United States Submarine Veterans

Mid-Atlantic Base

March Regular Meeting

March 21, 2009

Sheraton Hotel, Dover, DE

USSVI Mid-Atlantic Base
March 2009 Meeting Agenda
March 21, 2009
Dover Sheraton Hotel
Dover, Delaware

COMMANDER: Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to March Mid-Atlantic Base Regular Meeting. Please rise for the Invocation.

CHAPLAIN: Bill Galloway gives the benediction.

COMMANDER: Those who have served and those currently serving in the uniformed services of the United States are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. Please direct your attention to the chair to my right, a physical symbol of the thousands of American service men and women still unaccounted for from all foreign conflicts. The chair is empty, as they cannot be with us today. Let us always keep them in our memory and our prayers.

COMMANDER: Chief of the Boat, please lead the assembled members in the
Pledge of Allegiance to Our Flag.

< THE CHIEF OF THE BOAT LEADS THE MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE >

COMMANDER: We will now hear the USSVI Creed

Phil Puschel reads the USSVI Creed:

"To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of duties while serving their country.

That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments.

Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States Government."

COMMANDER: The Secretary and Chuck Walker, the Chief of the Boat will now conduct the Tolling of the Boats Ceremony.

SECRETARY: The following Boats and men were lost in March:

USS F-4 [ex-Skate] (SS-23) - 25 Mar 1915 - 21 Men Lost
USS O-12 (SS-73) - 27 Mar 1919 - One Man Lost
USS H-1 [ex-Seawolf] (SS-28) - 12 Mar 1920 - Four Men Lost
USS Perch (SS-176) - 3 Mar 1942 - Six Men Lost
USS Grampus (SS-207) - 5 Mar 1943 - 71 Men Lost
USS Triton (SS-201) - 15 Mar 1943 - 74 Men Lost
USS Tautog (SS-199) - 5 Mar 1944 - One Man Lost
USS Tullibee (SS-284) - 26 Mar 1944 - 79 Men Lost
USS Kete (SS-369) - 20 Mar 1945 - 87 Men Lost
USS Trigger (SS-237) - 28 Mar 1945 - 89 Men Lost

433 Men Lost in March

Sailors, Rest Your Oars
 COMMANDER: Everyone please be seated. Chief of the Boat, please sound “Dive”.

< CHIEF OF THE BOAT SOUNDS DIVE >

COMMANDER: Everyone please be seated. We will now recognize the war veterans and Holland Club members among us.
World War II veterans, please stand.
Korean War veterans, please stand.
Vietnam War veterans, please stand.
Members of the Gulf Wars and the War on Terror, please stand
Holland Club Members, please stand.

COMMANDER: Are there any new members or guests in attendance? Is there anyone who has not been to a meeting in a while that would like to stand and reacquaint yourself with the members and guest present?

Ted Trafka stands and introduces himself to membership. Ted sailed on the Nautilus.
Jim O’Hara, a friend of Bill Kraus introduces himself as the father of the XO of the USS Wyoming.

COMMANDER: Everyone has received a copy of the minutes of our recent meetings in the newsletter. Are there any corrections or additions? Is there a motion to bypass the reading of the minutes?

A motion to bypass the reading of the minutes was made and seconded.

COMMANDER: We will now receive reports from the Officers.

< COMMANDER’S REPORT >
UNO 20% Night: By popular demand, Mid-Atlantic Base held another UNO 20% Night on Friday March 27, 2009 in the Uno Chicago Grill on DuPont Highway in front of Dover Mall. The event was very successful. I would like to thank everyone that attended and/or invited others to attend.
CHEER Center Display: The Long Neck CHEER Center is going to be holding its Annual Veterans Week Exhibits again on Monday March 23, 2009 through Friday March 27, 2009. The display will be open daily from 0900 – 1600. Following the closure of the display on Friday, there will be a dinner dance with live music commencing at 1800.
USS Kete Memorial Ceremony: The Annual USS Kete Memorial Ceremony will be held on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 1100 hours at the USS Kete Memorial, located in Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Delaware. The event will be followed by a luncheon at Trattoria Di Napoli Restaurant. Directions to Veterans Memorial Park and the restaurant are located on the tables in front of you.
National Submarine Day: To celebrate the birthday of USN submarines, US SUB VETS WWII and USSVI Philly base are planning a memorial service at the USS TRIGGER 1 memorial, next to the BECUNA at Penns Landing, Philadelphia on Saturday April 11, 2009 at 11:00 am. The event will be followed by a luncheon in the Chart House restaurant, also at Penns Landing, 2 blocks south, at 12 noon.
< VICE COMMANDER’S REPORT >

 

< TREASURER’S REPORT >

Bill Kraus reported the balances of our accounts. For actual account numbers please get in touch with Bill.

