USS Augusta SSN-710 Alumni News Blog

No Smoking on US Submarines

2011-11-27T01:41:00.001-08:00

I was surprised to find out that smoking was banned on US Submarines. I had heard that it was going to take place in 2010 but this is the first official press I've seen to confirm that it's gone.

http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/smoke-free-worksite-challenge/

In the USS Augusta control room during the early 80's, the cigarette smoke was frequently thicker than in a Navy bar. During battle stations of course the "smoking lamp" was out, but when we were piloting or just on duty the smoking lamp was generally lit. And it must have been more than half of the crew that smoked.

My first boat was the Stonewall Jackson SSBN-634 Gold and I would guess at least 2/3 of the crew smoked. That was 1981 and 1982 for me. We also used to chew tobacco which the thought of still disgusts me. But I chewed like the best of them back then. We used to tape a bucket to the primary plot when we were piloting and about 4 or 5 of us would share it for our chew. Actually made an inspector vom when he saw it. That was so funny. The entire control room was lol when the inspector looked in our chew bucket and then started to gag.

My first COB on the Stonewall Jackson told me a story about how the Navy tried to eliminate smoking cold turkey on a boomer in the 1970's. When the boat was about to pull out they confiscated cigs from the entire crew. I don't know how they did that because we used to carry about 20 cartons per man for the patrols. Well they went to sea and started their patrol. 3 days later the sub rode on the surface back toward Norfolk because there had been so many fist fights they had to abort the patrol. When they got 150 miles from shore they were greeted by a huge Navy chopper which dropped down thousands of cartons so the crew could continue the deterrent patrol.

It took me 27 years of smoking to finally quit and I'm so glad I was finally able to make it off the Marlboros. Smoking sucks. I'm glad the Navy finally decided to man up and forced all bubble heads that are too young and too stupid to quit. We were almost all too young and too stupid in our days on the boat and we thought we would live forever. But cigarettes turned out to be one of the stupidest things a person could do in the history of the world. Go Navy.

More Targets

2011-11-24T22:21:00.001-08:00

China has 60 submarines including 8 nuke boats according to this article:http://weapons.technology.youngester.com/2011/11/chinese-submarine-threat-to-us.html

You have to wonder when these guys are going to figure it out. It would be exceedingly difficult to protect any of them in a shootout with the US. In fact even the Russians could probably take out the majority of their submarine fleet in a couple hours.

It used to be that submarines were a stealth technology. That's old news now. It's almost impossible to hide and especially in the waters near China.

Yeah in the old days submarines like the USS Augusta were tasked with finding and killing enemy submarines. Now there is more focus on confirming locations so the bad guys can be taken out by helicopters or missile shots from aircraft. Even if the Chinese subs are on the bottom and they're at ultra quiet, patrol aircraft can drop sonobuoys to cover a wide area and then direct a fighter aircraft to bomb anything that moves.

So why don't they spend their money doing something useful? I think they are trying to develop an economic war machine like the one we have.

Submarine Officer Video

2011-11-23T00:58:00.001-08:00

Just saw this video on Facebook.
 Shows It's 11 minutes long. Shows initial dive, battle stations, loading a torpedo, taking a torpedo shot, underwater view of torpedo shot, tracking a bad guy, patrol quiet, supposedly tracking an "Alpha". Complete with corny music.

USS Augusta Launch Video

2011-11-13T23:53:00.001-08:00

The commentator said it was 5 degrees during the launch at Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton CT. I don't think there was a man onboard who I've ever talked with that was there that didn't remember how biter cold it was in our dress uniforms for hours outside. When we were relived from the ceremony we felt like frozen Popsicle's taking small creaky steps going up the hill at E.B. back to our offices in Building 80. Then the Commissioning up at Portsmouth NH was almost as cold. Time flies when you're having fun... this was almost 30 years ago now.

Just thought I'd post this incredible time lapse video that has literally nothing to do with the 10 boat... it's from the International Space Station from August to October, 2011.

Happy Veteran's Day... Have Some Free Food !!

2011-11-10T20:29:00.001-08:00

I got this list from "The Military Wallet"

The original article had a lot to say about these places... I'm just listing them here so you can scan the list. Cheers -

Applebee’s – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11:
Bar Louie AmericaBar Louie
BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse
Champps AmericanaChampps Americana
Chili's Restaurant
Fox and Hound Bar
Golden Corral
Famous Daves
Hooters
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Little Caesars
McCormick and Schmicks
Outback Steakhouse
Sizzler Restaurant
The Spaghetti Warehouse
Subway
Texas Roadhouse
T.G.I. Friday’s
The Olive Garden
Twin Peaks Restaurants
UNO pizza

Read more from source article: http://themilitarywallet.com/veterans-day-free-meals-and-discounts/#ixzz1dMqsXYbh

Recommended Sumarine Blog

2011-11-10T00:17:00.000-08:00

I was looking at one of the best submarine blogs in the world today... it's called "The Stupid Shall be Punished" and it's a great blog. I highly recommend it if you are a former bubblehead looking for some interesting posts. It's on Blogger and he gets hundreds of posts on some of the more explosive topics.

http://bubbleheads.blogspot.com/

Interesting Navy News

2011-11-06T21:38:00.000-08:00

I just started getting some really great US Navy News sent to my inbox once a week. From the homepage of Navy.mil ("The Official Website of the US Navy") there is a "subscribe / unsubscribe" button on the top of the homepage under "media resources". You can pick from a wide range of topics and choose a delivery frequency. I've been impressed so far and I'd recommend checking it out.

They also had these social networking links:

STAY CONNECTED:

Dustin Donohue's USS Augusta Group on Facebook

2011-05-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

Dustin Donohue created a FaceBook Page for the USS Augusta SSN-710 and it just lit up with about 50 hits from Alumni. Join the crew and check in with your BUDS from the boat.

Thanks Dustin !!

I think the crew will be having some sort of get together soonish and we might start planning for another BIG ONE.

Here is the link to the FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_5579989711

OK Cheers everyone !!

Gregory W. Schwenk, Plankowner Departing

2011-05-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

I was shocked and saddened to hear about the recent passing of Gregory W. Schwenk. He was a Plankowner on the USS Augusta and along with being one of the finest Naval Officers I've ever met, he was a great guy all the time. Mr. Schwenk - you will truly be missed Sir !!

Here is a link to the obituary in The Day for Mr. Schwenk. There is a Guest Book there with several messages from former shipmates.

Thanks Ken for forwarding the information.

Message from our Australian Friends

2010-12-09T18:30:00.001-08:00

When the USS Augusta pulled into Roosevelt Roads in early 1985 I exchanged a USN 2nd Class pin for an Australian pin. I still have it somewhere. There was a Royal Australian Naval Unit at the other pier and rumors circulated to the effect that they had alcohol onboard. Several SSN 710 sailors claimed to have witnessed it first hand during a friendly excusrion below decks as invited guests. And it was legal in their Navy apparently. Wow, it's a good thing it was not allowed in ours. It sometimes took a day or two at the beginning of a patrol for everyone to sober up as I remember. We were young then.

And there is a time and place for drinking. Every US sailor I have ever known knows that.

One of our favorite USS Augusta Alumnus, Master Chiefs David Ellis sent this YoueTube video out and I watched it to the end. It's too graphic for US television but it shows the absolute truth about drinking and driving cars and motorcycles. That message is Don't Drink and Drive. And I'd like to add "don't drink and fall down the main hatch either" !!

Cheers -

FREE Stuff for USS Augusta Veterans !!

2010-11-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

Paul sent this to everyone on the mailing list with some freebies for veterans on Veterans Day. I'd call the restaurant in advance to verify they still had the discount in effect and what they wanted in terms of proof to get the free chow. I have a copy of my DD-214 handy for times like this. Cheers everyone - Thanks Paul !!

Happy Veterans Day !!

Subject: Veterans Day Restaurant Freebies

Wanted to get this out now

Veterans Day Restaurant Freebies, please pass it along

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE!

Restaurant Freebies

Applebee's Restaurant - Free dinners to veterans throughout Veterans Day November 11th; selections will be from a new Veterans Day menu.

Outback Steakhouse - Free Blooming Onion and beverage.

Golden Corral- Free buffet dinner from 5-9 p.m. on Nov. 16 to anyone who has ever served in a U.S. military uniform.

In celebration of Veterans Day 11 Nov 2010, Subway is showing its thanks with free six inch subs to all Veterans or Active Duty members.

On Nov. 7, McCormick & Schmick's restaurants will offer a free entree to military veterans for its 12th annual Veteran's Appreciation Event.

Menu picks include such seafood items as parmesan crusted tilapia, roasted cedar plank salmon and almond crusted rainbow trout. "Our

Veterans Appreciation Event has become a tradition that our restaurants look forward to each year," said Bill Freeman, CEO of

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants, in a statement. For more information: http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/

Krispy Kreme - One free doughnut of any variety.

UNO Chicago Grill- Free entree or individual pizza with an entree or pizza purchase of equal or greater value.

Coushatta Casino Resort - The Louisiana casino and resort is offering a free seven-clans lunch or dinner buffet to veterans or active military.

MarketPlace Grill & Express - Veterans and active-duty military receive free entrees.

Masala Wok - The Northern Virginian restaurant is offering a free entree to veterans.

Hy-Vee supermarkets - The mid-western supermarket chain is offering a free breakfast to veterans.

Abuelo's Mexican Food Restaurants - All veterans and active-duty military receive a free entree.

Carolina Burgers & BBQ - In Matthews, NC is offering a free meal to all service members and veterans.

Retail Freebies

Brides Across America - Provides free wedding gowns to qualified military brides.

Lowe's & Home Depot - Extra 10% off to active-duty military members, National Guard and reserve members, retirees, honorably discharged veterans and immediate family members.

Sam's Club - Over 25,000 Hugo canes will be given away to U.S. veterans in need of mobility assistance. Membership is not required, but supplies are limited, so check with your local store.

Amazon.com - Free "Veterans Day Honor" MP3 album download. The album includes 12 songs by The Bands and Ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Cabela's Outdoor Store - Offers their employee discount to all veterans, active-duty military and reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel Nov. 11-12. Discounts vary from 5% to 50%, depending on the item.

Build-a-Bear Workshop - Members of the armed services including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Reserve Officer Training Corps, will receive a 20% discount Nov. 11-15 on any one transaction at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Dollar General - 10% discount for all veterans, active-duty military, National Guard and reserve and their immediate families.

Fashion Bug - 20% off all plus-size and misses clothing purchases with a copy of military ID or spouse's military ID.

Entertainment Freebies

National parks, forests and monuments - Admission is free to everyone on Veterans Day.

Knott's Berry Farm - Free park admission to U.S. armed forces personnel and a guest during Veteran's Month, November 1-26.

Colonial Williamsburg - Free admission Nov. 6-11 for active-duty military, guard and reservists, retirees, veterans and their dependents.

San Jacinto Museum of History - Free visits to the Observation Deck, theatre, and special exhibit for veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families.

Historic Jamestown - Free admission to veterans, current Armed Forces members and their family members.

Battleship Cove - Free admission and a special ceremony for veterans, active, duty and reservists.

Vicksburg National Military Park - Free admission for all.

Birmingham Museum of Art - Free admission to the ticketed event "Life and Liberty" on Nov. 10-11 for veterans and active military.

Vulcan Park and Museum- In Birmingham, Alabama is offering discounted admission through November to the park and museum.

Greenbay (WI) New Zoo - Free admission to veterans and their families.

Central Florida Zoo - Free admission to the Sanford, Florida zoo with proper ID.

Strategic Air & Space Museum- Free admission for veterans Nov. 11-14 to the Ashland, Neb. museum.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - in Oklahoma City offers free admission to veterans and five guests from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Veterans Day.

Natural Elements Spa & Salon - In Chesapeake, Virginia, will provide free services from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to both active duty and retired

military

Anytime Offers:

MILITARY DISCOUNTS UPDATE 02: All these businesses offer military discounts; all you have to do is ask:

Restaurants

Arby's · A&W · Back Yard Burgers · Burger King · Captain D's ·

Chick-Fil-A · Cotton Patch

Denny's · Dunkin' Donuts · Farmers Boy · IHOP (20 percent discount with military identification)

Java Cafe· KFC · Long John Silver · Pancho's Mexican Buffet · Pizza Hut · Quizno's · Sizzler

Sonic · Taco Bell · Whataburger

Services

AT&T California Cryobank Geico -· Jiffy Lube · Meineke · Sears Portrait Studio

Travel and Leisure

Blockbuster · Movie theaters · Ripley's attractions and museums · Professional Sports teams

Products

Apple Computers · AutoZone · Barnhill's · Bass Pro Shop · Bath and Body Works

Big 10 Tires · The Buckle · Champs Sports · Copeland's Sports · Dell

The Discovery Channel Store · Dress Barn · The Finish Line · Foot Action · Footlocker

Gadzooks · GNC · Goody's · Great Party· Happy Harry's ·Home Depot · Hot Topic

· Jockey · Lerner ·Lowes · Michael's · NAPA Auto Parts · New York & Company · Pac Sun

Payless Shoes · Play It Again Sports · Pure Beauty · Sally Beauty Supply · Spencer's Gifts

Suncoast · Timberland Outlets · Wilson's Leather

Cell Phone Service Discount - All Federal employees are able to get a

15% discount on their personal cell phones by calling their carrier and mentioning the "Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 - Discount to Federal Employees Past and Present." You will need to know the military member's supervisor's name, phone number, and full address, so that his/her military status can be verified. Use the following contact numbers:

Cingular - 800-319-6393

Sprint - 877-812-1223

T-Mobile - 866-646-4688

Nextel - 800-639-6111

Verizon - 800-865-1825

[Source: VA Frederick Service Office Maryland VSO msg. 26 Apr 2010 ++]

Is Japan REARMING ?

2010-09-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture I found on Flicker from the Maritime Self-Defense Force Kure base.

Now I wonder with all the talk of military buildup in China and by the way it's true the Chinese are building... what would happen if we started selling nuclear weapons platforms to Japan?

One of the things that was a bit disappointing about being in submarines was the fact that we couldn't go to a lot of ports. That's probably a good thing in some cases but wow it would have been great to visit more places.

The USS Augusta Commissioning crew did get a great visit to the Caribbean that I'll never forget. We filled one of the torpedo tubes with duty free booze for the trip back home. Wow !! The Cruzan Rum on St. Croix was somewhere between 2$ and 4$ a bottle.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kure_Naval_Base_JMSDF.jpg'

Years of Intense Training to Prepare for the 10 Boat

2010-08-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

I mentioned during the first USS Augusta reunion many of us got tours on the USS Hawaii. I spotted an article in Honolulu Magazine which featured the SSN-776

http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/August-2010/Editor-039s-Page-Excellence-and-Mysteries/index.php

Here is a quote from the article... "One thing that hasn’t changed is how difficult it is to be a submariner. It can take a year of intense training before a sailor is qualified to wear the dolphin insignia of the submarine service. On top of that qualification, officers have to pass courses in nuclear power that rival MIT’s. "

It reminded me of cleaning sh[..]ter ball valves with my bare hands for 18 months on the "Stony J" before reporting to the new construction USS Augusta. A good percentage of the forward crew on my first boat were former convicted felons for violent crimes and drugs. Back then the recruiters had a hard time getting people to enlist for 75 bucks a week. Sure there was the special nature of the work... " would you mind being submerged for 3 or 4 months with a bunch of X cons and nukes and get the job to fry a billion people if ordered to? Yes we were a special group of guys.

And the article was partially correct, there were a few guys that passed nuclear power classes that would rival MIT and they were almost always great guys. I was fortunate to live with the nukes on our precomm unit barracks up at EB. I was always in awe of anyone could pass the rigors of the US Navy Nuclear Engineering program. They deserved great credit and the article did try to convey that.

When I was mopping up blood alley on the Stony J, I did not realize for years after that I also had special training that prepared me for life on the USS Augusta. But it would have rivaled the cleaning lady who cleaned the kitchen of an MIT frat house after the giant keg party at the beginning of the school year. Anyway I'm glad I survived the rigors of that too... !!

Plexiglass Target

2010-07-31T16:33:00.000-07:00

Whoa... the information the news is allowed to print these days is WAY beyond what we were allowed to divulge in the "Silent Service". This article in: CNET News
Navy's most cutting-edge submarine tech ever (photos)
is over the top. We were careful about letting out photos of classified gear. I have never actually seen a picture of the 710 boat that contained classified material out in the public domain.

Now it looks like the USN is promoting letting some cutting edge stuff out. Older Bubbleheads were never allowed to reveal gauges and screen images but I have seen numerous photos of Virginia Class Control Rooms.

A few of us on the USS Augusta Alumni crew were fortunate enough to get tours on the USS Hawaii during the first Reunion. It was Star Wars level IMHO. Anyway look at the article in the above link for a good read and a look at some incredible Virginia Class gear. Nice look at the Plexiglass Boat in the cross hairs.

US Navy Unit John S. McCain Ready for Business

2010-07-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

The reclusive leader of North Korea Kim Jong Il is absolutely insane. He's in command of a huge nation of brainwashed victims. His rallies look like 1939 films of Adolf Hitler's speech at the Reichstag. In fact it's just like watching Nazi Germany in 1939, ready to wage a war that eventually took 50 million lives. The US and China and Russia have seen this train on the track headed toward us for a very long time. Without lifting a finger I might add to do the right thing.

What Should We Do About Kim Jong II?

We should retire him to a small house near Tiananmen Square to live out his life while the rest of the world helps reunite Korea and help them to rebuild. Within 1 year of reunification, the most massive construction project in Asian history would be in gear, and it would rival the reunification of Germany in the 1990s. They will need every single high rise crane in Asia working in Korea for a couple years. Hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects alone.

