The Beacon. Snug Harbor Base s Newsletter Website:

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1 The Beacon Snug Harbor Base s Newsletter Website: Issue #20 August 2001 The creed of the USSVI is: "To perpetuate the memory of our departed shipmates who gave their lives in pursuit of their duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments. Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States Government". NEW MEMBERS: What a year we are having here in our Snug Harbor base. So far we have had 25 new members join us this year. The following shipmates have joined since the last newsletter. We would like to give them and their Ladies a big "Welcome Aboard". Harry Sheffield - Cocoa Beach, Fl. USS Patrick Henry (SSBN- 599) 1973 Robert Block Winter Park, Fl. USS Harder (SS-568) 1961 James Martin Jensen ETERNAL PATROL: The following submarines were lost during August - and are still on ETERNAL PATROL Sailors, Rest Your Oars. August 06, 1945 USS Bullhead (SS-332) August 13, 1944 USS Flier (SS-250) August 16, 1942 USS Grunion (SS-216) August 16, 1942 USS S-39 (SS- 144) August 24, 1944 USS Harder (SS-257) August 29, 1943 USS Pompano (SS-181)

2 Beach, Fl. USS Sea Fox (SS-402) 1960 Jeanne Osborne Barefoot Bay, Fl. Associate Member We now have 140 Regular and 18 Associate Members. United States Submarine Veterans Inc. Snug Harbor Base 125 Elm Ave. Satellite Beach, Fl , 1943 USS Grayling (SS-209) 28, 1943 USS Cisco (SS-290) Officers: Snug Harbor Base s officers for the year 2001 are: Base Commander Gil Shaddock Vice Commander George Nault Treasurer Ray Coons Secretary Shawn Brown Chaplain Bob Chasse Storekeeper Gil Shaddock Ways and Means George Nault COB - Ray Goodwin Veterans Affairs Shawn Brown 2 Snug Harbor s The Beacon August 2001

3 SHIPMATE PASSES: WAYNE ROACHE (No photo available) It is with great sadness that I have to report the passing of Snug Harbor member Wayne Roache of Hollywood, Fl. on Friday 24 August at 9:15 P. M. Wayne fought a long battle with lung cancer, which had spread to his bones. "SAILOR, REST YOUR OARS". Gil NEW HOLLAND CLUB MEMBERS: Congrat ulation s to the followi ng Holland Club members. Being inducted into the Holland Club is a very prestigious award. It signifies having been Qualified in Submarines for 50 years. The award consists of a Card, 50 Year Patch and a Certificate. They are: Tom Stanton Qualified in 1950 on the USS Piper (SS-409) Robert Willyard Qualified in 1941 on the USS R-20 BASE COMMANDER S CORNER By Gil Shaddock VOTING Now that voting for this year is over (except for electing Base Officers for 2002) I would like to report on how we, as a Base, did in this year s voting. Out of 139 eligible voters we had the following percentage of the members to send in their ballots: Articles of Incorporation 35.9% Election of National Officers 43% Regional Director 36% While I think that we could have done better, these figures are still above the National average and I Thank You for participating. BASE OFFICERS FOR 2002 At the meeting I will appoint a Nominating Committee to come up with a slate of candidates to serve as your Base Officers for They will report back with the names at the October meeting. I will publish a ballot in the October newsletter so that each of you will have the opportunity to vote for your Base Officers. You can vote by phone, snail mail, or in person at the November meeting. Those candidates who are elected to serve for 2002 will be installed at the December meeting and will take their offices on 1 January The offices to be voted on are Base Commander, Vice Commander, Secretary and Treasurer. ALL members, including Associate Members, may vote in the Base election. If anyone is

