The United States Submarine Veterans of World War II is a congressionally chartered

Congressional charter

A congressional charter is a law passed by the United States Congress that states the mission, authority and activities of a group. Congress issued federal charters from 1791 until 1992 under Title 36 of the United States Code....

 veterans organization that was established to "perpetuate the memory of those shipmates who gave their lives in submarine warfare" during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

Purpose

In 1956 a group of Plankowners formulated and discussed thoroughly the purpose of a motto of the newly formed organization.

1956 version: "The purpose of this organization is to perpetuate the memory of those shipmates who voluntarily gave their lives in submarine warfare; to further promote and keep alive the spirit and unity that existed among submarine crewmen during WW II; to promote sociability, general welfare and good fellowship among its members; and pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States government."

In 1970 this 'purpose of' or motto was changed to read: "To perpetuate the memory of those shipmates who gave their lives in submarine warfare; to further promote and keep alive the spirit and unity that existed among submarine crewmen during WW II; to promote sociability, general welfare and good fellowship among its members; and pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States government."

Formation

The organization got its start on July 4, 1955 when Bud Trimble conceived the idea after futilely searching through veterans' magazines for ten years for a submarine reunion announcement. Being unsuccessful in this endeavor Trimble called his old shipmate Ed Branin and they discussed having a reunion which would include the entire World War II Submarine Service of enlisted men and officers. A two-line reunion announcement was placed in the American Legion

American Legion

The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...

 magazine Reunions column. Also, a write-up in Walter Winchell

Walter Winchell

Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...

's column in the Bethlehem Times-Leader read as follows:

First National Convention

The First National Convention (Reunion) was held at the Ambassador Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

 on September 23-25, 1955. Sixty or so attendees were senior officers and enlisted men still on active duty

Active duty

Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...

 as well as many retirees and former mess cooks and deck hands. It was said they had to invite the waiters and bartenders to sit down to make the crowd look bigger. Out of the 60 or so who registered, only 30 stuck out the reunion. There were 21 "Plank Owners" who attended the first National Convention. At this reunion Hugh Trimble was appointed as the 1955 National President (Pro-tem). Ed Branin was appointed as the 1956 National President and Hugh Trimble was appointed Secretary-Treasurer and plans were formulated by the attendees to meet the following year, September 28-30, at the same location. The first National Convention was considered a total success.

Events of 1956

Three major events took place in 1956. First was the incorporation of the organization; the second was the Second Annual Convention (Reunion); and third the publication

Publication

To publish is to make content available to the public. While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books, Compact Discs and MP3s...

 of its very first news bulletin called the Twin Dolphins, published in December 1956. The Twin Dolphins listed the entire constitution and By-laws, a complete list of the charter members, news briefs, and a condensed version of the second (1956) reunion.

The Second Annual Convention (Reunion) was again held in Atlantic City, New Jersey from September 28-30, 1956. Submarine veterans came from all parts of the country, representing every boat active during World War II. As expected, New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

 and the Eastern Seaboard

East Coast of the United States

The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...

 had the greatest number in attendance. Many men brought their wives. The group gathered for an informal cocktail party

Cocktail party

A cocktail party is a party where cocktails are served. Women may choose to wear what has become known as a cocktail dress.Although many believe the inventor of the cocktail party to be Alec Waugh of London, who in 1924 found a need for this pleasant interlude before a dinner party, an article in...

 and to meet the officers and founders of the organization. A supper was held consisting of steamed clams

Steamed clams

Steamed clams is a seafood dish consisting of various types and preparations of clam that steamed according to local custom in various countries....

, corn on the cob

Corn on the cob

Corn on the cob is a culinary term used for a cooked ear of freshly picked maize from a cultivar of sweet corn. The ear is picked while the endosperm is in the "milk stage" so that the kernels are still tender...

, hamburgers, salads, and plenty of beer

Beer

Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...

, socializing long into the night. The next morning the group reassembled for the annual business meeting and election of officers for the new year. A very solemn memorial service was held on the beach front, with Commander Charles Adams, Chaplain

Chaplain

Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...