Now the nut bag has called for a "retaliatory sacred war" against South Korea and the U.S. for what it called a second "unpardonable" provocation after wrongly accusing the North in the Cheonan incident.*MSNBC / Reuters 7-24-2010.

Instead of working behind the scenes to retire him peacefully, we have the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) on station along with a Carrier Task Force and several submarine crews ready to slug it out. And it looks like we might be dishing it out soon.

The N. Koreans were caught red handed (blood red not communist red) murdering almost 50 sailors on a South Korean ship last March and they are still lying about it. This was no faked Tonkin Gulf incident. There is hard evidence and lots of bodies to show on this one. And we are going face to face over it instead of pulling "Brother Nut Bag #1" out through the back door like we should have done years ago.

Well I only hope we can get the old boy Kim Jong 2 moved to Tiananmen Square quickly. Right now he is probably drooling on his bib from his recent stroke, and talking to himself in the mirror while wearing his 6 inch platform shoes - oh yeah, while wearing a hospital gown open in the back. He believes he was destined by God to lead something... I'm not sure what that is and neither is he. He's just not responsible - he's sick mentally and physically.

But there is ONE THING I AM SURE OF. The US Intelligence community can be counted on to have either ZERO GOOD INTEL or a bunch of BS INTEL they fabricated based on an unreliable source. If we start slugging it out with N. Korea we have to cut the head off instantly or Chinese troops will swarm over the border and thousands of missiles will snuff out the lives of thousands of innocents in the South.

For the USS McCain and other US Navy Units - good hunting and God Speed.

Regards all - Mal

Hillary Sending US Navy To Stop Chinese Aggression

2010-07-23T17:46:00.000-07:00

I've been to Vietnam 10 times since 1993 and I'm glad the USN is visiting there again as friends. I was handed John McCain's bean protector at the American War Crimes Museum by the curator in November 1993 and he asked me if I could identify it. Being 3rd generation X-Navy myself, I knew most Naval Bean Protectors that were heavy also had a liner. I moved the liner to the side and there it was, Mr. McCain's US Navy block letter signature. The curator was thrilled. He thought it was McCain's but lost track of it in a pile of about 10 others at the museum. He immediately asked me to contact Senator McCain and offer him his helmet back if he wanted it. Kind of funny how the American media and government can twist things up between people.

The Chinese government has taken 60 years to do as much as they can to destroy the entire culture of the native people of Tibet and kill or displace every last sole. That way they can re-distribute their land. I've been unimpressed by the cowardice of their entire mission to deface and destroy the people of Tibet.

Now the Chinese communist government wants to take the Spratley Island chain the same way, even though the issue should be decided in the courts, and Vietnam has historical documents demonstrating ownership.

But just incase the Chinese try a sneak attack on civilians the way they did in Sa Pa Vietnam in 1979, Hillary has apparently sent some of our finest US Navy buddies to the area to chill them out. Or lay them out I suppose if necessary (ha ha).

I remember the insanity onboard my first submarine the USS Stonewall Jackson when we heard we might get an "O.T." or Operational Test of the Trident Weapon System. The entire crew went out of control nuts for 30 minutes screaming and shouting with joy and back slapping and chest bumping and all sorts of funny cheerful monkey business. We wanted to fire that bird so bad we would have gladly done 100 fire drills in 25 days in face suckers given the opportunity to earn the OT. The other crew got it unfortunately. But I can only imagine the unlimited joy for todays submarine crews if they got the go ahead to quell Chinese agression. Wow !! 10 times better than an OT.

Party time !! Engage ... !!!

Read this for further amusement:

Why Clinton Cares So Much about an Asian Island Chain

Veterans Benefits: Aid and Attendance

2010-07-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Master Chief David Ellis sent this out to his mailing list a couple days ago and it's got some real good stuff to know. There is a VA website that might be able to help you and your family so check it out:

VeteranAid.org

"Aid and Attendance"

Regardless of your personal status, consider passing this along to all veterans, families of veterans or individuals with veterans

in their family.
"Aid and Attendance" is an underutilized special monthly pension benefit offered by the Veterans Administration

for veterans and surviving spouses who require in-home care or live in nursing homes.

To qualify, a veteran (includes the surviving spouse) must have served at least 90 days of active military service,

one day of which is during a period of war, and must be discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

The veteran's benefit is $18,234 annually (paid monthly) and increases to $21,615 if a veteran has one dependent.

The surviving spouse alone is $11,715 annually.

For more information, call 1-800-827-1000
Visit http://www.va.gov (type "Aid and Attendance" in the search block), or contact your local VA office.
Apply on-line at http://vabenfits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp

Regards -

Submarine Killers of the Future

2010-07-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

US Navy Shooting down flying military objects with a laser? We've been hearing about this for literally 50 years and it seems the day has arrived. This Phalanx close to ship defense looking "thing" won't work while submerged of course, because the water would absorb all the energy. But if the wattage was turned up enough... a laser could cut through thousands of feet of sea water. Particularly if it was focused from 2 different aircraft or satellites at the same time the way stereotactic radiotherapy works. So by taking a sterotactic approach to this technology and turning up the volume, this could be the submarine killer of the future.

The Next Generation Diesel Submarines

2010-07-13T22:11:00.000-07:00

With all kinds of navies around the world buying brand new diesel boats from Russia, why can't the US get into the game? We used to build kick-butt diesel boats and when the nuclear age started, the US just plain stopped building the non-nuke subs.

According to MilitaryPhotos.net the Russians have sold Kilo Class diesel submarines recently to Algeria and Venezuela. Well I don't mind not selling those 2 countries any military hardware. It's usually a good idea to not sell weapons to places run by nut bags. But The Vietnamese have purchased 6 Kilo's from Russia and they are allies and the only country in the region with more or less recent military victories over China. Why are we letting the Russians get a 6 Billion USD contract without even trying for it? Wow.

The Indian Navy is also buying diesel electric submarines - locally manufactured - and one of their shipyards is booked until 2018 with orders! Mazgaon Docks Limited is building the Scorpene class.

Maybe we could sell someone the USS Ling since we seem hell bent on NOT building any diesel electric boats despite the contracts being sold left and right to ally nations.

Candygram for Mongo!

2010-07-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting report I saw in Yahoo News:
U.S. Missiles Deployed Near China Send a Message
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/08599200237800

Well the article pointed out that there are almost 500 Cruise Missiles deployed in the area now considering the USS Ohio, USS Michigan, USS Florida were on the job in the area.

So I guess the smaller countries around China might feel a little safer with the US Navy flexing nearby. But then again maybe not. The redesigned SSGN's can carry up to 60 Special Forces types supposedly and I think they like to take swim breaks. CandyGram anyone ??

USS Philadelphia DECOMM

2010-07-06T13:14:00.001-07:00

In an article in The Day, Jennifer McDermott reported on June 25, 2010 that the USS Philadelphia was decommissioned in Groton after 33 years of service. One of the Plankowners told the reporter that it was decommissioned "too soon". Wow... that boat lasted a full 10 years longer than the 10 boat !!

Why did the USS Augusta get the torch 10 years sooner? There were a number of very good reasons. Some of them you can see in the awesome photos on the USS Philadelphia SSN 690 site. Check it out... the underwater pictures of the SEAL Delivery Vehicles are off the charts.

I thought it was interesting that the hull number was totally missing from the article in The Day. SSN 690 of course. I think I'm going to have to get a subscription to the Day now.

Regards everyone - Mal

Dr. E. Lee Spence and His Discovery of the USS Hunley

2010-07-01T23:12:00.000-07:00

We just got a comment from Dr. E. Lee Spence on a previous blog post regarding his discovery of the USS Hunley. I just wanted to make sure everyone had the link to his very interesting and compelling story at:

http://knol.google.com/k/dr-e-lee-spence/the-discovery-of-the-hunley-by-dr-e-lee/9a3pk7ykcgda/2

When I was stationed in Charleston, South Carolina I was on a boomer out of Kings Bay Georgia... the USS Stonewall Jackson (Gold Crew). But on off crew we used to go fishing every day down there near Charleston. This was in 1982. I remember one time we went water skiing down near Fort Sumpter. My first Chief Ed Bruette had a nice speed boat that managed to achieve speeds we could water ski with, and still carry the tonnage of beer we required for every day activities during off-crew.

If we had known those bodies were down there I don't think any of us would have wanted to go water skiing around there. But I am absolutely certain that if he knew, Ed Bruette would have taken us skiing over the wreck just to get some laughs out of it. One time after a fall he swung the boat around and told me "Mal you better get back up on the ski's fast... I think you're swimming on top of the SHARK HOLE".

Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling

2010-06-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Remember the night time network news commercial in the 70's that went like this... "It's 10 O'Clock, do you know where your children are?" Well that's how I feel about the old "10 Boat". It's June 29th, do you know where you old submarine is?

Found this today... Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling

I want to get out there to the bone yard and kick the tires on the old lady.

Anyone know where the hull is right now? If you know, please write to Mal Milligan at: Mal@USS-Augusta.com

Thanks - Best Regards !!

NJ Web Design

2009-10-25T00:40:00.001-07:00

I've got a new website going and I'm consulting again after 19 months working for another huge multi-national. Still doing the single Dad routine with my 2 kids who are 10 and 11 years old now. Hard to believe how quickly time flies... especially as you get older. OK one post for my business then maybe we can get back to work and get some organizing done for the USS Augusta crew.

I'm making custom websites for professionals and businesses using WordPress now. It's a framework that gives cross-browser support and an incredible variety of different looks by changing what's called a "Theme". Google absolutely loves WordPress websites and blogs because the structure is easy to navigate and there are all kinds of features built in that help with search, like tags, and categories, and a dozen other major areas.

New Jersey web design integrated with search engine optimization is my my main service and I work a lot in New York City and all over Northern NJ. Sometimes South East CT too. Right now I'm doing a dental site in town and I've got a number of active NYC and NJ SEO clients that are getting Top 10 Google rankings and a few competitive # 1 Google rankings. I've got 3 regular custom web offerings priced at $500, $1,000, and $2,000 that are all hand made on WordPress frameworks and very customized in terms of content and SEO. One thing I do a lot of is giving free analysis of existing websites and their SEO effectiveness... so give me a call for a free look around if you have a website and you are wondering how your ranking on Google.

Military Divorce

2009-04-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

When I was in the Navy there was an extreme divorce rate. Luckily my part-time girlfriend at the time became an anti-nuke protester and she moved to Colorado... about as far as you could get from a submarine base. But for many fortunate or unfortunate squids and bubble heads their destiny was to tie the knot. That knot has about a thousand ways to unravel in the military.

In my travels as a web designer and search engine optimization guy for many years after active duty, I ran into an attorney that I consider the best in his trade. His specialty is military divorce lawyer and in particular, he takes care of the over 20's crowd. A retired nuke Master Chief can have a retirement package running into the millions now if he lives long enough. That's big stakes and it takes a lawyer with a lot of experience, finesse, and knowledge to help divide those assets.

Anyway, I hope you do have a happy marriage - if not, call my friend Michael Kevin Murphy in Fairfax Virginia no matter where you are on the planet. He can help with your family law issues if you're a senior military or government employee looking to get divorced.
http://mkmurphylaw.com

Back in Black

2009-04-16T21:24:00.001-07:00

I'm going to start posting again... looking for someone to run the Alumni Association so we can get a few more events in. It's going to take some work... I have been paying 15 bucks a month to maintain that Constant Contact mailing list and I want to get some use out of it. Anyone who was onboard the 10 Boat want to run a group of 800 radiated former submarine sailors ??

Cheers everyone !

Mal

Submarine Memorial: USS Augusta

2008-09-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaThere are about 40 to 50 unique visitors to this site every week. That's a lot of fun but not much in terms of impact. So I'm probably going to shift gears soon.

I started the Alumni Association for the USS Augusta several years ago when I read on a German site that the "10 Boat" was getting de-commissioned. We had a great party in Groton before the Decomm. Then the boat got de-commissioned. And now I want to make a Submarine Memorial for the boat. in 2015 NAVSEA will make the sail available to an organization that demonstrates financial capacity and the desire to do this.

I have this blog on blogger and a static website at USS-Augusta.com. So I am going to start an NPO and revamp both sites and start building again. For the time being I am going to stop posting to this site becasue it is actually taking valuable time that I could be spending working on getting a memorial for the boat. If anyone wants to help with suggestions please contact me.

My next goals are:
1. Get a lawyer that is willing to help create the NPO for this.
2. Create a Non-Profit Organization: the USS Augusta Memorial Foundation.
3. Start a new blog / website and retire the old blogs and website.
4. Try to gather around $500,000 to setup the Foundation for a permanent memorial.

Cheers all - happy sailing - Mahalo Aloha - Mal

Thanks everyone - more in 2009.

Mal Milligan
Founder - USS Augusta Alumni Association
Plankowner SSN-710
Former QM2(SS), Primary Navigational Plotter and Deck Division LPO

Coasties snag doper submarine !!

2008-09-17T03:12:00.000-07:00

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The Coast Guard has been getting tons of great headlines lately with rescue ops all over the place. They are majorly bagging hi-end dopers too and here is one bust that we can all relate to. When the dopers with submarines start shooting old Harpoons (the US Navy kind), then US Subs will get to play. Until then ... go Coast Guard ... Nice catch boys !!!

U.S. captures $187 million drug haul in submarine

By John McPhaul Tue Sep 16, 11:48 PM ET

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - The U.S. coast guard captured a submarine-like vessel equipped with sophisticated navigation equipment and stuffed with seven tonnes of cocaine, Costa Rican authorities said on Tuesday.

In a difficult nighttime operation during the weekend, U.S. officials arrested four Colombian smugglers on board the 59-foot (18-meter) steel and fiberglass vessel in international waters

before they could sink it.

"The boat was partially submerged but you can't call it amateurish. The drug traffickers are not amateurs," Jose Pastor, a spokesman for Costa Rica's public security ministry told Reuters.

Several makeshift submarines toting drugs have been captured recently on the high seas. In July, the Mexican special forces captured a similar submarine carrying 200 tightly wrapped packages of cocaine.

On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard sent a team of special agents on small boats to surprise the smugglers after a U.S. Navy airplane spotted the sub. When the traffickers realized the agents were on their deck they shifted the boat violently in an attempt to throw the officers into the sea.

After that failed, they complied with orders not to open hatches designed to sink the craft, said the Coast Guard.

"This was the most dangerous operation of my career," Todd Bagetis, the lieutenant in charge of the Coast Guard team, said in a statement.

Official photos showed the craft packed full of 37 bales of cocaine with a street value of $187 million.

The vessel was likely capable of traveling from South America to the U.S. coast without stopping for fuel or supplies, said the Coast Guard.

The U.S. ship that nabbed the traffickers was set to arrive to the Costa Rican port of Caldera on Wednesday with the drug boat in tow, Pastor said.

(Additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg, editing by Patricia Zengerle)

Navy Thinking

2008-09-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

This was sent in by Navy Veteran Don Schultz. Thanks Mr. Schultz !!

Think about this the way you were taught to think in the US Navy. Use only logic and not emotion.

If you vote for Obama

You get this:

If you vote for McCain

You get this:

David Ellis is voting for Bill Cosby in 2008 !!

2008-09-07T16:10:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate to be on several mailing lists from former USS Augusta sailors. Dave Ellis sent me one I have to repost on the blog. Thanks Dave !! Cheers everyone...

I HAVE DECIDED TO BECOME A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE.

HERE IS MY PLATFORM:

(1) "Press 1 for English" is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait at the border until you can.

(2) We will immediately go into a two year isolationist posture to straighten out the country's attitude. NO imports, no exports.
We will use the 'Wal-Mart's policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.'

(3) When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it.

(4) All retired military personnel will be required to man one of our many observation towers on the southern border. (six month tour) They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens

(5) Social security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't gettin nuttin out. The president nor any other politician will not be able to touch it.

(6) Welfare - Checks will be handed out on Fridays at the end of the 40 hour school week and the successful completion of urinalysis and a passing grade.

(7) Professional Athletes --Steroids - The FIRST time you check positive you're banned for life.

(8) Crime - We will adopt the Turkish method, the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more life sentences. If convicted, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for your victim; gun, knife, strangulation, etc.

(9) One export will be allowed; Wheat, The world needs to eat. A bushel of wheat will be the exact price of abarrel of oil.

(10) All foreign aid using American taxpayer money will immediately cease, and the saved money will pay off the national debt and ultimately lower taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask the American people if they want to donate to a disaster fund, and each citizen can make the decision whether it's a worthy cause.

(11) The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress.

(12) The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc.

Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes but a vote for me will get you better than what you have, and better than what you're gonna get. Thanks for listening, and remember to write in my name on the ballot in November.
God Bless America !!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Cosby!!!!!!!!

Life is neither a spectator sport, nor a dress rehearsal.

Grace to you.

A Pineapple in Kennebunkport

2008-09-06T00:19:00.001-07:00

Sometimes working for the USS Augusta Alumni Association is FUN. Actually, most of the time it's fun. But during my recent fact finding trip to Maine my kids and I went sailing together for the first time. THANKS AUNT PAT!!! (for everything... including sponsoring this vacation).

We went for a 2 hour cruise on the Pineapple which is a 2 masted sailboat registered in Kennebunkport ME. If you have never had the pleasure of cruising on wind power - do it before you die. The sounds of the water banging on the hull and the rigging banging against the mast will never leave you. With my time in the Navy and time as a commercial fisherman in Alaska I spent over a year of my life at sea. It was nice to feel the waves again - this time in almost total silence at times.

