decided to retain 130 positions in Schenectady, NY thereby reducing it's consolidation effort. In addition the state of New York and the Empire State Development (ESD) Corp. will provide a $2 million grant for a new technology center creating an engineering center for Bechtel and office space that is in move-in condition.

Finally in June the U.S. Department of Defense announced a $69 million addition to a $129 million contract won in October by Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. 85 percent of the work will be done in Pittsburg, PA with Schenectady, NY getting the remaining 15 percent.

Senator Hillary Clinton is a member of the "Senate Armed Service Committee" and the "Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works" that oversees Nuclear Safety.

Senator Charles Schumer is a member of mostly Judiciary and Finance Committees.

I thought the timeline was interesting with company decision directly after the election, coincidence I guess. Both Senators moved fast on saving those jobs for there State, but I don't see the urgency with only a couple of hundred jobs moving one state or less than 500 miles away. It's not like they were outsourcing nuclear engineering to Mexico!

Senator's time and taxpayer money well spent?

Harold Froehlich, Aeonautical Engineer and Submersible Designer

2007-05-26T21:31:00.000-04:00

You would think the engineers lead boring lives hunkered over mathematical models of hydraulic pressure and maximum structural loads, not Harold "Bud" Froehlich.

Mr. Froehlich was born in 1922 and served in the US Navy during WWII as a signalman. He went on to become an aeronautical engineer and worked for Boeing and other companies before ending up at General Mills (the Cheerios people) in his native Minnesota. At General Mills he helped design high-altitude balloons for the US military before being tasked to help build a mechanical arm for the U.S. Navy-owned bathyscaphe Trieste in 1960.

Alvin Submerged (Source: NOAA)

As part of his work on balloons he specialized in designing small spheres able to endure hostile environments. Mr. Froehlich also worked on the design for a self-propelled, two-man deep-sea vessel called the Seapup.

This talent and earlier experience became crucial factors in his selection as the project leader for the design of a new US Navy deep-diving research submersible. That submersible was later named "Alvin" by the US Navy after Allyn Vine of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Vine another engineer was a key proponent for the U.S. to develop a national program for manned undersea vehicles.

Part of Mr. Froehlich team's unique design was to combine a new buoyant material called syntactic foam with hollow metal spheres to build the vessel. Confident in his design Harold even participated in one the first test dives made in 1964 near Woods Hole, Mass. -- "to the great depth of 27 feet," he later said. Years later Mr. Froehlich told Minnesota Public Radio that winning the bid to design and build Alvin was an astonishing feat, because the Navy initially "was skeptical about a Wheaties company designing a submarine."

With Vine and Navy officer Charles B. Momsen Jr son of "Swede" Momsen., Mr. Froehlich received the 1989 Elmer A. Sperry Award for "the invention, development and deployment of the deep diving submarine, Alvin." The award is sponsored by prominent engineering societies.

After leaving General Mills Mr. Froehlich went on to work for the 3M company, designing surgical equipment and retiring in 1989.

Harold "Bud" Froehich died this past week at the age of 82. An engineer at a food company who designed one of the worlds most famous deep-sea submersibles.

Tribute to the Lost Boats of WWII

2007-05-24T22:50:00.000-04:00

During WWII the US Submarine Service lost 52 Submarines, 375 Officers and 3,131 Enlisted Men.

The United States submarine service represented only 1.6% of Navy personnel at the time but suffered the highest percentage of casualties within any of the services; a casualty rate of about 22 percent. They also exacted a terrible price on the enemy accounting for 55% of all the Japanese ships sunk; this included a full third of the Japanese Imperial Navy.

Typically the loss of Submarine included the loss of the entire crew...

I put together this video as a 2007 Memorial Day tribute to those still on "Eternal Patrol".

The Final Patrol

Lord, this departed shipmate with dolphins on his chest is part of an outfit known as the best.

Make him welcome and take him by the hand. You'll find without a doubt he was the best in all the land.

So, heavenly Father add his name to the roll of our dear departed shipmates still on patrol.

Let him know that we who survive will always keep their memories alive.

Poem from COMSUBPAC Lost Boats web site

USS Scorpion (SSN-589) - 39 years ago

2007-05-22T21:34:00.000-04:00

Posted so we do not forget that the dangers of the sea and how the service of submariners during hot wars and cold conflicts can exact a toll that still remains a mystery.

USS Scorpion SSN-589 (US Navy photo)
Photo location was Naples Italy and was taken a little over 1 month before her loss.

The following officers and men were lost with Scorpion (SSN-589).

Officers	Chief Petty Officers
Commander Francis Atwood Slattery, Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander David B. Lloyd, Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander Daniel P. Stephens Lieutenant John Patrick Burke Lieutenant George Patrick Farrin, Lieutenant Robert Walter Flesch Lieutenant William Clarke Harwi Lieutenant Charles Lee Lamberth Lieutenant John C. Sweet Lieutenant (j.g.) James W. Forrester, Jr. Lieutenant (j.g.) Michael A. Odening Lieutenant (j.g.) Laughton D. Smith	TMC Walter William Bishop, Chief of the Boat (COB) MMC(SS) Robert Eugene Bryan RMC(SS) Garlin Ray Denney RMCS(SS) Robert Johnson MMCS(SS) Richard Allen Kerntke QMCS(SS) Frank Patsy Mazzuchi EMC(SS) Daniel Christopher Peterson HMC(SS) Lynn Thompson Saville ETC(SS) George Elmer Smith, Jr. YNCS(SS) Leo Williazm Weinbeck MMC(SS) James Mitchell Wells
Enlisted Men
FTG3(SS) Keith Alexander M. Allen IC2 Thomas Edward Amtower MM2 George Gile Annable FN(SS) Joseph Anthony Barr, Jr. RM2(SS) Michael Jon Bailey IC3 Michael Reid Blake MM1(SS) Robert Harold Blocker MM2(SS) Kenneth Ray Brocker MM1(SS) James K. Brueggeman RMSN Daniel Paul Burns, Jr. IC2(SS) Ronald Lee Byers MM2(SS) Douglas Leroy Campbell MM3(SS) Samuel J. Cardullo MM2(SS) Francis King Carey SN Gary James Carpenter MM1(SS) Robert Lee Chandler MM1(SS) Mark Helton Christiansen SD1(SS) Romeo Constantino MM1(SS) Robert James Cowan SD1(SS) Joseph Cross FA Michael Edward Dunn ETR2 Richard Philip Engelhart FTGSN William Ralph Fennick IC3(SS) Vernon Mark Foli SN Ronald Anthony Frank CSSN(SS) Michael David Gibson IC2 Steven Dean Gleason STS2(SS) Michael Edward Henry SK1(SS) Larry Leroy Hess ETR1(SS) Richard Curtis Hogeland MM1(SS) John Richard Houge EM2 Ralph Robert Huber TM2(SS) Harry David Huckelberry EM3 John Frank Johnson IC3(SS) Steven Leroy Johnson QM2(SS) Julius Johnston, III FN Patrick Charles Kahanek TM2(SS) Donald Terry Karmasek ETR3(SS) Rodney Joseph Kipp MM3 Dennis Charles Knapp	MM1(SS) Max Franklin Lanier ET1(SS) John Weichert Livingston ETN2 Kenneth Robert Martin ET1(SS) Michael Lee McGuire TMSN Steven Charles Miksad TMSN Joseph Francis Miller, Jr. MM2(SS) Cecil Frederick Mobley QM1(SS) Raymond Dale Morrison QM3(SS) Dennis Paul Pferrer EM1(SS) Gerald Stanley Psopisil IC3 Donald Richard Powell MM2 Earl Lester Ray, Jr. CS1(SS) Jorge Luis Santana ETN2(SS) Richard George Schaffer SN William Newman Schoonover SN Phillip Allan Seifert MM2(SS) Robert Bernard Smith ST1(SS) Harold Robert Snapp, Jr. ETM2(SS) Joel Candler Stephens MM2(SS) David Burton Stone EM2 John Phillip Sturgill YN3 Richard Norman Summers TMSN John Driscoll Sweeney, Jr. ETM2(SS) James Frank Tindol, III CSSN Johnny Gerald Veerhusen TM3 Robert Paul Violeiti ST3 Ronald James Voss FTG1(SS) John Michael Wallace MM1(SS) Joel Kurt Watkins MMFN Robert Westley Watson TM2 James Edwin Webb SN Ronald Richard Williams MM3 Robert Alan Willis IC1(SS) Virgil Alexander Wright, III TM1(SS) Donald H. Yarsbrough ETR2(SS) Clarence Otto Young, Jr.

Officers

Chief Petty Officers

Commander Francis Atwood Slattery,
Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Commander David B. Lloyd,
Executive Officer
Lieutenant Commander Daniel P. Stephens
Lieutenant John Patrick Burke
Lieutenant George Patrick Farrin,
Lieutenant Robert Walter Flesch
Lieutenant William Clarke Harwi
Lieutenant Charles Lee Lamberth
Lieutenant John C. Sweet
Lieutenant (j.g.) James W. Forrester, Jr.
Lieutenant (j.g.) Michael A. Odening
Lieutenant (j.g.) Laughton D. Smith

TMC Walter William Bishop,
Chief of the Boat (COB)
MMC(SS) Robert Eugene Bryan
RMC(SS) Garlin Ray Denney
RMCS(SS) Robert Johnson
MMCS(SS) Richard Allen Kerntke
QMCS(SS) Frank Patsy Mazzuchi
EMC(SS) Daniel Christopher Peterson
HMC(SS) Lynn Thompson Saville
ETC(SS) George Elmer Smith, Jr.
YNCS(SS) Leo Williazm Weinbeck
MMC(SS) James Mitchell Wells

Enlisted Men

FTG3(SS) Keith Alexander M. Allen
IC2 Thomas Edward Amtower
MM2 George Gile Annable
FN(SS) Joseph Anthony Barr, Jr.
RM2(SS) Michael Jon Bailey
IC3 Michael Reid Blake
MM1(SS) Robert Harold Blocker
MM2(SS) Kenneth Ray Brocker
MM1(SS) James K. Brueggeman
RMSN Daniel Paul Burns, Jr.
IC2(SS) Ronald Lee Byers
MM2(SS) Douglas Leroy Campbell
MM3(SS) Samuel J. Cardullo
MM2(SS) Francis King Carey
SN Gary James Carpenter
MM1(SS) Robert Lee Chandler
MM1(SS) Mark Helton Christiansen
SD1(SS) Romeo Constantino
MM1(SS) Robert James Cowan
SD1(SS) Joseph Cross
FA Michael Edward Dunn
ETR2 Richard Philip Engelhart
FTGSN William Ralph Fennick
IC3(SS) Vernon Mark Foli
SN Ronald Anthony Frank
CSSN(SS) Michael David Gibson
IC2 Steven Dean Gleason
STS2(SS) Michael Edward Henry
SK1(SS) Larry Leroy Hess
ETR1(SS) Richard Curtis Hogeland
MM1(SS) John Richard Houge
EM2 Ralph Robert Huber
TM2(SS) Harry David Huckelberry
EM3 John Frank Johnson
IC3(SS) Steven Leroy Johnson
QM2(SS) Julius Johnston, III
FN Patrick Charles Kahanek
TM2(SS) Donald Terry Karmasek
ETR3(SS) Rodney Joseph Kipp
MM3 Dennis Charles Knapp

MM1(SS) Max Franklin Lanier
ET1(SS) John Weichert Livingston
ETN2 Kenneth Robert Martin
ET1(SS) Michael Lee McGuire
TMSN Steven Charles Miksad
TMSN Joseph Francis Miller, Jr.
MM2(SS) Cecil Frederick Mobley
QM1(SS) Raymond Dale Morrison
QM3(SS) Dennis Paul Pferrer
EM1(SS) Gerald Stanley Psopisil
IC3 Donald Richard Powell
MM2 Earl Lester Ray, Jr.
CS1(SS) Jorge Luis Santana
ETN2(SS) Richard George Schaffer
SN William Newman Schoonover
SN Phillip Allan Seifert
MM2(SS) Robert Bernard Smith
ST1(SS) Harold Robert Snapp, Jr.
ETM2(SS) Joel Candler Stephens
MM2(SS) David Burton Stone
EM2 John Phillip Sturgill
YN3 Richard Norman Summers
TMSN John Driscoll Sweeney, Jr.
ETM2(SS) James Frank Tindol, III
CSSN Johnny Gerald Veerhusen
TM3 Robert Paul Violeiti
ST3 Ronald James Voss
FTG1(SS) John Michael Wallace
MM1(SS) Joel Kurt Watkins
MMFN Robert Westley Watson
TM2 James Edwin Webb
SN Ronald Richard Williams
MM3 Robert Alan Willis
IC1(SS) Virgil Alexander Wright, III
TM1(SS) Donald H. Yarsbrough
ETR2(SS) Clarence Otto Young, Jr.

The Alvin On-Line Simulator

2007-05-20T22:54:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wanted to pilot a submersible into the depths of the Ocean?

Not many of us will ever get that chance but if a cyber-space version will pass then check out the Woods Hole Oceanographic Insititution's Alvin Simulator. Used as a training tool for scientists it has standalone session mode as well as a joined session mode for collaborative missions.

(Screen shot of Alvin simulator.)

WHOI website provides this description as to the use of the simulator:

"In addition to full mission planning for WHOI scientists, the Alvin simulator was intended to provide applicability as a public relations tool so that users at home would be able to find out about WHOI research.

One of the sumulator's outstanding features is its full functionality as a stand-alone session once the interface is downloaded. All the meters and devices reflect real data that is calculated by the underlying algorithms. Furthermore, scientists as well as public users are allowed to collaborate in teams of up to three persons - just as in the real Alvin cockpit where a team consists of one pilot and two scientists.

Every member's actions in a joined session will influence the virtual dive and will be reflected on all the remote team members displays. In addition, an optional chat tool was provided for communication and surveillance purposes. Since scientists might be separated, the simulator is configured for distributive network-based session management which is supported by a Java 1.3 servlet."

There is a link on the site to an instructional video.

You won't be shooting sea monsters, this is primarily a technical training tool full of device controls and system gages used for mission tasks rehearsals.

If the simulator is to techie for you then here is some video footage from Alvin at a depth of 7644 feet.

Scientists do get excited when they see something unusual or unexpected, such as a lake at the bottom of the ocean.

Blog Changes

2007-05-19T19:55:00.001-04:00

Thought it was time for some updating. Changes will be on-going for a few days.