4 Snug Harbor now has 33 Holland Club members. BIRTHDAYS August/ Birthday s David Heller 03 August Thomas Maguire 03 August John Stevens 07 August Charles Emory 09 August John Price 09 August Thomas Fontana 14 August Fred Crowe 16 August Robert Bourguignon 25 August Paul Sigler 30 August interested in filling one of the Base Offices, please let the Nominating Committee know of your desires. CALENDARS This coming year USSVI is publishing it s first Calendar. I have received a copy and it is a very nice calendar. I have ordered 50 of them, which I will pick up at the convention in Peoria, Ill. I will have them at the October meeting cost will be $5. I have 50 of the SUBVET WWII calendars and I will have them at the meeting. Cost will be $6 (had to pay shipping charges on these). If you cannot make the meetings but would like a calendar(s), send me a check made out to USSVI-Snug Harbor for the price of the calendars plus $1 postage for each calendar and I will mail them to you. Shawn Brown 05 Frank Schimkus 05 Robert Roth 08 James Scruggs 09 James Burns 10 Tim VeArd 12 Ray Goodwin 17 James Pyatt 18 Charles Tompkins 19 Gerald Pikaat 21 Mary Brown 23

5 3 Snug Harbor s The Beacon SECRETARY S REPORT By Shawn Brown Here is what we discussed at the last two meetings: 14 July. Picnic in the park down in Sebastian. The cookout was outstanding, hamburgers and hotdogs from the grill and all the great side dishes from the wives. It was too bad that the weather would not cooperate. It started raining just as we were done cooking on the grill, we could see the overcast coming in for the last two hours. We started the meeting. George Nault was In- Charge, Gil was on vacation. Just as George started to speak, lightning started crashing across the sky. Some of it seemed quit close. George had enough time to remind all of us to bring in our Ballots to the next meeting. By now the wind was wiping pretty good so we called the meeting to an end and started to close up shop. One more piece of business was completed before we left. All of the tickets for the Jamie Fund necklace had been August 2001 The Kings Bay Memorial is also coming quick (October 31 November 3). The SUBVETS are staying at the Howard Johnson, costing $40 per night. There will be a dinner, costing $25 per person, which was said to be outstanding last year. A $5 per person application fee is also assessed. This year the SUBVETS and WWII SUBVETS dinner is combined. If you intend to go, DON T PUT THIS OFF. Rooms will go fast. SUBVETS annual Christmas party will be at Gulf Shores, Alabama. See flyer and article in this Newsletter. Discussed Ballots, SUBVETS of WWII and the new SUBVETS Inc calendars. See articles in this Newsletter. There is a new submarine T- shirt available. Gil was interested in how many would like to buy the T-shirt, he asked for a show of hands. Quit a few hands went up. Gil has ordered and received these, in many sizes, $13 in the ships store. We had a long discussion about the Fin Project. This is a project where the Navy donates Fairwater planes from decommissioned boats to the project. They are then artistically planted in the ground at a park. A park like this has already been made in Seattle, Washington. The project leaders would like to make one in South Florida. Money is needed to get the project started and

6 sold so we had one of the new members pull a ticket out of the Jamie Fund can. Congratulations, Mary Brown for getting the necklace. So, I wrote a little ditty in my log. It doesn t rhyme very well: We Cooked, We Ate, It got windy, It rained, LIGHTNING, We were out of there. 4 August. Meeting held in Sebastian. We covered a lot of ground at this meeting. Joe Brown reported that $ was presented to Jamie s Family. It was a heart-felt moment for the presenter of the money, he could tell that the family did not have much and the money would be put to good use. We, Snug Harbor Base, will continue to support the Jamie Fund. Another item, maybe a hand-made quilt, will be raffled for this fund. Dues will be required to be paid the next quarter. This is one of the hardest things we have to do during the year. Lets try to get the dues in as early as possible. The convention in Peoria will be next month (). Anyone wishing to attend needs donation size will decide what type of inscription will be place at the park about the donator. More information to follow. Snug Harbor is again invited to the Christmas party with Naval Ordnance Test Unit (NOTU). The party will be at the NCO club, Patrick AFB, 15 December A question was asked about RV hookups for those who wish to spend the night locally. Shawn Brown said that he would find out the information and report back at the next meeting. This information will be included in the next Newsletter. Captain Sheffield, Commanding Officer of NOTU, will be retiring at the end of. NOTU has already sent out invitations. If you have not received your invitation yet, contact Gil or Shawn. A SSBN submarine will be in port for tours. Joe Most presented dolphin decals and dolphins made out of wood that his two brothers make. He was interested to see if anyone would like a set for themselves. If you are interested, contact Joe. Joe Most also reported that the refurbishment of the USS Trout is still in progress. Meeting was adjourned.