The USS Augusta Lobster Emblem

2008-09-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

When the PCU Augusta was looking for a ships emblem in 1983 one of the final entries some kid submitted was a lobster. That was the one I voted for. I was one of the first Coners to report to the PCU and I think it was mostly a nuclear vote for the ship's emblem. The crew picked the old Maine Fort and "Protecting the Frontier since 1754".

I almost went to a lobster boat after the Navy but in between Wall Street jobs I was a commercial fisherman in Alaska. Not on a crabber like the Discovery Channel show, I was on a catcher / processor called the America #1. But I got to go on a working lobster boat "The Rugosa" last week in Kennebunkport with my kids and we all had a blast. There are probably millions of lobster pots on the coast of Maine in the summer when the little beasts go to shallow water to molt and hang out.

Rockport Maine

2008-09-01T06:43:00.001-07:00

Another beautiful location on the Maine coastline is the town Rockport. The Harbor Master building overlooks a picturesque harbor with the typical mix of commercial fishermen and pleasure craft. There is a small beach and a number of public boat ramps and parking for around 10 cars.

I'd have to say this is simply a beautiful place and it is bound to stay that way because there will never be bus loads of people stopping here for the view. I don't think there was enough room for a bus to turn around at the bottom of the hill to get to the harbor. There did not appear to be any stores or places to eat or places to stay that I could see from the waterfront. Maybe there are a few places but they blend in well with the background.

USS Augusta Lobster Night

2008-08-31T07:27:00.001-07:00

Do you remember the 5 cases of live Maine Lobster we got onboard the USS Augusta during the week we were commissioned? I wonder now if they were from the City of Augusta or the Kennebec Chamber of Commerce which covers more than 10 times the people. Anyway on my recent fact finding trip to Maine I only got to eat lobster once and it was a Lobster Omlet for breakfast on my last day and it was absolutely fantastic.

Camden Maine - Pretty as a Postcard

2008-08-29T06:25:00.001-07:00

There are a number of coastal towns around 40 miles away from the center of Augusta and I stumbled on them quite by accident. They are Camden, Rockport, and Rockland. Each town has a great harbor filled with boats. Camden in particular looked like a postcard everywhere I turned around. They also had a lot of Navy here and a maritime tradition that went way back. I'm going back today with the kids to look around but this is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Kennebunkport Maine

2008-08-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Kennebunkport Maine. We went on a working lobster boat one day and sailing the next. The Nonantum Resort was just fantastic in every way.

Checked out the Kittery Trading Post on the way up here. The Kittery Trading post is as far North as I made it in Maine previously. During the week we were in Portsmouth New Hampshire for commissioning on the USS Augusta in 1985, I hitched a ride there with a couple of guys from the boat. The air temperature was about 8 degrees and we had to wear civilian clothes and none of us had jackets. We were OK because the car had a good heater.

Anyway I'll do a bunch of posts about this place I just wanted to start out by recommending it for beautiful scenery and the friendliest people. I am so glad I went here and the kids I think will remember the lobster boat and the sailboat for the rest of their lives. It was awesome !!!

Maine Vacation

2008-08-25T01:18:00.001-07:00

George Herbert Walker Bush *, originally uploaded by imapix.

One of the places I am checking out with the kids is Kennebunkport Maine. There are a bunch of great hotels and resort type places in town and the activities list is incredible. One of the more interesting things I am looking into is the day trip on a working Lobster boat.

After leaving the USS Augusta and departing from the US Navy I went to Wall Street and worked 80 hours a week. In between Wall Street jobs I took off the beaten track jobs to get my head back together and that's how I landed up being a commercial fisherman in Alaska. Well i don't know if any of that is going to suit my kids, but pulling up some lobster pots and wrestling with sea crustaceans is on the agenda.

You know I'm 3rd generation Navy and my boy is talking about it already. There is a famous but low key Navy man in the area who apparently fishes his butt off like the rest of us would like to do. I promised my daughter we would only go fishing twice on this vacation and she could read if she wanted but I for one am GOING FISHING !!!

Augusta Maine Satellite View

2008-08-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

I am making hotel reservations today and leaving on Monday night for Maine. I'll be staying with my 10 year old boy and 9 year old girl in Augusta for 2 or 3 days. I expect I'll be buying a out of state fishing license and I have no idea what is up there in terms of fish but it has to be better than Jersey. I am also looking for some kayak rentals for me and the kids. There must be a couple outfits on the Kennebec River.

You can see the two bridges in the photo near the center of town. I can take a thousand pictures a day with my new Nikon D-60 and I expect many will be from the waterfront area. I'll get them up on my Flickr Pro account asap after the trip... or during the trip if I have a hookup in a hotel or something.

The airport is jogging distance from downtown literally. And it looks like most of the hotels are close to the airport or Colby College rather than on the waterfront which is what I would have thought. My buddy Myron Quigley told me after living up in Maine for many decades that there were occasionally spring thaws with ice pileups that could damage property and bridges... but I'll be sure to find out.

From the Augusta Chronicle

2008-08-23T04:24:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia Here is an interesting story from the Augusta Chronicle regarding the discovery of the first American submarine that sank another ship. A guy named Lee Spence says he found the boat on the bottom 25 years before the professional treasure hunter Clive Cussler found it. He says he just wants to straighten out the records but there is usually a lot of money involved. Anytime lawyers can charge hundreds of hours at $350 an hour you can bet they will line up like vultures to get a piece of the action.

COLUMBIA --- A years-long dispute over who first discovered a famed Confederate submarine off the South Carolina coast might be nearing its end.

An attorney for shipwreck hunter Clive Cussler said Friday that he filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Charleston to dismiss his lawsuit against underwater archaeologist Lee Spence.

Mr. Cussler sought no damages but wanted to disprove Mr. Spence's claims that he found the H.L. Hunley submarine while diving in 1970.

Mr. Cussler announced and documented his discovery 25 years later.

The Hunley sank in February 1864 after sinking the Union blockade warship Housatonic off the Charleston coast. Historians say the Hunley was the first submarine to sink an enemy warship.

The submarine was recovered in 2000 and is undergoing conservation in North Charleston.

Video from the bridge USS Wyoming

2008-08-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

How many hours did you spend on the bridge at sea? I had a lot of time as a lookout mostly on the Stoney J when I was a Seaman and a striker for the QM Div. I saw one of the greatest 2 sunrises of my life from the bridge of that boat. I also saw dolphins playing in our bow waves once. One of them actually learned to hoover on the crest somehow... it was like a belly surfing move and totally cool. Well here's to the Boomer Boys - thanks for the video MySpace.

Dolphins playing on the bow of the submarine USS Wyoming

US Navy Presidential Ceremonial Honor Guard Drill Team

2008-08-07T01:24:00.000-07:00

Go Navy. Here they are, this is an impressive clip. I had to watch this twice. Thanks Paul for your contribution. Actually many contributions.

ROADTRIP to Augusta Maine !!

2008-07-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

I'm hitting the road with my kids in August 2008 headed toward Augusta Maine. I'm looking for a place to park the sail from the 10 boat. I'm also going to visit my good family friends Mr. and Mrs. Quigley up in Monson Maine... and do a couple dozen more things too.

The original Mayor when the USS Augusta was commissioned in 1985 was Peter Thompson and he told me last year he knew a nice place on the waterfront that would be good for parking the sail. It would be great in some ways to find a place where the sail could anchor in it's namesake city Augusta. But honestly it might do better on the beautiful Maine coastline facing the sea. Or possibly as part of a museum or a shipyard.

I talked with some of the guys on the DECOM crew about an idea I had which was to engrave the names of the 800 guys we know that served on the Augusta on the side of the sail. One of the Chiefs (and I forgot his name just now - I'll credit him later), anyway he suggested bolting bronze or stainless steel plaques on the side of the sail so we could make adds and changes easily. I think it would be cool for future generations to be able to walk up to the sail and touch the engraved name of their Grandpa or their Dad or whatever. Just the opposite of the USS Nautilus which is plexiglassed off so no one can touch anything, I'd like everyone to be able to grab hold of the 10 boat and really be able to reach out and touch history.

Anyway I have heard so many great things about traveling to Maine I am really looking forward to this working vacation. I will stop by Senator Snowe's office and Senator Collins' office... the Maine Museum... the historic Augusta waterfront. Bath Iron Works, Kittery Trading Post, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard... the Maine seacoast near Kennebunkport... I actually have about 20 stops I have to make. My 10 year old boy Johnny and 9 year old girl Kimi will probably remember this as more work than fun but I am going to try to make it something they can remember for the rest of their lives too. And if I get lucky and the USS Augusta Memorial Foundation gets underway, I'll get to go back to Maine about another 50 times

Dedication

2008-07-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

The first time I was at the Tomb of the Unknowns, the Arlington National Cemetery was actually closed. I was 15 years old and it was the dead of winter 1976 during the last week of December. I was with 2 friends and my father was supposed to pick us up at Arlington at around 6:00 PM or something like that. While we were waiting at the main gate and the place was closing, security guards told us the Metro Police just called them. They said my father was going to be more than an hour late to pick us up but everything was OK. So the guards told us we could hang out even though the Cemetery was closing. It was around 20 degrees and it was getting dark. I remember warming our hands with the hand dryers in the rest room near the main gate.

So one of the security guards told us we could run up the hill if we wanted and go see the changing of the guards and we decided it would would be the best way to keep warm. We really had no idea of what to expect. So we ran up the hill and went to the Tomb and the 3 of us stood there... freezing... and silent except for the chatter of our teeth.

There was a long red carpet that the Old Guard US Army guys were walking on... everything else had a couple inches of snow on it. I think there were 3 Tombs back then on the other side of the carpet. And just then, the air became totally still and it started to snow. It was one of those moments in my life that I can remember so vividly that I remember the sounds. They were the sounds of men walking with shoes that had taps on them. And strange commands from the man in charge... and the sound of snow falling with no wind.

The next time I remember having a moment like that I was in Boot Camp 5 years later. I was standing in formation with 800 other guys at 4:45 AM outside the chow hall at Great Lakes. It was still dark and companies of 80 men were standing at attention and occasionally moving in formation closer to the chow hall. And one of the Company Commanders started singing a cadence song - by himself. And his voice was really perfect for singing a military cadence like that and there was just something about it. I'd say it brought a tear to the eyes of about half of the men who were standing at attention... and it started to snow just then and the wind was still and you could have heard a pin drop.

I have great respect for these Old Guard guys that have the honor and the difficult mission of protecting the Tomb with our nations finest military standards. I would have to say I feel a particular connection to this place and I hope you all have an opportunity to see the changing of the guard sometime. Bring your kids !!

What Cold War was that Dad ???

2008-06-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

This is almost unbelievable. For the crew of the USS Augusta who fought the good fight during the Cold War, here is a contribution from Dan Craw.

This is a Finnish rock band called the Leningrad Cowboys performing in Russia. They are doing a version of Sweet Home Alabama in nearly perfect English. And their backup singers are the RED ARMY CHOIR. On top of the off the wall picture you just got in your head, if you check out the video is is actually pretty darn good. This whole thing reminds me of our USS Augusta Plankowner buddy Adam Shortnacy who was from Alabama and the only guy who could actually rip the tune out on a lead guitar.

Please check this out - it's too funny and actually quite good. If we had a little of this 25 years ago the world would be a better place.

USS Intrepid in Staten Island

2008-06-08T11:15:00.001-07:00

We were on the Staten Island Ferry last weekend and I took a few shots of the USS Intrepid with my telephoto lens. I can't wait for the ship to get dragged back over to the New York side and open for visitors again. My kids were too young until recently to drag them on boats and ships but now they can go anywhere and have a great time.

I have talked with a couple of the fellas involved with the Intrepid Museum. The Curator was very helpful - I can't find his name right now. John McCain is on the board. Well this summer I'll have to see who I can roust up for some more info on starting Naval Museums... like the one for the USS Augusta !!

The Lone Sailor

2008-06-03T03:53:00.000-07:00

In Washington DC there is a wide open space called the US Navy Memorial. I'll do a few articles on this place because I'm trying to build the same thing for the 10 boat. They have a statue called the Lone Sailor and he was supposed to look like a 25 year old 2nd Class Petty Officer. Hey, I was a 25 year old 2nd Class Petty Officer.... I wonder if they... NO WAY. This swashbuckller was supposed to have been to a lot of places and I landed up filling up every page of a passport... but I did it after my 4 years on active duty. Subs don't go to a ton of places like surface guys.

My kids thought the statue was creepy.

Memorial Day Weekend 2008

2008-06-02T03:58:00.000-07:00

Another roadtrip to Washington DC with my kids and my traveling buddy Rob. We spent half a day at Arlington this time and I took about 500 pictures. This place is so well designed there are incredible photo opportunities almost everywhere you look.

Walking around in Arlington I get a feeling that no matter what problems our nation has had or still has, there has never been a greater country in history. The men and women we honor here died so we could be free. And I have to tell you Mr. Obama, if you can't hold your hand over your heart when you see our flag and hear our National Anthem, you should probably find a more suitable place to live. I am honored to live here despite our problems and I am proud and grateful.

Summertime Submarine Fun !!

2008-05-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2006 I contacted the USS Augusta for the first time in a couple of decades or so. I found an email address for the CO Mr. Childs and one for the XO Mr. Turk, and a third for the COB MC Greaney. It turned out that the guys were all "unavailable" at the time I sent those initial emails. But Mrs. Turk sent me an email reply and I had officially re-established a connection with the boat.

My first trek back to SUBASE NLON was uneventful because the closest I got to lower base was the main gate. I got to talk with the Command Duty Officer who was a lady Senior Chief... but she said the boat did not have a phone because they had just pulled in or some unlikely version of the story. So I took my kids to the Nautilus Museum instead. I finally did get my kids onboard the USS Augusta... one alumni reunion and one submarine decommissioning later. For the rest of my life I will be grateful we had the chance.

So for some summertime fun I would highly recommend the USS Nautilus Museum. It is absolutely the best time of year in my humble opinion because the air whipping around down on the waterfront is only pleasant for 2 months a year. The rest of the time the air is cold. I'll write more about the 571 boat in the next post.

My last visit to the 10 Boat

2008-04-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

On the weekend of April 12th 2008 I was fortunate enough to visit the USS Augusta with my son Johnny and daughter Kimi. My friend Rob Jeffer went with us for the trip from NJ to Virginia. Rob has endured almost 20 years of submarine stories from me so it was good he could get onboard to put some of the images together with some of the stories.

SC Brimley was acting COB and he helped us out with the base access. COB MC Agnew made arrangements for me the week before. Mr. Rossi gave us a grand tour on Saturday. Interestingly enough he and all 4 of the boarding party happened to be New Jersey natives.

As the boat had made its final sea voyage under it's own power, it had red tags all over the place. The general look was similar to the way the boat looked before we went to sea for the first time. If was of course a little sad to see the boat like that but really like my daughter's favorite kid movie The Lion King, it's all about the cycle of life. Like people and animals... submarines in a way are born, and they live, and then they die. The core is getting ripped out in the next few weeks and I guess it is like a heart transplant. The USS Augusta is moving on so a new Virginia class boat can be born. I am so glad I was able to get my children onboard one time. As always everyone on the crew was AJ Squared Away and glad to help in any way. As we left we were treated to one of the finest Navy sunsets I have ever seen except out at sea.

Final Hour for USS Augusta

2008-04-06T01:42:00.000-07:00

I talked with the COB Pat Agnew yesterday for a half hour. The USS Augusta has completed it's last patrol and it's ready to go to the yards later this month. Anyone from the Alumni crew wanting a final visit please contact MAL and I will forward your request to Master Chief Agnew on the boat. I'm going to visit the boat one more time and I'm bringing my kids this time.

I have not been on the base at Norfolk myself since 1982. I was stationed at Dam Neck back then and I drove my car onto the base and parked right on the pier that the USS Nimitz was tied to. I got onboard the Nimitz a couple times that way... and I was lucky to not get completely lost for days below decks. Lots to see and do at the biggest US Navy base INCONUS.

Well anyway Pat told me the boat is on a good pier and a lot of the crew has already transferred off. The guys onboard now are ready for the hard hat area. The US Navy Historian is about to go onboard and start removing artifacts.

Billion Dollar Refit for the Big Boy USS Georgia SSBN 729

2008-03-28T21:35:00.001-07:00

When the USS Augusta was still in the yards at "EB" we shared building 80 with another crew and it was a Trident boat. I think it might have been the Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) but I can't remember. If someone could help with a comment that would be great. Just before we left building 80 for good I think there was a 3rd crew in there also. The USS Georgia was still at EB because there were only 4 Tridents in the water when we were commissioned and they were the 4th. The closest I ever got to going inside one was on a weekend afternoon when the 10 boat was down in the graving dock I walked on top of whatever Trident was at EB. It seemed like the Empire State Building laying on it's side. Nuclear submarine USS Georgia returns to duty at Ga. naval base
By RUSS BYNUM - AP Military Writer --

KINGS BAY NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE, Ga. --
More than 2,000 Navy sailors and dignitaries Friday celebrated the return to duty of the USS Georgia, the last of four mammoth submarines converted from nuclear-armed deterrents to conventional stealth weapons.

Overhauling the Georgia cost $1 billion and took two years at the Navy's shipyard in Norfolk, Va. The 560-foot sub's Trident nuclear missiles were replaced with an arsenal of Tomahawk cruise missiles and room to carry a platoon of special forces troops undetected into enemy territory.