, conducting services. After special dedications were made for each individual lost boat, the services were ended with the dropping of a large floral wreath

Wreath

A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...

 from a plane off the coast. The annual banquet

Banquet

A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....

 was a gala affair with over 200 in attendance.

Although only in its second year of existence, several states had already organized and District Commanders were appointed to the National Executive Board. Membership had increased 100% in less than one year. If a state did not have a chapter aspiring individuals could give their name to the National President and it would be submitted to the Executive Board for approval. It was in this fashion that the organization experienced rapid growth.

Incorporation

The organization was incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey on February 15, 1956. The certificate of incorporation was recorded at Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...

.

Federal Charter

At the 1960 San Diego National Convention the first application was made for a Federal Charter. 21 years later after several attempts a Federal Charter was granted on November 20, 1981 during the Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

 administration under Title 36 of the United States Code

Title 36 of the United States Code

Title 36 of the United States Code outlines the role of Patriotic Societies and Observances in the United States Code.*Subtitle I—Patriotic and National Observances and Ceremonies*Subtitle II—Patriotic and National Organizations...

, Chapter 2207.

World War II Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia

On February 19, 1943 the U.S. Navy Department Permanent Naval Uniform Board discussed a directive from Admiral

Admiral

Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...

 Ernest King

Ernest King

Fleet Admiral Ernest Joseph King was Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II. As COMINCH, he directed the United States Navy's operations, planning, and administration and was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the U.S...

 for the design of a Submarine Combat Patrol insignia

Submarine Combat Patrol insignia

The Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia is a uniform breast pin worn by officers and men of the United States Navy's Submarine Service who have completed war patrols. Such patrols were conducted during World War II....

 for crew members of submarines participating in successful combat war patrols. On March 26, 1943 Acting Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal

James Forrestal

James Vincent Forrestal was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense....

 approved the insignia and the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia was established. Regulations provided for award of the insignia to officers and men assigned to submarine duty who completed (since December 7, 1941) one or more patrols during which the submarine sank or assisted in sinking at least one enemy vessel or accomplished a combat mission of comparable importance.

The Submarine Combat Patrol insignia could be awarded to crewmen prior to their designation of Qualified in Submarines

Submarine Warfare insignia

The Submarine Warfare Insignia is a uniform breast pin worn by enlisted men and officers of the United States Navy to indicate that they are qualified in submarines. The Submarine Warfare Insignia is considered one of the Navy's three major warfare pins along with the Surface Warfare Badge and...

. Full pride in the insignia was not realized until it was worn with dolphins

Submarine Warfare insignia

The Submarine Warfare Insignia is a uniform breast pin worn by enlisted men and officers of the United States Navy to indicate that they are qualified in submarines. The Submarine Warfare Insignia is considered one of the Navy's three major warfare pins along with the Surface Warfare Badge and...

. However, the Commanding Officer

Commanding officer

The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...

 of a submarine which conducted a successful war patrol for purposes of awarding the insignia was key in the chain of command for the awarding authority. As such, he could recommend withholding the award of the insignia by advising the appropriate force or type Commander concerning any officer or enlisted man who he felt was 1) incapable of obtaining the designation of Qualified in Submarines or 2) who failed to display proper efforts to become qualified. If such officer or enlisted man failed to Qualify in Submarines or show proper effort, the force or type Commander would, after full consideration of the attending circumstances, withhold the award of the Submarine Combat Patrol insignia.

Digger hat

The Australian Digger hat is the official headware of the organization and is worn by members at all official functions. The hats are dark blue in color with a gold band and gold trim on the edges of the brim, with a white plume feather

Feather

Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...

. The hat remains on when at colors

Color guard

In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...

 and the wearer salutes. When inside a building, the hat is always removed. An exception is the hat is always worn at indoor meetings, it is never removed for prayers

Prayers

is an anime set in the year 2014 where the young of Japan have rebelled against the government for segregating Shibuya and declared themselves to be independent of Japan...

, memorial services

Funeral

A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...

, or for burials, and is worn during playing of the National Anthem

National anthem

A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...

.