Women, Guitars and Submarine Acoustics

2007-05-16T21:33:00.000-04:00

Could the video be a valid argument to have women on submarines?

Artist: Mia Johnson - Style: Folk/Rock - Song Title: Sailor
Here's another sample of her music.

Submarines not the place for a low cut evening dress, except if you're the XO on halfway night. But as long as its a museum like the USS Ling I'm all for "Women, Guitars an Submarine Acoustics".

What's in a Name - Honor the Monitor

2007-05-06T21:25:00.000-04:00

If you follow the submarine blogs you'll see the topic of ship naming surface now and again. There is usually a debate on the best names for submarines which range from fish to States to historic leaders such as Presidents.

There is now a movement to have one of the new Virginia class attack submarines named after a famous naval vessel of the civil war, Lincoln's secret weapon, the USS Monitor.

USS Monitor vs CSS Virginia (Source: National Archives)

The introduction of the innovative USS Monitor could be argued as the end of sailing warships and the beginning of the big iron warships domination of Naval efforts for the next 100 years.

The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable has started a grassroots campaign to have the memory of the USS Monitor honored "For the sake of history, tradition, and symmetry".

USS Virginia "Monitor?" (Photo Source: US Navy)

Now if only the Navy could put a naval rail gun turret in the sail the "USS Monitor" name would be a sure thing. ;-)

Sub arrives for Fleet week in South Florida

2007-04-30T21:31:00.000-04:00

News Video: USS Memphis Arrives at Port Everglades

The USS Memphis arrives for Fleet week in Southern Florida.

Why do reporters always seemed to be fixated on creature comforts, like personal hygiene and sleeping arrangements?

Next report high drama with mess cooking and movie night.

Additional unedited video: Surface transit to port.

Update 5/2/07: A much better report on the USS Memphis while they're in port for fleet week. Disregard the previous snarky comment on mess cooking and movie night.

NAVY - it's not just a job, it's a musical video adventure!

2007-04-26T20:36:00.000-04:00

Official - Accelerate Your Life

Unofficial - Ha Ya Ya

Long skimmer deployments in the hot Middle Eastern sun will do that to you, I guess.

Most of my deployments were in the cold deep Atlantic, different time, different adversary, different music.

The Bonefish Fire - recommend read

2007-04-25T00:13:00.000-04:00

xformed at ChaoticSynapticActivity has an excellent piece on the USS Bonefish (SS582) fire in 1988. Lots of first hand accounts of the rescue efforts by the USS Carr (FFG52).

USS Bonefish (SS582)
(Photo credit: Navsource.org - Courtesy of Paul Perris, CSG-7 retired)

The Bonefish was one of the B-Girls: USS Barbel (SS580), USS Blueback (SS581) and the USS Bonefish (SS582). In 1980 I took a tour on the one of the B-Girls in Norfolk while I was at NAVET C school in Damn Neck, Va. I thought she was a Nuke until the crewmember showing me the boat said otherwise.

Затопленный = SUBMERGED; SUNKEN

2007-04-18T21:19:00.000-04:00

A New England nor'easter sank the Russian Juliett 484 museum submarine today.
The news reported as of yesterday 4/17 that the boat was taking on water aft.

Juliett 484 Summer 2006 (Photo by Lubbers Line)
Then local news today 4/18 had this report on the sinking.

Specifications
Type: Guided Missile Submarine
Class: Project 651 (NATO designation Juliett)
Launched: 11 March 1965
At: Krasnaya Sormova Works, Gorky, Russia
Commissioned: 31 October 1965
Length: 297 feet
Beam: 32 feet, 10 inches
Draft: 23 feet
Displacement: 3,174 tons (surfaced)
Currently - 4,137 tons (submerged)

Juliett 484 April 18, 2007 (Photo by Lubbers Line)
(Click on photo for a larger view)

I volunteered for a while at the sub museum and it was a sad sight when I stopped by today and took the above photo. She wasn't water-tight having been modified with access doors in the forward and aft torpedo compartments. The hatches were the oval surface ship type that could be dogged shut. Because of the subs age the ballast tanks were a constant maintenance issue requiring repairs to sections where they were rusting through.

Today I spoke to the Duty Officer from the Sunday before Monday's storm; he felt the boat was in good shape to ride out the storm when he left. The problem was that the city closed the hurricane barrier adjecent to the sub for the storm surge. The storm surge caused the sub to ride high on its mooring lines and shift in its normal berth. When the water receded the bow rested high on a shoal area and the stern sank deeper. As I recall the aft ballast tanks were the ones in worst shape and the free flood area aft below the superstructure has lots of areas for water to collect. We always had to pump these pockets out after a big rain.

Once the stern water level reached the access hatch the aft torpedo room started to slowly flood. As evidanced in the photo the boat is now on the bottom at the pier and the Coast Guard has ordered the area closed off to visitors. The mooring lines are stressed to the breaking point and one has already parted. A salvage company was on-site evaluating the effort required to re-float her.

Let's just hope that with all submarines surfacing equal dives.

Headline of the Day

2007-04-11T20:17:00.000-04:00

From the Wired News Blog: Navy Chief to Shipbuilders: You Suck!

Has a sort of blue collar shipyard ring to it, don't you think?

Iran's Territorial Duplicity - back story

2007-04-08T00:02:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows the story by now of the Iranian capture and eventual release of the 15 British sailors and Marines. But the back story or real story I believe is that the Iranians have been acting agressively and the Brits and Americas have been keeping close watch on them. A little news video timeline to demonstrate:

1) Iran back in Feb was violating Iraqi waters in runs to Iraq's main oil export terminal.

So they are asked to leave Iraq's waters with no repercussions but we're left wondering what there up to.

2) Iran's forces a month later ambush and take 15 Brit Naval personnel hostage.

First the Iranians say they don't want to escalate the situation, but immediately make the Sailors and Marines political pawns.

3) Finally the 15 Brits are released.

Framed by the first and last news video stories you can see that the Brits were oviously watching the Iranians closely. They were also doing their duty in protecting the Iraqi oil facilities and looking for smugglers.

To me the Iranians only managed to raise suspicions of there activities even further despite their, all is forgiven, politically calculated pardon.

As for the conduct of the Brit sailors while captive, different topic and no comment.

Australian Submarine Crew Retention Trouble

2007-03-27T22:16:00.000-04:00

The Australian Navy has been having some submarine crew retention problems lately and the government has a solution.

(Source: AU Navy Photo -Collins Class)

From the theage.com.au: Defence to get big spending boost

The Federal Government is planning a huge increase in defence spending to overcome deficiencies in areas such as the submarine service.

Defence sources say the money, to be made available in the May budget, will be used to recruit thousands more defence personnel and offer incentives for existing staff to stay.

Numbers in the submarine service are 25 to 30 per cent below requirements. As a result, the number of days at sea per boat has been cut from a planned 127 this year to 87.

Sources said the navy was having problems retaining WA-based submarine crew members, who were being offered $135,000 to work in the private sector, particularly in the mining industry, almost double their usual pay.

The situation has become so serious that defence is "cold calling" former submarine crews and asking them to return.

Although increases in pay and retention bonuses are an incentive it doesn't help when your only Submarine Rescue system the Remora has been sitting at the bottom of ocean off Western Australia's Rottnest Island since December. I blogged a little about the Remora's problems here back in September 2005.

To the North Pole

2007-03-17T23:13:00.000-04:00

A couple of interesting news items recently relating to the submarines operating at and under the north pole.

First TheSubReport links to an article about the upcoming Ice Exercise 2007 (ICEX-2007). Submarine Force Announces This Year's Ice Exercise Participants

(USS Salt Lake City (SSN 716} north pole 2006 - US Navy Photo)

The USS ALEXANDRIA (SSN 757), home ported in Groton, Conn. will particapate with a Royal Navy Trafalgar class submarine in classified arctic operations in March and April 2007. But if you're not a submariner on SSN 757 or that un-named Royal Navy Trafalgar class submarine you can still reach and submerge at the north pole either this summer or in 2008.

A group called Deep Ocean Expeditions ,that operates science expeditions using the Russian MIR submersibles and support ships, is planning the first ever descent to the Amundsen Plain on the ocean floor of the north pole. From a Russian new service Russian Submersible To Reach 5 Km Depth.

(Russian MIR Submersible - NOAA Photo)

Here is the link to the expedition website "Submersible Dive to the Real North Pole". It's a little rich for me at $80,000USD to dive in the MIR to a 14,500 feet depth at the north pole. As a non-diver it will cost $15,000 to stay aboard the support ship for the duration of the expedition. A lot cheaper than the Russian equivalent to space tourism.

It is a once a lifetime event and an adventure in making history riding a nuclear icebreaker to the north pole and diving in a submersible to the bottom on the arctic ocean at the top of the world.

(Gulf of Alaska seamounts 2002 - NOAA & WHOI Alvin Submersible Video)

The closest I could find to wet the appetite for deep sea exploration is the above video from the Gulf of Alaska.

If anyone wants to fund a blogger on the Expedition I'm willing to go and write about the experience. I'll try not to say it was "way cool".

First Day Back

2007-03-16T20:54:00.000-04:00

I've been away from the Submarine Blogosphere for a few months and have missed it. Not to take things too seriously I thought this was appropriate. Enjoy...

And Admiral Stupid on the T-shirt is not my doing, so from one bubblehead to another no disrespect intended.

Navy over UConn 41-17

2006-10-01T13:48:00.000-04:00

Damn I missed it, got invited by one of my USSVI friends to go see the Navy - UConn game and took the kids apple picking instead.

Oh well dad duty has its own reward - Fresh Apple Pie!

A New Army College Program?

2006-09-27T22:19:00.000-04:00

When the U.S. Army airs recruiting commercials they usually say something about earning money for college or getting quality training you can get no where else. This usually requires some level of commitment of service to get that education benefit, fair enough. But Captain Mary Hanna of the Army Reserve seems to be trying a creative way of getting that education benefit without the service obligation.

From the Boston Globe Doctor's call-up by Army is Halted

The US Army paid $184,000 for Mary Hanna to go to Tufts University School of Medicine for four years, and in exchange she agreed to serve four years of active duty and another four in the reserve after becoming a doctor.

But just before Christmas, as she was nearing the end of her anesthesiology residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Hanna, 30, of Somerville notified the Army that her religious beliefs were now ``incompatible with military service."

Mary says she rediscovered her religion as a devout Coptic Orthodox Christian and "cannot participate in war in any form.". She is asking to be discharged as a conscientious objector. But the Army is not sending her to Iraq or Afghanistan no she is to be stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Of course the Army Reserve Captain and her lawyer say she's willing to pay back the $184,000 government investment in her education. Not that a qualified anesthesiologist in the Boston healthcare market would have much trouble with paying that back in a couple of years.

What I don't understand is how a doctor who took a Hippocratic oath and knew that joining the Army would mean treating injured soldiers in wartime could all of a sudden find both in opposision to her faith at the very moment she get orders to report for duty. Timing seems odd to me.

I think that Ms Hanna needs to take a lesson from the life of another conscientious objector, Desmond Doss, WWII U.S Army Medic and Congressional Metal of Honor recipcient.

Citation: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. He was a company aid man when the lst Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them 1 by 1 to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.

Desmond Doss was a devout member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and refused to kill or carry a gun. Mr. Doss died earlier this year

Read War Hero Without a Gun to understand the true meaning of a conscientious objector and how religious beliefs can be compatible with military service.

Ms Hanna put whatever political beliefs you have aside and look to your faith and medical oath to fill your obligations. In refusing to serve you are waging war against those who protect your freedom to be a conscientious objector.

Soviet AGIs and DASOs Remembered

2006-09-25T22:13:00.000-04:00

A little news film entertainment for us old Boomer weenies.

Yes, the Soviet AGIs were a pain in the butt back then. Station the AGI tracking party, and remember no ship's ball caps topside.

NIE Intel and motivated Terrorists

2006-09-24T21:57:00.000-04:00

Tom Barnett blogs on the recent debate generated by the Washington Post and NYT reporting of now Iraq is making us less safe.

"This analysis is typical intell stuff: obvious, useless, and playing into a do-nothing mind-set that here says, "Do nothing to piss off the terrorists!"

Duh! When we engage the security situation--any security situation--in the Middle East, we piss off (and create more) terrorists. We do it when we're pro-active, like in Iraq. We do it when we're passive, like our military support to Israel. And we do it when we're behind the scenes, like our intell co-op with regimes throughout the region.

So it's never been a question of whether or not we piss off terrorists (who live to be pissed off, and when there's not enough going on, they'll get jacked over a film (e.g., Van Gogh), a book (Rushdie), a speech (Benedict)--whatever)."

Capitan Ed at Captain Quarters also argues that the conclusion reached "makes the classic logical fallacy of confusing correlation with causation" citing how "Islamist radicalism didn't just start expanding in 2003" and concludes by saying "fighting terrorists and upsetting their plans for regional domination will make them mad".

Then the Counterterroism blog notes that "The 1997 NIE, the last one before the 9/11 attacks on global terrorism, mentioned bin Laden in only three sentences as a "terrorist financier" and didn't reference al-Qaeda at all". So much for historical credibility.

This debate won't get political will it?

Deployed

2006-09-23T23:42:00.000-04:00

“Deployed” in a word that is what I’ve felt like over the last few months and why I’ve been absent from this blog since early July. Deployed also describes the software I’ve been the Project Manager (PM) for during that time as well. Let me explain my analogy to a submarine deployment and work environment.

My experience running a software project and outsourcing the development work to off-shore (India) has been a bit like being at sea, long hours under difficult conditions. Typically I worked a 12 to 18 hour day with, on average, four hours of sleep. On a good day I could go down for six, on a bad day it was about two hours in the rack. Muster for the India developer team was 11:00 pm EST (8:30 IST Bangalore) with a 1 hour conference call. Action items from that call resulted in another one to two hours of work for me and setting the day’s priorities for the developers. Roll out of the rack at 06:30 to be on watch at the client site at 07:30 am.

Each day at my client’s site involved a standard set of work expectations interrupted by a set of disaster drills. The delivered software would either blowup, meltdown or some sort of anomaly would occur to make me wish the previous deployment of the software was my last. The reality was I had a job to do and the client and my boss were dependent on me to drive through the issues and finish.

The primary responsibility I had as the PM was to ensure that the deliverables; specifications, U/I design prototypes and finally the production software were completed on time and on budget. It didn’t happen and went over on time and budget. Although I was impressed by the work ethic of my team in India, they were constantly delinquent “dink” on my project milestones. Walkthroughs of the specifications from the off-shore team required two to five passes before the client would signoff. The business knowledge and quality control of my off-shore team became a major concern. I eventually was standing in as a Business Analyst, QA Engineer and Technical Writer in addition to the PM role I signed on for. Not where I wanted to be on a fixed bid contract that had lost its entire on-site technical staff to another larger project.