"When we were in the shipyard the ship's motto was, 'Let's bring Georgia home,'" said Capt. Brian McIlvaine, the sub's commanding officer. "Now our goal is let's get Georgia to the fight."

Commissioned in 1984, the Georgia served for 20 years as a Cold War deterrent that lurked at sea ready, if necessary, to launch its nuclear weapons.

Now it's been outfitted for stealth missions in the war on terrorism. The sub carries 154 conventional cruise missiles. It also sports a built-in war room, extra bunks and special airlocks for launching elite Navy SEALS on clandestine missions.

Though nearly the length of two football fields, the Georgia's black hull was designed to dodge radar and its mechanical innards are made to absorb sound vibrations to evade sonar detection.

"Soon the Georgia will deliver the stealth, precision and flexibility that is in high demand from our military commanders," said Vice Adm. John J. Donnelly, commander of the Navy's submarine force.

The Georgia is the second of the converted submarines to be stationed at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, the only base for naval nuclear subs on the east coast. The other, the USS Florida, arrived in 2006. Their two sister submarines, the Ohio and Michigan, are stationed in Bangor, Wash.

However, the Georgia is the only vessel in the Navy to be based in its home state, a matter of pride for boosters here. Gov. Sonny Perdue presented the sub's 166-man crew with a Georgia state flag that traveled through each of the state's 159 counties before arriving for the Friday ceremony.

Perdue said he got to spend a night aboard the USS Florida last year, which he described as "awesome." But the former University of Georgia football player couldn't help taking a dig at the rival state.

"Much as I enjoyed my trip on the Florida, I'm looking forward to a ride on the USS Georgia with a new and improved color scheme," Perdue said.

McIlvaine said the Georgia is not quite ready to deploy yet. Its crew will spend months installing upgraded sonar and weapons control systems on the submarine. After that, the retooled Georgia should deploy on its first mission in early 2009.

Veterans take a look at proposed Amnesty Bill

2008-03-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

This was forwarded to me from one of my friends from the Augusta and another friend from another boat. As Navy Veterans, we worked hard for this nation. I live in Bergen County New Jersey and there are illegal aliens all over the place working without paying taxes taking jobs that legal Americans could be doing. Our police in Bergen County make over $100,000 per year EACH after about 5 years on the job and many of them work a 3 day work week. They also have over the top benefits, training, and vacations. They will not arrest illegal aliens. I have worked for a number of MASTER CHIEFS that could turn this situation around in a matter of minutes. Take a look at this video and pass it around.

Another submarine spy from China (with Love)

2008-03-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

The big espionage game is now with the mainland Chinese. They have thousands of computer hackers gleening every bit of sensitive data they can find on US based websites to steal or manipulate. You can build any component in the world in China and then race the bastards you paid to your own market no matter what kind of agreements you put in the contract. You will find alternate versions of the products you designed selling cheaper in your own markets because of so called "Chinese Law". That is a joke... there is no such thing as Chinese Law. Except that it allows chinese citizens to steal western inventions and intellectual property. Sure you can sue in a chinese court. Pfizer had to sue to stop the illegal manufacture of generic Viagra in China and it took many years and millions and millions of dollars. The absolute worst pollution in the world is probably in China and they are building several water pipes to feed Beijing... one of them had to be 900 miles long to find clean water. Chinese greed is absolute and legendary. In order to be citizens of the real world China will have to learn the lessons that their incredible greed has a price and that cost is going to be very very high.

Until then fellow submariners, keep designating Chinese warships as threat contacts and light 'em up!!!!

Chinese-Born Engineer Convicted of Conspiracy Gets 24 1/2 Years in Prison Last Edited: Tuesday, 25 Mar 2008, 2:43 AM GMT Created: Monday, 24 Mar 2008, 7:47 PM GMT

03/24/2008 --

A Chinese-born engineer convicted of conspiracy to export U.S. defense technology to China was sentenced Monday to 24 1/2 years in federal prison by a judge who said the defendant betrayed his adopted country.

Chi Mak, 67, a naturalized U.S. citizen who worked on naval propulsion systems, was also convicted of acting as an unregistered foreign agent, attempting to violate export control laws and making false statements to the FBI.

Federal prosecutors asked for 30 years, while Mak's defense team proposed 10 years.

Mak asked U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney for leniency before sentencing. Four of Mak's relatives, including his wife, pleaded guilty last year to related offenses in exchange for leniency.

"I don't know so much about the law, but I feel I never intend to violate any law at all. I never intend to hurt my country. I love this country. I don't believe I hurt this country," Mak told the judge. "The truth is not like the one the prosecutor says. I still hope for justice."

The judge said Mak lied on immigration and government security clearance forms and perjured himself on the witness stand.

"I do believe a high-end sentence is appropriate here. Mr. Mak sadly, I believe, betrayed the United States. ... I really don't know how much damage he's done to us," Carney said.

"He's a very humble man, a very warm man and he wants to be helpful," the judge said, referencing letters of support from Mak's friends and former colleagues and friends. "But it's those traits and that persona that allowed him to pass information to the People's Republic of China."

Mak, who worked for Anaheim-based naval defense contractor Power Paragon, was arrested in late 2005 after FBI agents stopped his brother and sister-in-law as they boarded a flight to Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China.

Investigators said they found three encrypted CDs in the couple's luggage that contained documents on a submarine propulsion system, a solid-state power switch for ships and a PowerPoint presentation on the future of power electronics.

During a monthlong trial last year, Mak's attorneys argued that the information he gathered was not classified and was often made public at industry conferences that were attended by engineers from all over the world, including China. They also argued that the information that Mak was accused of trying to pass to China was outdated and so far from being a functional technology that China could have done little with it.

Mak's attorney, Ronald Kaye, said he would file an appeal within 10 days. He accused prosecutors of being overly harsh with his client to make a point to the international espionage community and to China.

"We believe that history will prove the facts of this case differently," Kaye said outside court. "They essentially have sentenced him as if he's a trophy rather than a human being."

Mak, who has been in custody since his arrest, was allowed to hug his attorneys before being returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. Kaye asked that he be placed in a minimum security prison in Lompoc, Calif., and the court agreed to recommend that to federal prison officials.

Mak's wife, Rebecca Laiwah Chiu, pleaded guilty last year on the eve of her trial to one count of acting as a foreign agent without registering with the U.S. government. She is serving three years in federal prison and will be deported upon release.

His brother, Tai Mak, pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to violate export control laws in exchange for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Tai Mak's wife, Fuk Li, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the violation of export control laws and received three years of probation.

Yui "Billy" Mak, the son of Tai Mak and Fuk Li, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the violation of export control laws and was sentenced to time already served. The three will also be deported.

National Anthem at Texas Tech

2008-03-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

This has been going around the internet and it is worth having a listen to. These 5 young ladies sang the National Anthem before a Texas Tech game on February 9, 2008. It has almost 4 million views on You Tube already.

Remembering our sister ship - SSN 709

2008-03-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Our sister ship in the yards was the 709 boat - USS Hyman Rickover. I remember the day Rickover went to "E.B." to go onboard his namesake boat. I think it was before they went on initial seatrials. He had enlisted guys from the crew standing around holding mattresses to supposedly block photographers from taking his picture. Since there were no photographers allowed in the shipyard I thought the whole thing was pretty strange. I remember seeing a black limo leaving the piers as I was walking up to Building 80 from the graving dock... which turned out to be Rickover himself - the father of the Nuclear Navy. I knew one of the QMs on the 709 and he told me about the mattresses thing.

I heard Rickover went ballistic when they announced they were naming a 688 after him because he thought he deserved a carrier to be named after him. I have no idea if that is true but what I do know is that after Rickover drove the La Jolla into the sea floor doing a crash back on seatrials, Reagan pulled him right out of active participation with seatrials. We had 3 Plankowners on the USS Augusta that were also Plankowners on the La Jolla and they were there. I believe Rickover commanded initial seatrials on every submarine from the Nautilus to the La Jolla. So Ronald Reagan brought Hyman to the White House and retired him on the spot... as nicely as he could. Rickover had an ego as big as a mountain and only the President could deflate him like that.

My father was a US Navy Officer having graduated from Fort Schuyler Maritime Academy in the Bronx. I think my father was in the class of 1956. He told me that Rickover graduated from the US Naval Academy in the class of '23 [correction - should have been 1922]. He said in the original yearbook from 1922 [corrected] there was a black page in the yearbook and it was perforated and in the middle of the page was a picture of Rickover. So the first thing most guys in the class did when they got their yearbooks was to tear the page out.

The fact of the matter remains that despite being one of the biggest jerks in the history of earth, it was because of Rickover's genius, his attention to detail, and his standards particularly with safety and training that the US never had a major nuclear disaster. The nation and the world will always owe him for taking a new and potentially dangerous technology and making it work - as safely as possible. In my humble opinion he did not deserve the carrier because he was socially retarded. He commanded tremendous respect because he was very smart and very powerful but not because he was respected as a man you would care to know or as a leader. Maybe it took that kind of personality to make nuclear power safe. The 688 class was his baby from start to finish and he should have been as honored to serve as a namesake as we were to serve as crew members.

Navy Humor provided by Joyce Shortnacy

2008-03-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

I remember morning muster in the control room. Chief Hurley would always be there early. I would make it about a minute early or less. And the Grimmer would always be the last guy to walk in and he'd be smoking and drinking his coffee at the same time. There was rarely a day that Michael Grimm did NOT spill his coffee from the crews mess, up the ladder in the Nav Ctr and all the way across control to the periscopes. I would have thought Grimm had what it took to make Chief someday but he retired from the Navy to be promoted to civilian like I did. We called coffee stains on decks "Chief Trails" but in the case of QM morning muster it was simply evidence that the Grimmer was aboard and ready for action.

Interesting story on the USS Grunion

2008-03-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

My first QM Chief Ed Bruette sends me great submarine articles. Here is a picture of Ed above. This is one of those stories that can be felt personally by every man that has ever stepped foot onboard the Augusta or any submarine really. It brings to mind the phrase "Except by the grace of God, there go I". This boat was very similar to the WWII submarine USS Ling. We are fortunate to have the Ling nearby in Hackensack NJ. My kids love it because you can sound all the alarms in the control room. I used to work on Unalaska Island in the Aleuts almost a neighbor to the final resting place of the Grunion.

By Craig Wilson, USA TODAY
BETHESDA, Md. — Mary Bentz is sitting at her kitchen table, poring over old photographs of World War II sailors.

She has never met any of the men, but she calls them "my kids." "Look at these faces," she says. "They're frozen in time."

The 70 men she now calls family all died when the USS Grunion, a submarine on its maiden voyage, went down in waters off the coast of Alaska in late July 1942. Her uncle, Carmine Parziale of Weedville, Pa., was on board.

For 65 years, the Grunion and its crew were missing. The ship finally was found last August, thanks to the submarine commander's three sons, who financed an expedition to the site near the Aleutian island of Kiska where it was believed the sub had disappeared.

A mini-sub equipped with cameras and video equipment spotted the remains on a slope 3,000 feet down in the Bering Sea.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Detroit Michigan Pennsylvania Kentucky World War II North Alaska Lord Rings Mary Des Moines Register Bering Sea Boston Scientific Byron Museum of Science Aleutian Kiska Nanook USS Grunion America Legion Bentz John Abele

The story is part mystery (Why did the sub go down?), part genealogical search (Who were these rakish-looking men?), but mostly it's a love story. A labor-of-love story.

The Grunion's tale will be retold May 1 in a seminar at Boston's Museum of Science.

"I guess in a sense it's a good excuse to bring everything we've collected into one spot," says John Abele, whose father, Mannert (Jim), was the commander of the Grunion and disappeared with the sub when John was 5.

"Part of the day will be a presentation of what we have learned, and part of it will be a display of the letters, thousands of e-mails, photos. And we have about three hours of high-definition video."

The Grunion project (ussgrunion.com) "has taken on a life of its own," he says.

The sub ladies

Much of the credit can be given to a few women. Bentz and two others have been on a mission to answer as many questions pertaining to the Grunion as they can.

Affectionately dubbed the "sub ladies," they've spent the good part of the past two years tracking down families of the sailors.

(Prophetically, the day the Grunion's twisted remains were spotted, the last unfound family of a Grunion sailor was tracked down in Detroit.)

"They usually think you're a bill collector or trying to solicit funds for something or other," says Vickie Rodgers of Mayfield, Ky., one of the "sub ladies." Her great-uncle, Merritt Graham, went down with the Grunion.

"Then they're usually shocked. 'How did you find me?' And then it turns to elation. And every once in a while, a family doesn't even know they're related to that person. … But we all consider ourselves a family now."

Even so, Rodgers has never met Bentz or Rhonda Raye, who by some accounts is the original "sub lady."

"She's my best friend, and we've never met," says Rodgers of Raye. "I bet we'd e-mail 200 times a day. And I feel like I know a lot of these men, too. I'm the mother of five, so I feel like a mother to them."

Raye thinks credit should go elsewhere. "Actually you should say Susan Abele (wife of Bruce Abele, another son of the Grunion's commander) was the first sub lady, since later we determined she was the one who found an old genealogy post of mine on Paul Banes. That's how they found me," says Raye, great-niece of Paul Edward Banes, who served aboard the Grunion.

"The thing is, Vickie, Mary and I all have various ways of going about the search, and it is that combination that made this a success."

Everyone agrees the project was a trial-and-error thing.

"We were just turning over rocks," Rodgers says. "There was no system or method. Whatever idea we came up with, we ran with it."

The group posted notices at VFW and America Legion halls. Bentz has gone on radio talk shows. That's how she tracked down the family of Byron "Buck" Traviss, the last to be found.

His first cousin by marriage, Barbara Larish of Dearborn, Mich., was putting away groceries when she heard Bentz talking about the Grunion search on the radio. She made contact with Bentz, and the list was complete.

Rodgers is most impressed by the Abele family, and the effort they've put in.

"I felt the little I have done was the least I could do compared to what they've done," she says. "I was hoping the Grunion would be found in 2007, but as I said to Bruce Abele once, even if it isn't, the Grunion is found in all the stories of these men and their families, and we're thankful we have the website to share what we can."

John Abele, a co-founder of Boston Scientific, called the quest to find the sub a "kind of a Nanook of the North meets Lord of the Rings.… It has a very eerie quality to it."

He brought back vials of seawater from the site and sent them to all 70 families.

Phyllis Boo, sister-in-law of Grunion sailor Robert Francis Boo, told the Des Moines Register the vial was "humbling."

"Humbling" is the same word John Abele used to describe how it felt to find his father's vessel.

"In one sense, the journey is complete," he says. "We found a submarine, confirmed it's the Grunion, found relatives of all the crew."

But what he likes most is how it was done.

"It's amateurish but entrepreneurial. A collection of people who bring all sorts of things to this. … What we're trying to do is harness that collective intelligence and produce an understanding. It's a multi-themed story."

The Abeles assembled seven Grunion families, about 30 people, last fall in Newton, Mass.

"It was very interesting," John Abele says. "Not sure what the best word is to describe it. These aren't relatives, obviously we don't know any of these people, but it was like finding a family relative you didn't know you had. There was instant bonding. We realized we were all part of a family."

In need of closure

And since the Grunion just disappeared, no one had a proper funeral, let alone an obituary in the local newspaper.

(Many of the widows never remarried, hoping their lost husbands might walk through the door one day. One carried her husband's letters in her apron for years, often going down to the train station waiting for him to return. Three of the widows are still living.)

So Bentz's work is not done. She has taken the story one step further. Her days are now spent calling newspapers, urging them to tell the story from the "local boy" angle.

She works from a loose-leaf notebook in which she lists the newspapers she has called, editor's name and whether they've run a story yet. She calls it an "eight-hour-a-day" job.

Bentz is miffed at certain papers that haven't, or worse, refused, to run stories.

"I don't have a clue what they're thinking," she says.

Her goal is for each of the 70 sailors to have a proper obit or story in their hometown newspaper. Thirty have been documented so far. She has 40 more to go.

"There's so much still to do and share. But once someone has an obituary, it makes it real," she says. "It closes the door, and when it's real, you can let them rest."
Share this story:

USS Augusta, Departing

2008-03-12T11:27:00.001-07:00

SUBASE bids farewell to Augusta By: 02/21/2008

The Los Angeles class fast-attack submarine USS Augusta (SSN 710) departed Naval Submarine Base New London for the final time Tuesday, Feb. 12, moving to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. to commence its inactivation process.

The inactivation process will take approximately 12 months to complete, and includes removal of materials, tools, spare parts, and furnishings. Fluids will be drained from hydraulic systems, tanks, and piping. The ship will then be towed to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash., for ship recycling.

"Augusta served admirably for more than two decades," said Capt. Ken Perry, Submarine Development Squadron 12 commodore, "Her (Augusta) technology and mission flexibility greatly contributed to maintaining our nation's undersea supremacy."

For the past 23 years, Augusta has lived up to its crew's motto "Any Mission, Any Time" with multiple deployments around the world, including launching Tomahawk missiles in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and its deployment to the U.S. European Command's area of responsibility in support of the global war on terrorism during 2007.

Augusta's crew was also recognized for their excellence by receiving awards in four of the 11 Battle Efficiency categories for 2007 - the Engineering Red "E", Tactical Operations White "T", Supply Blue "E" and the Medical Yellow "M".

During the inactivation ceremony held Feb. 7, Cmdr. Chad Brown, Augusta's commanding officer said that it was a bitter-sweet moment in his career as this becomes the second time he has said goodbye to a ship and its crew. His first ship, the former Baltimore (SSN 704) was decommissioned in 1998.

Malcolm Milligan, the Augusta alumni association founder, was present for the ceremony. He plans to start a non-profit memorial foundation to raise funds to purchase the sail for a memorial in Maine.