 

< SECRETARY’S REPORT >

 

< STOREKEEPER’S REPORT >

Phil reports that Picnic buttons are for sale at “fire sale” prices, for only $11.00 each. He also requests we send him an old photo of ourselves while in the Navy so he can add them to our profile on our website.

< CHIEFS OF THE BOAT’S REPORT >

< CHAPLAIN’S REPORT >

< MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN’S REPORT >

 

 

< BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ REPORT >

 

 

< TRUSTEES’ REPORT >

COMMANDER: Is there any Old Business?

Election of Vice Commander: As you are likely aware, our previous Vice Commander has dropped out of communication with the Base. In accordance with Section 4.B of the Mid-Atlantic Base Bylaws, this office is now vacant and must be filled. At the February Regular Meeting, the Board of Directors nominated John Ludwig to be elected as Vice Commander. John has accepted this nomination and the nomination was approved by a vote of the members present at the meeting. I now ask for a vote to elected John Ludwig to the Officer of Vice Commander of Mid-Atlantic Base.
Swearing in of Vice Commander: I have asked Commandant Charles Baldwin of the Delaware Military Academy to perform this service for us.
John was sworn in by Commander Baldwin. Congratulations to our new Vice Commander and BZ to him for stepping up to this challenge.
Approval of Proposed Changes to Mid-Atlantic Base Bylaws: All Base members were mailed a copy of the proposed changes to the Bylaws. There are also a few copies on the tables. Is there any discussion on any of the proposed changes?
A discussion ensued about one of the recommended changes. Article IX Section 2. Some members didn’t think a $100.00 Life Membership to the Base was appropriate considering the cost and age of the members that may apply
If there is no further discussion, I ask that the changes be approved en masse. All in favor of approving the changes? All opposed? The changes are approved.

COMMANDER: Is there any New Business?

< NEW BUSINESS >

 

 

COMMANDER: Chaplain, please give the benediction.

Bill Galloway gives the benediction.

COMMANDER: The next meeting will be held on Saturday April 18, 2009 at 1130 hours here in the Sheraton.

COMMANDER: Do we have a motion to adjourn?

< MOTION TO ADJOURN >

COMMANDER: Chief of the Boat, please sound “Surface”.
At this point it was determined by COB Walker that we couldn’t surface since we
never dove….No wonder why all 4 Fairbanks were never shut down.

COMMANDER: Today’s Guest Speaker is Master Chief Bosuns Mate Charles Baldwin. You all know him better as the Commandant of the Delaware Military Academy. Ladies and Gentlemen, Commandant Baldwin.

 

Commandant Baldwin’s talk was a recounting of his trip to Mt. Everest, Nepal & Katmandu. After a 28 hour flight, another short hop on a plane that lands, on precarious mountain sides, along with a very uncomfortable 36 hour trek through jungles, to get to the area that will allow his party to hike up to and above base camp of Mt. Everest. Along the way he describes conditions that many of us have experienced in our travels to foreign countries; abject poverty, appalling sanitary conditions and dinner in a 5 star (??) restaurant that included gale force winds stirred up by stampeding mice that ran behind the seated (on the floor ) guests. One wonders what was served for dinner… Phew! Reminds me of Karachi, Pakistan.

Part Two of the Commandants talk centered on his favorite topic. The Delaware Military Academy and the academies accomplishments. Along with a major thrust in partnering with a foreign Global academy such as DMA. This was accomplished with a academy in Taiwan, China. This past December 8 students were guests of a military school in Kowshun (sic) Taiwan. The students were boarded at the school and the commander and a teacher were guests at a 5 star hotel.

The Taiwanese children are all taught to read music from the age of 5 and are told if they excel in all their studies they can eventually go to college in America. They are all taught to speak English. It seems that the Taiwanese children lack in organizational skills and it is carried over into the upper grades. They have to be directed in how to organize and prioritize their skills, while their counterparts from America are able to overcome these organizational difficulties due to our way of teaching.

Commandant Baldwin has signed an agreement with this school to swap students.

The Commandant handed out informative brochures that included many of the schools and students accomplishments. This was a very informative and enjoyable presentation.

You missed a good one if you weren’t at the meeting.