Then a real causality happened. Leaving station and heading back to home port one evening I had a head on collision when another driver who decided that with limited visibility he would chance crossing two lanes of city traffic during rush hour. His gamble with a left hand turn in front of a stopped truck resulted in me finding my air bags deployed and not knowing what had just happened.

That coincided with the low point in the project. User Acceptance Testing UAT was ongoing and the level of software bugs was excessive.

Things tuned around when I as able to get my on-site technical team back from the other project. These guys put the extra effort forward to get the project back on track doing midnight calls with me and the developers in India and working extra hours at the client’s site. We identified inefficiencies and errors in the developed code and communicated them back to the off-shore developers.

Working with a team of qualified people started to become fun again. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not down on Indian programmers, two of my best on-site resources were from India. But my first deployment involving off-shore developed software created some hard lessons learned about capabilities and managing a project of this type.

Word to the wise; be prepared for some rough water when you’re deployed to a different ocean.

It’s good to be back. - LL

Participating in a Tradition

2006-07-08T21:40:00.000-04:00

This past week I had the honor to participate in the oldest Fourth of July parade in the country, the 221st Bristol 4th of July parade in Bristol, RI. I volunteered to drive some of my Subvet friends in the parade. Here's a little photo essay of my day with some shipmates.
(Click on each Photo for a larger view)

My vehicle in its dress red white and blues and ready for patrol.

Lead unit for the SUBVETS contingent with its hybrid boat model in tow.

One of the senior WWII Subvets and wife in attendance.
He served aboard the USS Batfish SS-310 during a number of War patrols including the patrol where they pulled a hat trick and sank three Japanese subs in three consecutive days during their sixth war patrol.

RI Senator Jack Reed and Representative Patrick Kennedy were there talking to the assembled veteran groups.

Midshipmen mustering in the hot sun before the parade.

Of course, the Air Force unit is mustering in the shade.

Marine color guard ready for action.

Unknown military unit. By the look of the uniforms possibly from Europe?

Three corner hat types were in abundance.

Marching bands in our staging area were too many to count.

Time for the Subvets to man battle stations.

Preparing to get underway!

I'm at the rudder and staying in the baffles, my elder Subvets taking point in front of our lead vehicle.

Don't give up the ship flag decorating the house above, point taken.

The sign in the photo above reads:
"America Home of the Free and Protected by the Brave"
Many people along the parade route had hand-made signs like the one above others just applauded us and said thank you.

There were only six of us US Submarine Veterans in attendance, one WWII veteran, three Diesel boat veterans, and two cold war Nuke boat veterans. We all had great day celebrating the founding of this great country.

The Science of Invertebrates

2006-06-30T21:33:00.000-04:00

Al Gore could be the solution to global warming, WHOI knew!

The inconvenient truth is we humans don't know everything, including atmospheric and oceanic cycles. New findings are made every day that reinforce or refute Al's current enviromental crusade. Mr. Gore seems to think that man is the cause of and can do something about the approximately one degree increase +-.4 degrees in global temperatures over the last century.

BTW, I really don't think Al Gore is a semi-transparent, barrel-shaped marine animal. At least the marine animal part.

In the Rain - Fly Navy

2006-06-27T20:25:00.000-04:00

Every year I take my son to the Rhode Island National Guard Air Show at Quonset Point, RI. Each year we get to stroll through the static displays of aircraft, eat greasy carnival style food and watch aerobatic and demonstration flights. The climax of the air show is either the Navy's Blue Angles or the Air Force Thunderbirds in alternate years. The Air Show was ths past weekend and this year it was the Thunderbirds turn.

Weather is a big factor for the success of the Air Show, light winds and clear skies being ideal. Not so this year though, we had fog, a constant light rain and a low cloud ceiling. At most I expected to see only the small diehard aerobatic planes flying and no jets.

By the time my son and I got there the crowd was mostly aircraft enthusiasts in ponchos hoping for the skies to clear, which didn't happen.

The RI National Guard put on a great show with their C-130Js, Blackhawks and Special Forces demonstrating short takeoffs, landing with combat team insertions.

U.S. Air Force Photo of a Navy F-18

At the end of the day the only thing left was the jets, lot of nice Air Force hardware A-10s, F-16s, etc. but no, weather was too marginal and the ceiling to low at a few hundred feet.

The only jet to venture out and into the heavy soup air was a single U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet and he did a killer low level show. The entire time the F-18 did it low level passes down the runway it was bleeding vapor the air was that thick with water. A good 30% of the time the aircraft was barely visible in the clouds. Twice he came close to if not breaking the sound barrier with the classic sphere of vapor around the leading edge of the wings accompanied by a small BOOM!, way cool!

Where was the Air Force? Back in the hanger.

FLY NAVY.....

Where is Your SSN Floating Off To?

2006-06-24T22:22:00.000-04:00

That's the Social Security Number SSN!

Not only does the VA have cyber security problems but now its the Navy who has Sailor's SSNs and personal information floating around the internet.

From a Wired News piece today: Sailors' Data Posted on the Web

WASHINGTON -- The Navy has begun a criminal investigation after Social Security numbers and other personal data for 28,000 sailors and family members were found on a civilian website.

The Navy said Friday the information was in five documents and included people's names, birth dates and Social Security numbers. Navy spokesman Lt. Justin Cole would not identify the website or its owner, but said the information had been removed. He would not provide any details about how the information ended up on the site.

If the warships side of the Navy leaked like the administrative side we'd have a lot of iron resting on the bottom. So who discovered the leak of information on Navy personnel to the internet, the operational Navy of course.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating the breach. The initial discovery was made by the Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command, which routinely monitors the internet for such problems.

Who in the government is in charge of cyber security anyway, anyone, anyone? Apparently the federal government is aware that Identity Theft can be a costly and serious problem, imagine if the victim held a security clearance.

Two Sailors - My Dad and Me

2006-06-18T00:02:00.000-04:00

I'm a Navy brat; my birth certificate is from the U.S Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan and my father was career Navy enlisted. Even though both my dad and I served in the U.S. Navy we had completely different experiences. You see my father was a Seabee and I was a Submariner. He served 22 years as a CE Construction Electrician and I did six as an ET Electronics Technician. He was in the hot end of the cold war, Korean War and three tours in Vietnam; I was in cold end doing strategic deterrent patrols in the dark reaches of the Atlantic.

Near the end of the Vietnam War my parents separated and my dad retired from the Navy. He later remarried a beautiful lady from the Philippines and they had three daughters. Dad is in his 70s now fully retired from a second 30 year career in civil service and I rarely get to see him.

My childhood memory of my dad is of a man who was tough as nails, a John Wayne in The Fighting Seabees kind of character, as corny as that sounds. In those days dad didn't like to repeat himself, he told you to do something once and expected it to be done. If you asked him a question and his answer was no, it had a distinctly military even Marine drill instructor sound to it. "Negative son the geedunk is off limits till after dinner."

Dad rarely talks about his Navy career and the two wars he served during even though he had a chest full of ribbons, and a sleeve length of gold four year service strips. But while I was in the Navy I did get him to tell me a couple of Seabee sea stories, probably during a one of my visits between duty stations.

Two stories my dad told me was how he was slightly wounded twice in Korea. Once on foot patrol of a reportedly cleared area he had a North Korean soldier jump him from behind and put a bayonet to his throat. He reacted quickly by thrusting his head back and catching his assailant on the bridge of the nose with the back of his helmet. This reaction stunned them long enough for my dad to use his bayonet on and kill the North Korean "woman" soldier. It only took a few stitches of a needle and thread from a sewing kit to close the several inch long cut on his throat, he still has the scar to this day.

The other time he was injured was during a mortar attack. He was working on a generator barge when the attack started. He fell to the deck with his hand between the barge and dock. The concussion of one of the mortar rounds pushed the dock and barge together crushing my dad's thumb in the process. That injury is also still visible today.

The only Vietnam story my dad told me was this. During the Tet offensive the Vietcong had penetrated the parameter of the air base he was working at. My dad was on the roof of a building with a young Marine who had been in country for only a month or so. One of the Vietcong had managed to get on the building's roof and was approaching my dad and the Marine when my dad's 45 jammed. The green Marine froze and didn't react, my dad had to take the Marine's M-16 and kill the enemy before their position was overrun.

Writing this it's hard to believe my dad did these things; he has mellowed considerably over the years. It's been a while, but I seem to recall at least one Presidential Unit Citation in his ribbons but have never got any stories relating to his awards. No Purple Heart though, he talked his CO out of putting him up for the hand injury because he felt it was his own stupidity that caused it.

My service was not as gritty as my dad's, it was technical and tedious. The dangers I faced in the 1980s on SSBNs were less individual and more operational. We were chased by the Soviets a few times but knew that by then it was a game of information gathering and tracking. To go hostile on an operation SSBN meant the unthinkable was happening.

Stealth, being on station and operational readiness was the name of our game and we did it well. The stories I have to tell my son are ones computational calculations of Lat and Long, of pounds per square inch of sea pressure and weapons readiness drills.

You didn't make rate in the Seabees as fast as the technical rates did a decade later, both my father and I ended our Navy service as E6s. But in my eyes Dad will always get my respect for his service and his commitment as a Navy man.

Happy Fathers Day.

Damage Control Soccer

2006-06-14T00:02:00.000-04:00

What if World Cup Soccer was played in the DC trainer.

Sub watching season in Southern New England

2006-06-05T22:12:00.000-04:00

Had this sitting over my desk for years and it always gave me chuckle when it became the post memorial day tourist season here in Southern New England.

If you don't get the joke run down this list and check out items #9 and #11. Number nine is where I live and number 11 is close to where a far amount of HY-80/100 is berthed. -LL

Video - Subs in action

2006-06-02T23:23:00.000-04:00

Yaaa Yaa, I know Lubber is doing that video thing again!

This one has been around for a while but I still think it's cool...

Memorial Day 2006 - Remembering Submariners

2006-05-29T14:45:00.000-04:00

According to the Department of Veteran Affairs we are losing our WWII veterans at a rate of over 1,000 a day. As with every generation that is tested by conflict the men and women of that generation have much to pass along to those who follow. Today in parades and ceremonies throughout this country these walking pages of history demonstrate a sense of honor, duty and commitment by remembering their follow shipmates and comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice. A sacrifice made in defense of the ideas and principles embodied by their country, The United States Of America.

This Memorial Day may be one of the last in which the U.S Submarine Force has any surviving Congressional Metal of Honor recipients, the remaining hero being Rear Admiral Eugene Bennett Fluckey who is currently struggling with a prolonged illness. The following are the recipients of the Congressional Metal of Honor while serving in the U.S Submarine Service.

WWI – Congressional Metal of Honor recipient
Torpedoman Second Class Henry Breault

WWII - Congressional Metal of Honor recipients
Captain John Cromwell (awarded posthumously)
Commander Sam Dealey (awarded posthumously)
Commander Eugene Fluckey
Commander Howard Gilmore (awarded posthumously)
Commander Richard O'Kane
Commander Lawson P. Ramage
Commander George Street

The above recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor are representative of the submariner’s heroism and sacrifice. We can document the sacrifice in sheer numbers of boats and men lost, but by the nature of submarine operations we can only speculate on their heroism, much of which is lost in the great ocean depths.

If you wish to get a sense of the commitment the U.S Submarine Force has shown in it’s 100 plus year history I recommend visiting the “On Eternal Patrol” website and browse through the both peacetime and wartime listings of both Lost Boats and Crews.

Much is owed to this a small segment of the military and Navy who remain on eternal patrol.

A Little Blog Maintenance

2006-05-22T22:43:00.000-04:00

If anyone really noticed I pulled the last post due to the overhead it took to load. I have a fast broadband connection and it took a painfully long time to load at times. It was a cool wave effect you could add to a picture but not worth the load time.

Updated my links to include The Cook Shack to my submariners blogroll.

Updated my link to Chaotic Synpatic Activity to his new site.

On a personal note I started a new job two weeks ago that requires me to travel a bit. I anticipate my blog and news reading to go down and subsequently posting will probably be about once a week at best. Maybe I can make put more effort into the weekly posts than my recent fascination with web video content.

Best - LL

Polaris Program - Book Find

2006-05-21T00:05:00.000-04:00

A couple of months back my wife after visiting her parents came home with a book her mother thought I would enjoy. The book is titled "Adventure in Partnership The Story of Polaris" and had a limited distribution when produced in the mid 1960s.

The book came from her grandfather "Pa" who worked for Electric Boat in Groton back in the 60s as a QA engineer. I helped clean out Pa's basement in Stonington, CT just before he passed away at age 92 about a year ago. His basement resembled a museum to machining. I wished I talked with him more about his career before he left us.

I thought the book contained many interesting photos inside, below is a letter I found inside and a tiny sample of the 250+ Polaris program photos.

Department of the Navy Letter I found in Pa's book.

Commander and Chief at the time enjoying himself

SSBN SINS ally - Brings back memories for this former NavET

Torpedomen hard at work - so that's why they call it a Torpedo Skid.

This was for Pa, you may not be here to read this, but thanks for your years of hard work that helped make me safe when I rode SSBNs. -LL

The Evil Empire - Redux

2006-05-13T00:11:00.000-04:00

This one is for my friend Ken heading to the 43rd International Submariners Convention starting in Moscow May 22 and ending in St Petersburg May 28.

Be safe comrade...

It's a MAD MAD Mullah's World

2006-05-10T23:14:00.000-04:00

I'm stealing the visual commentary idea from WillyShake at Unconsidered Trifles.

Would you trust the theocratic rulers of Iran with nuclear technology and potentially nuclear weapons?

I wouldn't, no matter how catchy a tune they play for the world!

Video - Bunch of Boomer Yo Yos

2006-05-08T22:25:00.000-04:00

Bothenook asked a question recently over at his blog "how did you keep your sanity underway?". In comments I said I enjoyed reading novels, others had different ways of dealing with the boredom of a long patrol.

Apparently if you're on the USS Maine (SSBN-741) patrols can make you go a little yoyo.

Iran’s Strait of Hormuz Submarine Strategy

2006-05-07T01:01:00.000-04:00

This week U.S. continues to try to corner Iran at the UN on its nuclear ambitions. Diplomatic maneuvers in the UN may bring about a resolution imposing sanctions and opening the option of military action. At issue is Iran’s continued defiance to end uranium enrichment a key step in acquiring the ability to produce nuclear weapons.

