Some of the Bremerton Boys at Norm’s and Annie’s Lounge in Groton, CT. (circa 1979) Bottom Row: Ken “Colonel” Collins. Tom “Mac” McPhillips, Donald Jones, Ray Rich, Tim “Burt” Noble. Top row: Jim Rowe, Peter Berns. Timmy Naylor, Jim “the Rev” Jones, and Russ Woods (photo courtesy of Russ Woods). More photos at the end of article.
How Norm’s Lounge and the Bremerton Boys came to be
Story by Russ Woods, Plankowner
It was late in 1979 the Bremerton Boys were in search of a place to hang out and let our hair down. Someone in our posse heard the soon to be legendary Tommy Cox, was gonna be playing at Rosa’s Cantina. Of course being newly minted sailors fresh out of Sub School we flocked to see this balladeer of the Submarine.
As it turned out Tommy Cox, was a good ole boy who welcomed us nubs as though we were salty veterans of the deep abyss. We danced and cheered as Tommy sang songs of daring do, done by bad ass boat sailors. After his show he willingly engaged us in conversation and informed us he and his band mates would be playing regular at “Tug Boat Annie’s” AKA Norm’s Lounge beginning the next week. Well of course we marked the date and time in our calendars. We eagerly arrived as early birds and staked out prime real estate in the corner near the fire place which was never used. This became our corner.
Tommy and his band arrived and played our songs mixed with some nice covers of the day’s standard country music fare. We all felt like this was a cool place to be. Moving forward every Friday and Saturday night from then until Bremerton left for Hawaii save for a handful of times we were at sea the Bremerton Boys were there in our corner.
We developed a strong bond with the owners Norm and Annie. Yes, Tug Boat Annie, was Norm’s wife. I have no clue how she got that moniker. We were such a fixture in our corner of the bar on those few occasions when we had to go to sea, the staff would close that section off lest some interlopers might attempt to stake it out as theirs.
There were nights at Norm’s when one or more of us would be nursing a single beer for an hour. The waitress would see this and magically that sailor’s beer would be refreshed on a regular basis. Gratis. I know this to be true because I was the beneficiary of this kindness on at least one occasion. I know from conversation others in this group were treated with equal generosity.
Many magical things occurred at Norm’s. My A#1 good buddy Peter Burns met the love of his life Lori there. Another charter member and very dear friend Timmy “Tithead” Naylor, got real good acquainted with his lifelong love Daphne while hanging at Norm’s.
Many of our Bremerton shipmates would stop in every so often some more often than others. We always had a party going on in our corner. We were as much a fixture in there as Tommy and his band. We would be dancing and singing along and on occasion there would be dancing on the tables. The harder we partied the more energetic Tommy and his boys played.
Norm and Annie were also very forgiving. In my youth I was not always patient with folks and on some occasions there were ner’ do wells who sought to interject themselves into our party in what might be considered a rude manner. Normally a discrete trip out to the parking lot would allow a solution for the problem. On one occasion the misunderstanding escalated quickly and someone got a bloody nose right there in our corner. Of course that behavior was frowned upon by most civilized folks and Norm. He came over after the offending group had left.
He had a look on his face and I was sure I was about to get banished forever. I was very sad and angry at myself for behaving as I had.
Norm sat in a chair and motioned for me to sit beside him. The Bremerton boys all moved away as far as they could in the corner giving us space. I think they sensed Woody was about to get the boot.
Norm looked at me like I was the Beaver, and he was Ward Cleaver.
In a very fatherly tone he asked me “What happened?”
I explained in the most contrite manner I could muster up the miscreant who had just been smited about the head and shoulders was talking trash about this place and those of us who were there. “…I took offense and lost my temper and I am sorry.”
Norm smiles puts his arm around my shoulder and says,
“Well, we’re gonna do better to stay calm next time. Right?
“Yes Sir, I certainly will.”
He got up and never said another word.
On other times during Christmas and New Year’s Norm would close the bar – It would be invitation only. Steamship round and beer. The beef was free we paid for the beer. Tommy would be playing and of course the Bremerton Boys were VIP’s.
