SSN 680 FAMILYGRAM: 10 JUN 2018

As our own LTJG Jamie Hogan back in the day used to ask, in his unique and inimitable style, "What's the haps?"

Maybe it was watch turnover, maybe it was standing topside clustered around the brow, maybe it was bumping into him on the street in Olongapo, but it became his signature greeting, and for a while, we picked it up and ran with it.

What's the haps? 

I'm glad you asked. It's been a busy few months. I looked up at the calendar and realized it was June already, and it seems like we were just in Orlando at REGROUPEX 17, which was in September, now ten months ago. Tempus fugit? Seriously?

Much has happened since the last Familygram - yes, it was in the middle of last August, just before the reunion. My apologies - I"m clearly not keeping you up to date like I hoped to, but let me try to catch you up - here's the 'haps!'

Some of us have been hard at work behind the scenes.

Terry Fessner and I have been working to add to our sailing list. I spent the first part of the year working with the National Archives and raising money to purchase copies of the Bates' personnel records that have been declassified.

It's a tedious process, but not without its rewards. So far we have obtained and processed Personnel Diaries (both officer and enlisted), Officer Distribution Control Reports, and Enlisted Distribution and Verification Reports for 1973, 1974, and 1981. Currently I'm data-mining on 1972. So far we have identified 60 missing shipmates that we did not have on our association sailing list. How's that for news!

Terry takes the records I find, and does the hard work of trying to track them down. He has made contact with a few dozen, convinced a handful to register with the website/association, and, regrettably, added more than a few names to the Eternal Patrol roster.

I've modified the website to track all this information, and especially Terry's efforts to locate shipmates and get them registered. Between the two of us, it feels like we trying to get the boat underway and submerged by ourselves. It's a big task, and we could use all the help locating shipmates we could get, if you were feeling the need to volunteer, to make up for all those times on the boat that you did not.

Meanwhile, out in sunny California, Ron Squiers is fleshing out the paperwork that will become the basis for our incorporation as a not-for-profic organization, which will make anything you care to donate tax-deductible.

More details follow below.

Page by page we have worked through nearly four years of personnel records, and have identified sixty shipmates not previously listed on the association's sailing lists.

I keep the Facebook group pages (SSN 680, and USS William H. Bates) up-to-date with current findings, but will include a complete list here.

Take a look and see if you recognize any names from 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1981!

Rank/Rate           Name              Reporting

MM2(SS) Robert B. Andersen - 1981-05-10

SK1(SS) Paul G. Arusell - 1978-05-29

EM3 Michael R. Blae(SS)er - 1974-11-13

FTG2 Mark D. Brunson - 1970-01-01

RM1(SS) Karle Leonard Butler - 1974-05-28

MMC(SS) Fred R. Calma - 1981-05-05

TM1(SS) Leo F. Carder - 1974-10-04

RM2 John L. Chatman - 1973-07-12

SDC Manuel C. Chavez - 1972-03-06

MM3 David L. Corum - 1973-10-16

MS1(SS) Leo C. DeJesus - 1981-01-26

PN2(SS) Bartlett A. Derrick III - 1981-07-01

LT Patrick E. Downer - 1981-09-11

MM3 Perry E. Farnsworth - 1972-01-07

SN Richard C. Foster - 1981-03-20

MSSA Steven G. France - 1980-05-20

MM1(SS) Michael J. Gabriele - 1977-03-23

LCDR Gary C. Granai - 1972-01-31

QM3(SS) Kenneth R. Hegerty - 1974-10-04

EM3 Paul R. Hill - 1973-07-09

MM1(SS) Joseph A. Hinnenkamp - 1977-02-20

ENS David B. Hultberg - 1974-10-05

IC2 David A. Kemp - 1973-07-05

RM1(SS) William F. Kennedy - 1974-11-07

STS3 John C. Kiefer - 1974-05-15

MSSN James E. Kilby III - 1980-05-27

MM3 Douglas C. Kinney - 1974-02-26

ETR3 Richard NMN Martin - 1974-07-12

ETC(SS) Thomas P. Maschmeier - 1971-12-13

TMSR David J. May - 1978-03-06

FN Michael R. McCollum - 1981-02-18

LTJG John A. McDonald - 1978-01-01

SK2(SS) James E. Mears - 1974-04-16

MMC(SS) Daniel M. Minnehan - 1981-12-14

SN Kevin R. Nicholas - 1981-05-25

YNC(SS) Lawrence L. Norvell - 1974-05-27

MM2(SS) Richard D. Owens - 1981-11-30

ETRSN Michael F. Phillips - 1972-04-01

SN Dennis R. Poteete - 1972-01-02

TM3(SS) Aubrey L. Reed - 1981-07-06

ETR3(SS) William W. Reinelke - 1974-10-04

SD3(SS) Dioleo A. Roderos - 1974-10-29

FT1S Steven L. Savre - 1981-07-09

MM1(SS) James E. D. Scalf - 1971-12-29

EM2(SS) Bruce G. Smith - 1973-07-09

RMC(SS) Norman L. Snyder - 1981-05-22

FR John F. Sprague - 1979-04-09

QMSA John F. Stephens, Jr. - 1973-08-26

MM3(SS) Stephen C. Stonehocker - 1981-08-10

LTJG John F. Teply - 1973-10-19

TM3(SS) Michael W. Thomas - 1974-06-14

STSC John C. Thomson - 1972-01-24

EM2(SS) Michael B. Thornton - 1981-02-11

SA Jack R. Tillen - 1979-04-09

MM3(SS) Gary W. Trew - 1974-10-04

TR William  A. Vereb, Sr. - 1973-07-12

STS2(SS) Mark N. Washienko - 1981-06-14

EMCS Gordon M. Wilkerson - 1971-12-05

FN Daniel I. Wood - 1972-01-03

STS2((SS)) Sean D. Woodburn - 1981-07-04

When we were last visiting at REGROUPEX in Orlando, now ten months ago, many of you suggested kicking this whole reunion thing up a notch, and shooting for a reunion every two years, rather than the eight that passed between the last two REGROUPEXs. 

If you are serious in trying to have another REGROUPEX in the fall of 2019 or spring of 2020, we've got to get moving. There is a lot of planning, arranging, and organizing to do, and I should know, having been in the driver's seat for the last two of these.

So, if you are interested in helping organize, plan, or otherwise be involved in the next REGROUPEX, email me at bradwmson (at) ssn-680.org and let me know.

There is not a moment to lose!

It has been ten months since our last Tolling of the Bell ceremony in Orlando, where we rang the bell 44 times for 42 shipmates and two wives.

Since then, three others have shipped their oars and crossed the bar.

MMCS(SS) Stephen C. Stonehocker 1952 – 2018

YNC(SS) Guss G. Pappas 1934 – 2017

ETMC(SS) Arthur 'Ted' N. Baird 1936 – 2017

Two others in addition to Stephen Stonehocker, identified through the Master Sailing List Research Project, before REGROUPEX 17, and were not included in the Tolling of the Bell, because we were yet to learn they were shipmates.

ETC(SS) Thomas P. Maschmeier 1943 – 2017

SDSA William A. Vereb, Sr. 1955 – 2016

Shipmates, rest your oars...we have the watch...