On April 11 Iranian leaders celebrated their successes in uranium enrichment with a ceremony that was oddly reminiscent cold war megalomaniac states antics, video link here. They even produced a soviet style propaganda film on April 12th touting the state’s nuclear projects, video link here.

Then on April 17 Iranian Army Chief of Joint Staff General Abdorrahim Musavi claimed the following on Iranian TV: "We make our submarines ourselves, and we make them in a way that will serve us in battle with the enemy... with America. In other words, these vessels are not the kind about which the other side gets information even before us. We work on equipment that is locally made, and which is compatible with our own tactics and training.” Memri.org video link here and found on YouTube below:

Indeed Austin Bay speculates on his blog that Iran’s main strategy, if U.S. military action should occur, is to shut down the strategic choke point Strait of Hormuz to shipping. Austin Bay questions possible tactic of an Iranian “submarine bastion” below:

A large torpedo hit below the waterline is a big threat. The US Navy has devoted a lot of thought and training time to countering Iran’s diesel submarines, including submarines operating from “submarine bastions.” A US Navy reader might send me an “official definition” of a sub bastion, but here’s my on-the-fly description. A sub bastion is an undersea area surrounded by mines and sensors, usually located in coastal waters. The sub hides inside the “bastion” — waiting to take a shot (with torpedoes or anti-ship missiles) at ships approaching the bastion or attempting to sweep the mines. A bastion-builder like Iran could site anti- aircraft missiles on land to protect the bastion from anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Yes– a sub inside a bastion is operating in a restricted space, but the sub is “quiet and floating” –making it more difficult to detect. The bastion-builder might even have a few “decoy” subs in the bastion — electronic devices or even ballasted metal tanks that fake a submarine’s operating signatures. The odds are very good that US Navy or Royal Navy anti-submarine hunters will eventually find and kill the sub inside the bastion; but the bastion defense makes the hunt riskier and potentially expensive. Sinking a US Navy capital ship gives Iran a propaganda victory. A slick diesel sub commander operating in a coastal bastion will undoubtedly have several “paths of retreat” to a cove or harbor. The gambit here would be to frustrate coalition sub hunters as long as possible, draw them into the bastion’s minefields, draw surface craft into an anti-ship missile ambush (or aircraft into a SAM ambush) then pull out and live to fight another day.
Just threatening to close the Straits spikes oil prices and raises marine insurance rates — which are diplomatic victories of a sort for Tehran’s mullahs.
When interviewed recently one W. Patrick Lang, formerly the chief Middle East analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency remarked of possible Iranian attempt to shut down the Strait of Hormuz “Iran might surprise the U.S. by sinking a tanker in the gulf or something and then the U.S. Navy would beat the bejesus out of them, but they could cause a spike in oil prices for a month or two”.

Conventional wisdom appears to be that in a hot conflict the Iranian submarine strategy of area denial would be a shot term propaganda victory at best but more likely a series of failed martyrdom operations. Surface and subsurface ASW operations could be difficult in the short term but given the operational constraints of Iran’s conventional submarines (endurance and range) time and technology would be in the U.S. Navy’s favor.

Urine the Navy Now or Not

2006-05-06T02:58:00.000-04:00

I start a new job on Monday and went for an employer drug screening last week. No big deal, but it brought back memories of random drug tests in the Navy. I must have filled a 55 gallon drum with piss during my service. OK maybe closer to 5 gallons but we were still tested a lot back in the 1980s, at least once a month when not on patrol and sometimes even then if patrol included a rare liberty port call.

The random testing usually went like this. Show up for muster one morning and everyone whose service number ended with some "randomly selected" set of numbers would be tested, both Officer and Enlisted. Although, sometimes random meant the whole crew was tested. The ship's Corpsman, some poor JO and an unlucky Chief would get the pee watch. If you were to be tested, but didn't have to go, you drank water until you did. Then in a carefully orchestrated dance of paperwork and head calls the deed was done. List your over the counter meds, sample signed and witnessed and off to the lab it went.

Some sailors complained that the tests were inaccurate and you could get "popped on the piss test" by a false positive. I remember lots of rumors like don't eat poppy seed muffins, take certain over the counter meds or attend music venues where you can't see the stage due to the smoke. But in reality you were safe if you didn't do drugs.

Getting busted meant Captain's Mast, loss of at least one pay grade, forfeiture of some remaining pay and of course banned from submarine duty. It was off to skimmer world for the pot head, usually with someone commenting, "Seaman Jones will be peeling potatoes on an oiler out of Adak in two weeks". A second offence on skimmers meant a dishonorable discharge and you could never get a security clearance, work for a defense contractor or the federal government. Although, sometimes the dishonorable could revert to a general discharge if the offending sailor had an otherwise clean record.

I saw some mediocre sailors go the way of urinalysis positives and some good sailors as well. But I could never understand why after working through sub school, pipeline schools, making rate and qualifying in submarines, someone could be so stupid. Literally they pissed all that work away, it made no sense. Maybe it was a cultural leftover from that whole me generation peace love hippy drug culture thing that happened in the late 60s early 70s I don't know.

On the positive side, during my service in the Navy I saw a steady decline in people coming up positive on the urinalysis to the point where it seemed extremely rare. That trend of declining use continued for 20 years from 1981 when testing started until about 2000 when drug use detected through testing started to again increase. I couldn't find any recent data so I don't know if any increased testing stopped or reversed the increases in drug use reported between 2000 and 2002. I also don't know if the stats were different for the submarine community, I think we were one of the first to be tested routinely.

Marijuana was the problem in 1980s but from the list of news on this site Ecstasy seems to be the big concern today.

Some people say it's somewhat degrading to submit to a drug urinalysis test, but so is taking off your shoes and opening your bags for the passenger screening of a commercial flight. After all we all can't be privileged U.S. Congressmen.

Lost Boats Memorial Service 4/29/06

2006-04-30T09:24:00.000-04:00

USSVI Rhode Island Base - honors lost submarines of the cold war with memorial service.

This past weekend I participated in a small memorial service for the submarines and crews lost during the cold war. The service was held aboard the Russian Juliett 484 (K-77) submarine museum in Providence RI.

Tolling of the bell was performed for both the USS Thresher (SSN-593) and USS Scorpion (SSN-589) as well as the Soviet submarines K-129, K-8, K-219, K-278 and the Russian submarine Kursk K-141.

Photos of our small tribute to those on eternal patrol.

"I believe it is the duty of every man to act as though the fate of the world depends on them. Surely no one man can do it all. But, one man CAN make a difference.

-- Adm. H.G. Rickover

"Submariners are a special brotherhood, either all come to the surface or no one does. On a submarine, the phrase all for one and one for all is not just a slogan, but reality.

-- VADM Rudolf Golosov of the Russian Navy

United States Submarine Veterans, Inc - Rhode Island Base

USS Batfish (SS-310) Museum - Boat Photos

2006-04-29T23:06:00.000-04:00

Boat photos from the USS Batfish (SS-310) Museum Muskogee, OK
(click on each photo for a larger view)

(All Photos Courtesy Don Bonn - USSVI Rhode Island Base)

Additional Info via external links:
The Offical USS Batfish (SS 310) Website

Naval Historical Center - USS Batfish (SS 310) page

Maritime Quest - USS Batfish (SS 310) page

Wikipeda entry on the USS Batfish (SS 310)

USS Batfish (SS-310) Museum - Walk of Honor

2006-04-29T21:46:00.000-04:00

Photos from the Walk of Honor USS Batfish (SS-310) Museum Muskogee, OK
(Click on each photo for a larger view)

Batfish Crew Memorial

Below are photos of the Walk of Honor, each of the 52 U.S. submarines loss in WWII is represented by a plaque.

Lost Boats Plaque

R-12 Plaque from the Walk of Honor
(All Photos courtesy of Don Bonn -USSVI Rhode Island Base)

Additional Info:
External link to the Batfish Memorial Foundation.

Entertainment for Nukes and Computer Geeks

2006-04-27T13:25:00.000-04:00

If you're a self-confessed computer geek or a closet one for that matter you'll probably enjoy this video.

Pipe Dream
Always wondered what free electrons do in a submarine reactor compartment after it's buttoned up and goes critical for the first time.

And for the real computer geeks who want a more pure experience go to this link.

No Thanks, I'll pass on the Submarine Sandwich!

2006-04-26T01:28:00.000-04:00

From Kitsapsun.com “Hunger Striker Protests Electric Boat Inspections”.

BREMERTON
A 43-year-old Bremerton man is entering the 30th day of a hunger strike today in hopes of prompting his former employer to address his concerns about inspection procedures.

Neil "Toby" Stanley was laid off in March after spending 18 years as an inspector and painter for Electric Boat, the Navy’s primary contractor for building submarines.

What is the former EB inspector’s “beef”? Stanley says "They’re playing a paperwork game of take it from one inspector and give it to another inspector." His apparent complaint is an ethics one in that he accuses the supervisors of allowing or even encouraging inspectors to sign off on “potentially” substandard work.

The article doesn’t detail what type of inspector Neil Stanley was or if he identified any specific work as substandard as part of his complaint. It does say that Mr. Stanley was a painter before becoming an inspector and then sometime after filing the complaint was transferred back to his old job as a painter. I’d be concerned here, if say, his background was as a radiographer, pipe-fitter or even machinist, but a painter. Was he a painting inspector? I’m inclined to believe that EB doesn’t make painters inspectors of SubSafe systems, especially if that inspector goes back to being a painter.

Where is the Union in all of this? This is the kind of stuff they eat up. Groton is unionized Quonset is not; don’t know about EB in Bremerton.

Additionally having been through new construction at EB Groton and part of the Navy’s own inspection process, I saw lots of un-sat and rework orders. The Navy has the ultimate buy off on systems. Don’t know if the standard is the same for conversion work.

Electric Boat’s spokesman Bob Hamilton said that EB investigated Stanley’s ethics complaint twice, once at PSNS and once with an independent inquiry from Electric Boat’s headquarters in Groton, Conn. Both investigations found Mr. Stanley’s complaints without merit.

Not to sound callous here but Mr. Stanley has fallen on lean times lately. EB recently cut some fat at PSNS and Stanley was part of that layoff, having lost seniority with his job changes.

If his complaints are legitimate I hope he succeeds in getting attention on a problem. But, I’m a little skeptical and so far seeing this as some kind of employee verses boss food fight over paperwork and procedures. A hunger strike sounds a little extreme if no one else has come to the table with similar complaints.

The shipyard is a tough place to work full of gritty characters and after being told his complaints have no merit then loosing his job this could also be just a case of sour grapes.

Update 4/27/06: Seattle King5 News “Former worker claims sub inspections were sloppy” (h/t: TheSubReport)

I got an answer to my previous question, Mr. Stanley was a structural steel inspector which makes me take his allegations more serious. Especially if he was involved in any non-destructive testing of welds and steel quality.

Former structural steel inspector Toby Stanley says he doesn't trust the work done on the Ohio, and the work now being done on the U.S.S. Michigan, now in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. They are receiving the same conversion performed by Electric Boat, a longtime builder of American subs.

It’s hard to tell from the editing of the interview but the following comment sounds like it’s pointed at the work preformed at PSNS in Bremerton, WA more than at Electric Boat in general.

“But submarines are a different animal, we have a different criteria we go by, and different standards that are followed,” Stanley said.

Stanley originally worked for EB in Groton, CT but moved to Bremerton three years ago.

Toby Stanley is committed to his goal of bring this issue forward, commenting: "In spite of themselves, I'm going to make them better shipbuilders."

Mr. Stanley’s hunger strike and the local Seattle media attention appears to have got the Navy’s attention. The Navy now says that Mr. Stanley's case is being overseen by the Supervisor of Shipbuilding in Groton, CT.

If there is something to Stanley's concerns the Navy being the shipbuilder's customer should be motivated to get it right.

Mystery Item

2006-04-22T15:35:00.000-04:00

Found this "sucker" in my basement in a pile of old keys during a spring cleaning "drill".

Mystery Item???

Any submariners want to guess what it is?

Antarctica, Chilly Willy and a One Man Submarine

2006-04-21T01:48:00.000-04:00

Fellow submariner, blogger and warm climate creature Gus Van Horn has a recent post “Cool Antarctica Stuff” about the movie The March of the Penguins and other cool Antarctica stuff. Reading his post brought back memories of Operation Deep Freeze and a neighbor of mine named William.

Operation Deep Freeze was part of the U.S government's scientific research and exploration effort in Antarctica. The Navy use to support Operation Deep Freeze out of NAS Quonset Point, RI with Seabees, C-130 aircraft and Huey helicopters up until Quonset was closed in 1972. There was even a little museum on base complete with stuffed Penguins, Odd crystal rock formations that looked like eggs and artifacts from early Antarctic expeditions.

William, Willy or Bill was a huey helo mechanic and had the good fortune to make two tours to Operation Deep Freeze and not the other effort at the time in SE Asia. Bill hated the cartoon Chilly Willy, I don’t know if it was the name or if he just had enough of the Antarctic and penguins. Being a smart-ass 13 year old I would on occasion call him Chilly Willy, which would result in my mini-bike not getting fixed when it broke down, Bill being my go to mechanic.

Anyway, if you remember that OLD cartoon Chilly Willy here’s a link to a 1965 episode titled “UNDER SEA DOGS” (10mb .wmv) complete with a one man nuclear submarine.

Submarine Commander Shortsnot kinda looks like one of my old COs….. once downloaded it’s about a 5 ½ min run time, enjoy.

The Old Commute... Gone

2006-04-18T23:56:00.000-04:00

The old Jamestown bridge over the west passage of Narragansett Bay was finally demolished with 75lbs of explosives. NYT article with link to RI local news video found here.

(Photo Source RI DOT)

Spent a few years driving over the old bridge twice daily on my commute to work and back, then the new bridge shown "still standing" in the last still shot.

The old Jamestown bridge was two very narrow lanes with a open steel grate roadway at the top span. It was not a fun drive in the dead of winter during freezing rain and snow in my overpowered Mustang GT.

Swearing like a Submarine Sailor on Helium

2006-04-18T21:15:00.000-04:00

WARNING: Bad language used....

I got a laugh out this video titled "An Encounter with Hypothermia-Induced Tourette Syndrome". Length 7 minutes.

Even marine biologist diving on helium and passing through a thermocline at 320 feet start to talk like submarine sailors.