7 to make sure that their application has been sent in. (The schedule of events is in this Newsletter). 4 Snug Harbor s The Beacon MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT Every Newsletter I will be Spotlighting one or two Snug Harbor members so that we can get to know each other a little better. And it only seemed right that the first one would be our Base Commander, Gil Shaddock. August 2001 SNUG HARBOR WEB SITE Tim has added a new feature to the Snug Harbor web site. When you bring up your own profile, if you are a Life member or a Holland Club member, it will so indicate. If you do NOT have a "Then" (an early picture of you) and "Now" (as you look today) picture posted and would like to, mail your photos to Tim VeArd, P.O. Box 33666, Indialantic, Fl and he will post them. If you would like the photos returned to you, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and he will return them. I have been taking "Now" pictures of the members at the Base meetings. If you have a "Then" picture that you would like posted, bring it with you to the Base meetings and I will drop them off to Tim. You can find our web site at " r". BASE STOREKEEPER HELP WANTED! We are still looking for someone who would like to be the Base Storekeeper. Contact Gil for more information. MEETINGS The meeting will be on 1st and the October meeting will be on October 6th at 1200 at the American Legion in Sebastian, Fl. At the, Dennis Blado, District 4 Commander will

8 He was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas to a Dad that worked as an office clerk and a Mom who was a telephone operator. He joined the Navy in 1948 because his Uncles were already in the Navy and went to Bootcamp in San Diego, California. He spent the next 31 years rising from Seaman to Chief, made Ensign in 1963 and rose to the rank of Commander. His proudest moment, besides making 3 rd Class Petty Officer, Chief Petty Officer and Commander was earning his dolphins. His greatest influence while serving was from Rear Admiral J.B. Osborn. He served with him five different times in 31 years. RADM Osborn must have been one heck of a man, seeing how Gil turned out! Like most of us who have gone through an initiation, his funniest memory was when he was going through Shellback, a ceremony for crossing the equator. He is married to a beautiful bride, Olga since December 24, 1963 and has three children. Sons, Wayne and Gurdon and one Daughter Ann. When asked, What is the biggest thing that you miss now from your Navy career? he just attend. Please make an effort to be there. DUES It is not too early to start paying your dues for The two toughest jobs as Base Commander are getting people to vote and to pay their dues on time. The 2002 dues are to be paid NLT 31 December Life Members and Holland Club Members only pay the $10 base dues, ALL others pay $20 ($10 National and $10 base dues). You can either pay them by mail or in person at the Base meetings. Make your checks out to USSVI-Snug Harbor and mail to: Ray Coons, 2316 Bent Pine Dr., Melbourne, Fl NATHANAEL GREENE SAIL Installation of the sail is a GO. The Captain of Naval Ordnance Test Unit (Our latest member) has managed to procure the funds to have the Sail erected at the Cape Canaveral Port. This is great news. Shawn Brown will try to get pictures as the Sail is put together and he will inform us at our meetings of any progress. After the major installation is completed, he will also inform us of any other work or support that we can give. So hang in there.

