A talk to the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.,
Holland Club Breakfast, 2007 national convention,
Aboard MS Oosterdam, near Juneau Alaska, 17 September 2007

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USS Chivo (SS-341)

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Dad’s boat in Charleston Harbor circa 64. He reentered the Navy after the war and spent several years on the Chivo between Key West and Charleston. Go figure–I was born in one town and my sister, “T”, the other.

Excellent story of the Bowfin by Thomas Holian for the 33rd issue of Undersea Warfare, The Official Magazine of the U.S. Submarine Force.

Bowfin’s “record on and under the seas stands today as a mark of the dedication and courage with which America’s submariners answered their nation’s call. Indeed, the Pearl Harbor Avenger herself now floats quietly in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as a proud memorial visited by thousands of people from around the world who come to pay their respects not only to the men of Bowfin, but to all the brave men who served beneath the waves, and especially those who began their “eternal patrol” before the Japanese surrender. In all, 52 of 288 combat submarines (almost one out of five) and 3,505 of 14,750 World War II U.S. submariners (almost one out of four) paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their nation, and it is for these men in particular that Bowfin stands in silent tribute.”

Mr. Holian is a contributing editor to UNDERSEA WARFARE Magazine and a graduate student pursuing a degree in government and international affairs from Virginia Tech.

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Port side view of the Marlin (SST-2), underway, late 50’s, place unknown.
US Navy photo courtesy of St. Marys Submarine Museum, submitted by Thomas Denton, Submarine Art, www.submarineart.com and courtesy of http://www.navsource.org/

This is a shot of Marlin now at Freedom Park, Omaha, NE where she is on display. I found it quite amusing to realize she was there while I was assigned to HQ Strategic Air Command at Offut AFB, NE. Kinda just down river from her. I had the opportunity one weekend to crawl through her and take some shots. I’ll scan and publish as soon as I find them.

These deisel SSTs were half again smaller than the fleet boats they sailed with out of Key West.

Marlin (SST-2), on permanant display at Freedom Park, Omaha, NE. Courtesy of Historic Naval Ships Association (hnsa.org) Photo courtesy of http://www.navsource.org/

Photo courtesy “Speedy” Gonzalez

Kilgallon, James R,
b. 08/26/1925
d. 01/05/1996
US Navy, LT
Res: N. Charleston, SC
Plot: 60 0 255
bur. 01/08/1996

Dad died from a brain tumor. He was tired of Chemotherapy, tired of being weak and thin, tired of being nauseous. He never really “quit” smoking, never really “quit” drinking, never really “quit” swearing. I guess he was a sailor even at the end.

He did “quit” worrying about the family name when we introduced him to his 9 month old grandson the previous summer (1995). It was during that summer visit with his typical irreverent humor, “Killer” told me not to worry about dying. After giving him a puzzled look, my Dad went on to explain: Mom, a devout Catholic, had died swiftly nearly 10 years earlier. We are all convinced she’s “Upstairs.” Dad basically looked me in the eye and said, “John, after I’m gone, you won’t have to worry about where you go after you die—you’ll now have family in both places!” As a World War II Subvet, Dad had spent a lot of time “down below” already.