Iran and Oil as a Weapon

2006-04-18T00:28:00.000-04:00

Iran’s recent naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz was, if not a public relations stunt for the hometown crowd, then a demonstration (however lame) of their ability to disrupt shipping in the Persian Gulf. In as much as this was a clear threat to use “Oil as a Weapon” against the west and an example of more Middle Eastern bravado. The backdrop to all this show of force is the showdown over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

A country that is the world’s forth largest exporter of oil needing nuclear power with all its development costs and waste disposal issues would be laughable if not for the suspected real intention. Iran has no other purpose in developing a nuclear power program and to enrich uranium than to push itself closer to developing nuclear weapons grade materials. Those who don’t believe that Iran’s nuclear power program is a façade put forward on the road to nuclear weapons need only look to the history of similar state programs in Iraq and North Korea. If the current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the ruling mullah theocracy get what its wants, that accomplishment could be a disaster waiting to happen. And waiting out the Americans is what they intend:

Ahamdinejad will pursue his provocations. On Monday, he was as candid as ever: "To those who are angry with us, we have one thing to say: be angry until you die of anger!"

His adviser, Hassan Abassi, is rather more eloquent. "The Americans are impatient," he says, "at the first sight of a setback, they run away. We, however, know how to be patient. We have been weaving carpets for thousands of years.

The use of oil as a weapon by either Iran with production shutdown and aggressive actions against tanker traffic or the UN through sanctions and embargo will create shortages and resulting higher prices in the short term. But the world economy is dynamic and as the price point per million BTU of energy rises other technologies are likely to fill the gap.

Over the long term the use of oil as a political weapon will become less and less effective and Middle Eastern countries like Iran may learn a new concept “disruptive technology”. Indeed, disruptive technologies to oil production may be right around the corner.

One example of a technology that has a disruptive potential comes from Professor Alan Goldman and his team Rutgers University “Coal-to-Diesel Breakthrough Could Cut Oil Imports”. Professor Goldman team's breakthrough technology employs a pair of catalytic chemical reactions that operate in tandem, one of which captured the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. This dynamic chemical duo revamps the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process for generating synthetic diesel fuel from coal to new levels of efficiency. How is this significant?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, our 286 billion tons of coal in the ground translate into energy reserves 40 times those of oil. Diesel engines provide the power to move 94 percent of all freight in the U.S. and 95 percent of all transit buses and heavy construction machinery, consuming approximately 56 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year.

Another disruptive technology could be the effective tapping of an entirely new and unused carbon fuel source, methane hydrates. From a reprint of the UK Guardian article with the usual global warming spin:

Ray Boswell, who heads the hydrate programme at the US department of energy's national energy technology laboratory, said the US was determined to be the first to mine the resource."Commercially viable production is definitely realistic within a decade. The world is investing in hydrates, and one reason for us to do this is to maintain our leadership position in this emerging technology."

Scientists believe that the vast methane hydrate deposits scattered under the world's seabed and Arctic permafrost are greater than in all of the known reserves of coal, oil and gas put together.

Yet another potential technology is using a Thermal Conversion Process or TCP to convert agricultural wastes into oil by mimicking the earth’s natural geothermal process. The company Changing World Technologies, Inc. (CWT) founded in August 1997 is a pioneer in TCP research. From the CWT website:

Agricultural wastes alone make up approximately 50% of the total yearly waste generation (6 billion tons) in the U.S. With the TCP, the 6 billion tons of agricultural waste could be effectively converted into 4 billion barrels of oil. Realizing this incremental domestic energy production is clearly in our national interest, because it ensures greater national energy independence. At the same time, this production provides a permanent solution to serious environmental problems caused by current waste disposal practices.

As world oil prices exceed $70 dollars a barrel new technologies as well as new investment in oil exploration may reduce or even eliminate any long term economic blackmail that the mad mullahs of Iran may feel they have.

I’m hoping that one if not all these technologies mature and become economically viable, after all Iran without its oil revenue or the potential of nuclear weapons would be nothing more than a land of patient rug producers.

Spring a time for renewal

2006-04-16T00:02:00.000-04:00

With Spring and Easter upon us I'm ready for the promise of renewal they both bring.

This past fall and winter has been one of the hardest I can remember, filled with the emotion of loss and death. No single event that we all don't have to deal with from time to time but a string of them that has put great stress on my family. No details here only to say that my kids, ages 4 and 6, have been to as many funerals this past year as I have in the 48 years before.

As evidenced in the previous paragraph I was feeling a bit gloomy so I took the time to feel that sense of spring and renewal and took these recent photos in my yard.

Yes, all is well and spring is here....


If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.: Anne Bradstreet, 'Meditations Divine and Moral,' 1655

Disaster in the Deep

2006-04-10T09:33:00.000-04:00

AmericanHeritage.com / Disaster in the Deep
“Experiencing minor difficulty.” It was 9:13 on the morning of April 10, 1963—43 years ago today—when Captain John W. Harvey relayed this message from his submarine, the USS Thresher.

The Thresher at sea in July 1961.(Naval Historical Center)

"We sometimes forget that the Cold War had costs that are both painful and difficult to reckon."

Video - Predator UAV + Insurgents IED = Hellfire

2006-04-06T23:13:00.000-04:00

This was a bad day to be an insurgent.

Secret Iranian Navy Training Film

2006-04-05T22:16:00.000-04:00

With the current revelations about Iranian Navy’s secret weapons programs including stealth technology, underwater missiles and flying boats I have been scouring the internet for additional information on the Iranian Navy. In my search I have discovered a secret Iranian Navy training film.

Many have discounted the potential threat posed by Iranian Navy. I was only able to obtain a few seconds to the opening sequence of the training film but this may well prove the seriousness of the threat.

The film implies a particular contempt for the U.S. Navy’s senior officers and indeed collaboration with an Asian partner for weapons, intel and provisions.

The link to this film is provided HERE.
(Warning there is graphic violence perpetrated on a junior officer near the end of the film)

Iranian divers – more bravado from IRINN TV

2006-04-04T09:37:00.000-04:00

Iranian divers blowing up an unfinished oil platform, deployed from an underpowered overloaded boat dingy and a 1960’s Russian built helicopter, I’m scared, NOT.

MERI TV has a video, search the link to clip #1095 of Iranian TV showing divers training in mine planting. Is that laughing I hear coming from Coronado, CA.

Couple of observations after watching the video, I’m guessing the reason the divers are sweating so much in the helo is because they're wearing full wet suits in a region known for it’s warm temps and I swear I saw the rubber zodiac driver almost flip that sucker over once.

Where is “The Incredible Mr. Limpet” when you need him? Sorry that was very cartoonish of me, but I couldn’t help.

Iran Posturing with New Missile?

2006-04-03T20:10:00.000-04:00

Is Iran posturing with its current war-game “Holy Prophet”?

MilBloggers EagleSpeak and Bubblehead have some information up (here and here) on the recent test of an Iranian underwater missile “publicly” revealed during the current Iranian “Holy Prophet” naval exercises. Additionally Vigilis has a timely posting on his site about the proliferation of the Russian developed Shkval supercavitating rocket torpedoes. Underwater missile or rocket torpedo, guidance is the critical issue in the development of these weapons. The video of the missile launch, found here, is from a test platform “barge” and not an operational submarine.

But why is Iran so public with the tests of a new weapons system? The recent tests and the revealing of the domestically developed Nahang 1 mini-submarine on Iranian television were obviously intentional. Iranian Television is monitored by western news services and within minutes if not hours anything newsworthy will be broadcast internationally. The broader Iranian “Holy Prophet” naval exercise is also being packaged for domestic and international news.

With the current backdrop of international efforts to restrain Iran’s not so public nuclear ambitions, is Iran now telegraphing previous threats to close down the Strait of Hormuz and use oil as an economic weapon against the Western powers? Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says Iran is not, but if that is the case why practice doing just that and right now with a new UN deadline to stop their uranium enrichment efforts. The primary audience may be the Iranian public “lots of lookie how tough and superior we are” but there is also an attempt here to intimidate their neighbors while giving the Western naval powers pause.

The concern here is not so much these new weapons unproven capabilities as it is a strategy of implementing any new capability with an old low tech approach and old threats. This could be troubling if not for the U.S. Navy then at least to the big fat supertankers that have to navigate the narrow Strait of Hormuz choke-point. The Iranian Navy and Revolutionary Guard has hundreds of small fast lightly armed attack boats, who are trained in low tech guerrilla operations against American warships such as hit and run or swarm attacks. The bombing of the USS Cole in October of 2000 used a low tech small boat approach. If that low tech technique is coupled with the demonstrated underwater missile or a large number of the mini-submarines it could become a “killing ants with a hammer” type of problem for the U.S. Navy. Sure you can kill a lot of ants and easily but occasionally one might get through and do some damage.

A 200+ mph torpedo fired from a small craft or mini-submarine leaves very little time to react, especially for any large slow moving target navigating in restricted waters. Hopefully the new missile’s accuracy and operational range have been compromised by its speed.

Iran - The Nuclear Football Keeps Moving Down Field

2006-03-31T01:12:00.000-05:00

Iran update - earlier in the month I said about the Iran situation "its only going to get ugly from here...", well it's not looking any better and this roundup sounds familiar.

First the US through the UN tries to pressure Iran to stop its uranium enrichment program (e.g. Atomic bomb program) and actually gets Russia and China to sign on. From Time Mag:

But in the end, it took U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice personally working the phones, and ceding a little ground, to seal the deal — which gave Iran 30 days to suspend its uranium enrichment activities or face as yet unspecified consequences.

Iranian reaction is as predictable as ever "Iran refuses to suspend U-enrichment: Official" excerpt:

LONDON, March 31 (IranMania) - Iran refused to suspend uranium enrichment and said a UN Security Council deadline to abandon the process was "a bad move," ratcheting up the stakes in the standoff over its nuclear program, AFP reported.

Of course the U.N. Atomic Energy chief Mohammed ElBaradei is still talking about how countries should use "Restraint in Response to Iran". From the LaTimes:

ElBaradei, speaking in Doha, emphasized that Iran is not "an imminent threat" and urged countries to "lower the pitch" in their effort to stop Iran's nuclear work.

ElBaradei appears to be concerned again about the rhetoric that comes from the West. But, we all know that creative rhetoric and dreamy corollaries such as "The Mother of All Battles" and "The Last Helicopter" are reserved for Middle Eastern despots and terrorists.

In other news, the "U.S. Military is to Test a Huge 700 Ton Conventional Bomb" in the desert of Nevada. Washington Post:

"This is the largest single explosive we could imagine doing," said James A. Tegnelia, director of the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which is conducting the test.

The test is aimed at determining how well a massive conventional bomb would perform against fortified underground targets -- such as military headquarters, biological or chemical weapons stockpiles, and long-range missiles -- that the Pentagon says are proliferating among potential adversaries around the world.

Now I wonder which "potential adversaries" the Pentagon is specifically thinking about?

Iran has invested too much money, time and effort to just roll over on this. Besides another nuclear weapon would go a long way in curing that Middle Eastern "inferiority complex" that has people dancing in the streets each time a terrorist murders innocents, as if that is some kind of great victory.

Video 1982 - One of Our Submarines is Missing

2006-03-25T23:09:00.000-05:00

Remember when MTV had no commercials and only played music videos?
From that time 1982: Thomas Dolby - One of Our Submarines is Missing

One of our Submarines
written by Thomas Dolby
recorded and mixed August 1982

One of our submarines is missing tonight
Seems she ran aground on manoeuvres
One of our submarines

A hungry heart
To regulate their breathing
One more night
The Winter Boys are freezing in their spam tin
The Baltic moon
Along the Northern seaboard
And down below
The Winter Boys are waiting for the storm

Bye-bye empire, empire bye-bye
Shallow water - chanel and tide

And I can trace my history
Down one generation to my home
In one of our submarines
One of our submarines

The red light flicker, sonar weak
Air valves hissing open
Half her pressure blown away
Flounder in the ocean
See the Winter Boys
Drinking heavy water from a stone

Bye-bye empire, empire bye-bye
Shallow water - channel and tide
Bye-bye empire, empire bye-bye
Tired illusion drown in the night

And I can trace my history
Down one generation to my home
In one of our submarines
One of our submarines
One of our submarines

One of our submarines is missing tonight
Seems she ran aground on manoeuvres
One of our submarines

I remember watching MTV during that time and hearing the song but I never saw the music video. Maybe it's because I was at sea most of the time in the early 1980s on "One of Our Submarines".

A Lesson in Supporting the Troops

2006-03-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

All those who claim they "support the troops" but not the Global War on Terror, the Iraq War or just the violence of war in general need to take a lesson from Desmond T. Doss, Sr., the only conscientious objector to win the Congressional Medal of Honor during World War II.

Citation:
He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them 1 by 1 to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty

Mr. Doss died Thursday morning 3/23/2006 in Piedmont, Ala. at the age of 87, a hero to his faith, conscientious and Country.

EB Green Tape – the stuff of urban legends

2006-03-25T00:37:00.000-05:00

I recently read piece in Wired titled “Worlds Greatest Tool: Duct Tape” and it got me to thinking about the “EB Green” variety.

EB Green is found throughout the Navy and rumored to originate from the Electric Boat shipyard, hence the name. If you’re a US Submariner (current or former) you probably heard stories about and experienced the unbelievable strength of “EB Green” duct tape. This stuff is not your Home Depot run of the mill duct tape; I swear when applied properly its just short of epoxy backed Kevlar.

The one famous EB Green story, and possibly a submariner version of an urban legend, is how it survived a trip to test depth. The story goes that an un-named submarine went to sea from the shipyard on builder's trials. During the at sea period the submarine made at least one excursion to test depth. Upon the sub’s return to the shipyard, and a trip into the dry dock, it was discovered that a small area on the pressure hull had some EB Green tape on it. The patch of tape had been over painted and not noticed during construction. The tape was removed so that the hull could be properly painted and a hole was discovered that went “all the way through the pressure hull” to the submarine interior. The EB Green tape had saved the submarine from a certain flooding causality.

I don’t know if this story is true but I've heard it at least a couple of times while on subs and you can find it repeated on the internet here; the 3rd , 10th and 15th entries here and also here.

Like with common duct tape sailors and shipyard workers have found a thousand and one uses for EB Green tape. When I was a shipyard worker I saw it used to repair everything from a leaky air hose in the machine shop to a co-workers noisy car muffler. In the Navy, well let’s just say sailors can get creative while at sea.

