Submariners on "Eternal Patrol" Remembered

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Since 06-06-03

Excerpted from NSL Update 06-02-2003

By Journalist 3rd Class Corwin M. Colbert, Commander, Submarine Group Pacific Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Veterans, active-duty members and their families honored their lost shipmates during a Memorial Day service held at the Naval Submarine Memorial aboard Naval Station Pearl Harbor May 26.

Paul Ferguson, president of the Hawaii chapter of U.S. Submarine Veterans of WWII and base commander of Bowfin Pearl Harbor U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc., welcomed all who attended the service to honor the men who were lost at sea fighting for freedom and their country.

"We are here to honor the men who sacrificed their lives for freedom," said Ferguson, a submarine veteran who served on various submarines, including USS Tang (SS 563) and the amphibious submarine USS Grayback (LPSS 574).

"Submarines played a very momentous role and had significant losses in WWII. Their sacrifice established the sacrificial culture of the submarine community," said Ferguson. "I have done this (ceremony) for six years now. I think it went well. It was a good turnout, and we had a great guest speaker," he said.

Capt. Glen Niederhauser, Commander, Submarine Squadron 7, was the guest speaker. "We are not only here to recognize the 3,500 submariners who were lost at sea, but all Americans who fought for freedom," said Niederhauser. "Our submariners' final resting place is at sea," added Niederhauser.

Among the other participants who took part in the ceremony were Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1572 First Filipino Infantry, U.S. Submarine League Aloha chapter, and the Submarine Officers' Wives Club.

The ceremony included a tolling of the bell for each submarine lost in WWII. Music was provided by the Pacific Fleet Band, a gun salute by the Naval Station Regional Ceremonial Guard and posting of the 50 state flags by the Radford High School Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

C. Michael Garverick
Executive Director
Naval Submarine League  http://www.navalsubleague.com  
 (703) 256-0891(V) - (703) 642-5815 (FAX)