The hat is credited to Ernest T. Rosing who upon conclusion of the war, brought home an Australian Digger hat. He wore this hat to all meetings and was soon nicknamed Digger by his brother shipmates. During World War II numerous U.S. submarines were operated from Australia from the ports of Fremantle

Fremantle, Western Australia

Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...

 and Brisbane

Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...

.

Vest

Vests

Vest

A vest is a garment covering the upper body. The term has different meanings around the world:Waistcoat :. This is called a waistcoat in the UK and many Commonwealth countries, or a vest in the US and Canada. It is often worn as part of formal attire, or as the third piece of a lounge...

 were never officially adopted as part of the national uniform such as the Digger hats were. However, the majority of the membership and their wives proudly wear a vest to all official events and gatherings. The vests come in an array of colors, but most notably blue with gold trim with the National Organization Insignia on the back, usually with the name of the local chapter, and the names and hull numbers of the submarines served upon. The front of the vests are usually adorned with dolphins, the Submarine Combat Patrol insignia, ribbons, and various unit patches related to the submarines and commands served at.

World War II

The United States Navy Submarine Service lost 52 submarines, 374 officers and 3,131 enlisted men during World War II. These personnel losses represented 16% of the officer and 13% of the enlisted operational personnel. This loss rate was the highest among men and ships of any U.S. Navy unit.

Less than two percent of American sailors served in submarines, yet that small percentage of men and their boats sank 214 Japanese warships

Imperial Japanese Navy

The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...

. This included 1 battleship

Battleship

A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...

, 4 large aircraft carriers, 4 small aircraft carriers, 3 heavy cruisers, 8 light cruisers, 43 destroyers, 23 large submarines and 1,178 merchant ships of more than 500 tons

Short ton

The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...

.

In all, U.S. submarines sank more than 55 percent of all Japanese ships sunk

Allied submarines in the Pacific War

Allied submarines were used extensively during the Pacific War and were a key contributor to the defeat of the Empire of Japan. During the war, submarines of the United States Navy were responsible for 55% of Japan's merchant marine losses; other Allied navies added to the toll. The war against...

. More than surface ships, Navy air and the U.S. Army Air Corps combined.

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz summarized their efforts after the war by writing:

Current mortality rate

The current mortality rate of World War II survivors is approximately 850 veterans passing every day. With their numbers dwindling many of the organizations State Chapters have closed. Due to this inevitable occurrence many members have chosen to become members and/or joint members with their local United States Submarine Veterans Inc. (USSVI)

United States Submarine Veterans Inc. (USSVI)

The United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. was created by a group of men from the United States Submarine Veterans of World War II. They shared a belief in the need of an organization open to all United States Navy submariners, from the very beginning of the Submarine Service to the present and...

 base to carry on their legacy.

Submarine Memorials

The organization was responsible for the construction and placement of numerous memorials and plaques which honored their fallen comrades and the submarines they served on.

• Pearl Harbor
  Pearl Harbor
  Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
  
   Submarine Memorial, 1960
• USS Steelhead
  USS Steelhead (SS-280)
  USS Steelhead , a Gato-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the steelhead, a North American trout found from California to Alaska....
  
   Memorial, 1960
• USS Wahoo
  USS Wahoo (SS-238)
  was a Gato-class submarine, the first United States Navy ship to be named for the wahoo, a dark blue food fish of Florida and the West Indies....
  
   Memorial, 1962
• USS Trout
  USS Trout (SS-202)
  USS Trout was a United States Navy Tambor-class submarine, serving in the Pacific from 1941 to 1944. She received 11 battle stars for World War II service and three Presidential Unit Citations, for her second, third, and fifth patrols...
  
   Memorial, 1962
• USS Gudgeon
  USS Gudgeon (SS-211)
  USS Gudgeon , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the gudgeon). Her keel was laid down by the Mare Island Navy Yard. She was launched on 25 January 1941, sponsored by Mrs. William S. Pye, and commissioned on 21 April 1941 with Lieutenant Commander...
  
   Memorial, 1963
• USS Argonaut
  USS Argonaut (SS-475)
  USS Argonaut was a operated by the United States Navy . Constructed at Portsmouth Navy Yard during the second half of 1944, Argonaut was commissioned into the USN in 1945 and operated during the final year of World War II, although her only contact with the Japanese was when she sank a junk in...
  
