From: PGBlueCoat@aol.com [mailto:PGBlueCoat@aol.com] 
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2005 6:41 PM
Subject: Eulogy For Harry Sullivan, Submariner Par Excellance

 

From Paul E. Trejo, Vice Commander, Dolphin Base

 

This is to announce the date and place of  services for our departed Shipmate, Harry Sullivan.

 

There will be a Rosary held at the Lima Family Mortuary, at 710 Willow Glen District, San Jose on Thursday, April 21, 2005. Church Services will be held at Saint Anthony's Parish Church in San Jose, at 9:30 AM, Friday, April 22. Saint Anthony's is located at the corner of Almaden/Alamitos Road in South West San Jose.

 

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend, as Kathleen and I are hosting a reunion of USC Midshipmen here in Monterey from Wednesday, April 20 to April 23.

 

Some history on Harry. Harry served as a seaman on board the heavy cruiser USS Augusta ( CA 31) on China Station in 1936 when Augusta was on Commanded by the then Captain Chester Nimitz. Nimitz took command of Augusta October 16, 1933 in the Puget Sound Naval yard. Subsequently Augusta was flagship for the Asiatic Fleet from 1934 to the late 1930s. Nimitz was her Captain until April 12,1935. Harry at that time was aboard Augusta with Nimitz as a seaman, electrician striker. Harry liked to talk about his time on China Station in Augusta. 

 

While on board the Augusta, Harry obtained a wonderful mosaic photograph 10"x36" of Shanghai Anchorage with the Augusta and other units of the Asiatic Fleet, and foreign navies at anchor. He also had a 4.4 ft X 13 inch panoramic framed photo of the US Pacific Fleet at anchor in San Francisco Bay after their 1936 Fleet Problem. Both of these fine framed photos he gave to me when he sold his house and moved to smaller quarters. 

 

Harry left Augusta about the same time as did Nimitz. He then ended up in the submarine service, though I'm not sure he attended submarine school. He reporter on board the USS Dolphin (SS-169) and was on board her when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.  

 

Harry was instrumental in the formation of our Dolphin Base. He called me in Pacific Grove, and asked me if I would be interested in a group that met "this side of the bay". My answer was " is the Pope a Catholic? "  We had our "Start Up" meeting in Gilroy, at a restaurant, March 22, 2003. Steve Curran was voted Commander, and dear old Harry nominated me as Vice Commander, the office I still hold. It was seconded and voted on before I could object. I seem there were a grand total of 14 of us present, including Rocky Rockers who took minutes because we hadn't as yet elected a secretary. It was no accident that we named our base "Dolphin Base" after Harry's old boat. Dolphin Base owes a lot to Harry Sullivan, as well as does US Submarine Veterans of WW-2, San Francisco Chapter, of which Harry was Second Vice President when he died. He was very active in that base, to which he contributed a considerable amount of treasure and time over the years.

 

Harry was a shipmate "Par Excellance" to every submariner he ever met.  Harry has "Crossed The Bar" and I know myself and all shipmates and submariners he ever touched wish him "Fair Winds And Following Seas" wherever his soul may be.

 

I would dedicate to Harry on his last voyage, "Crossing The Bar" by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892):

 

"Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
 
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound or foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
 
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
 
For through from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
 I hope to see my pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar."

So long Harry,
Your devoted Friend,
 
Paul Trejo
Capt. USNR (Ret)
Vice Commander
Dolphin Base