Holiday Greetings From a Turkish Submariner

SERKAN ÇELÝK

FROM TURKISH SUBMARINER AND MEMBER OF THE RAZORBACK BASE

Attention on Deck! Message from VADM Rickover

Museum Director Greg Zonner got a cool Christmas gift from his loving wife, Bonnie. Here are the photos. Nothing needs to be said if you are an old submariner. You know all about the guy who wrote and signed this book. The inscription reads: "For my protege LCDR Bauman-- Hang in there baby!" And then he signed it. Lots of history here. Wish we knew who LCDR Bauman is.

Congratulations to the US Navy Football Team

For those of you who didn't stay up late last night to watch the Poinsettia Bowl (the game didn't start until 9:30 Central Time), you missed a great game.

The Midshipmen showed a lot of heart and character.

It would have been easy for the Mids to get discouraged, since Colorado State took an early 7-0 lead, marching steadily down the field against Navy's defense. Instead, Navy bounced back, tying the game in one play.

Then Colorado State again took the lead 10-7 and their defense seemed to be able to penatrate Navy's offensive line and disrupt the triple-option that has served the Mids so well. Then, when Navy finally took the lead, Colorado State was able to block the extra-point, leaving the score 13-10 and putting the Rams within stricking distance of regaining the lead.

Instead, Navy began to dominate. The Navy defensive line bent, but didn't break on the next three series, forcing Colorado State to punt twice, and finally stopping them near midfield as time expired at the half. At the same time Navy's offense took charge of the game, scoring two touchdowns to make the game 27-10 at the half.

The second half was all Navy. It seemed like every time the Rams scored, and might make it a close game again, Navy answered and put the game back out of reach.

Navy set or tied more records than I care to recount in their 51-30 victory.

Navy Football was a success in another respect as well. Even though the game was played across the country from Annapolis, Navy sold more tickets to the game than Colorado State did, putting over 20,000 fans in the seats to CSU's less than 16,000.

Now we look ahead to next year - GO NAVY!!!

A Nice Letter and Donation from some Old Razorback Sailors

Note from Steve in the Mayor's Office:
We received this wonderful note from some former Razorback sailors who visited us this last summer. They also sent along a very nice donation to the museum. Thanks guys!




Dear Steve,

How is it going? Of course I intended to write sooner, however, work just got me too occupied. Still it’s better late than never.

Surely, I am overwhelmed to receive the Razorback cap from you. And with the way our group was welcome to North Little Rock, it’s with long lasting memories we’ll be having about how unforgettable a trip we had. Personally, opening our “old home” again (you didn’t have to) just brought back lots of cherished memories and of course is much appreciated. I am glad North Little Rock is now home to SS-394 where lots of other people can see her.

Enclosed I’m sending a donation for the four of us with hope that it could help in some small way in keeping the museum open for the public.

Thanks for the pictures and articles with some in the weblog. We are becoming frequent visitors of the site. For all you know we’ll be back to North Little Rock again soon.

Yours truly,
Enrile Trinidad for

Enrile Trinidad EMCM (SS) USN (ret)
Marcial M. Pamintuan, SD2 (SS)
Dom "Big Al" Alvarado, SD2 (SS)
Ireneo Alcala, SD3 (SS)

AIMM Closed - See You in 2006

The museum will be closed to the public until the second weekend in January (the 7th and 8th), while maintenance work is done on Razorback (as well as other work around the museum and our offices).

We're looking forward to the new year, as many exciting things are coming, both on the waterfront and in cyberspace (hint, hint).

Blog postings will continue over the holiday break, and as always, you can schedule a group tour by calling 501-371-8320.

The Mayor and Congressman Check the Atomic Test

Mayor Patrick H. Hays (seated) and Congessman Vic Snyder (D-Ark) watch the recently released USN training film about the nuclear test that the USS Razorback underwent in the 60s. The 30 minute training film is shown in the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum Building which will reopen as soon as mooring upgrades are completed. (CNLR Mayor's Office Photo) 

New Charts and Logs Previously Unseen

From left to right: Mayor Patrick H. Hays, Pat Batt PE, and Congressman Vic Snyder (D-Arkansas) examine various charts and logs, many previously classified, that Mr. Batt recovered during research while he was assigned from the Corp of Engineers to Representative Snyder's office. Many of the items presented to Mayor Hays and Greg Zonner were previously unseen as they had been classified until Congressman Snyder's request for declassification was granted by the Navy Department. These items will all find their way into our museum displays. (CNLR Mayor's Office Photo) 

Submarine in the Fog

The AIMM staff often arrives early in the morning (sometimes VERY early in the morning). On this recent morning, the fog was still covering the Arkansas River, making Razorback appear as if she were moored on an endless sea...

Pearl Harbor Day

Today, December 7th, 2005, is the 64th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In that attack, over 2,000 American servicemen and women lost their lives, as did many civilians.

We ask that all our visitors take a moment to remember those men and women, and keep them and their families in your prayers today.





For more information on the Pearl Harbor attack, please visit the U.S. Naval Historical Center Pearl Harbor webpage, which has extensive resources, including:

• Oral Histories from survivors
• Photographs
  
• Teacher Lesson Plans

One of the many Arkansans at Pearl Harbor was Captain (later Admiral) Charles M. Cooke, Jr of Fort Smith. Captain "Saavy" Cooke was a graduate of both the University of Arkansas and the US Naval Academy (where he graduated second in his class). Although he had served in, and commanded several submarines earlier in his career, at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, Captain Cooke was Commanding Officer of the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB 38).

More information about Admiral Cooke is available at the US Naval Historical center website.

USS Snook Memorial Reassembled

The USS Snook Memorial, originally installed on the grounds of McArthur Park in Little Rock by the Diamond Chapter of the Submarine Veterans of WWII, has been reassembled outside the main entrance to the North Shore Maritime Center on Riverfront Drive .

The Snook Memorial commemorates the 82 officers and men lost aboard USS Snook (SS 279), as well as all 52 American submarines lost during World War II.

USS Snook was declared overdue and presumed lost on 16 May, 1945 after disappearing on her ninth war patrol. She was patrolling the area around Hainan Island, off the coast of China. The cause of Snook's loss is unknown to this day, but was probably due to an attack by a Japanese submarine which was in turn sunk by American forces before she could report her attack on Snook to Japanese naval authorities.

Before her loss, Snook was responsbile for sinking 22 Japanese vessels, totaling 123,600 tons. She damaged another 10 vessels for 63,200 tons.

52 American submarines were lost during WWII. After the war, each state was assigned a submarine for commemorative and memorial purposes (California and New York were each assigned two submarines).

USS Snook is Arkansas’ adopted submarine.

For more information about Snook, please stop by and visit. A replica of Snook's battle flag hangs in the Snook Memorial Theatre in the Museum along with other information about this valient submarine and her crew.

Information can also be found on the internet, at the COMSUBPAC Web Site USS Snook page