Newsletter #86 January 2020

  USS ALBACORE (AGSS 569)

NEWSLETTER #86

January 2020

On November 21st, the Portsmouth Submarine Memorial Association(PSMA) held its annual meeting at the Portsmouth Public Library. Board Chairman Ken Herrick welcomed those in attendance and introduced the members of the PSMA Board.

Board Secretary Dick Wilder offered to answer questions of the November 20th, 2018 Annual Meeting Minutes of which there were none.

Dick was followed by Treasurer Phil Munck who provided an overview of Fiscal Year 2019’s Financial performance. Income is up over last year primarily in the area of admissions. 40,000 plus visitors paid $251,211 to tour the boat. He followed by outlining the steps being taken to change the PSMA fiscal year from 1 October thru 30 September to 1 January thru 30 December.

Following Phil’s presentation, Board Member and Maintenance Manager Jim Wakefield briefed the attendees on several projects which included: NAVSEA’s suspension of donated vessel museum inspections for the foreseeable future; Port Diesel space renovation is on hold pending help from a crew from a sub in overhaul; starboard side hull repairs which involves cutting away and replacing sections of the outer hull; outer hull preservation which has seen a significant increase in cost from an early estimate of $120,000 to a more recent estimate of up to $875,000; the Sonar Operator’s chair seat back broke off and has been repaired and re-installed; the Rescue Buoy has had a plate attached which describes the buoy’s purpose and function, a missing reflector has been replaced and the buoy deck painted; a plan for possible expansion of the Memorial Garden area with landscaping and additional memorials has been developed.

Executive Director (ED) Patti Violette presented a review of the events of the past year which covered: internships that focused on curatorial and archival achievements in organizing and cataloging items in Albacore Park’s holdings,  marketing and public relations efforts, development of educational programming and creating a new and improved website. As part of an outreach program, Patti has taken the Albacore Park message on the road to several libraries in the area. Albacore Park has hosted visits from a diverse array of organizations including the Sea Cadets, ROTC units, Cub Scouts, awarding of dolphins (USS California), re-enlistments, and school, home school, recreation department and summer camp groups. Organizations that pitched in during the past year to help keep the Park looking good or who hosted meetings/ events included Berwick Academy, Long-Term Care Partners LLC, Thermo Fishers Scientific, Sea Cadets, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Hawthorne Creative Marketing Group, Thresher Base of USSVI, USS California, USS Santa Fe and the United Way.  Albacore Park continues to collaborate with several academic communities within the University of New Hampshire at Durham. This year, Senior students from the Peter Paul College of Business and Economics have provided suggestions for fundraising strategies as we look ahead at future Park growth and several students from the Civil Engineering School are monitoring the physical plant aspects as plans develop for our vision of a new museum building.

Phil Munck, Chairman of the Museum Building Committee, updated the attendees on the progress in the design of a vastly larger (approx.10,000 sq. ft.) building intended to augment the original facility. The Building Committee has engaged a local Kittery architecture company to create a design that will offer expanded display areas, provide office and storage space, a meeting room with space to seat 200 people, and a larger sales area.

Wreaths Across America came to Albacore Park on Saturday, December 14th with nearly 30 wreaths to be distributed within the Memorial Garden area. The Park welcomed Shipyard Commander Captain Daniel Ettlich’s participation in the ceremonial placing of wreaths.

I have lost contact with Floyd Sharp whose last address was 978 Macco Road, Port St. John, FL32927-5051 and Gerald Bowen whose last address I had was 25 Cross Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01508. If anyone knows where they have moved to, please let me know.

I have received word from several sources that Harry ‘Bud’ Fisher, Albacore’s version of the energizer bunny, was in an auto accident. Bud was pretty well banged up and is recovering at his winter home in Florida.

The following photo of the Thresher Memorial was taken by PSMA Board Vice President Gerry Sedor during his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Thanks for sharing, Gerry.

The Park closed for the year on the 22nd of December but is open on weekends and will reopen during the mid-winter school vacation weeks in February.

I regret to report that shipmate Jim Knowles departed on Eternal Patrol on December 3rd after a lengthy bout with cancer.  Jim was an EN2 while on Albacore in 1966-1968. Also, Captain Wallace “Wally” Greene, CO of Albacore 1960-1962, recently departed on Eternal Patrol.

Until next time, shipmate,

Jack Hunter

11 Admiralty Drive, Apt 3

Middletown, RI 02842-6254

(401) 849-7282

“jhunter2007@cox.net