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
.
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.
The Longest Serving Active Duty Submarine in the United States Navy
REGISTRATION CLOSED
“LAST CHANCE TOUR”
698 REUNION
Bremerton, Washington
25-28th May 2018
Organized by USS Bremerton SSN 698 Alumni
LAST CHANCE TOUR/REUNION is a PRE-DECOM EVENT sponsored by 698 Alumni
The official U.S. NAVY INACTIVATION and DECOMMISSIONING CEREMONIES (DATES TBD) will occur AFTER the USS BREMERTON is in NAVAL SHIPYARD when ACCESSIBILITY IS HIGHLY RESTRICTED
REGISTRATION CLOSED
REUNION – “FINAL TOUR”
Saturday May 26 @ 1300
Sunday May 27 @ 1000 and 1300
Monday May 28th @ 1000
Due to the limited space of this event it only open to 698 Alumni, immediate family or one guest
Surviving family members welcome
All participants in the tour of the USS BREMERTON SSN 698 must have prior approval and placed on BASE-SUB ACCESS LIST
CARD CARRYING MIL-ID Participants must be on the Access List and also carry proof of US Citizenship
ALL NON-MIL ID Participants, including minors (age 11 or older only allowed), must submit a SEC NAV 5512 for background check
Due to the necessarily short-term preparation for this reunion, we are asking all participants to purchase their own accommodations, we recommend theFairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott (we have a block of rooms there of your convenience that you can reserve by MAY 15th) to be in the area of the Bremerton Boardwalk, the USS Turner Joy, the Horse and Cow, the Puget Sound Naval Museum and other local attractions. Area is close to Ferry terminal. I repeat, We have a block of rooms reserved for USS BREMERTON SSN 698 REUNION at $109 per room per night at the FAIRFIELD INN, check it out and compare.
Other hotels are available within short driving distances at lesser cost, you do the research. BNBs are another option for the adventurous.
ARRIVAL AT WILL – EARLY ARRIVERS / FREE TIME / NO-HOST
FREE TIME (Suggestions: Tour USS TURNER JOY, LOCAL NAVY MUSEUMS or Rendezvous with shipmates at the H & C or watering hole of your pick, Enjoy Bremerton and Local Memorial Day Weekend Events0
SATURDAY, MAY 26
AM: Coffee Mug gathering (To be located) / ARRIVAL DAY
1200-1230 PICKUP FOR SHUTTLE SERVICE TO NBK PIER-D
0900-0930 PICKUP FOR SHUTTLE SERVICE TO NBK PIER-D
1000 SECOND GROUP TOUR
FREE TIME/ MEMORIAL WEEKEND CHURCH SERVICE (location TBD)
DAY
1200-1230 PICKUP FOR SHUTTLE SERVICE TO NBK PIER-D
1300 THIRD GROUP TOUR
POST TOUR: No Host HORSE and COW GATHERING where you can drink with happy memories of the boat with your shipmates
EVE: HORSE and COW Continued / UNPROGRAMMED DINNER – (698 SUBMARINER’s PICK) Restaurant Adventure.
EVE UNTIL 02:00 = HORSE and COW until the COWS COME HOME.
MONDAY, MAY 28
AM:
0900-0930 PICKUP FOR SHUTTLE SERVICE TO NBK PIER-D
1000 FOURTH GROUP TOUR
FREE TIME/HANGOVER SUSTAINING OR RECOVERY MODE
DEPARTURE AT WILL
FINAL TOURS: Brought to you by COMSUBGRU9, NBK-BRMERTON and the OFFICERS and CREW of the BADFISH. CMDR. Travis Zettel Commanding Officer, and the collaboration of 698 Alumni
Image credit: seaforces.org USS Bremerton SSN 698 in Bremerton May 2012
The imminent arrival of the USS Bremerton (SSN 698), the longest serving active duty submarine in the United States Navy, is attracting local interest in the vessel that is the city’s namesake. Bremerton and the Puget Sound region have a long and distinguished history in support of the Navy with its outstanding shipyard facilities, diverse network of military installations and community support groups.