Other than EB Greening non-quals to the overhead any other submariners have an EB Green story they’d like to share (anonymous entries welcome) in the comments section?

Video - Tomcat tribute

2006-03-22T14:47:00.000-05:00

I'm going to miss seeing F-14s pulling G's over NAS where-ever.

Lifted the video link off of Neptunus Lex's post "Shameless self-promotion".

Now it's off to the boneyard for the F-14s

A great and successful aircraft.

Updated at 18:15 to correct bonehead typos.

The Great New England Hurricane of 2006,7,8...?

2006-03-21T00:33:00.000-05:00

I've lived in Southern New England for most of my life and the Great Hurricane of 1938 is a historical fact not to be taken lightly, but it seems that ever couple of years someone says this is the year it's going to happen again.

Hurricane (Source: NASA)

On the heals of the year of Katrina, AccuWeather.com is taking their turn at predicting the next great New England hurricane and saying it could become the greatest natural disaster in U.S History. From the linked AccuWeather:

"The Northeast is staring down the barrel of a gun," said Joe Bastardi, Chief Forecaster of the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center. "The Northeast coast is long overdue for a powerful hurricane, and with the weather patterns and hydrology we're seeing in the oceans, the likelihood of a major hurricane making landfall in the Northeast is not a question of if but when."

AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center research meteorologists have identified weather cycles that indicate which U.S. coastal areas are most susceptible to landfalls. "If you examine past weather cycles that have occurred in the Atlantic, you will see patterns of storms," added Ken Reeves, Expert Senior Meteorologist and Director of Forecasting Operations at AccuWeather.com. "Determination of where we are in the cycle has enabled AccuWeather.com meteorologists to accurately predict hurricane activity in Florida in 2004 and along the Gulf Coast last year. There are indications that the Northeast will experience a hurricane larger and more powerful than anything that region has seen in a long time."

Watching the first video report link at the bottom of the AccuWeather page seems to sensationalize this story. The Meteorologist reports that the hurricane barrier in Providence will save the city but backup any storm surge in the bay compounding problems for communities south. I find it amazingly stupid that he missed the Seekonk River only a few hundred yards east of the Hurricane barrier. That is where a large portion of the blocked storm surge would be going.

He also claims that in a replay of the 1938 hurricane low laying Long Island NY would be decimated and Newport RI would be spared similar destruction because of the elevation. Granted the Newport Mansions are built on ocean front granite bluffs south of the city, but the city itself is built around a natural harbor and could receive substantial flooding.

Additionally a graphic shown in the video implies flooding miles inland. Hardly, a major portion of the land around Narragansett Bay rises up to between 50 and 100 feet in less than a quarter mile from shore. The major problems would occur in the small harbor towns and in southern RI along Block Island sound where the topography is predominantly sandy beaches, tidal ponds and salt marshes, same areas decimated in 1938.

A lot of over development has occurred along the coast and a major hurricane would be costly, but Providence (formally known as the city of seven hills in colonal times) is not New Orleans and Rhode Island is not a flat coastal plain like Florida. Informing people they need to be prepared for the possibility of a big weather event, especially a hurricane, is important. I just don't like it when inaccurate information is added to sell a prediction.

AccuWeather needs to add topography to their list of Meteorologist study topics.

Video - Moby Dick at 2955 Feet

2006-03-19T00:46:00.000-05:00

Looks like a Sperm Whale by the shape of the jaw and flukes.

Odd Ball Cap - Story

2006-03-12T00:19:00.000-05:00

Have you ever saved something, forgot about it, and then found it years later. Such is the provenance of the item pictured below, with one odd twist; the ship's name doesn't match the current hull number.

(Click on Photo to see a current USS Rhode Island ball cap)

Story of the Ball Cap's origin:
In the summer of 1982 I was home in Rhode Island on leave from my first submarine home ported in Charleston SC/King Bay GA. (Off crew was in Charleston, boat refit and deployed from Kings Bay). Home for me was North Kingstown, RI and the New England village of Wickford.

While at home on leave I was invited by a neighbor to crew for a day of sailing on Narragansett Bay. The sailboat was a 35' sloop, so two could handle it with no problem. The winds were typical for a summer on Narragansett Bay about 1o knots or less in the morning increasing to 15+ in the afternoon if a good sea breeze kicked in from the southwest.

Around noon time somewhere about a half mile off Quonset Point near Hope island I spotted this ball cap floating in the water. Grabbing a boat hook I quickly fished the above hat out of the bay. Having been a machinist at Electric Boat's Quonset Point facility before joining the Navy I knew that some yardbird working on the waterfront probably lost the hat and it ended up in the bay. At the end of the day I rinsed the seawater out of the ball cap, dried it out and put it away in the stuff I had stored at home, then forgot about it.

From some reason that hat has followed me from closet to storage, seabag to foot locker and cellar to attic.

So what's so odd about that ball cap?
First it is not an official US Navy ships ball cap, it was produced and sold to local Electric Boat shipyard workers taking pride in producing a Trident submarine named after their state.
Second the name and hull number were actually correct at the time. On Jan 19, 1981 the keel was laid for the SSBN 730 hull and it was at that time designated to become the USS Rhode Island.

It was not until the after death of Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson on Sept. 1, 1983 while in office that the intended SSBN 730 naming was changed from USS Rhode Island to USS Henry M. Jackson. The announcement of this change was made by then President Ronald Reagan on Sept. 9, 1983.

The Democrat from the state of Washington was a strong advocate of the Trident Submarine program and a leading member of the Senate Armed Services committee.

Believing in a strong national defense, supporter of human rights and advocate for free market economies many of Senator Jackson's former Assistants went on to become key figures in the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations. These Assistants include Richard Pearl, Paul Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith.

The USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) is the only Trident submarine not named in honor of a state. The USS Henry M. Jackson was commissioned on Oct. 6, 1984.

Ten Trident hulls and a little less than ten years later on July 9, 1994 the SSBN 740 hull was commissioned as the USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740).

The USS Henry M. Jackson is home ported in Bangor WA. and the USS Rhode Island out of Kings Bay GA.

Another odd bit of trivia, long serving Rhode Island Senator John Chafee who died in 1999 while in office also had a Navy ship named after him, the USS Chafee (DDG-90). Senator John Chafee served as Secretary of the Navy from 1969 to 1972.

I've never worn that ball cap and don't know if many still exist but I'll still hang on to if not for any other reason than I think it's a bit odd.

Cassini finds evidence of Liquid Water on Enceladus

2006-03-10T11:02:00.000-05:00

NASA may not be gushing about recent evidence that Saturn's moon Enceladus may have liquid water erupting like geysers but they should certainly be excited. This could is the first evidence of liquid water near the surface of a planet's moon.

Cassini spacecraft Photo of Moon Enceladus
(Source: NASA/JPL)

From NASA'S press release: NASA's Cassini Discovers Potential Liquid Water on Enceladus

"We realize that this is a radical conclusion -- that we may have evidence for liquid water within a body so small and so cold," said Dr. Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team leader at Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. "However, if we are right, we have significantly broadened the diversity of solar system environments where we might possibly have conditions suitable for living organisms."

High-resolution Cassini images show icy jets and towering plumes ejecting large quantities of particles at high speed. Scientists examined several models to explain the process. They ruled out the idea that the particles are produced by or blown off the moon's surface by vapor created when warm water ice converts to a gas. Instead, scientists have found evidence for a much more exciting possibility -- the jets might be erupting from near-surface pockets of liquid water above 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), like cold versions of the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone.

An interesting Cassini image and description of the Enceladus geyser's plumes can be found here.

Additionally an audio podcast is available here from NASA describing the evidence and how surprised the Scientists were with this find.

Video - Iran's (Whale) Nahang 1

2006-03-09T13:40:00.000-05:00

MEMRI TV has the video clip up of Iran's Nahang 1 submarine. If it isn't on the Home page here then go to the search page here and search for clip# 1065.

There isn't much information to be found about this new domestically produced mini-sub other than it looks different than the previous one Bubblehead had photos of here.

Looks a bit like a fat propane cylinder with a sail on it, but that's just me. Do you think anyone in the Iranian Navy calls them "pig" boats? Probably not...

Hotter than the Interior of the Sun

2006-03-08T23:47:00.000-05:00

When I read this the science geek came out in me and I had to post it.

LiveScience.com:
Record Set for Hottest Temperature on Earth: 3.6 Billion Degrees in Lab

The Sun (Source: NASA)

Scientists at Sandia National laboratories produced superheated gas exceeding temperatures of 2 billion degrees Kelvin. That's 3.6 billion degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the interior of the Sun, the hottest temperature ever produced by man. This was achieved with a device called the Z machine, the largest X-ray generator in the world.

The interesting part of this achievement for me is that project Scientists did not expect the resulting temperature and repeated the experiment several times to confirm what they had done. This non-nuclear experiment also resulted in another unexpected result, energy output was greater what was put in.

Sandia researchers still aren't sure how the machine achieved the new record. Part of it is probably due to the replacement of the tungsten steel wires with slightly thicker steel wires, which allow the plasma ions to travel faster and thus achieve higher temperatures.

One thing that puzzles scientists is that the high temperature was achieved after the plasma's ions should have been losing energy and cooling. Also, when the high temperature was achieved, the Z machine was releasing more energy than was originally put in, something that usually occurs only in nuclear reactions.

Some hot basic science producing some cool results.

Iran - its only going to get ugly from here...

2006-03-08T00:04:00.000-05:00

The lead Iranian nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani has let it slip that they were fooling the Europeans and stalling for time in order to finish a nuclear fuel processing facility in Isfahan.

Mr. Rowhani addressed the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution and told his audience: "When we were negotiating with the Europeans in Tehran we were still installing some of the equipment at the Isfahan site … In reality, by creating a tame situation, we could finish Isfahan."

Of course the reason for the deception and lies by the Iranians is to continue “peaceful nuclear work” and it is the west that is conducting a broad disinformation campaign against Iran.

Meanwhile back in Tehran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on the United Nations nuclear agency to compensate Iran for its suspension of nuclear activities in 2003. In addition Iran warned that if the issue of it’s nuclear program should go to the UN Security council, it would begin large-scale enrichment of uranium.

Apparently Mahmoud and Hassan need to talk on whether their nuclear enrichment program ever really stopped!

Also ABC News is reporting today that the most deadly armor piercing IEDs found in Iraq are, get this, made in Iran.

"I think the evidence is strong that the Iranian government is making these IEDs, and the Iranian government is sending them across the border and they are killing U.S. troops once they get there," says Richard Clarke, former White House counterterrorism chief and an ABC News consultant. "I think it's very hard to escape the conclusion that, in all probability, the Iranian government is knowingly killing U.S. troops."

I feel something is going to break shortly, the rhetoric is increasing from the US Administration and even some of the Europeans are out of character and requesting Iran halt “all nuclear research activities”.

If it comes to the UN Security council Russia and China may opposed any imposition of sanctions on Iran. Russia is deeply involved in the Iran’s nuclear power program and China has recently made large oil purchasing agreements with Tehran. Therefore, the US may need to create an outside coalition to keep the pressure on Iran.

What does the Iranian Revolutionary Guards commanders think of all the speculation of possible US military action if things continue to degrade? Not much, according to them we’re only bluffing.

Deception and belligerence from a Middle Eastern state and purveyor of terrorism, where have we seen that before?

Update on belligerence 3/8/06 - 18:30 est : Iran today threatened the United States with "harm and pain" . A developing story at the Drudge Report is that Iran already has enough enriched uranium gas to produce 10 nuclear weapons .

And the UN's IAEA chief ElBaradei is urging Western and Iranian leaders to "lower the rhetori c".

It 's been one year

2006-03-06T16:50:00.000-05:00

It has been one year since I started the Lubber’s Line “Hundreds of Fathoms” blog and I guess it’s a tradition to create a post recapping the year, bragging where appropriate and evaluating the blog’s evolution.

To shipmates, friends and comment contributors.
First I would like to thank all those who stopped by for an occasional read and/or to contribute comments. Your input and conversation has been much appreciated even if I didn’t respond to all your comments. Everyone has something to contribute and I’ve enjoyed this adventure in blogging thus far.

To my fellow submarine bloggers in my blogroll, “you guys are killing my content!!” just kidding. I do spend more time reading your content than writing mine but that’s only because I enjoy your posts just as much as writing something of my own.

Hat tip to the ones that got me initially interested in doing a blog, Bubblehead at The Stupid Shall be Punished and Bothenook at A Geezer’s Corner. I’m back to six hours or less of sleep in a twenty four period because of you two. Now all I need is someone to wake me up with a 10,000 candle flashlight and tell me I’m late for watch, geeees…. Wait, my six year old son kind of does that already, so I guess I'm all set.

Links
I’ve read that most blogs are abandoned after two to three months so after a year I’m doing ok. Thanks to those who have linked this blog and kept me going; Alex Nooze –The Nooze Wire, Chap -Chapomatic, MM1(SS) -Four Knots to Nowhere, Gus -Gus Van Horn, Vigilis -Molten Eagle, Photios -Photios, PigBoatSailor -The Discomfort of Thought, WillyShake -Unconsidered Trifles and anyone else I've missed.

Additionally other Bloggers that linked here:
The Mudville Gazette – on Milblogging with open sourced info
Outside the Beltway – on Chinese spying
CDR Salamander – on the XO door going missing
EagleSpeak – on the USS San Francisco and Nav charts

I also contribute to these primarily News Sites and get links back as well:
TheSubReport – thanks to Eric
UltraQuiteNoMore – thanks to Joel

Favorite Posts
Life can be too serious so I’ve tried to add a bit of humor to my posting now and then, therefore two of my favorite posts are “Does Santa Wear Dolphins?” and “Coryphaenidae qualified kleptomania”.

On a more serious tone what I feel are some of my better posts were “China IFF?”, “Between Two Worlds Surface/Submerged”, “Milblogging With Open Source Information”, “An Un-Conventionally Armed SSBN”, “Alvin (DSV-2) to Start Last Refit”, “Trident I (C4) Missile System Retired”, “Submarines True Systems of Transformation” and a progression of posts attempting to analyze the USS San Francisco grounding on Jan 08 2005.

Lessons learned
As far as I can tell I haven’t made any major “Oh Sh*t!!! I shouldn’t have done that” kind of postings but then again I haven’t tried to be controversial and stuck to mostly facts with only a little commentary.