Norm bought the building next door. He asked if we would be able to show up on Saturday and help knock down the wall between the two buildings. We did not understand how God could grace us with such great luck. A really cool bar, with a really cool owner, Tommy Cox Band playing AND we get to come in and tear shit up without getting into trouble. Well understand we took great glee in knocking down that wall. Our only regret is we weren’t allowed to knock down the wall on the other side. Norm paid us off in cold Miller beers.
During the time we haunted Tug Boat Annie’s. A number of the Chiefs and Officers including Capt. Anderson made visits on a Saturday night. In our brief time together, in our little corner of a small bar in Groton, Connecticut, we were all royalty. It was a grand time to be alive and none of us will ever trade our time there for anything.
After Bremerton sailed us around to Pearl, Tommy Cox continued to play at Norm’s a few more years. We left there in 1981 and I returned in 1983 for my second trip through Elastic Boat. I of course made my way in there. Our waitress was still there, she hugged me and said Friday and Saturday nights were never the same after we left. I replied the same was true for us.
RW
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Candid shots of Norm and Annie’s Lounge with the Bremerton Boys
Photos courtesy of Larry and Marianne Tharp.
Larry and Marianne Tharp had their wedding reception at Norm and Annie’s Lounge with Tommy Cox and his band providing the entertainment.The Tommy Cox Band, Larry Tharp and Marianne on the dance floor
Jeff Dietrich, Mary, and “Balladeer of the Submarine” Tommy Cox
Peter J. Berns and Ken Burnside with the epic smoke hanging off his lips.
Clemon “C.C.” Cager
Sharon and Ken Burnside with friends of the Tharps, Patty, howard, Shirley, and Ronnie.Jeff Dietrich and Larry Tharp with their ladies.
Marianne Tharp with Tommy Cox’s father
This token is courtesy of Marianne Tharp and she shares this story to go along with it: “Tommy Cox gave it to me one night. We have his album and his CDs. Larry [Tharp] and I met at Norm’s Lounge in January of 1980 and he asked me to marry him in February 1980…. and got married on May 10th, 1980. Seems like after that someone got married every few weeks… so much fun we all had. Good memories for sure!”
Editor’s Note: If anyone is able and willing to contribute a few qualified photo’s of Norm’s Lounge with 698 Shipmates and/or especially photos of Norm and Annie or the store front. please contact me through this website. I will amend this article with the appropriate photos.
LISTEN TO TOMMY COX SING
“The Dives We’ve Known” and more on You-Tube including “Still on Patrol” which mentions the Bremerton
click on the image
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LOOKING BACK – Bremerton’s Sister-Ships at Electric Boat
Electric Boat yard, USS Ohio (SSBN-726) and the USS Jacksonville (SSN-699). Photo source U.S. Navy Institute.
LOOKING FORWARD
USS Bremerton, the most senior not yet de-commissioned submarine in the United States Navy, is currently at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard preparing for Decommissioning.
SAVE THE 698
Join the Movement. Are you passionate about preserving the USS Bremerton in any way shape or form after her decommissioning for the benefit of the public and of naval history? You are invited to a new closed group forum on Facebook “SaveThe698” to be involved in public discussion related to Saving 698. You can see the group site by clicking HERE.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Bremerton, WA area, the Naval Undersea Museum at Keyport is along Port Orchard Bay, 11 miles due north of the City of Bremerton.
Since most of the submarines being decommissioned, including USS Bremerton, are situated in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in a security zone known and the Controlled Industrialized Area (CIA), access to the public is off limits. Therefore, it is virtually certain, ceremonies will be held apart from the submarine. In regards to the actual ceremony’s location, it is highly probable that it will be held at Keyport where other boat’s have held their DECOM events.
The Naval Undersea Museum at Keyport (image source: navalunderseamuseum.org).
The latest word regarding the Bremerton is that the Navy will sponsor a Decommissioning ceremony. In the lives of some boats, there are two separate events, an Inactivation and a Decommissioning (DECOM).