According to Capt. Alan Beam, USN (ret.), the 3rd CO of the Bremerton and an active supporter of military events in the area, “Normally submarine operations are classified and arrivals are announced only 24-48 hours in advance. Since this is the last arrival and it is at the namesake city, the Navy has released the date 10 days in advance. The usual arrival reception is low key and held on base at the Sam Adams Club, but this is the Bremerton!”
On April 27, Bremerton is expected to arrive at Pier D at NBK Bremerton (Naval Base Kitsap) for an opportunity for family members, former crew members, and other supporters of the Bremerton (for those without base access refer to CONTACT INFO) to experience the living history. Pier D is the furthest west and is capable of handling two aircraft carriers, a special place to receive the Bremerton.
Come and appreciate the Pride of Bremerton, the longest serving active duty submarine in the US Navy while you can still see, feel and experience the mighty warship that has spanned two Cold Wars. She is SSN 698, a deadly lady of the deep, the American Classic, the BadFish, USS Bremerton – “Call on us when you need to sink a ship.” (ref: http://ussnautilus.org/blog/uss-bremerton-ssn-698-sinks-a-ship/).
CONTACT INFO: To inquire about access to greet the boat at Pier D, CLICK HERE: (SUBJECT LINE: PIER D ACCESS 698)
FOR DETAILED INFO BEFORE YOU SEND YOUR EMAIL CLICK HERE
It is recommended that the prescreened and authorized welcome party arrive by about 16:00 (4:00 pm) on Friday, April 27th in preparation to welcome the boat when she arrives.
Captain Thomas Anderson (left) and Commander Travis Zettel.
SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL
“We have requested that Captain Anderson ride for the last underway,” Capt Beam reports, “and have asked for the Navy Band on the pier.”
Thomas Anderson, Capt. USN (ret.), was the 1st Commanding Officer of the Bremerton. It would be just awesome to be a post-it on the periscope stand, the wardroom, or perhaps, on the bridge while surfaced to hear Skipper Travis Zettel swap sea stories with the Plankowner Captain while the glistening waters caress the Bremerton as she rides over the ocean.
PUBLIC INVITATION TO USS BREMERTON (SSN 698) RECEPTION ON MONDAY, APRIL 30th
“We want to open the Arrival Reception to the town,” Capt. Beam said, “and have scheduled it for the beautiful third floor Marina Vista Room at the Kitsap Convention Center at Bremerton Harborside, located at the ferry terminal. It will be at 18:00 (6:00 pm) on Monday 30 April.”
Image source: kitsapconferencecenter.com, a beautiful venue by the waterfront offering sweeping views and exceptional service.Kitsap Convention Center stand near the ferry terminal
Kitsap Conference Center at
Bremerton Harborside
100 Washington Avenue
Bremerton, WA 98337
Phone 360.377.3785 | Fax 360.415.1054
The young lady’s first visit to Bremerton in 1982 (Photo courtesy of Don Jones).
The Decommissioning Committee is seeking PLANKOWNERS and Plankowner surviving next-of-kin from USS Bremerton (SSN 698) to take special part in the upcoming Ceremonies, details TBA.
All 698 Alumni are welcome to take part in the Ceremony events.
Please contact 698 Alummi/Plankowner search coordinator with your mailing address (and other contact info if you are willing) ASAP:
08 MAY 1976: KEEL LAID
22 JUL 1978 LAUNCHED
28 MAR 1981 COMMISSIONED
11 JUL 1981 DEPARTS GROTON
…
28 OCT 1981 Reports to Homeport PEARL HARBOR
…
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
Photos/Images sources or courtesy of: Bremerton-Olympic Navy League Council of the US, Donald Jones, Google, US Navy, John Scanlan, Challen Yee, Ray Proud, GlobalSecurity.org, and USS Bremerton-SSN698, spec mention to Clint Ceralde, originator of the BadFish
