(Tribune News Service) — As the demand for nuclear-powered submarines increases, Newport News, Va., Shipbuilding said it’s working to hire 3,000 skilled trades workers this year and a total of 19,000 within the decade.
“We are making intentional investments and collaborating with community leaders to ensure we have a robust pipeline for hiring and strong partnerships to meet hiring needs,” Newport News Shipbuilding spokesperson Todd Corillo said.
STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. special operators and allied commandos moved across frozen tundra in snowmobiles and linked up with a fast-attack submarine after it cracked through a thick sheet of ice, marking a first in the Arctic Circle, military officials said this week.
The Navy fired the commanding officer of the guided-missile submarine Ohio’s gold crew on Monday.
The service said it removed Capt. Kurt Balagna, who has served as the commanding officer of the vessel since at least 2021, due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to command.”
The U.S. Navy’s fiscal 2025 budget request includes money for one Virginia-class attack submarine instead of the planned two, but still represents “a prioritization and very significant investment in undersea warfare capabilities,” the service’s undersecretary said Friday, arguing this is not contradictory.
The Navy has been buying its attack subs at a rate of two per year since FY11, but industry has not kept up in recent years, delivering closer to an average of 1.2 boats annually. The service spent $2.3 billion from FY18 to FY23 to change that, hoping to not only get industry up to an on-time delivery rate of two per year, but then to a rate between 2.3 and 2.5 to support the AUKUS submarine partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom.
To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives while voluntarily serving in submarine warfare in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments. To further promote and keep alive the spirit and unity that existed among submarine crewmen during World War II. To promote sociability general welfare and good fellowship among our members. To pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States of America and it’s constitution.
1. Bowfin Pearl Harbor Base
Bowfin Meeting – Bowfin Meeting – We conducted our March meeting at Clean Sweep Bar, Lockwood Hall. The following members attended – Rodney Boucher, Chris Cunha, David Danby, Dan Del Monte, Frank Diaz, Karl Dye, Paul Ferguson, Nelson Greer, Gary Johnson, Paul Jurcsak, Brett Kulbis, Crichton Roberts, Tim Seipp, Pat Suenaga, Carl Tatro, Ken Voorhees, and Joe Winzenried.
Welcomed Guests – Chief David CSP Submarine Birthday Ball Committee, Gil and Gordon Mestler Scout Troop 97, Dorothy Brown, Nancy Kreis, and Renee Ferguson.
Binnacle List – Please keep the all our members and their families in your good thoughts and prayers, especially Charlie and Linda Womack.
UPDATE – Eagle Scout Project – The project to repair the picnic tables and benches at the USS Parche Memorial Park by Boy Scout Vincent Warr has been approved by NAVFAC. Repairs have been rescheduled for sometime in May. More details to follow.
National Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony and ParadeMarch 29th
1. Ceremony
You’re invited to the National Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony at Punchbowl Cemetery beginning at 10am. Click HERE for your invitation and to fill out the reservation form.
Please RSVP no later than March 10, 2024. Any questions please email us at: vva858oahuhi@gmail.com.
2. Parade
Pre-parade ceremony will be 4:30pm at Kuroda Field Fort DeRussy.
Parade will form up at 5:30pm and begins 6:00pm, starting at the corner of Kalakaua Ave. and Saratoga St. Parade will travel down Kalakaua Ave. and end at Kapiolani Park.
Limited parking is available at Kapiolani Park lots 1 & 2. A parking shuttle will run from 3:00pm to 5:00pm.
For more information contact Earl Hurrey (email: earl@historicprograms.org or phone: (808)-425-2908.
SUBVET member Pat Suenaga will have his truck entered in the parade and will probably have room for 3-4 riders if you don’t wish to or can’t walk. Other Vietnam Veterans will be driving and may also have space for riders. If you have question you can contact Pat at email: suenagap001@aol.com or phone: (808) 554-5722.
2024 Submarine Birthday Ball
2024 marks the 124th Anniversary of Submarine Service in Pearl Harbor. To honor our past and celebrate our future, submarine enlisted and officer birthday balls, respectively, will be held on Friday and Saturday, April 12th and 13th at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
1982 – Relief Crew ONE accepted as an integral unit of this chapter.
1944 – Bowfin sighted a convoy of four ships screened by a couple of escorts. Bowfin fired six bow tubes, but four of the torpedoes exploded prematurely.
In the U.S. Navy, the Chief’s Mess is the cornerstone of every unit. It’s the vital link between the lower enlisted and the higher echelons of the command.
In order to make it into the mess, a sailor must be selected for the rank of chief petty officer out of their peer group and undergo the chief’s season, or what is currently called the chief’s initiation.
The Virginia-class attack submarine New Jersey has returned to Newport News, Va., after several days at sea testing systems and components, Huntington Ingalls Industries announced Thursday.
Tests included submerging for the first time and conducting high-speed maneuvers on the surface and below.
“Taking New Jersey out for the first time is a significant milestone, and the first major test of the submarine’s capabilities at sea,” said Jason Ward, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction. “Both New Jersey and her crew performed exceptionally well.”
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum | February 29, 2024
During Black History Month, we proudly recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions of the black community to the rich tapestry of U.S. Naval and submarine history. From Stewards and Steward’s Mates to Cooks and Mess Attendants, we pay homage to the courageous men who served aboard the U.S.S. Bowfin (SS-287).
These individuals, integral members of the Steward’s Branch during various patrols, made profound sacrifices, with some making the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. Submarine Force during World War II.
As we pause to reflect on their service and sacrifices, it is imperative to acknowledge the dedication and bravery of black submariners who have illuminated a path of progress throughout history. Their resilience and contributions transcend their roles on the U.S.S. Bowfin, shaping the narrative of the U.S. Submarine Force and the military at large during a transformative era. Notably, the renaming of the Steward Branch in February 1943, marked a pivotal moment in addressing racial disparities within the U.S. Navy.
In 1983, Chancellor Alphonso “Pete” Tzomes shattered barriers by becoming the first African-American to command a nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Houston (SSN-713). Following in his footsteps, six African Americans ascended to command submarines. Known as the “Centennial Seven,” these trailblazers made history as the first and only African-Americans to command U.S. Navy submarines during the first 100 years of the Submarine Force (1900-2000).
These milestones observed during Black History Month not only honor the courageous individuals we’ve lost but also commemorate the enduring legacy of black servicemen and women in shaping the history of submariners and advancing progress within the U.S. military.
The Navy’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget will ask Congress to fund one Virginia-class attack boat, a break from a steady two-per-year demand signal from the service and a sign that industry is still catching up to the current demand, three sources familiar with the proposed budget submission confirmed to USNI News.
The decision, initially contemplated last year, is a tacit recognition from the Navy and the Pentagon that the two shipyards building the attack boats and the industrial base can’t keep up with the two-per-year pace that the service says it needs to keep the fleet healthy, the sources all confirmed to USNI News.
What allows the Pasadena, as well as every submarine in the Navy’s fleet, to live up to the “anytime, anywhere” motto is the ability to be self-sufficient. This includes making its own fresh water and oxygen for the 140 sailors on board.
“Every time we make the decision to surface, we are saying, ‘Here we are,’ ” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Eddie Murray, the master chief of the Pasadena’s engineering department.
Bowfin Pearl Harbor Base 