DECOM will be the one and last official ceremonial event in Bremerton’s service to the United States. The timing is based on shipyard schedules and key elements of the work involved. In a recent article, it is estimated by CDR Chris Lindberg, 698’s Commanding Officer, that Spring of 2021 is the period that SSN 698 will Decommission.
Commissioned in March 1981, the good ol’ BadFish is looking to make an amazing 40 year run. 40 years! The first U.S. Navy submarine destined to achieve that milestone. Get ready to hoist your glasses with your shipmates, family and friends, that deserves a grande celebration – as bittersweet as it may be.
The BadFish Beat
A fresh buzz surrounds the USS Bremerton community with the mention CDR Lindberg’s target date. Many of the navy alumni, submariners who have called Bremerton their home, have often expressed that one of the best boats if not the best boat they have ever served on was the Bremerton, a fine testament to their shipmates and to the commanding officers they served under.
Last year, meeting up with the boat before she went into the CIA, affectionately known as “Deep Shipyard”, caught many 698 alumni off guard. The sudden change in operational orders of the boat, coming straight off a West-Pac to go into the yards for DECOM, was game only for the maniac efforts of the most nimble reunioners ready for rapid deployment.
Many who attended were connected through Facebook which made communication in the fast moving situation feasible. Even so, for this event that was almost conjured out of thin air, we final-mustered a group of over 100 BadFish supporters who were willing to divide into four groups over a 3-day period to take one last reminiscent walk across the well-traveled decks and ladders of the fast-attack submarine.
Get your non-Facebook using Shipmates to Act Now
Over the next year we need to get interested alumni who are not members of Facebook onto our contact list. If you know any alumni who wants to get a periodic update for reunion news, please email Master Chief Steve Everett at his email: southzvi@gmail.com (Subject Line: 698 Email List).
Please also provide your:
rate/rank/dept
which years served on 698
mailing address (email and postal) and
phone number
Surviving family members are also welcomed to send their contact info
Please Note: EMAIL outside of Facebook, is preferred to keep costs down, but if you do not even have email, text messaging is low cost alternate. If you are actually still living in the stone age and has neither e-mail or text message ability, we’ll still do our duty to keep you informed the best we can using the postal service.
Now, we’ve got the Navy time-honored event on the horizon – DECOM. We expect to have room to maneuver our personal schedules to get into position; in the meantime, we hope the Navy will avoid doing any Crazy Ivans with their scheduling. The exact date for DECOM is TBA.
Some people were concerned that the ceremony itself will be a restricted affair in regards to security, location and audience size. At this time, it appears none of these factors will be an issue.
This website was developed particularly for those who are not on social media but have access to the internet. So tell your Facebook-hating shipmates to get their email to Master Chief or at least tell them to subscribe to this website to get important updates.
Stock illustration from Wikipedia, note the VLS Second-Flight mods which are not installed on First-Flight 688s like the American Classic.
SIGNIFICANT & OFTEN UNREPORTED DATES:
08 MAY 1976: KEEL LAID
22 JUL 1978 LAUNCHED
28 MAR 1981 COMMISSIONED
11 JUL 1981 DEPARTS GROTON
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28 OCT 1981 Reports to Homeport PEARL HARBOR
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18 AUG 1998 Reports to Homeport SAN DIEGO
16 SEP 2003 Reports to Homeport PEARL HARBOR
27 APR 2018 Arriving in BREMERTON to begin inactivation/DECOM process
For more information about the museum at Keyport, please click on this link NAVALUNDERSEAMUSEUM
It is hard to believe it has already been 6 months in command! The USS Bremerton has completed the first of its kind Submarine Layup Availability in preparations for completing the Decommissioning in 2021.
The crew of the BREMERTON has been busy. We had 5 Sailors and 1 Officer complete their qualifications in Submarines in the last 5 months. This was accomplished while completing the first step of our inactivation process ahead of time and under budget. I am looking forward to finishing our last 2 sailors in submarines qualifications. These will be the last to ever qualify onboard the American Classic. In addition to working to complete the availability our sailors have been busy supporting the community. On earth day ~40 sailors helped cleaned up the Stephenson Canyon park and the First Class Petty Officer Associations volunteered at Viking Fest.