Augusta is the fifth ship of the fleet to bear the name Augusta, and the first to be named for the capital of the great state of Maine. Others include a 14-gun brigantine commissioned in 1799; a side-wheel steamer that participated in the Union forces capture of Port Royal, N.C. in 1861; a motor patrol boat used for maritime patrol of the U.S. coast in World War I; and a heavy cruiser commissioned in 1931 and built specifically as a command ship.

With stealth, persistence, agility and firepower, fast-attack submarines like Augusta are multi-mission capable - able to deploy and support special forces operations, disrupt and destroy an adversary's military and economic operations at sea, provide early strike from close proximity and ensure undersea superiority.

©The Dolphin 2008

Regarding one of the classic Naval arguments - Ginger or Mary Ann?

2008-03-11T15:58:00.001-07:00

Ginger or Mary Ann?

On the Plankowner crew it was a toss up. I would really have to guess half of the guys preferred Mary Ann and the other half preferred Ginger. One of the guys actually preferred the Professor but we did not know that until he was popped on a urine test and he later revealed all his preferences.

'Gilligan's' Mary Ann caught with dope

DRIGGS, Idaho - Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island," is serving six months' unsupervised probation after allegedly being caught with marijuana in her car.

She was sentenced Feb. 29 to five days in jail, fined $410.50 and placed on probation after pleading guilty to one count of reckless driving.

Under a plea agreement, three misdemeanor counts — driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance — were dropped.

On Oct. 18, Teton County sheriff's Deputy Joseph Gutierrez arrested Wells as she was driving home from a surprise birthday party that was held for her. According to the sheriff's office report, Gutierrez pulled Wells over after noticing her swerve and repeatedly speed up and slow down. When Gutierrez asked about a marijuana smell, Wells said she'd just given a ride to three hitchhikers and had dropped them off when they began smoking something. Gutierrez found half-smoked joints and two small cases used to store marijuana.

The 69-year-old Wells, founder of the Idaho Film and Television Institute and organizer of the region's annual family movie festival called the Spud Fest, then failed a sobriety test.

Wells' lawyer, Ron Swafford, said that a friend of Wells' testified that he'd left a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle after using it that day, and that Wells was unaware of it. Swafford also said several witnesses were prepared to testify that Wells had very little to drink at the party and was not intoxicated when she left. He said she was swerving on the road because she was trying to find the heater controls in her new car.

Another classmate of our 2nd Captain Mr. Von Suskil

2008-03-10T21:15:00.000-07:00

For some strange reason there are a tremendous number of truly distinguished individuals from the Annapolis class of 1968. Our 2nd Captain on the USS Augusta James Von Suskil was from the class of '68. He invited classmate Jim Webb onboard the Augusta when Mr. Webb was the Secretary of the Navy. Jim Webb is now a US Senator from Virginia. Ollie North is another '68 classmate. The article below is taken from Wikipedia about another class of '68 member Mike Mullen. Mr. Mullen was a Cheif of Naval Operations and he is currently the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Michael G. Mullen
Born October 4, 1946 (age 61)

17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Place of birth Los Angeles, California
Years of service 1968-present
Rank Admiral
Commands Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffChief of Naval OperationsU.S. Naval Forces EuropeAllied Joint Force Command NaplesVice Chief of Naval Operations U.S. Second FleetNATO Striking Fleet AtlanticCruiser-Destroyer Group TwoGeorge Washington Battle GroupUSS Yorktown (CG-48)USS Goldsborough (DDG-20)USS Noxubee (AOG-56)
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2)Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2)Defense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit (6)

Admiral Michael Glenn Mullen, USN (born October 4, 1946), is the 17th and current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen previously served as the Navy's 28th Chief of Naval Operations from July 22, 2005 to September 29, 2007. His other four-star assignments include being the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe & Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples from October 2004 to May 2005, and as the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 2003 to August 2004. Admiral Mullen assumed his current assignment on October 1, 2007.

Born in Los Angeles, California and a 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Mullen has served in a wide range of assignments at sea and ashore, in Allied, Joint and Navy positions, overseas and in both the Atlantic and the Pacific Fleets.

As a junior officer, he served in various leadership positions aboard USS Collett (DD-730), USS Blandy (DD-943), USS Fox (CG-33) and USS Sterrett (CG-31). He has commanded three ships: the gasoline tanker USS Noxubee (AOG-56), the guided missile destroyer USS Goldsborough (DDG-20), and the guided missile cruiser USS Yorktown (CG-48); and has also commanded Cruiser-Destroyer Group Two and the George Washington Battle Group. Mullen’s last command at sea was as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet/Commander, NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic (COMSTRIKFLTLANT).

Ashore, Adm. Mullen served as Company Officer and Executive Assistant to the Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. He also served in the Bureau of Naval Personnel as Director, Chief of Planning and Provisions, Surface Officer Distribution and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense on the staff of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation. On the Chief of Naval Operations' staff, Adm. Mullen served as Deputy Director and Director of Surface Warfare and as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements, and Assessments (N8). He was the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 2003 to October 2004.

Importantly, he was recognized in 1987 with the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale leadership award. He was recognized by his peers for his extraordinary leadership skill. He is one of only 53 naval officers to be recognized by this award since its inception in 1980.

In 1985, Mullen graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., with a Master's of Science degree in Operations Research, and in 1991, he completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

As Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Mullen had operational responsibility for NATO missions in the Balkans, Iraq, and the Mediterranean. As Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, he was responsible for providing overall command, operational control, and coordination of U.S. naval forces in the European Command area of responsibility. He assumed these duties on 8 October 2004 and was relieved of them upon his becoming Chief of Naval Operations.

Admiral Mullen has a wife, Deborah, and two sons, Michael and Lt. John Mullen.

General Dynamics gets the money !!

2008-03-07T16:35:00.001-08:00

Electric Boat Shipyard,General Dynamics,USS Augusta,Los Angeles Class

General Dynamics Awarded $50 Million Contract for Submarine Technical and Engineering Support
Friday March 7, 10:00 am ET

GROTON, Conn., March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $49.8 million contract modification for nuclear-submarine support work. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD - News).

Under the terms of the contract modification, Electric Boat will provide design and modernization services to support major submarine alterations. Additionally, Electric Boat will provide materials to support installation of hull, mechanical and electrical components; command and control systems; and subsystem design changes. Work performed under the modification is expected to be completed by September 2008.

Initially awarded in March 2004, the contract could be worth more than $1.1 billion over five years if all options are exercised and funded.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 83,500 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com.

from Dave Ellis MMCM(SS) Plankowner on 710 and COB on the USS Jack 605

2008-03-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers!).

However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."

Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.

Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.

The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on
20 February, 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of stagnent fresh water.

GO
NAVY!!!

USS New Hampshire News

2008-03-06T12:50:00.001-08:00

When the USS Augusta was commissioned at Portsmouth New Hampshire the Navy picked the coldest day of the year in January 1985. These guys on the 78 boat will have tee shirt weather compared to the blast we got. Anway we wish them good luck and smooth sailing.

Navy submarine to get N.H. name
Shipyard will host ceremony

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, while touring the General Dynamics Electric Boat facilities in Groton, Conn., in February, observes the precommissioned unit (PCU) New Hampshire (SSN-778) touching water for the first time. U.S. Navy

By Shir Haberman
shaberman@seacoastonline.com
March 06, 2008 6:00 AM

KITTERY, Maine — The Navy's newest attack submarine, the USS New Hampshire, will be formally commissioned at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard later this year.
The commissioning ceremony will take place on Oct. 18.

"It's only right that the USS New Hampshire should be commissioned at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard," said U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-N.H., a member of the House Armed Services Committee. "There's no better place to hold this ceremony than at the best submarine repair facility in the fleet.

"I know the people of New Hampshire, and the workers and crew at the shipyard will give the USS New Hampshire the send-off it deserves."
The Navy selected the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to host the commissioning ceremony after Shea-Porter and other members the New Hampshire congressional delegation wrote to senior Naval officials last year. The USS New Hampshire (SSN-778) is one of the Navy's new Virginia-class attack submarines. It will augment the existing fleet of Los Angeles-class submarines.

"The commissioning of the USS New Hampshire at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a great honor befitting New Hampshire's strong naval shipbuilding history," said Republican Sens. Judd Gregg and John Sununu in a joint statement. "Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has served our state, country and Navy admirably throughout our nation's history since the Revolutionary War, and is recognized as the 'Gold Standard' of shipyards for the delivery of boats ahead of schedule and under budget."
The USS New Hampshire is slated to be the fourth Navy ship named for the state (although one of her predecessors, BB-70, a battleship, existed only on paper — authorized, but canceled before the keel was laid). The name was awarded to the submarine after a letter-writing campaign by the third-graders from Garrison Elementary School in Dover, aimed at their congressional delegation, the governor and the secretary of the Navy.

The contract to build the sub was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Conn., on Aug. 14, 2003. Construction began in January 2004.A keel-laying ceremony for the submarine was held at Electric Boat's Quonset Point facility in North Kingstown, R.I., on April 30, 2007.

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was recognized as one of the Navy's premiere maintenance facilities during the 2005 base closure and realignment process. In last year's federal budget, Shea-Porter, Gregg and Sununu, along with other members of the Maine and New Hampshire congressional delegation, helped to secure $1.2 million in funding to help renovate the shipyard's Drydock No. 3 as part of a long-term upgrade that will enable the shipyard to service the new Virginia-class submarines.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has been the site of several commissioning ceremonies, including the USS Portsmouth in 1983 and most recently, the USS Maine in 1995. Portsmouth is the oldest shipyard in the United States.

Loose lips do indeed sink ships.

2008-03-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

I have seen a few incidents where a submarines movement was reported in the press by a crewmember or a family member or friend. I have often wondered if NIS checks these out of if they are too busy to check them out. Here is a classic example of a big mouth.. a real bad guy with evil intent. But the case is fubared because so much ships movement data is available in the press and on the internet to begin with. Loose lips do indeed sink ships.

Ex-sailor convicted in terror case

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writer 32 minutes ago
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080305/ap_on_re_us/navy_terror&printer=1
A former Navy sailor has been convicted of leaking details about his own ship's movements to suspected terrorism supporters.
Jurors were in their second day of deliberations when they convicted Hassan Abu-Jihaad of Phoenix of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing classified national defense information.
Federal prosecutors said the 32-year-old sympathized with the enemy and admitted disclosing military intelligence.
But his attorney said an investigation failed to turn up proof that Abu-Jihaad had leaked information.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Federal prosecutors urged a jury Monday to convict a former Navy sailor of leaking ship movements to suspected terrorists, saying he sympathized with the enemy and admitted disclosing military intelligence.
But an attorney for defendant Hassan Abu-Jihaad said an investigation that spanned two continents over four years failed to turn up proof that he leaked details of ship movements and their vulnerability to attack.
A jury will begin deliberating Abu-Jihaad's fate Tuesday after hearing six days of testimony.
Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.
He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001.
Abu-Jihaad, who did not take the stand, was a Navy signalman honorably discharged in 2002.
Prosecutors said Abu-Jihaad was the only member of the military communicating with the suspected terrorists.
They cited one e-mail in which he called the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 a "martyrdom operation" and praised "the men who have brong (sic) honor ... in the lands of jihad Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, etc."
Said prosecutor Stephen Reynolds: "The evidence in this case points to one conclusion: That Abu-Jihaad was the leaker."
Prosecutors also cited secretly recorded phone calls played during the trial in which they claimed Abu-Jihaad spoke in code about useful information and outdated intelligence.
Prosecutors acknowledged they did not have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked the ship details.
Authorities said details of ship movements had to have been leaked by an insider, saying they were not publicly known and contained military jargon. The leaked documents closely matched what Abu-Jihaad would have had access to as a signalman, authorities said.
"In 2001, Abu-Jihaad had just enough information to be dangerous," Reynolds said.
But Dan LaBelle, Abu-Jihaad's attorney, tried to show Monday that many details of ship movements he is accused of leaking were publicly available through news reports, press releases and Web sites.
He also noted that Navy officials testified that the details were full of errors.
"There are so many errors in that document that it could not possibly have come from an insider," LaBelle said. "If that document is riddled with errors, the government's case is riddled with reasonable doubt."
LaBelle rejected the claim that Abu-Jihaad admitted to leaking Navy secrets, saying that the phone conversation cited by prosecutors occurred many years after he left the Navy and that it was not clear what Abu-Jihaad was referring to.
Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, served aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold. Prosecutors say the details he is accused of leaking could have endangered his own ship and others.
Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.
Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

SSN-702 paving the way for SSN-710?

2008-03-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

The USS Alumni Association is going to try to obtain the USS Augusta sail for a permanent memorial. I just found this article from the Arizona Republic about the effort to do this for the "2 boat".

Phoenix wants sail, rudder of namesake sub for memorial
Monica Alonzo-Dunsmoor
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 9, 2006 12:00 AM
After nearly two decades sailing the seas, the USS Phoenix now sits at a naval shipyard in Washington state waiting to be dismantled.

A Phoenix commission has been working for nearly 10 years since the nuclear attack submarine was decommissioned to save the sail and rudder and build a monument in Phoenix for all military veterans.

"It's just sitting there rusting," said Marty Zipser, chairman of the city's USS Phoenix Commission and a retired Navy surgeon. "One of the neat things is that Phoenix would be the only one to set up the sail of their namesake in the city." Commissioners hope to have the sub's parts in time for the city's 125th anniversary later this year.

The USS Phoenix Commission was created in 1990 to befriend crewmembers and preserve the history of all vessels that bear the city's name. Members expect this project will cost $389,000, which includes money for continued maintenance.

Commissioners said that Swift Trucking has agreed to transport the sail and rudder to Phoenix. The sail is the part of the submarine that sticks out of the water when the vessel is surfaced, and the rudder, at the rear, controls direction.

Pete Lumianski, vice chair of the USS Phoenix Commission and a Navy veteran, said that for several months, the group has been eyeing Steele Indian School Park at Third Street and Indian School Road as the ideal location.

A subcommittee of the Parks and Recreation Board had its first discussion of the project last week, and asked city officials to get more information. The commission plans to meet with park officials on Tuesday at Steele park.

"We're gathering information and it's very early in the process," said Jim Burke, deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department.

While others, such as the Carl T. Hayden Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Arizona Historical Museum in Tempe expressed interest in the sub, the commission believes Phoenix is best.

"It belongs in Phoenix, not on federal land or in another city," said Howard Goldman, a member of the commission and a submarine veteran. "It's named after the city. It's the most appropriate thing."

Lumianski said it would be a "tremendous asset to the city," and other panel members believe it would draw visitors.

They favor Steele Park because it has a lake and is near the Arizona State Veterans Home and the medical center.

"It's part of the city's history," Lumianski said. "This would be a wonderful place."

Anyone interested in the USS Phoenix Commission's efforts can join the 702 Society, the group's fund-raising arm. For information, call Steve Turner in the city's parks department at (602) 261-8606. For more information, visit http://702.clubexpress.com.

Reach the reporter at monica.alonzo-dunsmoor@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2478.

New Generation Of Submarine Gets More Than A Test Drive

2008-03-04T06:16:00.000-08:00

During the Augusta Reunion in October 2007, we were tied up on the pier with the USS Hawaii. Dano Craw ETCS(SS) and this former QM2(SS) got a tour onboard - it was like a trip on the Star Wars set.

