Farragut’s Press NEWSLETTER OF THE MARE ISLAND MUSEUM, 1100 Railroad Ave, Vallejo CA 94592
March 2015
Mare Island Historic Park, a 501(c) (3) Charitable Organization
Mariano G. Vallejo SSBN 658 Comes Home to Mare Island
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Artist’s Rendition of the Mariano G. Vallejo SSBN 658 Memorial
The major project of the Mare Island Save Our Sail (SOS) Committee has been to create a permanent home for the sail of the Mariano G. Vallejo SSBN 658, one of the nuclear “boomer” submarines built at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The Mariano G. Vallejo SSBN 658 Sail Memorial will be located on Mare Island and situated just outside of the Mare Island Museum on Railroad Ave. Final approval was given by the city, plans were drawn by a local firm and the sail was readied by volunteers. The volunteers removed rust and other debris from the inside of the sail and cut two internal holes to prepare for its mounting on a permanent stand in front of the museum. Now the only impediment to the ground breaking is the remediation of the 6’ x 6’ portion of the Memorial site due to possible soil contamination. Lennar Mare Island estimates 6-12 months for the work, though this has been an ongoing estimate. In preparation for the building of the monument and to help raise funds for its construction the SOS
Committee is selling highly visible 8” x 8” tiles which will be prominently placed on the base of the sail and be part of the center piece of he memorial. The tiles are beige in color and will be inscribed in black with a personalized message consisting of 6 lines of 21 characters of text (including all spaces, punctuation, and symbols) and an optional logo. Submarine crews have an option of a dolphins logo. Mare Island Naval Shipyard employees and MIHPF volunteers may choose the Mare Island Naval Shipyard logo (MIHPF volunteers’ tiles with the MINSY logo will be designated by the word “volunteer”). General donors have the choice of an American Flag as a logo. The tiles will cost $250.00, payable over 18 months. If you need more information, please contact Jack Tamargo at (707) 642 4267 or jtamargo@pacbell.net. To order a tile please complete the form provided in the newsletter, making checks payable to Save Our Sail (SOS) and mailing the form to Jack Tamargo at 257 Cottonwood Drive, Vallejo, CA 94591 1
Farragut’s Press
March 2015
The Wall
Did You Know?
While this does not relate directly to Mare Island it may be of interest to our readers that a recent SubVets magazine had an article on the Vietnam Wall citing some statistics that might amaze people who thought they knew much about the war in Vietnam. There are 58,267 names on the wall and of these 39,996 were 22 or younger; 8,283 were 19; 33,103 were 18, the largest age group on the Wall; 12 were 17; 5 were 16 and PFC Dan Bullock was 15. The first casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon Killed on 6 June 1956. On 7 September 1965 his son, Lance Corporal Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, was also killed. 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam and 1,448 were killed on their last day. There are three sets of fathers and sons, 31 sets of brothers and 31 sets of parents lost two of their sons. 54 soldiers went to Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia; 9 from Morenci High in Arizona went to Vietnam, only three survived; West Virginia had the highest per capita rate of deaths with 771 names on the Wall. Beallsville, Ohio had 475 residents and 6 of her sons did not return. Eight women are on the Wall, all were nurses. 244 were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 are on the Wall. The most casualties occurred on 31 January 1968 when 268 died. The most casualties in one month were in May 1968 when 2,415 were killed. A most appropriate quote concluded the article. “There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.” Our nation should be most grateful that there are people who are willing to give their service and, in some cases, their lives in support of this country.
Today men’s suits and jackets have buttons on the sleeves which are purely decorative. This came about because in earlier days of the British Navy there were no pockets in the uniforms into which a midshipman could put a handkerchief. The sailors often cleaned their drippy noses on the sleeves of their uniforms. Admiral Nelson ordered that decorative buttons be placed on the sleeves to discourage this practice and thus we still have decorative buttons on the sleeves of suit and sports jackets. So please do not clean your nose on your sleeve! With the recent Ebola and measles outbreaks the word quarantine is frequently heard, meaning to isolate someone to prevent disease from spreading. Quarantine comes from the French word quarant meaning forty because a French ship was once kept in port in Marseilles for forty days to prevent the spread of disease. Davey Jones , as in Davey Jones’ locker meaning the bottom of the sea, is a corruption of the name Jonah who, according to the Bible, stowed away in a whale for three days. SOS is a well-known radio call sign and most people assume it means “Save our Ship!” It does not!! It was used by early radio operators because it was easy to send and easy to identify because it consists of three dots, three dashes and three dots (…_ _ _ …) in Morse Code. Bell bottom trousers worn by Navy enlisted men until 1975 were originally designed with the wide bottoms because they were easier to roll up when the men had to perform tasks such as swabbing the deck.