   Memorial, 1964
• USS Swordfish
  USS Swordfish (SS-193)
  USS Swordfish , a Sargo-class submarine, was the first submarine of the United States Navy named for the swordfish, a large fish with a long, swordlike beak and a high dorsal fin...
  
   Memorial, 1965
• USS Shark I
  USS Shark (SS-174)
  was a Porpoise-class submarine, the fifth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the shark. Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, on 24 October 1933...
  
   Memorial, 1965
• USS Barbel
  USS Barbel (SS-316)
  USS Barbel , a Balao-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the barbel, a cyprinoid fish, commonly called a minnow or carp....
  
   Memorial, 1960
• Boys Town
  Boys Town, Nebraska
  Boys Town is a village in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 818 at the 2000 census. Boys Town is a suburb of Omaha.The village of Boys Town was established as the headquarters of the Boys Town organization, also known as "Father Flanagan's Boys' Home", founded by Father...
  
   Memorial, 1962
• USS Nautilus
  USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
  USS Nautilus is the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine. She was the first vessel to complete a submerged transit beneath the North Pole on August 3, 1958...
  
   Memorial, 1960
• USS Argonaut
  USS Argonaut (SS-475)
  USS Argonaut was a operated by the United States Navy . Constructed at Portsmouth Navy Yard during the second half of 1944, Argonaut was commissioned into the USN in 1945 and operated during the final year of World War II, although her only contact with the Japanese was when she sank a junk in...
  
   Hall, 1967
• Submarine Room, American Legion
  American Legion
  The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
  
   Post #3, Lincoln, Nebraska
  Lincoln, Nebraska
  The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
  
   1968
• Massachusetts
  Massachusetts
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
  
   Memorial for Individuals, 1968
• USS Runner
  USS Runner (SS-275)
  USS Runner was a Gato-class submarine, the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the runner, an amberfish inhabiting subtropical waters, so called for its rapid leaps from the water....
  
  /Grenadier
  USS Grenadier (SS-210)
  USS Grenadier , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the grenadier fish, relatives of cod that are very common in bathyal and abyssal habitats....
  
   Memorial, 1972
• USS Escolar
  USS Escolar (SS-294)
  USS Escolar , a Balao-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the escolar, a predatory fish of the open ocean related to the mackerels and tuna....
  
   Memorial, 1973
• Captain Cromwell
  John P. Cromwell
  Captain John Philip Cromwell was the most senior submariner awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II and one of the three submarine officers who received it posthumously...
  
   Memorial, 1973
• USS Sea Lion Memorial, 1974
• USS Herring
  USS Herring (SS-233)
  , a Gato-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the herring, a type of small oily fish found in the temperate, shallow waters of the North Atlantic....
  
   Memorial, 1976
• Submarine Memorial, Annapolis, Maryland
  Naval Academy, Maryland
  Naval Academy is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, which covers the campus of the United States Naval Academy...
  
  , 1976
• USS Arizona
  USS Arizona Memorial
  The USS Arizona Memorial, located at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors killed on the USS Arizona during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 by Japanese imperial forces and commemorates the events of that day...
  
   Memorial Plaque, 1974
• Howard W. Gilmore
  Howard W. Gilmore
  Howard Walter Gilmore was a submarine commander in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic self-sacrifice during World War II.-Early Life and Career:...
  
   Memorial, 1975
• Church Window Memorial, 1975
• K-13 Submarine
  HMS K13
  HMS K13 was a steam-propelled First World War K class submarine of the British Royal Navy. She sank in a fatal accident during sea trials in early 1917 and was salvaged and recommissioned as HMS K22....
  
   Memorial
• USS Grayling
  USS Grayling (SS-209)
  USS Grayling , a Tambor-class submarine, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the grayling, a fresh-water game fish closely related to the trout....
  
   Memorial, 1976
• Hawaii Memorial Plaque, 1976
• New Zealand Memorial
• Tennessee
  Tennessee
  Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
  
   Submarine Memorial, 1978
• USS Trigger
  USS Trigger (SS-237)
  was a Gato-class submarine, the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the triggerfish, any of numerous deep-bodied fishes of warm seas having an anterior dorsal fin with two or three stout erectile spines....
  