First of the Virginia class is performing 'as expected or better' off Florida coast
Cape Canaveral, Fla. — Every new submarine gets put through its paces before setting off on regular deployments. But the first in each class, like the USS Virginia, has to test everything on the ship to make it work as designed.
“If you look back at a career in the Navy, there are certain things you want to do,” said Torpedoman's Mate First Class Steve Hurt. “Taking the lead ship on the first deployment is one of those things, to show the endurance of the boat, the endurance of the crew and the endurance of the systems. That's the killer part.”
The Virginia (SSN 774), a fast-attack submarine homeported in Groton, was off the coast of Florida last week, testing the ship's systems for everything from propulsion to combat and navigation.
After these tests are complete, the crew will start preparing for their first full deployment, which will be the first six-month deployment of a Virginia-class submarine.
“Virginia going on its first deployment is a milestone event for our Navy,” Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, said during a recent visit to Groton. “It's a new class of submarine and it's the most technologically advanced submarine that has ever been built.”
Cmdr. James Waters, commanding officer of the Virginia, said the ship is “way beyond” anything he has served on in the past.
“It is intimidating when you first come on,” he said. “You go 'Ooh, there's a lot of stuff here I haven't seen before.' ”
He particularly likes the enhanced acoustics to detect a hostile submarine before the sub discovers the Virginia.
“We want to already know where they are so we can just hit 'send' and they all sink,” he said. “There's this romantic notion out there that in wartime, it's two equal adversaries dueling it out. That's really not how it's supposed to go down. At least, that's not how we want it to go down.”
•••••
Waters says that so far, the design concepts from the drawing board are translating well at sea.
“We started operating at a pretty high pace and the crew and ship have done wonderfully,” he said.
Virginia was commissioned in 2004 and began an extensive testing program for all of its systems.
“You have no one to say, 'we had this and we did this,' ” said Torpedoman's Mate Second Class Paul Boweter. “We have to lead the way and write the procedures for everyone else.”
Rear Adm. Cecil D. Haney, who was under way with the Virginia last week, said some of the submarine's features may require tweaking or repair, but that is to be expected given the number of complex systems.
“That is not to say there was zero deficiencies on the Virginia, but nothing outside the norm that as a class we should be concerned about,” said Haney, commander of Submarine Group Two.
This was likely Haney's last time under way for a while because he is transferring this month to the Pentagon to serve as the director of the Submarine Warfare Division (N87).
Virginia deployed in 2005, but only for three months and before it had all of its certifications. The ship was then taken out of the water for a year to correct minor deficiencies, coat the hull and update the electronics.
The crew is currently completing the rest of the tests, before preparing for the first full six-month deployment, scheduled for sometime in 2009.
“We would much rather be deployed, doing our job than doing the testing,” said Machinist's Mate Senior Chief Todd Schultz, chief of the boat, “not that it's not a good thing.”
Schultz said the ship is performing “as expected or better,” and the crew's work will “make life easier for all Virginia-class boats.”
“We're here to prove the boat works, prove the systems and sell the Virginia concept to the chain of command, the Pentagon and civilians,” he said.
Crewmembers said they cannot wait for the ship to start a normal operational schedule.
“After the first deployment, the crew gets tighter and it feels more like a submarine,” Machinist's Mate Senior Chief Curtis Norris said. “You depend on each other a lot more and if you live with a group of people in this confined area for six months, you learn a lot about your neighbors.”
•••••
A small squiggly line on the sonar technician's screen brightens from green to white. He moves his cursor over to listen.
“Possible submerged contact bearing 190,” he reports. This is a test for the crew using a simulated ship.
The sonar techs feed information to the fire control technicians, who use it to develop “a solution” — the other submarine's range, course and speed.
After tracking this submarine, the technicians report, “solution ready, weapon ready.”
“Shoot on generated bearing,” says Lt. David Grogan, the officer of the deck who is in tactical command of the submarine. The order means to fire on the location of the target.
“Firing tube 1.”
“Unit running, wire good.” The wire sends information between the weapon and the ship.
“Active homing.” The torpedo is finding its target.
“That would definitely ruin your day,” Waters says.
“Terminal homing.” Target found.
“Exploder armed, telemetry lost.” The wire, now unnecessary, is cut.
“Loud explosion to the west.” Target struck.
“There is all this technology but nothing beats just hard-nosed aggressiveness,” Waters says. “You got two guys, two submarines, and one guy is going to be aggressive and the other guy is 'Ah, I'm going to develop a solution and think about it.' That guy is going to get shot.”
When the crew enters information about a simulated ship into the system, the Virginia's systems respond so the crew can listen to, track and “shoot” by firing water from the torpedo tube, the “giant squirt gun.”
Last week they were preparing for a war-gaming exercise with the USS Hartford (SSN 768), another Groton-based submarine, in which they planned to fire 12 exercise torpedoes.
The bright orange exercise torpedoes have no warheads. They are labeled “non-explosive, reward for return,” followed by a toll-free number for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, R.I. The reward is $50.
“It's a pretty good joke around here,” said Lt. j.g. Justin Hardy. “Does somebody drop it in the mail?”
Hurt, the leading petty officer in the torpedo room, was confident in the crew's abilities to take on the Hartford.
“The only enemy a submarine has is another submarine,” he said. “We know each other's practices, so it's who's got the upper hand, who's faster at the draw, like a showdown at the O.K. Corral. We're going to win.”
There is no comparison acoustically between a Virginia-class submarine like the Virginia and a Los-Angeles-class submarine like the Hartford, Hurt said. He refers to other classes as “Brand X.”
“In the submarine world, if you're the quiet guy you'll come out on top all the time,” he said. “Acoustically we'll tear them up.”
•••••
From the outside, Virginia's arrival at the pier looks effortless. Inside the submarine, it's a different story.
Other ships appear on the radar screen with pink circles around them, showing the area Virginia must avoid. The submarine is not extremely maneuverable on the surface. Most of the ship is underwater, and people mistake it for a smaller vessel.
As the ship approaches the pier, most members of the crew go to their stations. Waters heads for the bridge, the top of the submarine's sail, to help the watch-standers there look for ships, especially those that may not appear on radar, such as small fishing vessels.
In the crew's mess, extra watch-standers stand by. Others prepare for potential emergencies, like a collision. They sit close to their firefighting and flooding gear and atmosphere sampling equipment.
“Everyone is awake and ready to go,” said Electrician's Mate First Class Michael Armstrong. He would grab his 9mm handgun and report topside if another ship got too close. He said another armed crewmember was near the bridge — “the universal symbol for 'Turn around.' ”
“We had someone approach us by the side. It looked like a husband and wife,” Armstrong said. “Then they started taking pictures and left. That's the closest we've come to an actual problem.”
After a brief return to Port Canaveral, the Virginia headed back out to rendezvous with the Hartford to test the weapons systems.
“We're confident in the systems themselves,” said Capt. Michael McLaughlin, chief of staff for the commander of the submarine force. “The design work is phenomenal, but to be able to take the concepts and operationalize them is a challenge. It takes a motivated and hardworking crew to get them to work properly.”
McLaughlin said the current crew is the right one for the job.
“This crew has taken the ship out and operated the ship tremendously,” he said. “So we're very proud of them. They are absolutely leading the way.”

Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Remember chasing this piggie around the block?

2008-03-02T07:43:00.001-08:00

Here little piggie... Russian Typhoon class from YouTube

Funds For Additional Submarine Leave Supplier Industry Optimistic

2008-03-02T06:32:00.000-08:00

I am adding this from "The Day" which is in Connecticut. I get emails from a few former USS Augusta sailors every time an interesting article pops up in The Day.

Washington — The Submarine Industrial Base Council had its 17th annual congressional breakfast Thursday with a distinct note of cheer in the air.
It was the first such meeting since Congress in November 2007 approved $588 million for construction of two Virginia-class submarines per year starting in 2011 instead of 2012, which was the Navy's suggestion.

Since 2001, only one submarine has been produced a year, with production split between Electric Boat in Groton and Northrop Grumman Newport News in Virginia.

“We're coming out of a pretty good year,” said John P. Casey, president of Electric Boat. “I think everybody is pretty upbeat.”

But U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, noted the industry still needs to do more to make its product's economic and national security priorities known.

“This is a very competitive place, in terms of people trying to get their issues heard,” he told the crowd of nearly 200 representatives of companies from across the country with a role in submarine production. “The competition this year is going to be even more intense.”

Casey said this year EB will push for an additional $79 million to begin construction on the second submarine prior to 2011.

Casey stressed the importance of getting the funding out there sooner. The early start would ensure a smoother transition to the production of two submarines annually, stabilize the work force supplying submarine parts and get the ship to the Navy sooner, he said.

The diminished demand in recent years has crippled the supplier industry, driving some companies to shut down completely and others to respond with layoffs and price increases for their products, Casey said. The industry also has struggled to sustain the skill set required for submarine parts production.

“The industrial base is composed of specialists,” said Raymon Sterman, CEO of Prime Technology, a North Branford firm that builds electronic systems for the submarines. “If we disappear and go in another direction, we'll never recover.”

He added that the procurement for two submarines a year has enabled his company to lower its costs by 30 percent.

Maintaining stable production for Virginia-class submarines also has a pressing national security interest, Courtney said.

Raymond McGee, president and CEO of Ansonia Copper & Brass, said his company is one of two in the world that makes the alloy tubing for the Virginia-class submarines. If the demand ever dips low enough to drive the company out of business, the Navy would be forced to rely on one company in northern Germany for the product, he said.

The increase in Virginia-class production also aids in maintaining a stable manufacturing force for future generations, said Michelle Allinson, president of Cursor Industries, a five-person raw materials manufacturing company in Bloomfield. The current manufacturing base is aging, she said.

“It's part of the entire economic well-being of our state,” she noted.

McGee also said the increased Virginia-class production has an important social component. The suppliers provide well-paying job opportunities for people who don't go to college or own their own business. “If you don't have these basic jobs, what will people do?” he said.

Washington

From the NorwichBulletin.com on USS Augusta Deactivation

2008-02-28T08:53:00.000-08:00

Sub's service officially ends Thursday
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Feb 06, 2008 @ 01:13 AM

Groton, Conn. —
The USS Augusta will be inactivated at 1 p.m. Thursday during a ceremony in the Shepherd of the Sea chapel.
The Los Angeles-class, fast-attack submarine served 23 years and returned Sept. 23 to the Groton Submarine Base from its last deployment.
Commissioned Jan. 19, 1985, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, the Augusta's career included launching tomahawk missiles during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
Retired Navy Capt. Thomas Turner, Augusta's initial commanding officer, will be the ceremony's guest speaker.

USS Ohio Nuclear Submarine Docks in Busan

2008-02-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

A U.S. Navy guided-missile submarine has arrived in Busan for a visit. The USS Ohio is now docked at the pier of the South Korean Naval Operations Command in the southern port city.
Capt. Andrew Hale, the sub's commanding officer, appeared confident on Tuesday afternoon when he spoke to Korean and foreign journalists who were invited onboard the giant vessel. It measures 170 m long with a beam of 12.8 m.

The Ohio (SSGN 726) arrived in Busan last Wednesday to participate in Exercise Key Resolve/Foal Eagle, an annual combined/joint exercise involving forces from both the U.S. and South Korea, which will begin in early March.

It was the first time this submarine, which has formidable attack capabilities based on 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, has ever visited the Korean Peninsula. It was also the first time local journalists have ever been allowed onboard, getting a rare opportunity for a first-hand peek at the inside of the nuclear-powered sub.

U.S. navy officers at a control room of a U.S. submarine USS Ohio, pose for photographers during a photo opportunity at a Korean naval base in Busan on Tuesday. The nuclear-powered and guided-missile submarine which can carry 154 conventional cruise missiles is in Korea to participate in a routine port visit in conjunction with the Key Resolve/Foal Eagle Exercise, an annual exercise between South Korean and U.S. troops, according to the U.S. Forces Korea. /REUTERS

In a press conference, Vice Adm. Doug Crowder, the commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet who will lead both South Korean and U.S. Navy fleets in the event of war on the Korean Peninsula, said the sub was shown to journalists to demonstrate its combat capabilities, as Korea is one of the most important U.S. allies. He said it was the Ohio's first visit to a port outside U.S. waters since it left its port in the state of Washington last fall.

The Ohio was commissioned in 1981, during the tensions of the Cold War, as an SSBN -- a nuclear-powered vessel carrying 24 Trident submarine-launched nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles (SLBM) -- to counter the military threat of the Soviet Union.

The former Trident-class vessel recently underwent a US$400 million conversion to become a nuclear-powered, guided-missile, or SSGN-class sub, carrying conventional cruise missiles instead of nukes. The conversion was made to suit the changing security environment and new U.S. strategies with the end of the Cold War, the U.S.-Soviet Strategic Arms Reduction Talks, and the U.S. war on terror.

Military experts believe that the Ohio's visit to Busan as its first port of call outside the U.S. and its demonstration to journalists is meant to be a strong message for North Korea and China. The 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles onboard could play an important role in wartime, as they could strike strategic targets, including nuclear and missile bases and facilities, air bases, command posts, and special warfare forces in North Korea.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200802/200802270008.html
(englishnews@chosun.com )

Navy honors SEAL killed in secret mission in Vietnam

2008-02-26T00:15:00.000-08:00

(LT Dry was a classmate of our 2nd Captain Mr. von Suskil and Senator Jim Webb)

Image 1 of 8 Click for more

The Bronze Star is presented to Lt. Melvin Dry's brother by Admiral Mike Mullen, from left, and Rear Admiral Joseph Kernon. (Colleen Dugan The Capital)

By Dale Eisman
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 26, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, MD.

They easily could have been forgotten, a handful of stealthy warriors on a secret mission gone bad.

And for more than three decades, the men of Operation Thunderhead, a daring plan to rescue American prisoners of war in North Vietnam, essentially were lost to history. Their bravery and devotion to duty were recorded as a mere "training operation," the truth hidden from all but a handful of shipmates and relatives.

In a solemn ceremony Monday, the Navy and nation tried to make amends, posthumously presenting the Bronze Star with valor to the operation's leader, Lt. Spence Dry, a SEAL commando who leaped out of a helicopter to his death in the Gulf of Tonkin on June 5, 1972.

Chief Warrant Officer Philip "Moki" Martin, who followed Dry into the water but survived, will get the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal at a ceremony in California next month.

Dry was "a hero, a warrior, a leader," said Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen knew Dry only slightly, as a fellow member of the Naval Academy's Class of 1968, but the bond of those days brought him and dozens more of their classmates to Monday's ceremony.

"The Dry family is honored, deeply grateful, and frankly overwhelmed," Robert Dry, the youngest of three brothers, told them.

"The one glue in the U.S. military is loyalty - loyalty up and loyalty down," observed U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, another member of Annapolis' Class of '68 and a man who counts Dry as among his close friends from those days.

It's a strong bond.

Loyalty to his shipmates arguably cost Spence Dry his life. His fatal jump came in a quest to reach SEAL teammates aboard a submarine, the Grayback, patrolling off the Vietnamese coast.

Loyalty to a fallen son drove Capt. Melvin Dry, Spence's dad, through a lonely, quarter-century quest to secure recognition for the men of Operation Thunderhead.

Loyalty to a lost comrade led a pair of Dry's Naval Academy classmates to piece together the story of their friend's death and nudge the Navy into giving him his due.

And loyalty brought John Dramesi, one of the POWs whom Dry had set out to rescue, to Annapolis for Monday's ceremony.

Dry's story "is a demonstration of the kind of dedication to purpose... that binds us together in terms of being true military men," Dramesi said.

Spence Dry was the last Navy SEAL to die in Vietnam. His death was the worst in a series of mishaps that marked Operation Thunderhead.

After Dramesi and other prisoners signaled their escape plan to American planes flying over the Hanoi Hilton, the Pentagon hatched Thunderhead to help them. Dry was chosen to lead the effort.

Then starting his fourth tour in Vietnam, Dry, 26, was a quiet leader, a man who could relax over a beer with his shipmates and loved the Moody Blues, according to several who knew him. But "if you messed up, he was in your face."

The product of a Navy family - father Melvin Dry was a decorated World War II submarine skipper - Spence thought he was indestructible, said James Dry, a younger brother born when the family was stationed in Norfolk in the 1950s.

James recalled Spence coming home after SEAL training and showing off the remnants of a thumbnail obliterated when an instructor stepped on it to teach the trainees a lesson on enduring pain. "They teach you to like pain," Spence told him.

His brother "was going to get those Viet Cong. He was going to win that war," James Dry said.

Operation Thunderhead "was everything he wanted to do," Martin said. "This was going to be big, and he wanted to be part of it."

It was an audacious plan. As the escaped prisoners floated down the Red River in a stolen boat, four men were to be launched from the Grayback, meet them on an island in the Red River delta and lead them to safety.

The rescue party was to travel initially in one of several midget submarines carried by the Grayback. The "SEAL Delivery Vehicle" - SDV in Navy parlance - never had been used in combat.

Two of the men were to drive the SDV as close to shore as possible, dropping the others to swim the rest of the way. The SEALs were under orders to wait for no more than 48 hours; after that the escapees would be on their own.

By June 3, the Grayback was in position. Dry and his SEAL teammate Martin, along with a pair of underwater demolitions experts, Lt. j.g. John Lutz and Fireman Thomas Edwards, took an SDV on what was supposed to be a midnight reconnaissance run.

The current quickly overpowered their battery-powered craft, however, and in the darkness, the men could neither locate the island nor return to the Grayback. A helicopter found them treading water several miles offshore the next morning and flew them to a nearby cruiser; the SDV had to be scuttled.

Determined to make another attempt and to warn teammates of problems with the SDV, Dry arranged for a helicopter ride back to the Grayback. He and his team were to be dropped into the water from the helicopter and picked up by the Grayback's crew.

But again, the Grayback proved elusive. The helicopter crew struggled to find a light that was supposed to guide them to the ship. On one approach, the aircraft was so low that its tail dipped into the water; on another, the crew mistook a light ashore for the sub's beacon and flew briefly over North Vietnamese territory.

When they finally found what they thought was the ship, the helicopter was dangerously low on fuel. Dry had cautioned the pilot that they must be no more than 20 feet above the water and moving forward at no more than 20 knots for a safe jump.

When the jump order came, Dry was the first out, disappearing in the darkness. There was no hesitation.

His last words to Martin were, "We've got to get back to Grayback."

Martin, the third to go, counted as he fell - one thousand, two thousand, three thousand - then muttered an expletive just before hitting the water. They were much too high and with a 20 knot tailwind, probably going too fast.

The impact snapped Dry's neck, killing him. Edwards broke a rib and probably would have drowned had Martin not found him in the water and inflated his life vest.

Martin, Edwards and Lutz bobbed around for a while, then swam toward voices and found the crew of a second abandoned SDV, launched earlier from the Grayback. The entire group was rescued the next morning and Operation Thunderhead canceled soon after. The planned escape at the Hanoi Hilton also was called off.

POW Dramesi, who had been beaten nearly to death after a pair of earlier escape attempts, counts cancellation of the third escape as the worst horror he endured. "It was the Hell of Hanoi," Dramesi recalled Monday.

Melvin Dry recorded a single word in his diary the day he heard of his son's death: "Desolation."

He soon launched an effort to have Spence awarded a posthumous Purple Heart.

But with the mission classified - Dramesi still won't discuss how the prisoners were able to send and receive signals from American warplanes - the Navy refused to acknowledge the death as a combat loss. The senior Dry died, frustrated, in 1997.

Two years later, Spence Dry's contemporaries from the Class of 1968 were stirred when Webb, then a novelist, penned an alumni magazine article suggesting that Dry's name be added to a list of fallen graduates in the Academy's Memorial Hall, site of Monday's ceremony.