Additionally we frocked 5 sailors who advanced during the last…
A year ago this Memorial Day weekend in 2018, over a hundred old hands and their family members converged on Bremerton, Washington to say goodbye to the U.S.S. Bremerton (SSN 698) as she was preparing to take an expedited trip into the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard – a seemingly impromptu change of heart by the U.S. Navy despite years of nuclear fuel remaining in her General Electric S6G nuclear powerplant.
Coming in hot straight and normal from Pearl Harbor, under the command of Bremerton’s last sea-going CO, CDR Travis Zettel, with the first sea-going CO, Thomas Anderson as a special rider and guest, the BadFish arrived on April 27, 2018, in Bremerton pulling up to the semi-public aircraft carrier piers. With fan’s of the American Classicwaiting pierside and a Navy band to add to the festivities a month of transition lay ahead for the Lucky 698 and everyone around her, including alumni wanting to get a last chance to step on the decks of the Ol’ Gal.
698 and her crew had just completed their final West-Pac and with their stand-down eliminated had orders to make haste to take our thoroughbred, the fastest U.S. Navy submarine on record, to her final destination to become part of the beau-coup-multi-million dollar pipeline of American nuclear powered submarines to be decommissioned.
Her last ocean voyage was complete with a torpedo room full of household goods in lieu of her standard armament of ship-killing MK48 ADCAPs, the crew suffering from a form of bureaucratic whiplash and the need for some stand down. So it was a trying time, a time of urgency, confusion and another day in the Navy for the Bremerton before getting hard at work preparing the boat for entry into the Deep Shipyard.
In a mad rush to organize a Farewell, or some may say, for the Bremerton,a “Coming Home” party, organizers of the reunion on the front lines had to run the gauntlet of “why do you want to see a nearly 40 year old submarine for, when there are a host of shiny new submarines for tour?”
Things were not looking good in early May 2018 as organizers had to deal with an understandably indifferent environment with the work involved trying to secure tours of the boat with the real pre-shipyard work schedule in front of them. Moreover, the boat was preparing for a command change of the COB and XO, in other words, even more instability for alumni to make it an uphill effort.
Planners of a 2018, USS Bremerton Reunion arrived to the battle scene beat up and worn down as two attempts to organize a reunion in Las Vegas got derailed, once in early 2018 when hotel management decided to demand early payment for the reservation block and then the night before a full scale promotion to re-attack Vegas (the Reunion that never was, that almost became, but could yet happen in the future) was aborted. The Vegas death knell was preceded by a message around early April by someone in the know, advising that it would be a not a good idea to have a Vegas reunion in light of the sudden change to the boat’s schedule. The necessity to act on purposely ambiguous information became the modus operandi.
So here we were, a mass of 698 alumni waiting for the word on what to do, suddenly wondering if we needed to flip our lives upside down to gather to see the ol’ gal one more time.
Enter the bizarre carnival ride
The mad house on the run with the ad-hoc 698 intergenerational Reunion Committees on one hand, the Officers and crew wanting to get off the boat and/or jump through the hoops necessary to meet an aggressive shipyard entry date, finding suitable meeting dinner facilities (we almost ended up at a private golf course on one hand, a cowboy BBQ honky-tonk dance hall on the other, and almost would have had the boutique Conference Center banquet hall if our numbers didn’t soar majestically over 80), getting commitments from hotels, the surrealistic composing of a dinner event and all its host details (not including those we missed ;)).and then… COMSUBGRU9 (CSG9).
I’ve been told by lawyers, pastors, and CSG9 that I am a loose cannonball… or something synonymous to someone who needs to stop causing trouble. If it wasn’t for Captain Alan Beam (CO #3), our man in Havana, so to speak, there would be no one they could interface with. Captain Beam knows how to ride that storm.