   Memorial, 1977
• USS Parche
  USS Parche (SS-384)
  The first USS Parche was a United States Navy submarine. She bore the name of a butterfly fish, Chaetodon capistratus....
  
   Memorial
• USS Grayback
  USS Grayback (SS-208)
  USS Grayback , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the lake herring.Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 31 January 1941 sponsored by Mrs...
  
   Memorial, 1970
• USS Amberjack
  USS Amberjack (SS-219)
  was a Gato-class submarine, the first United States Navy ship named for the amberjack, a vigorous sport fish found in the western Atlantic from New England to Brazil....
  
   Memorial, 1970
• Trout
  USS Trout (SS-202)
  USS Trout was a United States Navy Tambor-class submarine, serving in the Pacific from 1941 to 1944. She received 11 battle stars for World War II service and three Presidential Unit Citations, for her second, third, and fifth patrols...
  
   Memorial Australia
• USS Balao
  USS Balao (SS-285)
  USS Balao , was the lead ship of the United States Navy's Balao-class submarines during World War II; Balao is the name of any of several halfbeak fish....
  
   Memorial
• German Submarine U-505 Memorial
• USS Squalus Memorial
• Vernon Palmer Wall Memorial
• USS Flasher
  USS Flasher (SS-249)
  USS Flasher was a Gato-class submarine which served in the Pacific during World War II. She received three Presidential Unit Citations and six battle stars, and sank 21 ships for a total of 100,231 tons of Japanese shipping....
  
   Memorial
• San Diego Memorial, 1976
• Vallejo
  Vallejo, California
  Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
  
   Submarine Memorial
• Los Angeles
  Los Ángeles
  Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
  
   Submarine Memorial, 1977
• John P. Holland Memorial, 1975
• USS Seawolf
  USS Seawolf (SS-197)
  USS Seawolf , a Sargo-class submarine, was the second submarine of the United States Navy named for the seawolf.Her keel was laid down on 27 September 1938 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 15 August 1939 sponsored by Mrs. Edward C. Kalbfus and commissioned on 1...
  
   Memorial, 1967
• Lockwood
  Charles A. Lockwood
  Charles Andrews Lockwood was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is known in submarine history as the legendary commander of Submarine Force Pacific Fleet during World War II...
  
   Memorial, 1968
• Fremantle Submarine Memorial, 1967
• USS Herring
  USS Herring (SS-233)
  , a Gato-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the herring, a type of small oily fish found in the temperate, shallow waters of the North Atlantic....
  
   Memorial Library, 1974
• USS Quillback
  USS Quillback (SS-424)
  USS Quillback , a Tench-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for quillback, a fish of the sucker family, widespread in the freshwaters of North America and Northern Asia.-Construction:...
  
   Memorial, 1974
• USS R-12 Memorial, 1963
• Admiral Nimitz Memorial Plaque
• USS Scorpion
  USS Scorpion (SSN-589)
  USS Scorpion was a Skipjack-class nuclear submarine of the United States Navy, and the sixth ship of the U.S. Navy to carry that name. Scorpion was declared lost on 5 June 1968 with 99 crew members dying in the incident. The USS Scorpion is one of two nuclear submarines the U.S...
  
   Memorial
• Thresher
  USS Thresher (SSN-593)
  The second USS Thresher was the lead ship of her class of nuclear-powered attack submarines in the United States Navy. Her loss at sea during deep-diving tests in 1963 is often considered a watershed event in the implementation of the rigorous submarine safety program SUBSAFE.The contract to build...
  
   Plaque
• Bullhead
  USS Bullhead (SS-332)
  USS Bullhead , a Balao-class submarine, was the very last US Navy ship sunk by enemy action during World War II, probably on the same day that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. She was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bullhead...
  
   Memorial Park
• Louisiana Submarine Memorial
• 52 Boats Memorial, 2010
• USS Tullibee (SS-284) Mississippi Submarine Memorial, 2003

Organization

The organization is organized by Regions, States and Chapters. Each Region has a Director and each State has a State Commander. Chapters have their own organized structures with Presidents, Vice Presidents, etc. and are governed by By-laws. Many states such as Texas and Florida have multiple chapters.

