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Admin
Posts: 2297
Location: Renton, WA | Subject: SubVets WWII Convention Article
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 892
Location: Palo Pinto County, Texas | Subject: RE: SubVets WWII Convention Article
Thanks Don for that info.
I had a report on 9/15 at our regular SVWWII Fort Worth Chapter meeting that I associate with from one of the attendees. Approximately 400 total attendees with 182 WWII SUBVETS present. On the motion to merg with USSVI, much dicussion BUT tabled. Some are waiting to turn off the lights apparently? Sad! We have a great repore in this area between the orginizations. [And their funerals are too frequent!] We've lost five in the last year.
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 602
Location: Visalia, Ca. | Subject: RE: SubVets WWII Convention Article
Roy Ator - 2007-09-23 7:02 PM
On the motion to merg with USSVI, much discussion BUT tabled. Some are waiting to turn off the lights apparently? Sad! We have a great repore in this area between the orginizations. [And their funerals are too frequent!] We've lost five in the last year.
Yeah, Roy, that's basically it. I was an Associate Member of USSV WWII Fresno Chapter before I joined USSVI. The Shipmates who formed USSVI Wahoo Base were also members of the Fresno Chapter, and we hold joint meetings, but at the National Level there has been a lot of resistance to merging the two groups back into one.
When the late Vern Speed was WWII National Vice President and President, he made it clear that WWII members were encouraged to join USSVI, but that USSV WWII would never be merged with USSVI - as you say, "Last man standing, turn out the lights". Current leadership is more open to joint conventions and such, and at least one of the current National Officers is also a USSVI Life Member, but there is still a significant faction of active and vocal members who adamantly oppose reunification of the two SubVets organizations.
To some of them, we can work together, (and USSVI has already assumed responsibility for some of the WWII National and Lost Boat memorials), but we cannot BE together. No "One Boat, One Crew" for them. Damn shame.
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 892
Location: Palo Pinto County, Texas | Subject: RE: SubVets WWII Convention Article
Concur Don, and time will inevitably resolove the issue. Regretfully they are dying at a high rate! I treasure each opportunity that I have to associate/attend one of their functions! It's their call as an organization and it's drawing toward a positive conclucion, IMHO. |
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Old Salt
Posts: 403
Location: Sacramento/Twain Harte | Subject: RE: SubVets WWII Convention Article
It is sad, butt they do have there pride. God Bless each and every one. ---John396 |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 618
Location: Issaquah WA, USA | Subject: Merging USSVI and SVWWII is not 'on the table'
Shipmates,
What is 'on the table' was a proposal requested by the current President of SVWWII, namely they wish to dissolve their NATIONAL organization at a agreed upon time, leaving their CHAPTERS to carry on for as long as they are able. They have asked USSVI to assume certain of their national functions, such as managing their database, reporting on and sending eternal patrol certificates to next of kin, and printing SVWWII related information in AMERICAN SUBMARINER when POLARIS goes away. This would also mean they would cease producing their annual calendar and stop holding national conventions.
On USSVI's part, we encourage all local USSVI bases to provide whatever logistical support is REQUESTED by the local SVWWII chapter to help them along. In many cases there is a significant overlap of membership between our two groups and if local chapters/bases want to combine their operations, that is fine and has already happened in many cases. They are always invited to our District, Region and Annual Conventions.
SVWWII may offer their members an option to join USSVI outright or subscribe to AMERICAN SUBMARINER only, as they choose.
Make no mistake, SVWWII is a last man standing organization and there is no desire on the part of USSVI national leadership to take them over. What we do want to do, and are making progress in this area, is help them 'turn out the lights' and relieve the watch in a dignified and respectful way. That is how all of us 'younger brothers and sons' of our SVWWII heros would like to be treated and that is how we will proceed.
USSVI is designed to operate in perpetuity to benefit submarine veterans of all eras through comraderie, memorialization of our fallen heros, and through charitable work benefiting the submarine community. Long after SVWWII and the various boat associations have gone away, USSVI will be there, carrying out it's mission. All subvets should belong to this organization because that is where the 'bubbleheads' are.
We have a very good working relationship at the national level between the two groups. In fact, I believe all the SVWWII national officers are USSVI members as well.
I have personal first hand knowledge of the above facts because I am the USSVI liasion person to the SVWWII national board.
Edited by PatH 2007-09-25 11:46 PM
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 602
Location: Visalia, Ca. | Subject: RE: Merging USSVI and SVWWII is not 'on the table'
PatH - 2007-09-25 9:38 PM
Shipmates,
......
On USSVI's part, we encourage all local USSVI bases to provide whatever logistical support is REQUESTED by the local SVWWII chapter to help them along. In many cases there is a significant overlap of membership between our two groups and if local chapters/bases want to combine their operations, that is fine and has already happened in many cases. They are always invited to our District, Region and Annual Conventions.
........
Make no mistake, SVWWII is a last man standing organization and there is no desire on the part of USSVI national leadership to take them over. What we do want to do, and are making progress in this area, is help them 'turn out the lights' and relieve the watch in a dignified and respectful way. That is how all of us 'younger brothers and sons' of our SVWWII heros would like to be treated and that is how we will proceed.
.......
We have a very good working relationship at the national level between the two groups. In fact, I believe all the SVWWII national officers are USSVI members as well.
I have personal first hand knowledge of the above facts because I am the USSVI liasion person to the SVWWII national board.
Thanks, Pat. That's pretty much the way I understood it - you've added some details I wasn't aware of.
USSVI Wahoo Base, USSV WWII Fresno Chapter, and Fresno Chapter Wives of WWII SubVets, while 3 distinct organizations, operate as 1 group. I understand the USSVI Bases and USSV WWII Chapters in the San Francisco Bay area co-ordinate very closely with each other. I presume that is the case nationwide.
We support our Shipmates.
Donald L. Johnson
USSVI Wahoo Base P.O.C.
USSV WWII Fresno Chapter Associate, Comms Officer
FRA Lemoore Br. 261 Chaplain, Past President
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Admin
Posts: 2297
Location: Renton, WA | Subject: RE: Merging USSVI and SVWWII is not 'on the table'
What we do want to do, and are making progress in this area, is help them 'turn out the lights' and relieve the watch in a dignified and respectful way. That is how all of us 'younger brothers and sons' of our SVWWII heros would like to be treated and that is how we will proceed.
Excellent post Pat - thank you. When I read the above, the computer screen gets a little blurred. Getting an email from Warshot or Frank Toon always makes my day. |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 561
| Subject: RE: SubVets WWII Convention Article
Thanks Pat, you cleared a lot of misconceptions with your note.
We have been holding joint meetings in Sacramento for the last 4 or 5 years and it has been a joy to listen to these 'old' guys tell us how it was. Unfortunately our Sub Vets WWII Sacramento Chapter ceased hlding formal meetings this past year due to the low attendance of regular members. They do continue to attend our USSVI meetings and we support them as we are requested and can.
Throw a party and those guys seem to get a second wind.
Wish I could.LOL
T.Spoon, DBF |
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SubVets WWII Convention Article