It took five more years for the Academy to follow Webb's advice. Even after Dry was added to the memorial, the mission remained mostly shrouded until 2005, when two other classmates, retired Navy Capts. Michael Slattery and Gordon Peterson, published a detailed account drawn from records in the Library of Congress, other documents collected by Melvin Dry, and interviews with survivors.

Spurred by Slattery and Peterson, Capt. John Chamberlain, who had been skipper of the Grayback, submitted paperwork in November 2005 recommending Dry and Martin for awards.

Virginia Sen. John Warner - like Webb, a former Navy secretary - supplied a letter endorsing Chamberlain's recommendation. Congressional intercession was required because the usual deadline for award nominations was long passed.

Dry and Martin were "integral members of this operation," Warner wrote, "displaying leadership, heroism and valor on this dangerous and then highly classified mission."

Martin said he is honored to be recognized, even 35 years after the fact, but "it's more of a relief." It somehow didn't seem right that the Navy had never paid its respects, he said. The awards bestowed on him and Dry are really for their whole platoon, he said. He is certain Dry would agree.

"Everything he believed in doing was for the cause, for the team," Martin said. "He knew the importance of the operation, the impact of the operation, and he sure as hell wanted to be ready for it."

Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com

USS Augusta De-Activation Ceremony Completed

2008-02-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

On February 7, 2008 the USS Augusta had it's De-Activation Ceremony at the Shepherd of the Sea Chapel in Groton. The first Commanding Officer Captain Tom Turner was the guest speaker and the current and final Commanding Officer CDR Chad Brown summarized the 23 year life of the submarine and concluded the event. The crew looked sharp and the ceremony was impressive. The US Navy Band from Groton entertained the 100+ family members and guests as 3 local film crews recorded the event for cable TV. The SSN 710 culinary artists prepared a delicious meal for all in attendance.

Decommissioning Date Feb 7, 2008 at Groton

2008-01-26T20:08:00.000-08:00

The US Navy announced on January 21, 2008 that the DECOM for the SSN-710 USS Augusta will be on 2/7/08. The official ceremony will be at 1300 at the Shepard of the Sea Chapel on SUBASE NLON. For former members of the crew and their families and guests there is a DECOM FORM to signup for base access.

Confirmed Submarine Collision with Ship

2008-01-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

NDTV Correspondent
Thursday, January 10, 2008 (Mumbai)
An Indian Navy Submarine called Sindhughosh collided with a merchant navy ship on Monday in the Arabian Sea.

The submarine was trying to surface in Arabian sea near 300 km north of Mumbai.

Sindhughosh was on a routine fleet-level war game exercise when the collision occurred and slightly damaged its fin.

There were about 60 crew members on board and apparently it made back to the base in Mumbai without any help.

Its escape is termed miraculous since submarines normally sink on such occasions.

Navy officials are unwilling to confirm or deny the incident.

USS Augusta DECOM Date set 2/7/08

2008-01-09T09:42:00.001-08:00

The date has officially been set for the USS Augusta SSN-710 Decommissioning Ceremony. Official invitations are being sent out by the boat. The ceremony will be held at SUBASE NLON in Groton. We expect base access will be arranged like we had it for the reunion. More specific info will follow. Go to the main USS Augusta Alumni website and fill out the DECOM form like we did for the reunion in October.

Where did the name Augusta come from ?

2007-11-21T02:28:00.000-08:00

Sanctuary of Rome's 'founder' revealed

By ARIEL DAVID, Associated Press Writer Tue Nov 20, 6:14 PM ET

ROME - Archaeologists on Tuesday unveiled an underground grotto believed to have been revered by ancient Romans as the place where a wolf nursed the city's legendary founder Romulus and his twin brother Remus.

Decorated with seashells and colored marble, the vaulted sanctuary is buried 52 feet inside the Palatine hill, the palatial center of power in imperial Rome, the archaeologists said at a news conference.

In the past two years, experts have been probing the space with endoscopes and laser scanners, fearing that the fragile grotto, already partially caved-in, would not survive a full-scale dig, said Giorgio Croci, an engineer who worked on the site.

The archaeologists are convinced that they have found the place of worship where Romans believed a she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the god of war Mars who were abandoned in a basket and left adrift on the Tiber.

Thanks to the wolf, a symbol of Rome to this day, the twins survived, and Romulus founded the city, becoming its first king after killing Remus in a power struggle.

Ancient texts say the grotto known as the "Lupercale"_ from "lupa," Latin for she-wolf — was near the palace of Augustus, Rome's first emperor, who was said to have restored it, and was decorated with a white eagle.

That symbol of the Roman Empire was found atop the sanctuary's vault, which lies just below the ruins of the palace built by Augustus, said Irene Iacopi, the archaeologist in charge of the Palatine and the nearby Roman Forum.

Augustus, who ruled from the late 1st century B.C. to his death in the year 14, was keen on being close to the places of Rome's mythical foundation and used the city's religious traditions to bolster his hold on power, Iacopi said.

"The Lupercale must have had an important role in Augustus' policies," she said. "He saw himself as a new Romulus."

Andrea Carandini, a professor of archaeology at Rome's La Sapienza University and an expert on the Palatine, said the grotto is almost certainly the "Lupercale."

"The chances that it's not are minimal," said Carandini, who did not take part in the dig. "It's one of the greatest discoveries ever made."

Most of the sanctuary is filled with earth, but laser scans allowed experts to estimate that the circular structure has a height of 26 feet and a diameter of 24 feet, Croci said.

Archaeologists at the news conference were divided on how to gain access to the "Lupercale."

Iacopi said a new dig would start soon to find the grotto's original entrance at the bottom of the hill. Carandini suggested enlarging the hole at the top through which probes have been lowered so far, saying that burrowing at the base of the hill could disturb the foundations of other ruins.

The Palatine is honeycombed with palaces and other ancient monuments, from the 8th-century B.C. remains of Rome's first fledgling huts to a medieval fortress and Renaissance villas. But the remains are fragile and plagued by collapses, leaving more than half of the hill, including Augustus' palace, closed to the public.

Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli said the first area to benefit from an extensive, $17.5 million restoration of the hills' ruins will be Augustus' palace, scheduled to reopen in February after being closed for decades.

2007-11-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

Law allots $2.8B toward carrier FordA bill signed by President Bush provides the money, but experts say the carrier's $8.1 billion price tag is sure to go up.

By DAVID LERMAN 202-824-8224

November 14, 2007

WASHINGTON - — President Bush signed a defense spending bill Tuesday that includes money for construction of the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford in Newport News and advance funding to speed up submarine construction.

The annual defense appropriations bill, which totals about $460 billion, includes about $2.8 billion for the Ford, as Bush first requested in February.

The Navy is hoping to build the ship for $8.1 billion, not counting research and development costs for a new class of carrier. Outside experts say the price is sure to rise.

The $2.8 billion in the legislation, combined with advance funding allocated, would cover about 40 percent of the ship's cost.

The remaining 60 percent is due to be provided in next year's budget request.

The measure also provides about $2.5 billion for another Virginia-class attack sub. Those are built jointly by Northrop Grumman Newport News and the Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Conn. That money was likewise requested in February and has never been at risk.

Congress also added about $588 million to buy materials needed to speed up plans to double sub production. The Navy plans to double the procurement rate — buying two subs a year, instead of one — beginning in 2012.

The extra money included in the bill would allow for Congress to speed up the process two years, if additional money follows.

Congress also included $2 million for continued research in laser technology at Jefferson Lab in Newport News.

But the bill doesn't include about $196 billion that Bush requested for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress plans to take up war financing in a separate bill as Democrats seek to attach restrictions on its use.

A companion defense policy bill, authored by the Senate and House armed services committees, has yet to be completed. Negotiators are reconciling differences between the House and Senate versions.

2007-11-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

Augusta is a world-class capital city where entrepreneurs start, grow, and maintain a variety of businesses. Citizens pursue life-long learning in first-rate schools, libraries, historic, and cultural facilities. Residents, workers, and tourists circulate around and enjoy the Heart of Augusta - on both sides of the Kennebec River, along Water Street, and throughout the Capitol complex. Travelers appreciate Augusta's historic and natural scenery. Homebuyers and renters of all ages and incomes are drawn by safe and appealing neighborhoods, competitive tax rates, and superior services.

2007-11-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

Spending Bill Boosts Sub Plans

By JESSE HAMILTON | Courant Staff Writer

November 7, 2007

GROTON - The submarine construction budget, closely watched by Connecticut politicians and the sub builders in Groton, leapt over another hurdle Tuesday.

The defense appropriations bill emerging from Congress will have some money for an extra submarine, enough to begin increasing U.S. sub production to two subs a year.

A spending bill approved Tuesday by House and Senate negotiators included $588 million in additional money over what the president's budget called for, so that's what the House and Senate will vote on. The compromise spending bill requires approval by the full House and Senate before it goes to the president for a signature.

There had been difference between the House and Senate versions of the bill: the amount of money to spend on that extra submarine. The Senate had $470 million, and the House set aside $588 million. The higher amount won in conference.

Though each Virginia-class submarine costs more than $2 billion, this partial funding is supposed to help boost submarine production by 2010, for a total of two subs a year, with construction split between Groton-based Electric Boat and a Virginia builder. This extra cash is for buying nuclear propulsion system components, which typically take longer to put together than other parts of a sub.

The Navy had been planning on increasing the production by 2012, but the state's congressional delegation - particularly Sens. Joe Lieberman and Chris Dodd, and Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District - had pushed the earlier date, citing national security and the maintenance of a skilled workforce at Electric Boat.

In a statement on Tuesday, Dodd called it "a new day for our national security," saying the increased production would "significantly strengthen our deterrence to hostile foreign navies, and safeguard some of our most critical intelligence and surveillance tools."

Courtney's staff said the House's vote on the bill is expected Thursday. He said in a statement that this change would mean "a more stable workload and future" for Electric Boat and its workers.

Contact Jesse Hamilton at jhamilton@courant.com.

2007-11-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK - In a little discussed defence authorisation bill presently before the Senate, all major US naval vessels, many of which currently rely on diesel fuel and electric generators, will in the future be nuclear powered, a US Congressional aide and the US Navy told Bellona Web. Charles Digges, 06/11-2007 Though no reactor accidents aboard US nuclear naval vessels have ever been reported at sea, US nuclear submarines have on numerous occasions collided with other vessels and undersea mountains. Others have been lost at sea, crushed by undersea water pressure. Environmentalists nonetheless point to the fact that increasing the number of nuclear vessels at sea leads to higher probabilities for nuclear accidents to occur.

And while the United States has managed to steer clear of reactor accidents at sea, the Soviet and Russian Navy have not been so fortunate.

The US defense authorisation bill, which was passed by Congress’ lower house last week, the House of Representatives, seeks to fund the expansion of the Navy so that all new major vessels, from destroyers, Aircraft carriers, battle cruisers and submarines are powered by nuclear reactors.

The bill is currently before the senate for consideration and would establish nuclear power for naval vessels as the official “policy of the United States” to build all further heavy vessels as nuclear powered. New nuclear powered submarines and cruisers are already under construction, the US Navy confirmed through a spokesman.

Two shipbuilders are currently certified by the US Navy to construct nuclear-powered vessels, though the spokesman would not confirm which two are carrying out the current construction.

The new policy that the Defense Department is trying to push through is predicated on fears of rising oil prices.

With prices per barrel on world markets already setting daily records above $90, a recent study by the navy concluded that life-cycle cost for even a medium sized vessel run by nuclear power is cheaper than running a similar vessels on conventional power, the US Navy said, even though nuclear vessels cost an estimated $600-$800 million more to build.

The study was based on the cost of oil fluctuating between $75 and $225 a barrel. “We’ve already passed that lower mark and there is no sign of anything stopping the price from going up and up,” the navy spokesman said.

House of Representatives and Senate negotiators are in disagreement over the policy, noted the Congressional aide, and some have suggested the US Navy would not be able to carry out the mandate to go all nuclear from here on out even though the perceived advantages of the Navy study indicate an overall long terms lower cost for keeping a nuclear fleet at sea.

The Navy and adherents of the bill note that nuclear powered vessels are able to stay a sea for much longer periods of time without refueling, and that nuclear propulsion is necessary for operations conducted under the polar ice cap, a major and growing point of territorial contest between Russia, the United States and other countries laying claim to oil reserves beneath the polar sea bed.

A History of the US nuclear fleet
The United States currently has some 100 nuclear submarines in operation, according to the London-based World Nuclear Association, an organisation that supports the use of nuclear power. The fleet was, by most estimates, at least 125 vessels larger in 1989, at the end of the Cold War, but have been taken out of service by bilateral arms agreements with Russia.

The United States also maintains 11 nuclear powered aircraft carriers and nine nuclear powered battle cruised. As of early 2005, the latest year for which figures are available, the US Navy says there are a total of 103 reactors aboard ships and submarines in operation by the United States.

US experience with nuclear powered vessels began in the late 1940s and culminated in the graving of the USS Nautilus, a Skate-class submarine, which put to sea in 1955 as the United State’s first nuclear naval vessel and represented the first nuclear powered submarine in the world.

The USS Nautilus returns for retirement in Groton, Connecticut in May 2002 after 47 years of service.

wikipedia commons

The USS Nautilus led to the parallel development of further Skate-class submarines, powered by single pressurised water reactors, and an aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise, powered by eight reactor units in 1960. A cruiser, USS Long Beach, followed in 1961 and was powered by two of these early units. Remarkably, the Enterprise remains in service, according to World Nuclear Association reports.

By 1962 the US Navy had 26 nuclear submarines operational and 30 under construction.

The technology was shared with Britain, while French, Russian and Chinese developments proceeded separately.

After the Skate-class vessels, reactor development proceeded and in the USA a single series of standardised designs was built by both Westinghouse and GE, one reactor powering each vessel. Rolls Royce built similar units for Royal Navy submarines and then developed the design further to the PWR-2.

Russian sub development accident-prone in comparison to US
Russia developed both PWR and lead-bismuth cooled reactor designs, the latter not persisting. Eventually four generations of submarine PWRs were utilised, the last entering service in 1995 in the Severodvinsk class.

The largest submarines are the 26,500 ton Russian Typhoon-class, powered by twin 190 megawatt PWR reactors, though these were superseded by the 24,000 ton Oscar-II class with the same power plant.

The most famous of this class of submarines was the Kursk, which sank during a training exercise in the Barents Sea after an explosion in its torpedo compartment. Though some crew members survived the initial blast, all 118 crew members died while Russia botched rescue attempts for a week before summoning international help.

Compared with the excellent safety record of the US nuclear navy, early Soviet endeavours resulted in a number of serious accidents - five where the reactor was irreparably damaged, and more resulting in radiation leaks. However, by the third generation of marine PWRs in the late 1970s safety of Russian submarine reactors has somewhat improved.

US sub accidents – operating blind
US nuclear submarines have more often fallen victim to navigational errors resulting in groundings and collisions or have been lost altogether at sea.

The USS August may be the only US nuclear submarine to have collided with a Soviet sub, though the official US report is that the Augusta was damaged by an internal explosion. The Soviet Navy claims that the Augusta was trailing the Soviet Yankee Class submarine, the K-219, off the coast of Bermuda on October 3rr 1986.

The Soviet K-219 submarine, which the soviet navy claims was struck by the USS Augusta. The US Navy maintains that the incident never took place.

wikipedia commons

The K-219 sank the same day, suffering an explosion and fire in a missile tube. The seal in a missile hatch cover failed, allowing seawater to leak into the missile tube and react with residue from the missile's liquid fuel. The US still denies the collision, saying the K-219 had previously experienced a similar casualty - one of its missile tubes was already disabled and welded shut.

Three sailors were killed outright in the explosion on the K-219 October 3rd explosion, according to the Soviet Navy. The vessel surfaced to permit its twin nuclear reactors to be shut down, which was only accomplished when a 19-year old enlisted seaman, Sergei Preminin, sacrificed his life to secure one of the onboard nuclear reactors by hand, trapped in the engine compartment. Captain Second Rank Igor Britanov was ordered to have the ship towed by a Soviet freighter back to Gadzhievo, her home port, some 7,000 kilometers away.

When the Augusta came back to port at Groton Connecticut, it was apparent, according to retired US naval officials familiar with the incident, that the boat had collided with something - if not the K-219, then a Russian Delta-I ballistic missile submarine the Augusta log indicated it had been trailing.

it is suggested that the Augusta had been trailing the Delta-I, and that the Augusta was being trailed in turn by a Russian Victor class submarine. If abrupt maneuvers were made, Augusta could have collided with the Delta. Photographs exist of a Delta submarine with a large dent in its starboard bow, which the Soviet Navy identified as K-279. The Augusta required $3 million in repairs the bow and sonar sphere located in the sub’s nose.

Running aground

The USS Scorpion, which went missing in the summer of 1963.

wikipedia commons

On January 8, 2005, the USS San Francisco Los Angeles Class nuclear submarine ran full speed into an underwater mountain at a depth of 153 metres near the US territorial holding of Guam in the Pacific. The accident was so serious that the vessel was almost lost. Crew members’ accounts indicate a furious struggle to keep the sub buoyant.

The collision injured 23 crewmen, and Machinist's Mate Second Class Joseph Allen Ashley, 24, of Akron, Ohio, died on January 9th from head injuries. The San Francisco’s forward ballast tanks and sonar dome were severely damaged, but her inner hull was not breached and there was no damage to her nuclear reactor. The vessel was brought to Guam for repairs, but according to Retired US Navy Captain James Shaw, now of the Sandia Laboratories, the San Francisco is slated for decommissioning.