National Officers

The nationally elected officers are:

• President
• 1st Vice President
• 2nd Vice President
• Secretary-Treasurer
• Recording Secretary
• Historian
• Public Affairs Officer
• National Chaplains
• Memorial Fund Director
• Scholarship Fund Director
• Polaris Editor

Executive Board

All officers, together with the Immediate Past President, constitute the Executive Board of the organization which has general administrative powers.

Regional Commanders

Every region in the United States has a Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director.

State Chapters

The organization is organized by State

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 Chapters. The respective State Commander is responsible for the day-to-day operation of their specific chapter in accordance with their base Bylaws. At the height of its membership the organization had over 100 chapters.

REGIONS	STATES
NORTHEAST	Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont
NORTHWEST	Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming
NORTH CENTRAL	Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin
SOUTHERN	Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee
SOUTH CENTRAL	Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas
SOUTHEAST	Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia
SOUTHWEST	Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah

Submarine Library and Museum

Founded by Bernard A. Bastura the museum was located in Middletown, Connecticut

Middletown, Connecticut

Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...

. On Labor Day

Labor Day

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...

 1966 the museum was officially dedicated to "perpetuate the memory of all the crewmen who lost their lives in WW II." The collection

Collection (museum)

A museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions, education, research, etc. This differentiates it from an archive or library, where the contents may be more paper-based, replaceable and less exhibition oriented...

 has since been transferred to the Saint Marys Submarine Museum in Kings Bay, Georgia

Kings Bay, Georgia

Kings Bay is a small unincorporated community located at 30.804 N, 81.560 W in Camden County on the southern coast of the U.S. state of Georgia....

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Membership

The organization currently has 3,661 members broken down into the following categories, minus Perpetual

Regular

Membership is restricted to officers and enlisted men of U.S. Navy submarine crews and U.S. Navy submarine relief crews who were on active duty between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946.

Charter members

Members having been accepted for membership prior to and including the closing day of the second National Convention 1956.

Honorary membership

Upon recommendation of the Executive Board and voting procedure set down in the By-Laws, any person who renders a notable service to the organization may be awareded an honorary membership for the life of the individual.

Perpetual membership

All 3,505 American submariners still on eternal patrol as a result of submarine warfare in World War II were made Perpetual members.

Auxiliary Organizations

• Wives of U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II
• Sons and Daughters of U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II

Polaris Magazine

Polaris was the official magazine of the organization and is no longer published. The magazine received its name at the 1960 National Convention and was named after the North Star, the guiding point for the ancient mariners. The publication contained news pertaining to the submarine veterans, the U.S. Navy, and the outside world.

National Conventions

• 2012 - Norfolk, Virginia
  Norfolk, Virginia
  Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
  
  
• 2011 - Springfield, Missouri
  Springfield, Missouri
  Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
  
  
• 2010 - Covington, Kentucky
  Covington, Kentucky
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
  
  
• 2009 - Green Bay, Wisconsin
  Green Bay, Wisconsin
  Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
  
  
• 2008 - Helena, Montana
  Helena, Montana
  Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
  
  
• 2007 -
• 2006 -
• 2005 -
• 2004 -
• 2003 - Reno, Nevada
  Reno, Nevada
  Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
  
  
• 2002 - Buffalo, New York
  Buffalo, New York
  Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
  
  
• 2001 - Saint Louis, Missouri
• 2000 - Phoenix, Arizona
  Phoenix, Arizona
  Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
  
  
• 1999 - Fort Worth, Texas
  Fort Worth, Texas
  Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
  
  
• 1998 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
  Albuquerque, New Mexico
  Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
  
  
• 1997 - Las Vegas, Nevada
  Las Vegas, Nevada
  Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
  
  
• 1996 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
  
  
• 1995 - Salt Lake City, Utah
  Salt Lake City, Utah
  Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
  
  
• 1994 - Norfolk, Virginia
  Norfolk, Virginia
  Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
  
  
• 1993 - Los Angeles, California
  Los Angeles, California
  Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
  
  
• 1992 - Indianapolis, Indiana
  Indianapolis, Indiana
  Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
  
  
• 1991 - San Antonio, Texas
  San Antonio, Texas
  San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
  
  
• 1990 - Kissimmee, Florida
  Kissimmee, Florida
  Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
  
  
• 1989 - Sparks, Nevada
  Sparks, Nevada
  Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States, located east of Reno, Nevada. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population count was 90,264. Sparks is often referred to as half of a twin city .-Geography and Climate:...
  