Preserving the history of Mare Island
Mare Island Museum Hours 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Weekdays 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. First and Third Weekends Tel: (707) 557-4646 Shipyard tours by appointment, please call: (707) 664-4746 or (707) 280-5742 http://www.viralnova.com/amazing-places/
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March 2015
If you are a member of the museum the book is available for check-out from the museum library.
Museum Cited At the end of each year Time magazine chooses a person of the year and in the same issue lists what it considers to be the best movies, music, books, etc. In the 2014 issue they also listed the five best non-fiction books, one of which was In the Kingdom of Ice:
The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette written by Hampton Sides. In the late 1870s the USS Jeannette was brought to Mare Island for renovations to make her capable of sailing to the North Pole. This was the era when the United States was anxious to become a world power and going to the North Pole was part of that dream. The trip was financed by an eccentric wealthy man, James Gordon Bennett Jr., who ownedThe New York Herald and had sent Stanley to Africa to find Dr. Livingstone which had been a major coup for his paper. He expected the polar trip to be just as big, if not a bigger, sensation. At the time the most renowned cartographer was a German by the name of August Peterman who was convinced that there was an open ocean sea at the North Pole which would allow one to sail to the North Pole. And so Bennett decided to fund a U.S. Navy expedition to be led by Lt. George DeLong and a crew of 32 men, one of whom, John Danenhower, the navigator has a plaque in St. Peter’s Chapel. The book tells the harrowing story of this unsuccessful voyage and should not be considered “light reading,” but it gives the reader a real sense of the devotion to duty and the amazing risks these men were willing to face. They were trapped in Polar ice for two years before the Jeannette finally succumbed to the forces of nature. And then they set out in three small boats to try to reach the Lena River in Russia where they hoped to find people who could help rescue them While little is said about the time the ship spent at Mare Island, the shipyard is frequently referenced throughout the story when the men remark on the outstanding job the employees at Mare Island had accomplished in outfitting the ship for this treacherous journey. Perhaps more important is the fact that author cites the Mare Island Museum staff as being “most helpful” along with the staff at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. The museum is becoming known as a resource for authors who want information about events that took place and ships that were built at Mare Island. 3
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March 2015
Mare Island Memories These stories are from a Time-Herald publication printed when Mare Island closed in 1996. The stories are being reprinted with their permission.
Earl Sterling - Electronics Planner and Estimator 1947-1977 My most vivid memories of the 30 years I spent on Mare Island Naval Shipyard is the Mare Island Civilian Employees Band. Under the direction of Charlie Prenderville, this collection of talented musicians, taken from the ranks of M.I. employees, serenaded the work force at their shops during their lunch hour. The band which was sanctioned by the management also played for Bond Rallies, the Centennial, submarine launchings, etc. On Fridays we had a special broadcast over the yard P.A. system from the stage of Rodman Center. This program was transcribed and was later aired by the radio stations in Napa and Vallejo. Our broadcast featured Ernie Wichels with the news and often hosted shipyard commanders or other notables on the show. Although the Mare Island Civilian Employee Band was shut down in 1961, I feel it played a large part in boosting the Mare Islanders’ spirits. I was the master of ceremonies for this group for over 11 years and there are still a few of these faithful musicians to be found. I retired from Electronics Planning and Estimating in 1977 after 30 years of service.
Rock, Bach and Soul!! Rock, Bach and Soul is the title of the 7 June 2015 concert by Campanelli Children’s Choir, the youth choir of the Vallejo Choral Society, led by Matthew Walsh. Rock, Bach and Soul will feature oldies, rock and soul music along with classical music in an unusual and a wonderful mix of styles. Last year was the first year for this choir to perform at St. Peter’s and the performance was very well received. One visitor commented, “Want to see old folks rock?? Come and see this group and you’ll see them dancing in the aisles!” Another said, “The children sang beautifully.” If you attended the Christmas concert on December 2014 you saw Matt Walsh, the director, get the audience really involved with the music and its joy. The concert will be in St. Peter’s Chapel at 2:00 P.M. and tickets are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 7-12. Tickets may be purchased at the Mare Island Museum, The Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum and the Vallejo Convention and Visitors’ Bureau starting in early May. You may also purchase tickets by phone by calling (707) 557 4646 or (707) 280 5742 with a credit card. We regret we cannot accept any phone orders without payment at the time of ordering. Seating is limited, so get your tickets early.