9 simply answers The Camraderie. Gil, this month we Salute you. Thank You for what you do for us. 5 Snug Harbor s The Beacon ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY Each year the Submarine Veterans of the Gulf Coast area put on a 3 day Christmas Party at the Quality Inn Beachside in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I m told by those that have attended that it is a real bargain and well worth the trip. The rooms are $42 or $52 with a mini-kitchen. The dates this year are December. If you intend on going you need to make your room reservation by 13 November. To make a reservation call Ext. 302 between 8:00 A.M-4:00 P.M Monday thru Friday (mention Sub Vets when you call). The cost is $28 per person, which includes the Banquet on Saturday night and drinks in the hospitality room for 3 days. How can you beat that? Fill out the reservation form at the end of this newsletter August 2001 NATIONAL CONVENTION IN PEORIA, IL. United States Submarine Veterans This year s annual USSVI convention will be Sept in Peoria, Il. If you plan on going and have NOT made your hotel reservation and reservation for the convention, you need to do so ASAP. The registration forms for the hotels and for the convention are in the AMERICAN SUBMARINER magazine. See the April Newsletter for more information. MONDAY - SEPTEMBER Early registration 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Registration fees $12 (late fee $16) TUESDAY - SEPTEMBER Register 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - New Auto Raffle - 50/50 Raffle - Uncle Ron Painting Raffle WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER Register 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

10 and send it along with check to: Bo Renfore, P.O. Box 71, Fayette, Al Several of us have already made our reservations. DISTRICT FOUR USSVI 2002 ANNUAL MEETING Liberty Port Call in Mobile, Alabama Sponsored by Mobile Bay Base USSVI At Lafayette Plaza Hotel Schedule of events: THURSDAY 18 APRIL Check in and register noon till 5 PM. - 6 PM dinner cruise around Mobile Bay on the Cotton Blossom (1920 Paddle Wheel Steamer) - Welcome aboard party in hospitality room at hotel following dinner cruise. FRIDAY 19 APRIL Noon luncheon for Ladies with speaker. - Noon luncheon for Men with speaker. - Friday evening dinner/dance on fantail of Battleship Alabama. - Hospitality room stays open late. - Holland Club Breakfast - Ladies Luncheon 11:30 a.m. (Parsley buttered potatoes, beef, veggies, chicken, desert & program) - Men's Luncheon 11:30 a.m. (Brats, dogs and beeps) - Welcome Aboard Party 5 p.m. THURSDAY - SEPTEMBER Register 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Memorial Service Riverside Plan on Bank of Illinois River. (if inclement weather, Saturday evening.) - Wheels of Time Time TBA - Tour of Caterpillar Plant Time TBA - Boat Reunions FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER Base Commanders Meeting 8 a.m. - Treasurers Meeting 10 a.m. - E-Board Meeting TBD - Boat Reunions SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER Business Meeting 8:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. - Meeting, Banquet and Dinner 7 p.m. SATURDAY 20 APRIL :30 AM D-4 meeting. - 11:00 AM memorial service on U.S.S. Drum. - Noon BBQ lunch at Battleship Park. - 6 PM cocktail reception