  
• 1988 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
  
  
• 1987 - Little Rock, Arkansas
  Little Rock, Arkansas
  Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
  
  
• 1986 - Baltimore, Maryland
• 1985 - Portland, Oregon
  Portland, Oregon
  Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
  
  
• 1984 - Chicago, Illinois
• 1983 - Scottsdale, Arizona
  Scottsdale, Arizona
  Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
  
  
• 1982 - Hartford, Connecticut
  Hartford, Connecticut
  Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
  
  
• 1981 - Sacramento, California
  Sacramento, California
  Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
  
  
• 1980 - Saint Louis, Missouri
• 1979 - Mobile, Alabama
  Mobile, Alabama
  Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
  
  
• 1978 - Norfolk, Virginia
  Norfolk, Virginia
  Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
  
  
• 1977 - Seattle, Washington
  Seattle, Washington
  Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
  
  
• 1976 - Denver, Colorado
  Denver, Colorado
  The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
  
  
• 1975 - Nashville, Tennessee
  Nashville, Tennessee
  Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
  
  
• 1974 - Atlantic City, New Jersey
  Atlantic City, New Jersey
  Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
  
  
• 1973 - San Diego, California
  San Diego, California
  San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
  
  
• 1972 - Breezy Point, Minnesota
  Breezy Point, Minnesota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 979 people, 413 households, and 306 families residing in the city. The population density was 74.7 people per square mile . There were 899 housing units at an average density of 68.6 per square mile...
  
  
• 1971 - Houston, Texas
  Houston, Texas
  Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
  
  
• 1970 - Hartford, Connecticut
  Hartford, Connecticut
  Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
  
  
• 1969 - Portland, Oregon
  Portland, Oregon
  Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
  
  
• 1968 - Cincinnati, Ohio
  Cincinnati, Ohio
  Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
  
  
• 1967 - Omaha, Nebraska
  Omaha, Nebraska
  Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
  
  
• 1966 - New York
  New York
  New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
  
  
• 1965 - Hawaii
  Hawaii
  Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
  
  
• 1964 - San Francisco, California
  San Francisco, California
  San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
  
  
• 1963 - Dallas, Texas
  Dallas, Texas
  Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
  
  
• 1962 - Chicago, Illinois
• 1961 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
  
  
• 1960 - San Diego, California
  San Diego, California
  San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
  
  
• 1959 - Denver, Colorado
  Denver, Colorado
  The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
  
  
• 1958 - Saint Louis, Missouri
• 1957 - New London, Connecticut
  New London, Connecticut
  New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
  
  
• 1956 - Atlantic City, New Jersey
  Atlantic City, New Jersey
  Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
  
  
• 1955 - Atlantic City, New Jersey
  Atlantic City, New Jersey
  Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
  
  

Organization Closure

SVWWII reaffirmed their plan for a formal organizational closure in Norfolk, Virginia at the 2012 convention. Local chapters will continue to function so long as there is an interest in doing so.

Submarine articles

• List of lost United States submarines
• Submarine warfare
  Submarine warfare
  Naval warfare is divided into three operational areas: surface warfare, air warfare and underwater warfare. The latter may be subdivided into submarine warfare and anti-submarine warfare as well as mine warfare and mine countermeasures...
  
  
• Submarines in the United States Navy
  Submarines in the United States Navy
  There are two major types of submarines in the United States Navy: ballistic missile submarines and attack submarines. In the U.S. Navy, all combatant submarines are nuclear-powered. Ballistic subs have a single, strategic mission: carrying nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles...
  
  
• List of submarine actions
• List of submarine museums

External links

• United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. website
• Valor at Sea: The U.S. Submarine War in the Pacific website
• NavSource Naval History: Submarine Photo Archive website