Fleet Plan of the Day
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- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
For those of you eagerly awaiting developments on the site, our latest and greatest is the introduction of the Tracking Party. Yes, I know what a pain that was back in the days, but this is supposed to be the exact opposite.
Ever wonder which of your shipmates lived close by. Ever wonder who might be close enough to arrange small get-togethers, see a ball game, have lunch, raise a glass together. The Tracking Party is intended to make that easier.
Go to the Quarters >> Tracking Party. The page will generate a map with markers for each of your registered shipmates.
Mouse over the marker to see the name of the shipmate at that location. Click the marker to see their photo, city and state, and to get driving directions.
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- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
I'm trying to find the photographers on board the Bates over the years - not necessarily the ship's photographers, though I did my time there, but anybody that has accumulated the hundreds of photos that would have been taken by someone pursuing a love of photography.
I estimate that I have somewhere around 5 or 6 thousand photos - most of which I'm still scanning from the original transparencies, but all of those where taken between 1981 and 1985. That gives the website a decidedly early 80's look, which isn't really an accurate portrayal of the nearly 30 years of service the Bates put in.
I need your images - electronically, of course. You can keep the originals. All of the photos throughout the site with the exception of the Crew's Gallery, Archives, and Misc. Photos, came through my camera. We have plenty of room for all thirty years worth. Each of those slide shows at the top of the page take 10 images, and many are still duplicates because I'm leaving room for all the other years.
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- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
Congratulations, Vern Owens, on being the 200th registered member on ssn-680.org!
Welcome Aboard!
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- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
Smooth sailing for the most part, air in the banks, s__t in the tanks, ahead one-third, going that-away.
- 191 registered users! Bravo zulu to all those tracking down old shipmates. The Missing Shipmate List shrinks every day.
- REGROUPEX 09 plans continue. We are currently debating renting a suite to have a room to hang out in vs. using one of the banquet/reception rooms.
- Sea Stories continue to accumulate - just like the boat, it's getting pretty deep!
- Photos continue to trickle in to the Crew Gallery. You can post yours if you have them.
- Added a few photos of downtown Perth and the mall to the Photos>>Liberty Ports>>Perth-Rockingham W Australia - 1983 article.
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
REGROUPEX 09 - OK, I just made that up. I'm open to better suggestions, but in the meantime, I needed to call it something.
Bill Byers has let us know that planning for our 2009 Reunion - Core Group 82-85, is moving right along. He's talked to the folks at USSVI, that's United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., who are planning their convention for September this year, and we have elected to piggyback on top with their permission.
So mark your calendars for Labor Day weekend - September 4-7th, 2009, at the Town and Country Resort in beautiful San Diego, California, and a relaxing weekend catching up with old shipmates around the pool. Then join the USSVI and the International Submariners Association for their conference and activities if you are so inclined.
You can visit the USSVI convention website here.
Even if you can't spend the whole week at a submarine convention, plan on coming out for the weekend and visiting with the 82-85 Core Group. Wives and families are welcome, so you can make it a holiday celebration, and we'll generally try to behave ourselves.
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
The Master Sailing List is officially on-line. Many of you have explored our test version, and seen how the information that Mark Gray has collected over the years has been turned into a state of the art, on-line database that you can use to collect and organize information on your missing shipmates. No longer do you have to file notes, organize spreadsheets, and try to keep track of it all - you can transfer what you have to the on-line Master Sailing List and share it with all of us.
Our Missing Shipmate Coordinators Mark Gray and Kieth Jeffers are enlisting assistance to start locating as many of these shipmates as we can. If you have time to volunteer, even for one or two shipmates, please contact them through the Contact Us page.
How do you use the Master Sailing List?
First, select the Master Sailing List from the Sailing List menu. You can also choose Missing Shipmates, as that is just a preselected subset of the Master Sailing List.
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
Where are your Sea Stories? Buried in the bottom of your old sea bag? Time to get them out, dust them off, polish them up a little, and get them posted, before your kids pack you off to the nursing home and take away your internet!
I know that everyone has got some great sea stories, but so far our contributors have been primarily from the early eighties. Nothing wrong with that, but all of us want to hear your little gem, and there are a lot more years that we haven't yet heard from!
I'd personally like to capture your Sea Stories as part of the living history of the USS William H. Bates. As far as I know, there has never been an effort to document the personal history of a crew of the Silent Service, and our stories have a place in history that is probably without equal. Add the convenience of this website and we have a great opportunity to make sure our contributions to the Cold War take their rightful place.