(Editor’s note: Mare Island had a Navy band and then the powers that be decided Mare Island did not need a Navy band because there was one at Treasure Island. The Mare Island commander protested and requested that the band be allowed to remain. His request was denied. His response was that he would have a band and thus invited civilian employees to form a band – a very successful band from all reports. Another interesting sidelight is that after WWI Mare Island had the best jazz band on the West Coast - its leader was none other than the famed Paul Whiteman who was then in the Navy.)
Susie Diggs Welder 1943-1945 I was a welder on Mare Island during the war. I was trained by Jenny Oaks. I can’t remember how many women were welders. Some of the men didn’t think because we were women that we should be there. I met the most wonderful man there, Wayne Diggs, who was in the service during the war. He came back and got his job back on Mare Island. I didn’t think I liked him much because he was a smart aleck. I wore leather overalls when welding and he asked one of his 4
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was the USS Brennan (DE-13) laid down in February 1942 and launched in 1943. Many other destroyer escorts and several hundred landing craft were also pre-fabbed at “Mare Island East” which was located in Denver, CO.
friends what I looked like without the leather overalls on. Meeting a jewel – like Wayne – was one of my fondest memories. We got married and were married 45 years until he passed away in 1991. I also worked with a wonderful white lady named Blondie. Vallejo was very prejudiced in those days but we became very dear friends. The other ladies thought it was terrible. Prejudice is still here but it will never go away. It’s not as bad as it was. I was born in Bryan, Texas, but my mom taught us to love everybody…. Curtis “Curt” Wiggins Welder Helper, Rigger Helper 1945-1970 I started my career in 1945 as a welder helper. I was laid off in the RIF(Reduction in Force) in 1946. In 1950 I returned as a journeyman welder. Being very small in stature and weighing only about 110 pounds I was often called upon to work in the most obscure area. These areas, many times are spaces that no one else could fit. A few times that stick out most in my memory were when a rope was attached to my waist and I was lowered into some holes head first where I would weld upside down to complete the job. I was on the building ways during new construction of nuclear submarines. I was always amazed at all that goes into one of these machines. There are so many systems, pipes, electronic components, which must all work together. Welding on HY-80, pre-heated metal, was a new experience for Mare Island and the Navy. All welders had to learn new techniques for welding this material and cope with the extreme heat. I was sent TDY (temporary duty) to other places a few times. It was nice to see how they worked on other bases. I was RIFed again in 1970 to a rigger helper and retired in July.
USS Shaw Two ships were named the USS Shaw. The first, DD-68, was built at Mare Island and launched in 1916. She was sent to the Atlantic during WWI and performed convoy duty. In October 1918 she collided with the giant British ship Aquitania and 90 feet of her bow was cut off. The crew was able to sail the ship backwards to Portsmouth, England, more than 40 miles away where she was given a new bow. Shaw became famous for accidentally hitting one of the biggest ships in the Atlantic. Her executive officer was a lieutenant by the name of William “Bill” Halsey. The second Shaw DD-373 was built in Philadelphia and was in dry dock in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. She took three hits from Japanese bombs and her bow was completely blown off. The picture of the explosion is one of the iconic photos of Pearl Harbor. After making temporary repairs with a “stubby bow” which allowed her to make 14 knots (less than 30 miles per hour) she sailed back to Mare 1 2 Island where a pre-fabricated bow awaited her arrival in February 1942, making her one of the first repair jobs MINSY had during the war. She was inspected by the Secretary of Navy in May and was back fighting in July 1942. There are presently no ships named Shaw on the Navy roster, so hopefully no other Shaw will lose her bow!
(Editor’s Note: HY-80 was extremely strong, tempered steel used primarily by the military. In the Navy it was often used in the skins of submarines.)
A Bit More MINSY History… Mare Island East?? Few people know that ships were pre-fabricated at “Mare Island East”, the parts were loaded on railroad cars and shipped across the Rocky Mountains to be assembled and launched at Mare Island Naval Shipyard during WWII. The first ship to be built in this way
March 2015
USS Brennan (DE-13)
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March 2015
Visitors During the last quarter Mare Island Museum had visitors from 30 states including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and also the District of Columbia. Foreign visitors came from Australia, British Columbia, China, El Salvador, Haiti, Manitoba, New Zealand and the Philippines. We also had a visitor from the USS Montford Point, MLP-1, which is undergoing overhaul at Mare Island.
