Board of Directors

Chairman
David M. Anderson (“Mike”)

Qualified on USS Trigger (SS564)
U.S. Navy | Storekeeper
Submarine Duty:
USS Trigger (SS564)
USS Finback (SSN670)

Mike was born in Nashville and raised in Paducah, KY. He joined the Navy in 1967 and served as a Storekeeper on Diesel Fast Attack Submarine Trigger (SS564) and Nuclear Fast Attack Submarine USS Finback (SSN670). He has worked in the insurance business, as owner of a commercial, residential and land construction and development company, and owner of a capital mortgage company. He has served numerous terms as Commander of the Volunteer Base of United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.

President
Patrick W. Ryan (“Pat”)

Qualified on USS Pargo (SSN650) | May 1975
U.S. Navy 1972-1998 | Chief Yeoman YNC(SS) | LCDR
Submarine Duty:
USS George C. Marshall (SSBN654)(Gold)
USS Pargo (SSN650)
Submarine Group 8 Staff, Naples, Italy

Pat retired after 26 years in the Navy in 1998 as a Submariner, Surface Warfare Officer and Intelligence Officer, and launched a second career publishing online newsletters and information resources about Middle East affairs. Pat has worked in and visited over 70 countries on six continents. He and his wife Connie (former YN3 USN) founded the Tennessee World Affairs Council (TNWAC.org). Pat has two adult children, Bill and Colleen, and he lives in downtown Nashville.
Contact: tennsub@gmail.com | 931.261.2353

Secretary
Michael David Gorham (“Mike”)

Qualified on USS Sunfish (SSN649)
U.S. Navy | Radioman
Submarine Duty:
USS Sunfish (SSN649)

Mike got out of the Navy and went to college to pursue a Bachelor of Science (UTM) and then a Master of Science (WKU) in Parks and Recreation Management. His career took him many places, but he spent 30 years in Federal civilian service including about half of that serving the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, retiring in 2019 as the Chief of Sports, Fitness and Aquatics. He now resides in Portland with his wife (Becky) of 39 years and volunteers with Hands of Hope in Portland and his church. They have one adult son who also lives in Middle Tennessee.

Treasurer
Lawrence C. Smith (“Larry”)

Qualified on USS George Washington (SSBN598)
U.S. Navy | Fire Control Chief Petty Officer (Submarines) | FTGC(SS)
31 Dec 1971 – 3 Jan 1983

Submarine Duty:
USS Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN 600)
USS George Washington (SSBN 598) (Submarine Qual Boat)
USS Mariano G Vallejo (SSBN 658)
USS Canopus (AS 34)
Larry grew up in East Nashville and graduated from Stratford High School. In the Navy, he was trained on Underwater Fire Control computer systems. Larry shot exercise torpedoes from three submarines and worked in Weapons Quality Assurance on a Submarine-support Tender. After Navy, he was a computer technician for McDonnell Douglas Corporation and Halifax Corporation in Washington, DC, Knoxville, and Northern California. While in Knoxville, he completed my MBA at the University of Tennessee. While in California, Larry started a new career writing contracts for Contra Costa County Health Services Department. In 2011, Larry and his wife, Dianne, both retired from Contra Costa County and moved back to Middle Tennessee. Larry has been a Scout Leader since 1989 and still serves on the Commissioner staff of the Middle Tennessee Council, BSA. Larry is a genealogist and a lifetime member of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI)

Vice Chairman
J. V. McCrum (“Vinny”)

Qualified on USS James K. Polk (SSBN645)
U.S. Navy | Nuclear Electrician’s Mate | EM1(SS)

Vinny served as a nuclear trained Electrician’s Mate aboard ballistic missile submarine James K. Polk, submarine tender L.Y. Spear and as an instructor at Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, West Milton, NY. Vinny was born and raised in mid-Ohio and enlisted in the Navy after high school. In his post-Navy work he served the General Services Administration for 32 years in a variety of positions and cities. He has served the USSVI Volunteer Base in a number of positions including Commander, Vice Commander and Secretary. Vinny retired to Clarksville, TN, where he lives with his wife, Bernie. He has one daughter, three granddaughters, two dogs and three cats.

Board of Directors Member
Frank Michael Patzius (“Mike”)

Qualified on USS Sargo (SSN583) | 1984
US Navy 1981-1987 | Sonar Technician | STS2(SS)

Served on board USS Proteus (AS-19) in the Nuclear Planning and Repair Department. Assigned to USS Sargo (SSN-583) in 1984. Qualifying in four months while on a Western Pacific deployment. Qualified as Submarine Sonar Supervisor 1985.

Upon separation worked for a DoD contractor installing Noise Augmentation Units on West Coast submarines. Once the contract with the Navy expired went to work in the Pharmaceutical industry as a Maintenance Mechanic for 25 years before becoming a Maintenance Planner for 15 years. Mike and his wife Michelle moved to Clarksville, Tennessee in 2021. Mike currently works as a Maintenance Planner for a Zinc Smelting Plant and plans to retire within the next two years. Mike has a son Ian and a daughter Sierra.

Board of Directors Member
Robert Woolf (“Bob”)

Qualified on USS Odax (SS484)
U.S. Navy 1960-1966 | Yeoman Second Class (Submarines) | YN2(SS)
Submarine Duty:
USS Odax (SS484)
Submarine Squadron Four Staff

In addition to his Navy service, Bob completed his master’s degree while spending 12 years as Director of Jewish Community Centers. He then began a 35-year career in construction management working on nearly 100 projects with a combined value of $2 billion. At the State of Tennessee, he served as Director of Planning & Procurement. Bob and his wife, Barbara, have five adult children and eight grandchildren. Joining Project Management Institute in 1984, he co-founded the Nashville Chapter in 1996 and served as president.

As of: Jan 19, 2024

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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

Email: TennSub@gmail.com