The end of nearly a week of frantic effort, those few days felt like a couple of weeks, when we almost gave it up. As organizers, I knew we needed as much time as possible to get a big reunion organized, pushing the establishment, it seemed virtually impossible to get a reunion with tours of the boat to happen. With several late night talks with a trusted friend who had insights to the pulse of the boats preparing for shipyard, it did not seem we were going to get quarter. A bunch of old-timers, pushing our own agenda just didn’t seem like we were high on anyone’s priority. It looked grim – that’s what things look like when you’re about to throw in the towel. Grim.
Then something life changing happened on May 2, 2018.
What not many people in my circles knew, is I was very close to whole process of my sister being sick with cancer and then in the hospital, early in the morning, surrounded by family, she took her last breath early on the morning of May 2.
After spending some time with family afterwards, and then reflecting on life, I realized that I had to go where it seemed obvious with the reunion. As you get older and you’ve seen various opportunities slip by, you begin to live your life (when you’re cognizant enough) to live life like it was your second chance. Maybe not before and maybe not after, but the bearings are matching … now.
The Captain
In this new era, the Captain of a U.S. Navy warship still has a status to be reckoned with. Although the quarters are cramped inside a submarine, there’s still a deference required between a Captain and everyone else.
I knew I had to communicate directly with the Commanding Officer, CDR Travis Zettel in order to resolve whether to proceed or not. So with respect and humility, I wrote an email letter directly to the CO of the Bremerton and requested help, knowing that his crew comes first as well as the needs of the Navy.
At that time we only had 12 confirmed Alumni, do or die, ready to travel to attend a reunion.
That was the first time I heard an affirmative answer to our request. A response from the Captain that begins with “We would be honored…” gives you a sweet kernel of joy that won’t go out no matter what the obstacles and that was enough to set the GREEN LIGHT on the process in my mind and in our wall pushing efforts through CSG9 that would ensue over the next few weeks. Although we would still encounter obstacles galore, especially as the head count began to take off like a Subroc, the validated hope offered by Captain Zettel we will always be grateful for.
This was not the last time Captain Zettel got involved when we got into a jam to accommodate our reunion attendee needs. It would suffice to say, that the Captain really helped us old-timers and guests to feel welcome by the boat. As Captain of the Bremerton, he did us a great favor by being as gracious as a host could be opening his command for what would become over 100 attendees wanting to make our last passage through our beloved Bremerton.
CDR Travis Zettel (left) hands over the O’Kane cribbage board to CDR Benjamin Sylph, CO of Olympia SSN-717
It’s a Volunteer Outfit
In order to take on the mass effort to qualify in a few weeks to setup this reunion operation, we received some incredible help from shipmates, checking potential venues for our dinner event, from organizing the dinner and the details, getting the pulse of different generations of alumni, and to the relationship between former Bremerton Captains and CSG9. Each of you who took part in the process really deserve some open praise for your efforts in this volunteer fire drill, everyone from Pearl Harbor to Washington, D.C. I hesitate to begin to list not wanting to leave anyone out. The effort starts with my shipmates, the planners and volunteer help, but also their spouses and the participation of their families to help the spirit of the Bremerton live on into the next generations.
We also want to give special thanks the former Mayor of Bremerton, WA, Patty Lent and her husband who we had the distinct honor of their attending our special banquet dinner at the Kitsap Conference Center. They are friends of Captain Beam and very strong supporters of everything related to the USS Bremerton, including the effort to establish a memorial to the boat. She gave a noteworthy and inspiring speech expressing her avid support of the 698.
We had to divide into several groups in order for the boat not to be overloaded with tourists.This was one of 4 big groups. Photo courtesy of mystery cam.
The First 3 seagoing Captains of Bremerton, Thomas Anderson, Douglas Wright and Alan Beam. Also in attendance were COs Ronald Cox and Thomas Zwolfer.
Scanning the Horizon
Now that the reunion of May 2018 is a year behind us, we are now looking forward to the next USS Bremerton SSN 698 Reunion.
