March 2024 | Tennessee Submarine Memorial Assoc. News
March 2024
Greetings from the Tennessee Submarine Memorial Association.
We continue to make great strides in organizing the Board committees, identifying a memorial site and in launching a preliminary memorial design.
Our newly named Advisory Board member, Jon Jacques, met with officials of a Middle Tennessee town that is interested in becoming the host for a Tennessee Submarine Memorial. More details will be discussed in early March and we’ll have a full report for you when we can confirm the arrangements. More on Jon’s contributions to the Submarine Veterans’ community to follow.
Board Member Bob Woolf reports having visited the prospective memorial site with Anthony Monica, Asst Professor of Architecture at Belmont University. Bob and Anthony are coordinating a site design competition project among architecture students at Belmont. The winner will serve as a preliminary design for the memorial.
Several TSMA Board Members toured the site on a separate visit. Mike Anderson, Mike Patzius, Vinny McCrum, Larry Smith and Pat Ryan walked the grounds and shared suggestions on the site’s potential. Mike Gorham also toured the area on a separate visit and shared his feedback. They all look forward to advancing the conversation with local officials on naming the area as future site for the Tennessee Submarine Memorial. Stay tuned for details.
This monthly newsletter series will keep you up to date on the progress we’re making bringing a memorial to Tennessee to commemorate American Submariners lost in war and peace in defense of the nation.
Please share this newsletter with family, friends and everyone in your network and encourage them to become monthly donors to build a memorial.
TOLLING THE BOATS
Join us in remembering the boats and crews that were lost in the anniversary month of March.
March
8 Boats & 433 Men Lost
USS Perch (SS-176) – 1 Lost Tennessean
Lost on March 3,1942 near Java with no immediate loss of life, while on her 1st war patrol. She survived 2 severe depth charging’s in less than 200 feet of water by 3 Japanese destroyers. The crew abandoned ship and scuttled her. Of the 59 officers and men taken prisoner, 53 survived the war and six died as POWs.
Chief Electricians Mate Houston Edwards died a Prisoner of War. Chief Edwards was born in Speedwell, Tennessee.
USS Grampus (SS-207) -1 Lost Tennessean
Lost on March 5,1943 with the loss of 71 men, on her 6th war patrol. She was lost in Vella Gulf, sunk after engaging 2 Japanese Destroyers.
Motor Machinist’s Mate, Second Class Richard Corum was born in Nashville, Tennessee
USS H-1 (SS-28)
Lost on March 12, 1920 with the loss of 4 men as they tried to swim to shore after grounding on a shoal off Santa Margarita Island, off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Vestal (AR-4), pulled H-1 off the rocks in the morning of 24 March, only to have her sink 45 minutes later in some 50 feet of water. She was originally named the USS Seawolf before becoming H-1.
USS Triton (SS-201)
Lost on March 15,1943 with the loss of 74 men. She was sunk north of the Admiralty Islands during a fight with 3 Japanese Destroyers. Triton was the 1st boat to engage the enemy in December 1941 off Wake Island, sinking 9 ships, 1 submarine and a destroyer.
USS Kete (SS-369) – 1 Lost Tennessean
Lost on March 20,1945 with the loss of 87 men at the end of her 2nd war patrol. Probably sunk near Okinawa, by a Japanese submarine that itself was subsequently lost.
Electrician’s Mate Third Class (EM3) Elmer Gwinn Jr. was from Nashville, Tennessee.
USS F-4 (SS-23)
Lost on March 25, 1915 with the loss of 21 men. She foundered 1.5 miles off of Honolulu when acid corrosion of the lead lining of the battery tank let seawater into the battery compartment, causing loss of control. She was raised in August 1915.
USS Tullibee (SS-284) – 2 Lost Tennesseans
Lost on March 26,1944 with the loss of 79 men, on her 4th war patrol. It’s believed she was a victim of a circular run by one of her own torpedoes. The lookout was the only survivor and he survived the war as a Japanese prisoner.
Ensign Powell Saterfield was from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Signalman Third Class George Wallis was Jackson, Tennessee.
USS Trigger (SS-237) – 1 Lost Tennessean
Lost on March 26,1945 with the loss of 89 men, on her 12th war patrol. She was lost during a combined attack by Japanese antisubmarine vessels and aircraft. Trigger ranked 7th in total tonnage sunk and tied for 8th in number of ships sunk.
Steward’s Mate First Class Andrew Carter was from Memphis, Tennessee.
MEET OUR NEW ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
This month we welcome Jon Jacques to the TSMA Advisory Board. Jon served as a Navy Storekeeper and qualified aboard USS OHIO (SSBN726). His connections to the Submarine community continued after his service. Jon established the Volunteer (Nashville) Base of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI) and served many years as Base Commander. His service to USSVI expanded and he has served as National Senior Vice Commander since 2018. This summer he will be elevated to the post of National Senior Commander, USSVI at the organization’s national convention. Jon’s affinity for the Submarine Service extends to his extensive private collection of artwork and memorabilia. We thank Jon Jacques for joining the Submarine Memorial Association’s work.
The TSMA Board approved the establishment of a Tennessee Submarine Memorial Association (TSMA) Advisory Board (AB) at the January Directors’ meeting. The Advisory Board will consist of by invitation community leaders and experts who can lend their talents to the objectives of the TSMA.
MEET OUR NEWEST VOLUNTEER
This month we welcome FTB1(SS) Jere Minich, USN(Ret), to the TSMA team. Jere served aboard four Boomers between 1960 and 1980: USS James Monroe (SSBN622), USS Nathan Hale (SSBN623), USS Henry Clay (SSBN625) and USS George Bancroft (SSBN643). Jere is a member of the U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI) and lives in South Pittsburg, TN. Jere learned about TSMA through our FaceBook page. He will be working with the TSMA Communications and Outreach committee to promote our mission among groups in the state. Thanks, Jere!
MEET THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE TSMA [LINK]
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SUBMARINE MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION?
Please contact Patrick Ryan (tennsub@gmail.com)
DO YOU KROGER?
The TSMA is registered with Kroger Rewards and earns revenue based on your shopping totals — with no charge to you. Your Cheerios and ice cream will help us build a Submarine Memorial in Tennessee. Check out the Kroger Community Rewards program HERE.
Help Build A Memorial to Tennesseans Lost in Submarine Duty in Defense of the Nation
The Tennessee Submarine Memorial Association is a tax exempt charitable organization and donations are subject to treatment in accordance with IRS 501c3 considerations.
The Tennessee Submarine Memorial Association is approved by the Tennessee Secretary of State to solicit charitable contributions for the purposes of our mission.
Tennessee Submarine Memorial Association
309 Church Street, #107
Nashville, TN 37201
Chairman: Mike Anderson
President: Patrick Ryan
Treasurer: Larry Smith
Secretary: Mike Gorham
Board Member: Vinny McCrum
Board Member: Mike Patzius
Board Member: Bob Woolf
Email: TennSub@gmail.com