11 for Navy speaker. - 7 PM banquet dinner and Navy speaker. SUNDAY 21 APRIL Say farewell and make going home turns. 6 Snug Harbor s The Beacon 2001 SUBVETS WWII MEMORIAL SERVICE SPONSORED BY GEORGIA SUBVETS WWII STATE COMMANDER & KINGS BAY TRIDENT SUBVETS WWII & INC WEDNESDAY - 31 OCT Kings Bay Trident SUBVETS Hospitality Room Open (Howard Johnson's, Kingsland) Phone Pre-Registration pick up desk at Hospitality Room. - Last day for late Pre- Registration for Saturday dinner (If Available). THURSDAY - 1 NOV Kings Bay SUBASE Golf Tournament. - Kings Bay Trident SUBVETS Hospitality Room/Memorial Pre-Registration desk Open Local Officials Welcome at Hospitality Room Buffet & Entertainment at Hospitality Room FRIDAY - 2 NOV Memorial Service at 1000 at SUBVETS WWII Pavilion on SUBASE. - TTF & SUBASE Tours (Subject to SUBASE conditions). - Kings Bay Trident Hospitality Room Open. SATURDAY - 3 NOV 2001 YOU JUST HAVE TO LAUGH (Part One) August 2001 How to Simulate Submarine Life in your own Home Obtain a dumpster. Paint it black, weld all the covers shut except one which can be bolted closed from the inside. Hitch it to the back of your wife's mini van. Gather 12 friends and bolt yourselves inside and let your wife pull it around for several weeks while she does the errands. Sleep on the shelf in your closet. Replace the closet door with a curtain. Six hours after you go to sleep, have your wife whip open the curtain, shine a flashlight in your eyes, and mumble "Sorry, wrong rack". Paint all the windows on your car black. Drive around town at high speeds with your wife standing up in the sunroof shouting course and speed directions to you. Put lube oil in your humidifier instead of water and set it to "High". Don't watch T.V. except movies in

12 - Kings Bay Trident Hospitality Room Open (after Informal SUBVET meeting 0900). - SSBN Tours (Subject to SUBASE conditions). - Memorial Dinner Buffet - Clubs of Kings Bay (Pre-paid Registration required). Mail pre-registration check for $5.00 per person to: Georgia State Commander Subvets WWII, 102 St. Marys Street, St. Marys, GA C/O St. Marys Submarine Museum. St. Marys Submarine Museum has volunteered to be the permanent mailing address for this annual event. Make checks payable to Georgia SubVets WWII. Be sure to include your full name and the full name of anyone traveling with you below, one form per person if not same address. See the last page for registration form. the middle of the night. Also, have your family vote on which movie to watch, then show a different one. Record The Sound of Music and show it at least every other night. Don't do your wash at home. Gather your neighbors clothes along with yours, pick the most crowded Laundromat you can find, and do the neighborhood laundry in a single washer and dryer. Make sure that 12% of the laundry is lost and 20% of the finished laundry is incorrectly distributed to the wrong neighbor. Have the paperboy give you a haircut. Invite guests, but don't have enough food for them. Make up your family menu a week ahead of time without looking in your food cabinets or refrigerator. Set your alarm clock to go off at random times during the night. When it goes off, jump out of bed and get dressed as fast as you can, then run out into your yard and break out the garden hose. 7 Snug Harbor s The Beacon August 2001

13 VETERANS AFFAIRS UPDATE by Shawn Brown SEPARATE BENEFICIARY CARD NOT REQUIRED FOR TRICARE-FOR-LIFE A separate beneficiary card is not required to receive health benefits under TRICARE For Life. Your Uniformed Services Identification (I.D.) card and your Medicare card are all you need for Medicare to pay first and TRICARE to pay second on your claims starting Oct. 1, In summer 2001, potentially eligible beneficiaries will receive a TRICARE For Life package that will include an information card, letter, benefit comparison chart, brochure, a survey form and return envelope for notifying TRICARE if you intend to cancel other health insurance. The information card is not needed to access care. The card is a handy (wallet-size) TRICARE For Life reference for you and your doctor. (Source TRICARE Info 1 July 2001). VA INSURANCE ELIGIBILITY DATED BACK- The Veterans' Survival Benefits Improvement Act rolls back the effective date of a $50,000 hike in Service members Group Life Insurance from April 1, 2001 to October 1, 2000 for certain deceased service members. The increase to $250,000, for those who had selected existing top coverage of $200,000, will apply to deaths in direct military "performance of duty." It is intended to cover the October 12 terrorist bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, the accidental bomb dropping by a Navy Hornet in a U.S.-Kuwaiti pharmacies. According to reports from beneficiaries, a one-month prescription for a 31-day month will result in a doubling of the cost. The solution? Make sure your provider prescribes 30- day doses instead of one-month doses. Similar rules apply to the National Mail Order Pharmacy program, which operates in terms of a 90-day supply rather than a three-month supply. (Source: Armed Forces News Issue, July 6, 2001) 1999 COLA SHORTFALL Due to a error in the Consumer Price Index in 1999, the 2.4% increase in Social Security benefits, VA disability benefits, military and federal employee retired pay and SBP benefits, should have been 2.5%. This error has been corrected. Everyone affected by this.1% shortfall will be receiving a onetime payment sometime this summer. While it will not be a great amount, it will restore confidence in the system and the ability to correct a mistake once made. Some agencies are still working out the details on when and how to make this payment adjustment. MILITARY RETIRED PAY AND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS It keeps raising its ugly head, and regardless of how many times you think you have chopped it off, it resurfaces again. There is no reduction in military retired pay when one commences to receive Social Security benefits. Social Security benefits are not reduced because a person is in receipt of military retired pay. The worst part of this whole affair, is that a lot of times it's retirees who are spreading this false information. They scare other retirees who are about to receive Social Security benefits. It's disturbing to consider that there could be some

