It was great seeing everyone at the last meeting. There was no September meeting because of the Convention in town. I was both
surprised and delighted to see Aaron and Sandy Ellis – they are doing well! Aaron had a stroke and Sandy had an operation. Their
shipmate Ed Paul is running hot, straight and normal, since his health issues have been addressed – KUDOS to the three of you……
We also had two guests from another base and we appreciated them paying us a visit. They were visiting Major who was their shipmate.
Christmas Meeting & Luncheon:
Our December meeting/luncheon will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2015. The time will be from 12:00 Hours until 17:00
hours. It will be held at the TEUTONIA MANNERCHOR (German Club), 857 Phineas Street., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15212. It is located
on East Ohio Street by the H.J.Heinz Plant, on the north side, just off of Route 28 and 279. The NORTH STAR KIDS will perform
their holiday special program for us. The convention committee and the members at the October membership meeting voted to
have a special holiday luncheon to say thanks to all the members for their support thru out the year and also during the convention.
We wanted to give everyone a chance to enjoy the entertainment of the North Star Kids for the holiday season.
The cost per person will be $25.00 for a German style buffet, with a cash bar. If anyone has a special diet, please let us know so we
can make accommodations for you. There will also be a gift exchange – $10.00 limit. Reservations will be open ONLY for the
membership & families until November 14 (base meeting), and then it will be open to guests and supporters of the base.
The Convention was a huge success. We had a few glitches, but all was resolved. We are still waiting on a few invoices so we
can pay and find out where we stand financially. This could not have been so successful without a great committee. My co-chairs,
Rick Elster & Joe Campisi did an outstanding job, working with me, over the course of the last two years. The rest of the committee
was made up of Mike Allen, Lee Bookwalter, Clair Bouts, Don Bright, Ron Goron, Lou Hamil, Mark Hoag, Bob Keller, Frank Nicotra,
Jeff Simon, John Stewart, Carl Stigers, Dolly Taskey and Rob Welts. (please forgive me if I forgot anyone.) These shipmates
donated a lot of their time and effort over the course of the last two years – please give them KUDOS for a job well done.
ELECTION OF BASE OFFICERS – Bernie Sigler has been appointed as the nominating person for the Requin Base Election. Contact Bernie at – menhaden377@yahoo.com if you are interested on being nominated for one of the following base officers posi-tion.
1. Commander
2. 1st Vice Commander
3. 2nd Vice Commander
4. Secretary
5. Treasurer
a. The officers will be elected by a majority vote of the members in good standing at the regular meeting held in the month of December.
b. A nominating committee will be appointed in the month of October to solicit nominations and will present the slate of nominees to the membership at the November meeting.
c. Additional nominations may be made by any member on the floor of the meeting prior to the election.
There is currently an elected position open (1st Vice Commander)
There is a appointed position open (Storekeeper)! Please notify the commander if you are interested.
DUES COLLECTION:
The collection so far on the 2016 dues is as follows:
1. Officers & Committees – 100% (due inSeptember)
2. Associate Members – 87% (due in October)
3. Pa. Members – 60% (due in October)
4. Out of Pa Members – (due in November)
5. New Members who joined in 2015 – (due inDecember)
Calendars Sold:
1. Base Members – 93
2. Outside of Base – 106
Total – 199
The Requin Base is proud to recognize the following shipmates for their loyalty to the base for 2016, for their continuous membership! Your pin will be mailed with your 2016 calendar. The five year shipmates will also receive a patch for the pin to be attached.
| Five Years | Ten Years | Fifteen Years | Twenty Years |
| Tom Bates | Harold Farley | Bill Greenlee | Vince Segeleon |
| David Cochenour | Paul McKenzie | Sal Moliterno | Earl Wood |
| Fred Hayes | Bob Gourley | Doug Nunnery | |
| Frank Nicotra | Mark Winters | Tom Stewart | |
| Chuck Stoner | Ed Zdarko |
NEW MEMBERS:
Justin Crocker qualified in 2001 on the USS MIAMI SSN755. He left the navy in 2007 as a MM1(SS). Justin lives in Oakdale, Pa. Please e-mail Justin and welcome him aboard – jecrocker@gmail.com
Samantha Barszowski is joining as an associate member. Sam just graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and was a mid-shipmate, now (Ensign). Sam is proud to wear the deterrent patrol pin she received on a summer patrol. Sam is currently in Charles-ton S. Carolina attending Nuclear Power School. She hails from Phoenixville, PA where she lives with her father Stephen. Sam is the Ensign who read the poem at the National Convention on board the USS Requin. Please e-mail Sam and welcome her aboard sib126@pitt.edu
Here is the poem that Sam read on 9/11
“When your final dive is made and your battery’s running low
You’ll know there lies a boat for you many fathoms here below
With your annunciator’s jammed on full and your depth gauge needles bent
Your accumulator’s dry of oil and your air banks are all spent
It’s when you get to wondering, “is my life boat rigged for dive?”
Your guessing drill commences, “am I dead or still alive?”
you pace the flooded decks with scorn and curse the flaws of man
into the realms of Rex you’ve stepped and here you’ll make your stand
To live your life as sailors must at the bottom of the sea
There’s one you’ll have to reckon – that one, my friend is thee
Will your conscience do you justice when the final muster’s in?
Did you lead the kind of life you should in every port you’ve been?
The answers to these questions and many, many more
Are locked in the hearts of sailormen from Cannes to Singapore
So, when your day for mass rolls around, the choice is up to you
Sailor chart your course of life right now. chart it straight and true
Now’s the time to flood your tanks and trim up fore and aft
It’s a trifle late when the klaxon sounds to square away your craft
Your final billet lies below on old oceans floor
So be ready when the last word’s passed
Sailor, rest your oar”
ANNOUNCEMENT: FROM THE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE.
The USSVCF Scholarship Committee is now accepting Applications request for the 2016-2017 college school year. It will also be on the national web page under “Charitable Fund” on the left had side in “BLUE”. Click on that and then follow “scholarship” to “Application” that should bring you to the 2016 scholarship package with three (3) down loads. If you have any problems please call Paul Orstad, scholarship chairman, and he will get you an application either by mail or down loading. His telephone number is – (860) – 334-6457.