Coming Events MIHPF Volunteer Appreciation April 17th, 2015 11:30 A.M. Museum POC: Barbara Davis, (707) 557-4646 MIHPF Board Meeting April 27th, 2015 10:00 A.M. Quarters B POC: Ken Zadwick, (707) 557-0662
“Rock Bach & Soul” June 7th, 2015 2:00 P.M. St. Peter’s Chapel (707) 557-4646/(707) 280-5742 Shop 31 Reunion September 26th, 2015 12:00 P.M. Museum (707) 255-2647 Design Code Reunion November 3rd, 2015 10:00 A.M. Museum POC: Jim Holland, (707) 224-8593 For further information on any of these events contact the museum at mihp46@att.net or call (707) 557-4646
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March 2015
YOUR PERSONAL TILE INFORMATION FORM FOR THE SSBN 658 SAIL MEMORIAL “Thank you” for helping to establish a permanent memorial that honors the workers and former crew members of the Mariano G. Vallejo SSBN 658 nuclear submarine. Your generous donation entitles you to have a personally inscribed 8 x 8 inch tile that will become a permanent part of the memorial. The perimeter of the memorial base will be encircled with these personally inscribed tiles making them highly visible to all who visit the site, located on Mare Island just outside the Museum on Railroad Ave. We will order your personally inscribed tile once you have completed and returned this form indicating the appropriate logo and the text you would like to have inscribed on your tile. Your inscription is limited to the following requirements, Up to 6 lines of text with up to 21 characters per line, both Upper and lower case text is allowed. ALL SYMBOLS, PERIOD, COMMA, DASH, NUMBERS ARE COUNTED AS ONE SPACE. The tiles will cost $250.00, payable over 18 months. Please indicate the proper logo for you tile. Check here
Mare Island Employee/Volunteer
if you would prefer no logo.
Submariner
Other Donor
YOUR INSCRIPTION
NOTE: THE LOGO AND ALL TEXT WILL BE CENTERED UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
Mail Completed Form To: Jack Tamargo 257 Cottonwood Dr. Vallejo, CA 94591 Name: _______________________________________ Phone (_____) _________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________ State _____________ Zip ____________________________ Email Address: ______________________________________________
Please Make Checks Payable to SOS/Save Our Sail
If you have any questions, please contact Jack Tamargo, jtamargo@pacbell.net or (707) 642-4267 7
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Mare Island Museum Membership 1100 Railroad Avenue, Vallejo, CA 94592 (707) 557 4646 mihp46@att.net www.mareislandmuseum.org
The Mare Island Historic Park Foundation keeps alive the history of Mare Island Naval Shipyard and chronicles its shipbuilding activities in the museum, as well as preserving the most historic buildings – St. Peter’s Chapel, the Shipyard Commander’s Mansion and Building 46, the oldest building on the island dating from 1855. The shipyard founded in 1854 by Commander David G. Farragut, first admiral in the USN, was the first naval installation on the West Coast and was an important contributor to success in World War II in the Pacific. It also played a prominent role in the Cold War by building 17 nuclear submarines. We invite YOU to become a part of this endeavor by partnering with the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation and supporting its work. Benefits of Membership:
Free Admission to the Mare Island Museum (Bldg 46) for the year of partnership 10% discount on purchases in gift shop Advance notice via email of new exhibits or events sponsored by the foundation Access to Mare Island Museum Library Free newsletter via email Helping to preserve the history of Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Partnership Levels: (All partnerships are for one (1) year and are fully tax deductible) • • • •
Individual $25.00 – Admits partner named on card Out of State $20.00 – Admits partner named on card Family $40.00 – Admits two household members and their children or grandchildren 12-18 (under 12 are free) Student $15.00 – Admits student named on card with a student ID card
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mare Island Museum Membership Application Name _______________________________________________________________ Date ___________________ Street Address _______________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code ___________________________________________________________________________ Phone____________________________ Email Address ______________________________________________ Partnership Level: ______ Individual $25 _____ Out of State $20 _____Family $40 _____ Student (with ID) $15 Visa_____Mastercard ____American Express____Card Number _________________________ Exp. Date ______ Make checks payable to MIHPF.
Remit to: ATTN; Membership Mare Island Museum 1100 Railroad Ave, Vallejo, CA 94592
(For Office Use Only) ____L ____D ____E Received by:_____________________________
Date_______________ 8