On October 25th 2003 the USS Hartford Los Angeles Class nuclear ran aground while performing routine maneuvers in the harbour of La Maddalena, Sardinia. Approximately $9 million worth of damage were done to the submarine, and it was out of service for seven months.

An investigation into the accident revealed that basic navigation errors combined with equipment failures were to blame for the submarine running into the rocky shallows.

Collisions with Japanese vessels
In February 2001, the USS Greenville, a Los Angeles Class nuclear submarine – which suffered two collisions and a grounding in less than two years - collided with the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru, near Oahu, Hawaii. Nine crewmembers of the Ehime Maru died, and the USS Greenville was damaged.

Seven months later, in August, the Greeneville ran aground while entering port in Saipan on a routine Western Pacific Deployment. The boat's underside, rudder, and secondary propulsion motor suffered minor damage

Six months later, on January 27th, 2002, when the USS Greenville was again out to sea, it collided with a US submarine, the USS Ogden during a personnel transfer off the coast of Oman, opening a 130 by 460 milimetre hole in one of Ogden’s fuel tanks and spilling several thousand gallons of fuel. After the collision, both vessels left the area under their own power.

Another Japanese vessel, the Mogamigawa tanker, was struck by the USS Newport News Los Angeles Class in the Straights of Hormuz in January 2007. Both vessels suffered damage but made port under their own power.

A third Japanese vessel was struck by the USS George Washington on April 9th 1981.

The USS George Washington surfaced underneath the Nissho Maru in the East China Sea about 110 miles south-southwest of Sasebo, Japan. The 2350-ton Japanese freighter sank in about 15 minutes. Two Japanese crewmen were lost; thirteen were rescued. The submarine suffered minor damage to its sail.

Lost at sea

The USS Scorpion, which the US Navy lost track of in 1963.

wikipedia commons

The US Navy has also lost two nuclear subs at sea, both during peace time operations. The first was the USS Thresher, which was crushed during deep-sea diving tests off Cape Cod on April 9th 1963. All 129 crew members were lost.

The USS Scorpion, a Skipjack Class nuclear submarine was lost during manouevers in the Mediterranean Sea. A large naval and public search was launched for the vessel on May 20th 1963 when non-descript distress signals were received in Greece. No evidence of the submarine ever turned up.

The USS Scorpion was listed missing on June 5th 1963 and struck from the Naval register on June 30. The US Navy has never come forth with an official cause for the USS Scorpion’s loss.

The last homecoming for USS Augusta

2007-09-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

USS Augusta (SSN 710) makes its way down the Thames River Saturday, Sept. 22, as she returns from her final deployment. Augusta is slated to be decommissioned in the near future as more Virginia-class submarines are added to the fleet.

Members of SUBASE NLON give three cheers for USS Augusta as she returns home Saturday from her final deployment.

Photos by John Narewski, NSSF VI, The Dolphin

Letter from the COB from around September 2, 2007

2007-09-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

The ship is in the last foreign liberty port, Bergen Norway. Once again the ships crew qualified for the Sea Service Ribbon, Arctic Service Ribbon and the Expeditionary Medal, the crew has done extremely well. I have informed the Squadron Command Master Chief (Tommy Vatter) to work with the Base CMC (John Ketchum) to get the access list of requested guests access to the base for the 1200 self guided tours onboard. The list is due to Linda Brown (Base Judge) two weeks before the visit. Please send the information to Gina and she can make arrangements to get it to the base. Looking forward to our return, the wives have put together a world class homecoming concentating on the single sailors. As long as the weather holds out we will be manning the rails in whites for the last time, it's going to be sad to see this ship leave service, she has so much more time and life in her.Looking forward to our return, Mike

USS Parche Decom

2007-09-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/ivybells.html

A silent warrior's final dayBy Chris Barron, Sun StaffOctober 20, 2004.

On a dark and gloomy rain-filled day, a shroud of secrecy permeated the air on the Bremerton waterfront.It was the perfect setting for the final day in the top-secret career of the Bangor-based USS Parche, one of the world's most prolific spy submarines.By the time its life ended Tuesday in a decommissioning ceremony at the Bremerton naval base, the Parche was the most highly decorated ship in Navy history - even though most Americans have never heard of it.Commissioned in 1974, the Parche spent 30 years and 19 deployments as America's top espionage sub, reportedly tapping the undersea military communication lines of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, plucking lost Soviet weaponry from the ocean floor and gathering intelligence on other enemies afterward.The Parche (pronounced PAR-chee) was officially designated by the Navy as a "research and development" submarine. And it did plenty of that, testing new sonar and undersea warfare technologies.But its highly classified missions, none of which have ever been officially confirmed, are the most intriguing aspect of its history. Many of those missions were deemed to be of "vital importance to U.S. national security," earning the submarine an unprecedented nine Presidential Unit Citations. The vast majority of ships never receive even one.

For being the most decorated ship ever, shouldn't more people be made aware of what it accomplished?"Those that need to know, know," said a matter-of-fact Rear Adm. Ben Wachendorf, who commanded the Parche from 1988 to 1993.

Wachendorf, now U.S. defense attachÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â© in Moscow, traveled from Russia to be at Tuesday's ceremony."I wouldn't have missed it for anything," he said. "It means a lot to be able to say goodbye to an old friend."In fact, all but one of the Parche's nine former commanders were present at the Parche's decommissioning. In addition, about 130 former crew members, most belonging to the USS Parche Association, were on hand to witness the sub's inactivation.Those who returned to see their sub one last time said it was not only the camaraderie of submarine life that made Parche special, but also the exotic and extremely challenging missions it completed, which often involved excruciatingly long periods spent submerged with dwindling food and supplies."It's the end of the life cycle," said Manchester resident Will Longman, chairman of the Parche Association. "It's very meaningful. The camaraderie does not go away. And the uniqueness of Parche imparts its own special camaraderie."The Parche also was the last of the Navy's 37 Sturgeon-class fast attack subs to be deactivated - though it barely resembled any of the otherr ships of that class.That's because its hull was extended by 100 feet to accommodate extensive classified modifications in a four-year stay at Mare Island Naval Shipyard near San Francisco in the late 1980s and early 1990s.In 1994, the Parche and its crew of 190 moved from Mare Island to Bangor.

It had already earned six Presidential Unit Citations by that time and earned another three after its transfer to Bangor, including a ninth for its final deployment that ended in late September.The Parche's final resume also included 13 Navy Expeditionary Medals and 10 Navy Unit Commendations - all unprecedented numbers."Parche has had a career unmatched in the annals of submarine history," said Rear Adm. Paul Sullivan, commander of the Pacific Fleet submarine force."Parche has gathered enough citations that are just truly remarkable ... based on her superb performance in critical national tasking."She now ranks among the most legendary vessels to ever have sailed under our flag."Sullivan compared the Parche's storied past to other historic Navy vessels, such USS Constitution, USS Monitor, USS Missouri and USS Nautilus. "And now there is Parche," he said.The ship figured prominently in "Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage," a nonfiction book published in the 1990s, which described how it spent its Cold War days spying on the Soviet Union.It's also been reported the sub, with a claw-like device, was able to pick up lost Soviet missiles or bombs from the sea floor. Later, it reportedly deployed unmanned drones to complete many of the espionage tactics.Following the Cold War, the Parche continued its highly classified missions, with many observers citing an even higher sense of secrecy.

It's said the Parche spent plenty of time in the Persian Gulf, gleaning intelligence on Iraq and Iran, and traveled through the Western Pacific keeping tabs on China and North Korea.Capt. Richard Charles, the Parche's first commander, traveled from Mobile, Ala., for Tuesday's ceremony. He took command while the sub was being built and went on its first deployment, a five-month journey in the Mediterranean Sea. After that, the sub transferred to the West Coast and began its spy missions a few years later."Those guys in the Pacific had all the fun," Charles joked. "I just built it.""It's always sad to see a ship retire, but after a while, they are like you and me; they wear out."Ironically, the name of the Parche's last at-sea commander, Capt. Charles Richard, was a mirror image of the sub's first. Richard was relieved in a change-of-command ceremony Tuesday after leading the Parche on two post-September 11th deployments, including one that lasted 122 days in 2002."Being commander of this ship was an extraordinary experience and I was fortunate to be given the experience," he said.

"I hope that each man who has served aboard this ship will look back and swell with pride knowing that he answered his country's call."Following the ceremony, the Parche, probably one of the least known subs to the general public because of its highly classified missions, silently shifted over to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. There, it will be torn apart and recycled over the next few years.And it's probably the first time in the Parche's history that its whereabouts will be known."That just proves our success that nobody knows what we do," said Bremertonresident Curt Mathews, who retired off the Parche last year. "It's kind of fun. People say, 'The Parche? I never heard of it?' Well, that's good."And we like it that way and that's why we were successful in all of our missions."Reach reporter Chris Barron at (360) 792-9228 or http://us.f396.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=cbarron@kitsapsun.com.

From Submarine Group Two website...

2007-09-03T20:43:00.000-07:00

USS Augusta(SSN 710) Commanding Officer

Commander Childs graduated from the United States Naval Academy, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in May 1987.

Following initial Nuclear power training and the Submarine Officer Basic Course, Commander Childs reported to the USS Salt Lake City (SSN 716) in San Diego, California, where he served as Chemistry and Radiological Controls Assistant, Main Propulsion Assistant, and Damage Control Assistant from October 1988 to July 1991. During his tour, USS Salt Lake City conducted a western Pacific deployment and two Northern Pacific deployments and was awarded the Battle Efficiency “E.”

Commander Childs served as aide and Flag Lieutenant to Commander, Submarine Group Five from July 1991 to July 1993, then attended the Submarine Officer Advanced Course in Groton, Connecticut, before reporting to the USS Phoenix (SSN 702) in Norfolk, Virginia in January 1994. During his tour, he served as both Combat Systems Officer and Navigation/Operations officer, and USS Phoenix conducted three North Atlantic deployments, earning two Meritorious Unit Commendations.

Following his Department Head tour, Commander Childs served as the Submarine Officer Post-Department Head Detailer in the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC and Millington, Tennessee from July 1997 to July 1999. He subsequently attended the naval war college in Newport, Rhode Island and earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in June 2000.

Commander Childs reported to the USS Alabama (SSBN 731) Blue in Silverdale, Washington in October 2000, where he served as executive officer until June 2002.

Following his Executive Officer tour, Commander Childs served as the Submarine Force Prospective Executive officer Instructor at the Naval Submarine School in Groton, CT from October 2002 until June 2004.

Commander Childs is entitled to wear the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Commendation Medal (seven awards) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards).

Commander Childs takes USS Augusta on Final Tour

2007-09-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Augusta is Heir to Great Legacy
By J.P. Stratton
Posted Wednesday, October 19, 2005

USS Augusta (SSN 710) has a new commanding officer, and a distinguished legacy.
Just back from another deployment, the ship has received numerous awards including the Battle Efficiency "E" and the Submarine Gold Dolphin for officer qualification in submarine warfare. In the recent past under Cdr. Mike A. Haumer, the Los Angeles-class submarine has competed five national security missions including two on the War on Terrorism, and underwent a complex, scheduled repair period.
Her motto is "Any Mission, Any Time."

On Thursday, October 6, Haumer was succeeded as commanding officer by Cdr. James C. Childs, who most recently taught Prospective Commanding Officer and Executive Officer courses at the Submarine School in Groton. Earlier, Childs had served aboard USS Salt lake City, USS Phoenix, and USS Alabama.

Haumer will move on to teach in Newport at the Command Leadership School.
The change of command ceremonies at the Submarine Base took place on a breezy day under broken clouds, with the Navy's classic "Don't Tread on Me" flag flying from the jackstaff on the forward hull.

The vessel's new commanding officer (the eleventh in the ship's 20-year history) accepted his command with humor and humility. Rather than being "flushed with newly acquired power and fame," Cdr. Childs said, "as I stand before you today, I find it a truly humbling experience to be entrusted with the direction of this magnificent ship and her equally magnificent crew, to be heir to the legacy of the submarine heroes of World War II while facing the uncertainties of the future."

Haumer's remarks at the ceremony reflected his affection for the ship and his crewmembers and the support of their families at home during long deployments. "Any Mission, Any Time”You embraced this motto and made it Augusta's strength," said Haumer. "In all of the missions we have had over these three years, Augusta was never late to start and Augusta never had to stop a mission before its completion."

Subase NL on Yahoo Maps !!!

2007-08-29T00:21:00.000-07:00

Take a look at real submarines on Yahoo Maps. If you look very closely you can see... well not much really. But those black blobs look like boats. Click on the picture to go to the hybrid map of Subase New London!

Want to know more about the "10 boat" while she's still in commission?

2007-07-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

NavySite.de lists some interesting things about the SSN 710. I'll bet the Great Communicator Ken Cowan knows where this shot was taken from. Mahalo Aloha - Mal.

Former XO Capt. John Stewart in the news

2007-06-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

From "The Periscope" at Kings Bay we found this news about a former "10 Boat" shipmate:

Capt. John Stewart will assume command as Trident Refit Facility's (TRIREFFAC) 10th commanding officer when he officially relieves Capt. Leo Falardeau during a Change of Command ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m., May 18, at TRIREFFAC's Combat and Control Systems Building, Building 4028.

In July 1996, Stewart reported aboard USS Augusta (SSN 710) as executive officer. During his tour, the ship completed one North Atlantic deployment and conducted extensive operational testing on the submarine force's newest sonar systems.

USS Augusta reported near Gibralter

2007-05-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

The American nuclear-powered submarine USS Augusta has arrived at Gibraltar. A spokesman at British Forces HQ said the submarine would be here for a short stay as part of her scheduled operational training. The Augusta is of the Los Angeles attack submarine class.

USS Augusta outbound 2007.

2007-04-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

The "10 boat" cutting through the New London fog on a "Fine Navy Day". From the first inbound piloting party throughout her career the SSN-710 has had it's fair share of foul weather.

USS Augusta Decommissioning Set for Jan 2008.

2007-03-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

We have been working with the staff of Senator Collins' office in Augusta Maine on the details of the SSN-710 decommissioning. It is official news now that the USS Augusta will de-activate during January 2008 at NORFOLK Naval Shipyard. The actual date for the decommissioning ceremony is still not set but we will let you know as soon as we get the word. Many thanks to Senator Collins for the information.

Sponsor a Sailor

2007-03-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Anone who ever wanted to Sponsor A Sailor in uniform - here is your chance. We are looking for donations of $50 to bring the guys on active duty to the USS Augusta Alumni Association celebrations on October 5th and 6th. Anyone wanting to support active duty submarine sailors please send checks payable to USS Augusta Alumni Association in any amount and mail them to:
          USS Augusta Alumni
          Ken Cowan
          Post Office Box 261
          73 Red Brook Road
          New London, NH 03257-0261
          tel: 603-526-4538

US Navy reports SSN-710 is 23.1 year old since launch.

2007-03-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

If you need to hire someone to find info on the internet about the USS Augusta, your only choice could be Ken Cowan. But I found this today and it looks like the USN can tell us to a tenth of a year how old our submarine is. Check this out
USS AUGUSTA (SSN 710)
SUBMARINE (NUCLEAR-POWERED). Mahalo Aloha Mal

710 Day

2007-02-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

From August 2006 USS Augusta families have a great day at the park. All photos can be found by clicking HERE!

Man shot out of conning tower on USS Augusta.

2007-02-11T21:29:00.000-08:00

During a swim call in 2005 this sailor was apparently shot 50 feet up and out of the conning tower. The cause is classified but this guy probably hit the water doing 100 miles per hour. He lived through the experience with only minor injuries. Many thanks to MM3 Charlie Ward for the photos. More swim call 2005 photos on the main website.

Can you identify these guys ???

2007-02-05T16:23:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys; Click on the photo for a larger image (and wait). I recognize John O'Fee beside Kevin Cox, and Wilson Phelps and Robert Ruble and Richard Kelley. Who is standing on Richard Kelleys right hand side? That would be the guy to the left (your wedding ring hand) when facing him. :-) Is that Alan Smith between in the middle of the three officers?

Thanks for the help! Please click on COMMENTS and write. We will add the new posts tonight. Ken and Mal

Captain Turner's Commissioning Photos !!!

2007-02-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

The first Captain of the USS Augusta sent us some of his photo's from January 1985. Here is Captain Turner giving a tour of the control room to Senator William Cohen and Mrs. Diana Cohen. Senator Cohen later was the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) from 1997 to 2001. Click here for more pictures.

Captain Childs (on right) and COB Greaney (on left) welcome ET2(SS) Alvarez and other new crew members in January 2007.

2007-01-28T03:48:00.000-08:00

More pictures on the USS Augusta Alumni Association website as the Captain and COB welcome new crew! Click Here for the latest photo gallery or take a look at all the Photos available on the main website.

New Photos on USS-Augusta.com

2007-01-24T01:45:00.000-08:00

Click here for December 2006 photos from onboard the "10 Boat". Command Master Chief Greaney gave Plankowners Cowan and Milligan a tour. It was really great to meet the current crew and Captain Childs and the XO Mr. Turk. I was incredibly impressed with the attitude everyone on the boat had. COB Greaney knew so much about the history of the 710 and SUBASE it was inspiring. After 22 years in the Fleet, we saw the USS Augusta was still at the top of her game.

www.USS-Augusta.com #1 on Yahoo

2007-01-23T04:56:00.000-08:00

We got to the number 1 search result on Yahoo for the phrase "USS Augusta" on 01-23-07. This ranking changes every day so we might drop anytime. It will take a lot longer to hit #1 on Google. Please link your websites to http://www.USS-Augusta.com to we can stay at #1 on Yahoo. thanks !!!