We are in the early stages of planning for 2020.
This would be the 3 in series organized by this particular group of 698 shipmates, though the “group” per say is morphing as we get to know other who we did not serve in the same years on the boat with.
It’s important to note, we are not the only ones who have organized successful 698 Reunions and every time old shipmates get together to share in the comraderie and the memories, we consider those very important happening and events in the life blood of the 698 community.
What we’ve managed to accomplish in the course of two successfully completed reunions, one in Reno, NV in August 2016 and one in Bremerton, WA in 2018, was plan events that are non-profit, family-friendly, for the old and the young, and with times built in for the mandatory classic shipmate bull-session around the local watering hole.
Apprehensions of a First Time Reunioner
As we all were once a first time reunioner, we know we each can have a lot of apprehensions about coming back into your “old” world, in some cases, from over 36 years ago. “Will I somehow not fit in or not feel accepted or welcomed?” These are some of the abstract thoughts that could course through ones mind.
It’s been really amazing how attendees have felt at home and at ease in record time. Though, yes, it can be a bit of a nervous experience at first.
In general, we’ve found that we’ve all managed to get older, slower, and not quite so rambunctious but at the same time remarkably the same people we have ever been and there’s still a fire in every submariner waiting to be rekindled.
During the “first” reunion, we embraced every rating. Some guys may have thought that sonar guys planning the event would somehow ostracize other ratings and other departments… no such thing. Everyone was welcomed, felt included and appreciated. The programmed event also seemed a little out of the ordinary for guys who would be happy to ship-talk around a watering hole, but as one attendee mentioned, “I was blown away by how well it worked out, I think you really set a high standard.” (Thanks to the event coordinating knack of shipmate and volunteer service of Reno resident Rich Crombie).
During the “second” reunion, we had strong representations from different generations from Plankowners to past year 2000. While we spent the majority of our time catching up with our former running mates, we all recognized that we shared the same heritage and were glad to build bonds with everyone who called the Bremerton home. Everyone has their own important stories from their experiences and your Navy careers and what you’ve managed to get yourself into after the service – you have something that needs to be expressed and what a unique way than you being part of a gathering with your fellow shipmates. There’s a spirit and camaraderie in our connection through the submarine we called home.
As planners, we are becoming more aware of these dynamics and will do the best we can to build on the strengths and learn from our mistakes as we go forward into planning the next Reunion. Each event has its own unique challenges to overcome.
The price of the event is pretty much at cost, your volunteer shipmates who have been organizing these reunions are doing it as a non-profit. One of the ways we keep the price of the event down is we will try to support of veteran friendly establishments, and this may lead us to areas that have an affinity for veterans, especially submarine veterans.
In 2020, we are looking areas that would be fun to travel, have broad appeal to all generations of Bremerton shipmates, be relevant to the Silent Service and the Bremerton specifically to give the reunion as much inherent meaning for every attendee as possible. Our destination for 2020 is intended to build on top of our proud heritage and rekindle the friendships that were established so many, or not so many years ago.
Photo courtesy of Eric Festor
Some of our first reunions, organized by different groups of shipmate were done out of convenience to the organizers, for example, a farm in Michigan (Larry Gray and Eric Festor, organizers) and Reno, Nevada (Rich Crombie, Jeff Marcey and Challen Yee, organizers) while not Navy towns, worked out because a substantial amount of planning and organizing where provided by the local resident shipmate. These reunions were very successful both well attended by the generation of shipmates close to the organizers.
Ahead of the curve and coming in first, Tony Rothenfluch organized an amazing reunion in New Orleans in 2013.
“Reunion in New Orleans” – Photo courtesy of Richard Boltin
If there were other large gatherings, please let me know.
Part of our event is a “formal” reunion dinner, usually on the first night when the bulk of the attendees are expected to arrive. We offer a chance to come together as a Bremerton family, to honor our distinguished service, give everyone a chance to introduce or reintroduce themselves, have an opportunity for some mild entertainment and/or guest speaker(s), be part of a group and individual photos, and eat some food with a no host bar in tow.