14 8 Snug Harbor s The Beacon August 2001 Mail pre-registration check for $5.00 per person to: Georgia State Commander Subvets WWII, 102 St. Marys Street, St. Marys, GA C/O St. Marys Submarine Museum. St. Marys Submarine Museum has volunteered to be the permanent mailing address for this annual event. Make checks payable to Georgia SubVets WWII. Be sure to include your full name and the full name of anyone traveling with you below, one form per person if not same address. Name: Address: City, State, Zip Code: - QUAL YEAR QUAL BOAT # Phone #: - - Address: Request Information about the OFFICIAL Saturday Buffet Dinner: YES - NO Detailed information about this year s events including location of the hospitality room & Saturday Dinner Buffet will be mailed to those who pre-register. Information will also be published in both National Subvet Magazines. Submarine base during the 2000 service was on higher terrorist threat condition, all individuals should plan to

15 have base vehicle pass, proper ID & vehicle paperwork to prevent possible delays at the SUBASE gate. 9 Snug Harbor s The Beacon August 2001 DISTRICT FOUR USSVI 2002 ANNUAL MEETING APPLICATION Liberty Port Call in Mobile, Alabama Sponsored by Mobile Bay Base USSVI At Lafayette Plaza Hotel 301 Government Street Mobile, Alabama NAME SPOUSE/GUEST NAME(S)

16 CITY STATE ZIP PHONE # BASE or CHAPTER EARLY REGISTRATION $10.00 X PER PERSON LATE (AT THE DOOR) REGISTRATION $14.00 X PER PERSON DOOR PRIZE DRAWINGS (GREAT PRIZES) $5.00 FOR 5 TICKETS 50/50 SPLIT THE POT 1 FOR $5.00 OR 3 FOR $10.00 DRINK TOKENS (DONATION) $1.00 EACH LADIES LUNCHEON $15.00 X PER PERSON MENS LUNCHEON $15.00 X PER PERSON DINNER CRUISE ON THE COTTON BLOSSOM $35.00 X PER PERSON DINNER/DANCE ON BATTLESHIP $20.00 X PER PERSON BBQ LUNCH AT BATTLESHIP PARK $10.00 X PER PERSON BANQUET DINNER $25.00 X PER PERSON TOTAL COST OF ALL = MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: MOBILE BAY BASE USSVI MAIL REGISTRATION FEES TO: MOBILE BAY BASE USSVI P.O. BOX MOBILE, ALABAMA CONTACT PAUL YORK # OR SAM TARANTOLE # subss485@hotmail.com HOTEL LAFAYETTE PLAZA TELL THEM YOU ARE A SUB VET HOTEL RATE IS $62.00 PER NIGHT + TAX, BREAKFAST INCLUDED 10 Snug Harbor s The Beacon August 2001

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