Honoring the United States Navy Submarine
Force
on it's 100th Anniversary.
31 Oct
1999 08:58:07 -0500
From:
Frank Gonzalez <frankgz@infi.net>
To:
glwalker@inreach.com, floresmv@aol.com, dntg66a@prodigy.com,
nestore@prodigy.net
Monday,
October 25, 1999
of the
United States Navy Submarine Force as the U.S. Postal Service
unveils
a series of stamps which pay tribute to the Force for ``A Century
of
Service to America.''
and
veterans from across eastern Connecticut in introducing these
stamps,
which commemorate the Centennial of the Submarine Force.
from
the Navy's first submarine--the U.S.S. Holland--to the Ohio and
Los
Angeles Class submarines of the late Twentieth century. However,
these
stamps honor much more than technological prowess. They
remind
us of the selflessservice of tens of thousands of veterans who
patrolled
the depths of the world's oceans guaranteeing victory over
tyranny
and security for all Americans.
Force.
``A Century'' recognizes the magnitude of the anniversary.
Nearly
a century ago, the Navy took ownership of its first submarine,
the
U.S.S. Holland. Since then, 648 submarines have entered the force--
nearly
half of which have been build in Groton, Connecticut, also known
as the
Submarine Capital of the World.''
of our
nation's fleet. Consider how far we've come: the mighty Ohio
class submarines
are nearly as wide as the Holland was long!
of
submarines, the Seawolf and Virginia Class subs, into the fleet.
These
will be the quietest and the most advanced submarines ever
launched
giving their crews an almost limitless range of new capabilities.
everyone
who supported their efforts, and the men and women who
designed
and built five generations of submarines. Over the past one
hundred
years, 400,000 men and women have either served aboard
submarines
or provided mission support. Over 3,500 veterans of the
Submarine
Force have made the supreme sacrifice for their country.
Veterans
of the Submarine Force during World War II paid the highest
price
in lives lost.
U.S.
Navy in the Pacific during the Second World War, said: ``It is to
the
everlasting honor and glory of our submarine personnel that they
never
failed us in our days of great peril.''
of
Electric Boat serve their country. They design and build some of
the most
sophisticated machines the world has ever known. Members
of the
Submarine Force have been so successful in safeguarding our
nation
in part because of the craftsmanship and hard work of generations
of EB
employees.
It
turned the tide in the Pacific during the Second World War accounting
for
fifty five percent of all enemy shipping destroyed while comprising
only
two percent of all Naval forces. During the Cold War, the ``Forty-One
for
Freedom'' Polaris/Poseidon and succeeding Trident submarines ensured
that
our nation would never be the target of nuclear aggression.
and the
goals of the Soviets and other nations which threatened our
national
interests. As Secretary of Defense Cohen said in urging the
Postal
Service to honor this anniversary, ``the peaceful end to 45 years of
confrontation
is the modern legacy of the Submarine Force.''
Submarine
Force--past and present. A series of stamps is a small
gesture
of a thankful nation to honor their service, their sacrifice, and
their
role in guaranteeing that successive generations of Americans
have
been able to enjoy the freedoms that make this country the
greatest
nation on earth.
Subject: Re: Filipino Submariners
Date:
Sun, 21 Nov 1999 00:28:33 EST
From:
FERLOME@aol.com
To:
nestore@prodigy.net
My
short story:
I
enlisted in 1990, went through subschool in ' 91 and reported to my
first
sub in '92. I'm a sonar tech and my boat was the USS Tunny(SSN-682) out
of
Hawaii. Nine months later, i received my dolphins. That was a big relief
for me!
After two years, I transferred to ASW base in San Diego for my "c"
school.After
a year, I moved back to Hawaii for my second boat, the USS Honolulu (SSN-718). I stayed for three years and
transferred to my present
duty
station here in San Diego at North Island.
Philippine Navy eyeing acquisition of submarine fleet
By Ben Cal
Manila, Dec. 19 (PNA) - The Philippine Navy (PN) is looking into
the possibility of acquiring its first submarine fleet in 10
years,
according to Vice Admiral Luisito F. Fernandez, Navy flag
officer in
command.
Under the plan, PN is considering the acquisition of three
shallow
water attack submarines (Swats) that will provide additional
flexibility
and firepower for the Navy.
"A submarine is a very effective deterrent weapon system,
especially if you patrol a wider area like the exclusive
economic zone
(EEZ)," Fernandez said in an interview.
He said the Navy needs a submarine fleet to secure the country's
200-mile EEZ against foreign intrusion.
Being an archipelagic nation with 7,107 islands, the Philippines
has a coastline of 11,339 nautical miles which is twice as
long as that
of the United States.
"This will afford the Navy the capability to conduct
antisubmarine
operations," Fernandez said.
Another advantage is that it will take a lot of effort for any
intruder to detect submarines because they hide
underwater.
Defense Secretary Orlando S. Mercado has approved the concept
paper
on the development of submarine for the Navy.
The cost of one submarines US66.665 million or P2.66 billion.
This
includes the platform with sensors, four torpedoes, 16 mines
and extra
spare parts for several years.
The Navy prefers the Swats submarine because it carries only a
small number of crew but has a tremendous firepower. It has
low
operating and logistics cost.
Navy Commander Tomas D. Baino, a civil engineer and naval
architect, in his paper entitled "Introduction to the
Development of
Submarine Capability for the Philippine Navy," cited
the advantage of
having a submarine fleet, especially the Philippines which
is a
maritime
country.
Baino said that Philippines must have "a strong Navy at par with
other Asian countries to effectively counter future external
threat."
"To attain this, the PN must not only strive to enhance its
surface
capability but should radically include another dimension
capability, a
sub-surface force," he added.
The edge of a Swats submarine which is 40 meters long is that it
is
very hard to detect and can operate in extremely shallow and
narrow
waters.
Baino describes it as "small and virtually noiseless, she has a
high probability to arrive very close to the target
undetected, carry
out torpedo attacks and lays mines before the defense system
is
alerted."
Submarines are known to be submerged underwater for weeks and
remain there to wait for the enemy to pass by.
They can fire their torpedoes at a distance of six kilometers.
She
can also deploy sea-air-land (Seal) troops to conduct
pre-emptive
strikes to hostile units on the shores swiftly.
"Submarine is the best and foremost platform for surveillance
because of her capability to remain in patrol areas unseen.
She can
monitor and observe tendencies of vessels in transit or
detect those
entering our sealanes that may ignore the laws of our
country."
At the same time, submarines can also be used in the government's
campaign against dynamite fishers, smugglers and pirates.
The Swats submarine which can prowl in shallow waters is the most
ideal because 60 percent of Philippine waters are shallow.
Maintenance
and the training of crew members are simpler.
Maybe
some Phil-Am can volunteer!!!!