August 2016 Reunion in Reno (photo by Leona Lee)
We like to think that no one needs to be left out as long as they can get to the reunion site and find affordable accommodations. We look to find a convenient and reasonable quality hotel to find a block of rooms so guys don’t have far to walk back to their rooms. We understand some shipmates can work into the reunion schedule to and at the same time, work out their own accommodations if that suits them.
Depending on the venue, we may have a variety of tour type events scheduled which can work out well to add more memories of doing things together that are age friendly or handicap person accessible. Not all of us are spring chickens like some of you young studs, yep, we’re not as young as much as we were back to those glory days! (the Bremerton, until recently, was the longest serving active-duty submarine at over 37 years, having just last year handing off the honors to the Olympia).
The on-going crypto-drama in the background is the mystery surrounding the Decommissioning schedule of 698. It’s ironic, a year ago we had hopes she would be able to serve for another few years and now we’re a bit piewacked regarding the remaining significant public event that could influence our decisions regarding the time and place of a reunion.
The Decommissioning Ceremony will include formal invitations to all the original crew members (at least those whose addresses are known), which will likely be many of the people who would would also attend a general bi-annual reunion. The event should also be open to all alumni. Since planning for travel any purpose is often difficult, especially for the purposes of Navy ceremony and reunions, the planners need to respect the eventual date set for Decommissioning. However, we’ve heard nothing regarding this yet and are tentative at the moment of where the mission of the reunion will be set.
Our preferences, since we had just had a super-reunion in Bremerton, WA, last year is to target another city far away from Washington State for 2020. But the Navy has a way of sticking it in your face just when you get something else going. Welcome to your lifelong association with the Service.
This brew is courtesy of Plankowner Senior Chief Donald Jones
Special Shout-Out
Before I shuttle you off here, I want to give heartfelt credit to the small bands and individual shipmates around the country and even in foreign lands who are quietly getting together with other shipmates without the big billboard on your head.
In particular, I wanted give a BZ to those who have afforded the time and effort to serve your fellow shipmates, helping those of our Bremerton crew who are limited in their ability to move about the country due to difficult times or ill-health. I know that the heroes of our Silent Service are looking down upon you approvingly on this Memorial Day Weekend 2019.
Please note: I had to crank this out on a schedule, so please forgive for typos, nautical or other gaffs, and oversights. Contact me with any additional, comments and feedback.
Inspired by a quip by shipmate Rich Crombie at the USS Bremerton Last Tour Reunion Dinner.
Photo Left: 1985 – Petty Officer Yee agrees to work with Cmdr. A.R. Beam, Commanding Officer of the USS Bremerton, 33 years in the future to organize a reunion and tour. Photo Right:2018 – Challen Yee and Captain Alan Beam standing by the Navy Museum at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (USS Parche Sail Monument) the tour pickup location of the Final Tour of the USS Bremerton (28 May 2018).
Pierside – Pearl Harbor 1985
A clairvoyant interlude during an all hands muster:
Cmdr. A.R. Beam: “Petty Officer Yee, you and I are going to have to organize a tour of the boat during a reunion in Bremerton when the boat Decommissions.”
Petty Officer C.K. Yee, “Is this happening any time soon, sir?”
Cmdr. Beam, “33 years from now in 2018. Oh, and by the way, Captain Anderson will win the Grand Raffle Prize at the dinner.”
Petty Officer Yee, “Yes, sir.” Then after a moment pause, “Sir, uh… how do you know this?”
Cmdr. Beam, “That we need to organize a reunion or that the boat will Decommission in 2018?”
Petty Officer Yee, “Sir, how do you know that Captain Anderson wins the Grand Raffle Prize.”
Cmdr. Beam, “There’s nothing we need to worry about there, that’ll just happen, but I assure you, the rest will _not_ be so easy.”
CK
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P.S. There’s a difference between something (i.e. this raffle drawing) happening by fate and happening by the hand of man. This was not by the hand of man and that’s what makes it very cool.