I have broken a number of blog rules regarding getting and keeping readers. I post infrequently (not daily) and at different times. Responding to comments can sometimes take me a day if at all. I chose a topic with a limited audience. I provide little commentary to get readers juiced, sticking to flat news. Finally I haven’t participated in any of those “open posts” or carnival of …. type of cross-postings and I haven’t done any serious commenting over at the Big Boys to get noticed. All this means is that the site averages about 40 hits a day or about 14,750 to date. I would like to generate more traffic but hey it’s not a business just a hobby.

Evolution of the blog
As far as content I think it’s been fairly consistent on the topics of military, submarines and the sea; but as I said a lot of what I post has limited appeal. Therefore I think I’m going to include more stuff outside of what I have posted in the past, much like my fellow submarine bloggers do.

That’s the goal for year two, refine what I currently post and increase the range of topics I cover, we’ll see how I do. - LL

Sub Culture - Contrast as Video

2006-03-04T22:43:00.000-05:00

Demonstrators at the Faslane Submarine base in 2005.

5 minutes at outside the Faslane submarine base Scotland.

And somewhere in the North Atlantic on a US Trident Submarine...

45 seconds on the surface in the cold North Atlantic.

Lubber's take:
When we were young our parents protected us from the dangers of the world and gave us the freedom to be idealistic and carefree. Some of us grow up with our adult responsibilities and plot a course to follow. Others drift without a rudder in a sea of popular causes enjoying their own chaotic music.

Pentagon mulling 'stealth sharks' to patrol the seas

2006-03-01T15:22:00.000-05:00

Now this is an odd coincidence I just did a post of U.S. Navy Submarines named "Shark" and then I read this link Pentagon mulling 'stealth sharks' to patrol the seas: New Scientist from The Drudge Report. An excerpt:

"The Pentagon hopes to exploit sharks' natural ability to glide quietly through the water, sense delicate electrical gradients and follow chemical trails," says the report, carried in next Saturday's New Scientist.

"By remotely guiding the sharks' movements they hope to transform the animals into stealth spies, perhaps capable of following vessels without being spotted."

The unusual project is being funded by the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which pioneered the Internet as a platform for robust communications.

In my previous post I made fun of the fish kind of shark, now it appears my biting humor has failed me. As Vigilis at the Molten Eagle blog would say "Submarines are always silent and strange".

February Photos in RI

2006-02-28T20:42:00.000-05:00

A short Coastal Southern Rhode Island photo essay to give my new digital camera a test run.

I found that only working people are on the water at the end of February. Temp was hovering around 30F with a NW wind at 15 knots and a clear blue sky. Made for some clean shots without over indulgent tourists from NY, NJ, Boston and Providence clogging the view in oversexed stinkpots and plastic blow boats. (Click on each photo for larger view)

Trawlers docked in the port of Galilee RI.

Converted this shot to B/W - thought it was a nice effect with the rigging.

Beavertail Light with frozen groundwater coming from the cliff.

Solitary Trawler working inshore.

Tug and Tow off Point Judith RI heading south in Block Island Sound.

Lobster boats in upper Galilee harbor.

The R/V Endeavor docked at the URI Narragansett Bay Campus.

Stern shot of the Research Vessel R/V Endeavor.

Some people love looking at city skylines and others fields of corn but give me a broad blue horizon and a ship designed to work at sea any day.

Happy Anniversity - The Sub Report

2006-02-28T08:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Annniversity to TheSubReport.

Congrats on a 4.0 job in your first year of service. - LL

Channel Surf - Recommendations Sunday 2/26

2006-02-25T23:04:00.000-05:00

Couple of recommendations for TV watching tonight Sunday 2/26.

At 20:00 EST, that's 8:00 pm to Junior Officers, National Geographic Channel presents Explorer: “Super Sub” (Hat tip - thesubreport.com) Also airs: 2/26 -11pm, 2/27 - 3pm

There is a submarine - part sub killer, part terrorist hunter and part spy - that is so unparalleled in its capability to impact world events that the Navy has kept it a secret. Until now. Join NGC as Explorer travels the globe to classified facilities, foreign navies, and top secret labs to bring viewers the story of the newest and most advanced member of the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine force - the USS Texas. Get an unprecedented look at the future of naval warfare: Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs).

At 21:00 EST, again that's 9:00 pm, The History Channel presents "Titanic's Final Moments - missing pieces" . History Channel preview video available here.

In August 2005, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, hosts of Deep Sea Detectives, led an expedition to the wreck of RMS Titanic. Diving two and a half miles down in Russian submersibles, they searched outside the known debris field for new evidence. On their final dive they made an extraordinary find: two large intact sections of the bottom hull of the Titanic in pristine condition with the red bottom paint still on them.

For four months, a team of historians, marine architects, and engineers has been conducting a forensic analysis of this find. All agree that it's the most significant new discovery since the wreck was located in 1985. Analysis is ongoing, but preliminary indications are that these bottom sections will change our understanding of how the ship broke apart, and rewrite the story of the final moments of the Titanic.

I meet Richie Kohler one of the show's hosts about a month ago while he was promoting the book "Shadow Divers" about the discovery and identification of a lost WWII German U-Boat. Richie discussed this season's premier episode of "Deep Sea Detectives" about the Titanic. Because of the wreck's depth he made two excursions on the Russian MIR deep diving submersible for the show. As the brief description above indicates he felt the analysis of what they found may become controversial.

Check you local listing to confirm airing dates and times.

Shark Roundup

2006-02-24T20:42:00.000-05:00

I don't have much right now so here is a short Photo essay of sharks.

A collection of US Navy steel Sharks.

USS Shark SS-8 (Source: US Navy, Naval Historical Center)
1903 -1922 decommissioned and later sunk as target.

USS Shark SS-174 (Source: US Navy, Naval Historical Center)
1936-1942 Lost with all hands off Menado, Celebes, on 11 February 1942.

USS Shark SS-314 (Source: US Navy)
1943 -1944 Lost with all hands October 1944 in the Luzon Strait.

USS Shark SSN-591 (Source: US Navy)
1960-1990 decommissioned and scrapped.

Fake sharks digital and rubber.

Fake shark photo from Internet (Source: National Geographic)

Holy Sardine Batman!

China - IFF?

2006-02-22T01:00:00.000-05:00

IFF = Identification Friend or Foe

When I think of China, I end up falling into one of two mindsets. On the one hand, I tend think of both the ancient and modern Chinese civilizations their contributions to the worlds of art, science and trade. I also see China’s current economic growth as a sign of prosperity for the Chinese people, a change from an isolationist past and possibly a catalyst to a more democratic government. Then I think of the other China, the one of Tiananmen Square oppression, political executions, millions dead in purges and a history of confrontation and friction with its immediate neighbors. Like most communist nations China has a terrible history when it comes to human rights.

The recent disclosure of an underground submarine facility at the Jianggezhuang Submarine Base in China had me pondering my two China paradox. What exactly is China a political friend or foe, an economic competitor or trading partner? For those who discuss such things there is debate and disagreement on China’s exact relationship with the United States. This is the case even within the Bush administration.

One school of thought is that direct armed conflict with China is impossible. The logic here is that economic interdependence and globalization makes direct conflict too costly for either party and therefore the most serious problems will be resolved through dialog. This theory is called commercial liberalism (pdf).

Thomas P.M. Barnett author of the book “The Pentagon’s New Map” wrote an article for Esquire titled “The Chinese Are Our Friends” last November that comes close to the commercial liberalism position. But Mr. Barnett’s chief and continuing complaint seems to be with what he calls “proponents of Big War“ the Navy and Air Force leadership that advocate large and expensive weapon systems. He implies that this “Big War” crowd is self motivated and is using inflated China threat claims to justify big ticket weapons procurement. From October 2001 to June 2003 Thomas Barnett served as Assistant for Strategic Futures in the Office of Force Transformations, Office of the Secretary of Defense.

The opposing opinion comes directly from the recently released Pentagon's 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) which states that China has the "greatest potential" to overtake the present U.S. supremacy unless the United States acts to counter that by developing new capabilities of its own. (Listen to the NPR report with a brief summary on the QDR from Feb 9 here.) The QDR cites expanding Chinese military capabilities and modernization, recommending the positioning of six aircraft carriers and 60% of the attack submarines in the Pacific. From the QDR on China:

Chinese military modernization has accelerated since the mid-to-late 1990s in response to central leadership demands to develop military options against Taiwan scenarios. The pace and scope of China’s military build-up already puts regional military balances at risk. China is likely to continue making large investments in high-end, asymmetric military capabilities, emphasizing electronic and cyber-warfare; counter-space operations; ballistic and cruise missiles; advanced integrated air defense systems; next generation torpedoes; advanced submarines; strategic nuclear strike from modern, sophisticated land and sea-based systems; and theater unmanned aerial vehicles for employment by the Chinese military and for global export. These capabilities, the vast distances of the Asian theater, China’s continental depth, and the challenge of en route and in-theater U.S. basing place a premium on forces capable of sustained operations at great distances into denied areas.

Is the Pentagon overstating a China’s threat? I’m of the opinion that they maybe overstating China’s current capabilities, particularly when it comes to SSBN submarines, but they are also trying to read the tea leaves by evaluating trends within the Peoples Liberation Army and Navy (PLAN). Planning for the "what ifs" is what the Pentagon does, so they're asking themselves what is the PLAN’s long term plan? China may not be able to challenge the U.S. military today but we would be foolish to let a still communist and oppressive government do so tomorrow. The QDR recommends the right force restructuring, hopefully the PLAN will continue to stumble in their modernization plans.

Shadows of the Past

2006-02-19T00:03:00.000-05:00

P3 overflight (Source: US Navy)

Top Gun II - Brokeback Squadron

2006-02-18T22:29:00.000-05:00

Who knew?

And they make jokes about submariners! Geees....

Sorry, it may be a little adolescent but I thought it was funny.

Didn't we hear this before?

2006-02-12T21:36:00.000-05:00

The news.telegraph.co.uk has two news articles up "10,000 would die' in A-plant attack on Iran" and "US prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites". Those headlines sound almost like they could have been written before the Iraq war in 2003. Just substitute Iraq for Iran and WMD for Nuclear and you get the idea. The hand wringing has started in the European press over possible American preemptive plans (the Bush doctrine) over the Iranian nuclear weapon aspirations.

The first news report quotes a study done by the Oxford Research Group titled "Consequences of a War (pdf link)" which was written in October of 2002 by Professor Paul Rogers is Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford, about .... (insert drum roll).... you guessed it "Iraq" and then rehashed for a possible conflict with "Iran". Here are some excerpt for the telegraph Iran news piece and the 2002 Iraq paper:

Expanded confrontation.
(The Telegraph - on the 2006 Iran report)The attack would result in "a protracted military confrontation" involving Israel, Lebanon and some Gulf states.

(Oxford Research Group - on Iraq in 2002 ) In such circumstances, and given that Hezbollah militia in Southern Lebanon have recently received some thousands of short-range missiles from Iran via Damascus, Israel might suddenly find its northern cities under attack and would respond with forceful counteraction against militias and Syrian forces in Lebanon.

It's all about oil.
(The Telegraph - on the 2006 Iran report) Iran could still retaliate with suicide speedboats, possibly leading to crippling rises in the price of oil.

(Oxford Research Group - on Iraq in 2002 )Attacks against oil tankers and other aspects of the oil and gas supply chain may be mounted, possibly using surrogate paramilitaries, with the hope of affecting the price of oil.

The rise of anti-American hostility
(The Telegraph - on the 2006 Iran report) Prof Rogers, professor of peace studies at Bradford University, says that American military action would also have a unifying effect on the rule of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and exacerbate anti-American hostility in the Islamic world.

(Oxford Research Group - on Iraq in 2002 )Taken with the current and very widespread perception in the region of Israel as a client state armed largely by the United States, and of Saudi Arabia controlled by an excessively wasteful and wealthy neo-feudal elite, a further increase in the anti-American mood in the region and consequent support for oppositional paramilitaries such as al-Qaida is likely to be the longer term consequences of an enforced regime change and possibly even a military occupation of Iraq.

The Telegraph ends the article by trying to credit the Oxford Research Group with predicting the Iraq insugency by saying "In a similar briefing before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Oxford group predicted that Saddam Hussein's regime could easily be overwhelmed but that the country would become a hotbed of insurgency." (emphasis added). But the actual report in 2002 was a little more ambiguous:

(Oxford Research Group - on Iraq in 2002 )It is also possible that a paramilitary movement could develop from within Iraq. While there is abundant evidence of the unpopularity of the Saddam Hussein regime, it is certainly possible that internal opposition to US occupation and the subsequent installing of a client regime would result in an evolving insurgency. Internal opposition to the current regime does not equate with the future acceptance of foreign occupation.

So here we are again with a rerun of the old predictions (wider regional conflict, oil crisis, and greater anti-American feelings) without a single printed word on any of the positive results (no regional war, free elections and constitution in Iraq, a greater movement toward freedom across the broader middle east, the lives of millions changed for the better without fear and intimidation from their government) with the overthrow of Saddam. Obviously the Islamofacists who use religion to obtain power and control followers are threatened with recent changes in Iraq and are lashing back with terror tactics.

The Iranian terror state is also threatened with internal descent and the external rising demand of democracy. Iran, like the old Soviet Union, can be put down internal descent for a time with police state tactics, and like Iraq before stall, intimidate and deceive the IAEA and UN over it's nuclear weapons program. However, what the European press needs to understand is that nuclear weapons in the hands of a government that sees terrorism and the killing of innocents as a political tool is likely to use it once they have it. All the hand wringing over American military contingency plans including, the use of Trident SSBNs armed with conventional warheads as stated in the news.telegraph's second news piece, isn't going to change that.

Time is running out and the Iranian terror state knows it, they will become more belligerent just as Saddam did before them.

Crazy Ivan not just for submarines

2006-02-07T14:18:00.000-05:00

If you thought the Crazy Ivan maneuver was just something that only the old Soviet Subs did check out this video link. Truly impressive super manoeuvrable airshow - recommend watching in full screen.

My guess a Sukhoi Su-37 Super Flanker or earlier variant. The maneuvers demonstrated are called "Kulbit", "Bell" and "Cobra". I would have to say whoever tried them first had to be a little crazy and may have been named Ivan.

My first Meme - The Fours

2006-01-31T22:26:00.000-05:00

I've never participated in a meme before but I thought I'd give it a try after I saw a couple of the UltraQuietNoMore crew Gus and Alex do it. So here's my shot.

