SSN 680 Plan of the Day
- Brad Williamson
I was pleasantly surprised on Monday morning when I checked my email and found a bill from the National Archives. You might think it hard to use the words “pleasantly surprised” and “bill” in the same sentence, but I was pleased to find out that they had identified 69 records related to muster rolls on the boat, and if I would be good enough to send them $55.20, they would email me copies of the reports.
I had expected it to be a few weeks between submission of my request last Thursday, so I was impressed with the fast response. I wasted no time paying the invoice, also happy to find that the archives actually accept electronic payment. Again, I’d expected having to mail a check and wait for a few weeks while my payment processed.
- Brad Williamson
As many of you know, I’ve been working to obtain a complete muster roll of all personnel assigned to the USS WILLIAM H. BATES (SSN 680) over the nearly twenty-eight years that she was in commission.
Mark Gray set out to compile such a list back in the late nineties, producing a complex spreadsheet that listed everyone that he could identify. In fact, much of what we call the Master Sailing List on the www.ssn-680.org website is the result of Mark’s initial work, and we clearly would not be where we are today without the his tireless effort.
As of today, we are closer than we ever have been. I have recently been in extended conversation with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), in an attempt to locate official documentation related to the boat and the people assigned to her. Today I have sent off the first of many requests under the Freedom of Information Act that should produce the Personnel Diaries and Quarterly Personnel Reports for the life of the ship.
- Brad Williamson
March 1st, 2018 - Sixteen years ago today, in 2002, an unnamed project manager, more than likely sitting at a battered grey steel desk on the second floor of a nondescript building at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, finished his review of a stack of documents pertaining to the dismantling and distribution of the pumps, valves, wiring, and mass of stainless steel that once comprised the naval vessel formerly known as the USS WILLIAM H. BATES (SSN 680). I’d like to believe that he paused to reflect on what a ship that was home to us Bates sailors for almost 30 years meant to each of us, but the fact is that he probably didn’t give it a thought as he signed off as project manager, certifying that the scrapping of ‘our’ boat was complete.
She was gone
Sure, parts of her remain. A reactor compartment sealed and sitting on a concrete pad in eastern Washington. Handfuls of various miscellanea scattered around the country in forgotten cardboard boxes stored in attics and basements. Random pieces of hull metal (Steve Perry has entrusted me with the piece he had), some treasured (see previous), others forgotten. I heard that the torpedo tubes had been removed and were bound for TM school to be used as training devices. Who knows?
- Brad Williamson
You’ve heard the old joke about the drunk looking for his car keys under the streetlight after closing time, I suppose.
Somewhat sober guy asks the drunk, “Whatcha doing?”
“Lost my keys…”
“Where’d ya lose ‘em?” the sober one asks.
“Over there by my car”, the drunk replies.
Curious, the sober guy continues, “Why are you looking for them over here under the street lamp then?”
Says the drunk, “Because the light is better over here!”
Seems some of us aren’t too different from the drunk, even if we are sober. There are currently four of us committed to tracking down missing shipmates and if you visit the site occasionally you can follow our efforts as we update the Missing Shipmate List under Quarters. Mark Gray, author of the original missing shipmate spreadsheet, Terry Fessner, myself, and an eager new hand to the search, Chris Watson, dedicate many hours of our spare time locating and contacting shipmates who served on the Bates, but whose current whereabouts is unknown.
- Brad Williamson
It is understood that the Argentine Navy has declared the ARA San Juan lost with all hands - 43 men, 1 woman, possibly as a result of an explosion, though wreckage has not yet been found or evaluated.
The search for the ARA San Juan continues without hope for the crew.
A link to the first report I found. Some foreign language skill required. www.diariodenautica.com