AMERICAN SUBMARINER ON-LINE

Shipmates,

Your new edition (2013-1) electronic American Submariner is posted on line at www.ussvi.org
Press "USSVI Magazine" and read or download after you log in.
 

The delays we have recently suffered would appear to have greatly improved the AS in photo quality.

We should be back on track with future editions. I wish you all a great read.

Best,
Michael

"Twice Forgotten", Story of USS R-12

(Posted 5-19-2013)

Shipmates,

Thanks to Ric Hedman of Seattle Base, A project to produce a documentary film about the loss and location of the hulk of the USS R-12 recently came to the attention of your USSVI Board of Directors. As you know, it is the primary purpose of USSVI to "Perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gavetheir lives in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country."
This project seems a natural fit for our interests and purposes, so your Board voted to pledge $ 1,000 towards the completion of this mission.

The board endorses and encourages ALL bases and members to join with us in also pledging financial support towards completion of this project. A unique factor in this request is that we are asking you to 'PLEDGE' your support now. They need to raise $ 89,000.00 by June 30, and your pledgewill convert into a donation ONLY if this goal is reached by that time.

Your participation via Kickstarter will enable them to complete thedocumentary "Twice Forgotten". Our collective participation will help empower them to finally tell the story of the USS R-12 Submarine's tragic sinking, the families left without any information and the quest to solve the mysteries that have been unanswered after all this time. The history books are wrong, it is time to do things right!

How does it work:

1. Go to http://tinyurl.com/R-12-Project
2. Click the Green BACK THIS PROJECT button
3. Choose your support level and click the CONTINUE button
4. Complete the Log-in information and enter info for AMAZON Payments

When complete you will get a email notification thanking you for the pledge. At the end of the pledge drive on June 30, the donor list will be reviewed by us so that USSVI gets recognition for all our collective donations.  This project will only be funded and your pledge converted to a donation ONLY if at least $89,000 is pledged by Sunday Jun 30. $20,400 has been
pledged as of the date of this message.

Overview: The WW-II submarine USS R-12 sank off the coast of Key West, Florida at midday on June 12, 1943. She took 40 American sailors and 2 Brazilian officers to their grave at 600 ft on the ocean floor. They have been missing for nearly 70 years until found in 2010 by a team of explorers working with state of the art technology and fascinated by R-12's tragic
story and the mystery.

Since USS R-12 was discovered in late 2010 the team has put forth a herculean effort to locate the family members of the entombed, research government and historical files and launch a major expedition to film and document the sub in its final resting place at 100 fathoms in the Straights of Florida. The documenting of the data and family information amission to resolve the mystery of the sinking while bringing closure to thefamilies, recognition to the entombed men of R-12 and raise awareness of alost and forgotten crew to a young generation of people.

The team continues to work under Navy permits and needs to return to site for filming underwater in the summer of 2013. They have been assembling a documentary of our findings, interviews, underwater robotic technology, exclusive underwater footage of the submarine in her final resting place and have been on a quest to solve the mystery of her sinking. This is an
important and significant discovery and we are dedicated to sharing it withthe public. These entombed servicemen deserve to be acknowledged today (70years later) as any of our lost and missing military would deserve if theirremains were found seventy years from now.

USS R-12 is the sixth WWII US submarine to be found of the fifty-two missingand the only US Sub to sink within the continental United States.

Pride Runs Deep,
T. Michael Bircumshaw
National Commander

Bremerton Base Life Member Takes the Helm of USSVI Western Region District 4.

(Posted 5-18-2013)

Shipmates,

It is my esteemed pleasure to inform you that Al Durkee (CDR USN Ret) and a 20 year member of USSVI and Bremerton Base, has been appointed Western Region 4 District Commander, relieving John Mansfield.

He was given the oath of office today, May 16, 2013 by Western Region Director, John Mansfield, and has agreed to have his name placed on the upcoming District Commander election ballot in June.

Al's brief bio:
He entered the US Navy as a FN in 1951 and retired as a full Commander in 1978.
His ships were
USS Esperance CVE88
USS Neches AO47
Qualified on USS Grenadier SS525 in 1957
USS Seawolf SS575
USS Becuna SS319
USS Hunley AS31
Shore assignments:
Submarine School Staff
SUBDIV 72
Fleet Submarine Training Facility Norfolk
COMSUBLANT
Submarine Repair Officer, Bremerton
Operations/Security Officer Submarine Base Bangor.

Al lives in White Salmon, Washington six months and in Yuma Arizona six months.
His primary Base is Bremerton and is Past Base Commander of Barbel Base (where all the snowbirds migrate)

Al's contact info:
Phone: 360 908 3050
Email: durkeeal@earthlink.net

WRD4 POC's, please distribute to all Base members.
WRDC's, please welcome Al into our region.

Thank you for stepping up, Shipmate.
For all you young whippersnappers out there, Al is 83 years young and looks forward to meeting you along the way and at National Convention.
Fraternally,

John Mansfield
Western Region Director
360 569 0507
johnss377@yahoo.com

New Base Meeting Banner May be installed at FRA by Next Meeting, May 21

(Posted 5-13-2013)

It will be 8'x3' and look like this!

https://www.designed4submariners.com/

Naval Undersea Museum's Annual Tolling the Boats Ceremony

(Posted 5-10-2013

The Naval Undersea Museum's annual Tolling the Boats ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23rd at 10:00am. This ceremony is held every yearto honor the submarines and crews lost during World War II. The principal speaker for the event will be CDR Jeffrey S. Smith, Commanding Officer, USS Kentucky (SSBN 737).

The Navy Band Northwest will also perform. The ceremony will take place outside the museum in front of the USS Sturgeon sail. In case of foul weather, the ceremony will be held in
the museum's auditorium.

Bremerton Base Prepares for Memorial Day at Ivy Green
Submitted by VC Corcoran and Dutch Kaiser

VC Steve Corcoran has taken the lead on the base's participation on this Memorial Day Ceremony at Ivy Green Cemetery on Monday, May 27th. He has ordered the wreath shown in these pictures.

He urges all members to attend.

FYI: Bremerton Subvets have an area reserved for we Subvets to be interned. Details may be found here. Ivy Green is at the corner of Naval Ave. and 13th street in Bremerton. Some of our members may not be familiar with Ivy Green if they don't live in Bremerton. The memorial has started at 1300 for all the memorials I have attended. It is usually attended by many veterans organizations including Canadians.