Four Jobs I've Had in My Life

Machinist
Navigation Electronic Tech
Software Programmer
Computer Systems Administrator

Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over, and Have

Top Gun
The Hunt for Red October
The African Queen
Classic Mel Brooks Comedies (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, etc)

Four Places I Have Lived

Navy Brat (Yokosuka Japan, Port Hueneme CA, Keflavik Iceland ,Nantucket MA) all before age 10
Charleston, SC
Bangor, WA
Wakefield, RI - Now

Four TV Shows I Love to Watch

Sienfeld - last show I watched on a regular basis
The History Channel
CSPANs -BookTV
Jay Leno and the Tonight Show - on occasion

Four Places I Have Been on Vacation

Ireland
Key West, FL
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Toronto, Canada

Four Websites I Visit Daily

Google News
The Sub Report
WSJ - Opinion Journal
Wired News

Four Favorite Foods

Italian any style
Traditional New England Seafood (Cod, Flounder, Tuna Steak, Lobster, Clams, Chowder)
Chinese takeout
Stick to your ribs southern cooking (Buttermilk Biscuits, Chicken and dumplings, black eyed peas)

Four Favorite Beers

Guinness
Corona Extra (with lime of course)
Sam Adams Ale
New Amsterdam Ale

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now

Dublin Ireland
Bridgetown Barbados
The Island of Bora Bora
Rome

Four Cars I Have Owned

1976 Ford Ranchro
1984 Ford Escort Diesel - 50+ mpg wish I had it now
1987 Mustang 5.0 GT Black with T-Roof
2001 Ford F-150 4X4 Supercrew

Four People I Tag With This Meme
Like Alex and Gus I prefer not to tag anyone. Hope I did this meme thing right!

Giant Octopus Attacks ROV

2006-01-30T21:59:00.000-05:00

Giant Pacific octopus weighing about 100 pounds attacks a SubOceanic Sciences Canada ROV off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Google Video

Taiwanese Submarine Video

2006-01-30T21:34:00.000-05:00

Google Video

Strange what you can find on the web.

Enlisted Naval Aviator - Pilot Program

2006-01-26T22:15:00.000-05:00

The US Navy has started a test program to place applicants from the enlisted ranks into aircraft cockpits as pilots and naval flight officers. It's a Pilot program in both senses of the word, only 30 sailors will be selected for the program and commissioned as Chief Warrant Officers (CWO) Naval Aviators.

The primary intent is to create flying specialists unencumbered by the traditional career paths of the unrestricted line (URL) community. A secondly goal of the program would be to provide another avenue of opportunity for the enlisted community.

P-3 (Source: US Navy)

There are some restrictions to the program, CWO's will be limited to the Patrol (VP), Electronic Attack (VQ(P) and VQ(T)) and the HSC and HSL helicopter working aviation communities, no Topgun fighter slots. Enlisted Sailors from the Nuclear, Naval Special Warfare(SEAL/SWCC), Naval Special Operations (EOD/Diver) and the Master-at-Arms communities are not eligible.

Helo Transfer (Source: US Navy)

The program is open to enlisted grades E-5 through E-7 who if selected would have to be commissioned before their 27th birthday, have obtained at least an Associate degree, are physically fit and pass the Standard Aviation Battery test.

Once the CWO's receive their wings they are obligated to 8 years of service for pilots or 6 for naval flight officers.

It has been sixty five years since the Navy had an enlisted to pilot program with the last enlisted naval aviator retiring Jan 31, 1981.

If you're not a submarine nuke maybe you can get your wings as well as dolphins. Applications are due to Navy Personnel Command (PERS-432M) no later than March 31.

The QDR and China's Submarines

2006-01-25T23:16:00.000-05:00

The Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) is due out on Feb 6 and it looks from initial press reports (here and here) the Pentagon has decided move more Navy assets to the western Pacific.

Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- The Pentagon has directed the Navy to assume a ``greater presence'' in the western Pacific by adding at least one aircraft carrier and five nuclear submarines over the next decade, according to a draft of the Pentagon's review of strategy and forces.

The increase will put half the Navy's aircraft carriers and 60 percent of its submarine fleet in the Pacific and is largely driven by the Pentagon's concern over China's increased military might, according to a congressional defense analyst.

But QDR recommendations also look to increase submarine production, also reported in (Bloomberg):

As part of the increased presence, the review recommends that the Pentagon in 2012 increase production of the General Dynamics Corp.-Northrop Grumman Corp. Virginia-class attack submarine to two annually from the current rate of one a year.

I read (here) that China's military buildup is hollow when it comes to submarine capabilities. However, if the QDR recommended submarine production increases are true then the Pentagon sees a challenge coming over the procurement horizon.

The Chinese in the meantime have started to take delivery on the approximately $3.4 Billion worth of Russian built Sovremenny-class missile destroyers and eight Kilo-class submarines ordered in 2002. Both a brand new Kilo diesel-electric submarine and a Sovremenny missile destroyer were delivered in December.

Of course the best anti-submarine platform is another submarine, but in the interim I guess one of these will fill the gap until 688i's and Virginia's can make their way to Pearl, Guam and points west.

Update 01/26/06 10:00 : DOD 1/25/06 press release - QDR Dominated by Uncertain, Unpredictable World

Docent Duty

2006-01-18T23:54:00.000-05:00

Docent

A lecturer or tour guide in a museum.

Back last spring I posted an entry called Volunteer for the Soviet Submarine Service!!! where I solicited help in restoring an old cold war adversary the K-77 in Providence, RI. I haven't blogged any about my experience at the Juliett, affectionately known as the "Rusty Rusky", but I thought it was about time I added some thoughts and observations.

Juliett 484 (K-77) Museum dock Providence, RI

What I'm interested in describing is my impromptu enlistment as docent and submarine artifact, the people I've meet and the friends I've made while volunteering during the spring and summer.

First is the Rhode Island Base of the USSVI Submarine veterans organization. After visiting the Juliett museum last year I found this group of brothers of the phin and joined their organization. I feel like a n.u.b. being the only T-hull sailor amongst men with experience going back to WWII but I'm also honored to be a part of such fine group of people. Our January meeting is coming up tomorrow and it's on the Juliett. Should be like being in the shipyard again, meeting in a construction trailer while it's cold as a witch's tit outside. All before going down to the boat to talk about repairs and maintenance.

During the spring and summer I put in a small part of my weekends volunteering on the Juliett. That's when I met Ric Hedman, the manager of the Juliett museum during the summer season. Ric is a submariner, past USSVI base Commander of Seattle base and author of the best collection of 1900 to 1940 submarine photos on the web Through The Looking Glass. Ric also helped restore the Foxtrot Class Russian boat now a museum in San Diego. He taught me a lot about the way the Russians designed and built their boats.

I volunteered to get my hands dirty and learn what I could about the Russian sub. It's been a kick to have free run on something that was so mysterious when I was on active duty twenty five years ago. Even though Ric wanted to get things cleaned and fixed on the "Rusty Rusky" he always emphasized that it was a museum and most customers were looking to tour a submarine despite the lineage, hence my enlistment as occasional docent.

Most of the time I would be working on board when someone on a tour, guided or self guided, would stop by and start asking me questions. The usual tourist questions about the sub, how big, how deep, how fast, at sea how long, crew complement, weapons, etc. But occasionally the first question would be "What boats were you on?" - Alert One, Alert One another bubblehead or submarine enthusiast is on board - this pushbutton's bilge therapy session is done for at lease an hour! Don't get me wrong I found these to be the most enjoyable conversations.

There's a rundown of the people that fit the submarine enthusiast category:

Former enlisted sailors from a variety of 41 for freedom Boomers, 637 and 688 Fast Attacks. A-Gangers, NavETs and Sonar Techs always looking at the little details and shaking their heads in disbeilef at the way the Russians did things.

A former Officer who was an XO on a T-AG ship and worked on the SOSUS system back in the 70's. For some reason he was interested in the sonar shack and the sub's propulsion system.

Yardbird on loan to EB from NNS looking for the reduction gears (his bailiwick). Sad to say the Juliett has a direct drive system, although he wasn't disappointed and was bringing back a co-worker the next day.

A former mustang Navigator who served on two Boomers and started as a NavET.

A military family of a former Sub driver dad, F-14 Tomcat driver son and two DOD employed daughters.

A family of boat sailors, father was a retired A-Ganger, son number 2 was attending sub school and son number one was a Sonar Tech (SS) who had recently returned from the Russian AS-28 mini-sub rescue on the Kamchatka peninsula. Would have been interesting to have had a longer conversation with him about his Kamchatka adventure. All I remember him relating to me was he got some souvenirs and saw an Akula putting to sea.

Now for a couple of non-military tourist observations:

One interesting group was three of the crew from the schooner Amistad, sailing ship of the movie fame. They were interested in the historical aspects of the Juliett, where it had served, how it was acquired, etc. All but one old salt, he was busy reading all the Russian equipment labels. Turns out he was Bulgarian and I think the Engineer of the Amistad. I now know where the Kingston valve actuators are in the engine room.

I saw a number of young American men bringing Russian girls on dates to the "Rusty Rusky", what is up with that? Most of those Russian girls look fairly disinterested in the sub. I'm thinking if the tables were turned these guys would be thinking WTF if she dragged him off to a Russian beauty parlor filled with 1960's vintage American manufactured hair dryers.

I agree with what Ric the museum manager said to me once or twice, that having someone who had been there adds color and depth to the visitors experience. Since early November I've taken a break from being a Soviet Navy weekend warrior but plan on going back soon.

The Docent thing will be happening soon down the coast at the U.S. Navy Submarine Museum at the New London Sub Base as well. Currently all parts the Navy's Submarine Museum are self guided.

USS Nautilus (SSN 571) Museum dock Submarine Base New London, CT

People who have been to the U.S. Navy Submarine Museum before coming to the Russian Juliett have commented that the quality of the Museum was excellent but it lacked the personal touch the docents gave the Juliett. This from last weeks New London Day article "U.S. Navy Submarine Museum To Do The Docent Thing"(registration now required view):

One of the most noticeable things about walking through the
U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum is a layout designed to invite a
self-navigated tour of submarine history.

Which is fine — until visitors have a question.

And then the realization sets in that, outside of the employees in the
museum store, there really isn't anybody around to supply any answers.
It's a concern that retired Capt. Mike Reigal, the museum's executive
director, hopes to remedy with the implementation of a volunteer docent
program.

“It puts a real human face on the museum,” Reigal said. “There are times
one can walk into the museum and not see anybody, except for other
visitors. It kind of depersonalizes the whole thing.”

The Groton base of the U.S. Submarine Veterans has about 20 members volunteering for this new docent program. Looks like an opportunity to defect or maybe become a double agent?
нет, камрад!

What's with the Enlisted Uniforms?

2006-01-13T21:42:00.000-05:00

Been diving deep into the Lubber's Line archives to find this one.

Pushbutton NavETs at Damn Neck, VA circa 1981

Which one of these NEC 3322 NavETs in training is Lubber's Line?

Hint: I'm NOT the E3 or E7 on the end - their port side your starboard.
Please no comments about short, long or crooked gig lines, the wife could read this.

P.S. If I had joined for the uniform I would have volunteered for the Marines and not Submarines. Blame the sea cadet look on Z-Gram numbers 34 or 87 in the linked list.

Snap Rolls Above Sea Level

2006-01-11T12:35:00.000-05:00

Love a good plane ride? Take a Magic Carpet ride on an Navy F-18

Courtesy Google Video

Omer5 Human Powered Sub - Video

2006-01-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

Human Powered Submarines at the 8th International Submarine Races.

World Record Set on July 1, 2005 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division David Taylor Model Basin in Bethesda, Maryland.
ABSOLUTE SPEED -- "Omer 5," Ecole de Technologie Superieure, University of Quebec, Montreal, Canada, 7.061 knots

Second place went to "Wasub," Technical University of Delft, Netherlands, 6.903 knots.

Yardbird War

2006-01-08T21:42:00.000-05:00

The draw down of submarine construction and repair work and the Brac decision to keep Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) open has created an interesting fight between shipyards. The not hiring and maybe firing of shipyard workers or (Yardbirds), from Seacoastonline.com Yard banned from hiring more workers excerpt:

PORTSMOUTH - The Navy has placed a hiring freeze on Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, according to shipyard union president Paul O'Connor.

O'Connor said the freeze was put into effect last month after lawmakers from Connecticut had a "knee-jerk" reaction to the news that Portsmouth would receive a $59 million contract that was originally scheduled to go to the privately owned Electric Boat in Groton, Conn.

The contract in question is for the scheduled overhaul of the USS Philadelphia (SSN-690).

Electric Boat (EB) had announced the layoff of 150 workers and PNS the need for 330 more workers just prior to the Philadelphia's overhaul work being shifted to PNS. Subsequently EB in the beginning of December announced that as many as 2,400 jobs could be cut in 2006 due to the loss of repair work and the Navy's procurement of only one Virginia Class submarine per year in the foreseeable future.

Add to the above, the fight that has been churning over the ASDS program and you just hit the equivalent of a east coast shipbuilders trifecta including the Navy PNS yard, Electric Boat and a smaller Northrop Grumman contract.

The yardbirds are fighting over the crumbs (overhaul work and not new construction) compared to the cold war shipyard boom times. I still feel that the capacity and experience offered by PNS is still a valuable asset to our national defense. However, when you build one type product for only one customer the lean times can kill the complacent. Look for any other shifts in contracts relating to submarine overhaul and repair to meet with lots of resistance that probably wouldn't have been there 20 years ago.

Update 01/10/06 20:00 - Looks like EB is now getting a slice of Northrop Grumman's work on the USS Texas - Electric Boat Wins $85 Million Contract for Sub Work (hat tip: TheSubReport). Could this be to quite the noise generated from the above stated contacts or just that they're doing good work now a days as Bubblehead has cited recently?

Unauthorized Absence from Blogosphere

2006-01-06T23:17:00.000-05:00

I've turned myself in, been UA from the blog for 17 days.

A Weaponette was checking up on me and I was afraid the Snipes and 'O' Gangers were next. I'm not a "Admin Warfare Specialist" so hopefully I filled out the proper paperwork below and can get back to blog duty soon.

Unauthorized Absence (click on form for a larger version)

The reason for the absence is not that I "float tested" my PC or anything. Just been going through a change of command at work (Corporate Merger) and decommissioning of my office (Layoff). Not to worry though, I was asked to "ship over" to the new command but decided to go TAD (Contracting) instead. I guess there's too many "strikers" left and they need this former NavET to keep her in the channel.

OK, that was my Navy slang attempt to sound like a "Sea lawyer": an argumentative, cantankerous or know-it-all former sailor.

Thanks for checking up on me and I'll be back posting soon. - LL