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| Subject: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
First, it would be rude not to introduce myself. I'm Joyce Robertson, wife of Gere Robertson who is the son of James E. Robertson.
My husband's father passed away when he was just a year old so my husband never got to know his father. He has very few stories shared about his father and knows very little about him. Even more curious is that my husband was named after one of his father's Navy friends but we don't know who this man is, not even a last name. We do know that Gere is a French name, pronounced Gary but with the accent on the second half (though he just uses the standard Gary pronunciation or his nickname of Grrrr).
I have posted a webpage of scanned photos and documents. I'm hoping that someone here will recognize someone from the photos:
http://joyceallan.com/JERobertson/
There are a number of photos from the Sea Devil, I believe they might be part of the decommissioning?
The highlights of Jim Robertson's 4 years of duty:
1/14/61 to 3/30/61 Recruit Training, San Diego, CA
4/14/61 to 8/15/62 USS Mansfield, DD-728
8/10/62 to 11/14/1962 Submarine Training, New London, CT
12/10/62 to 2/17/64 USS Sea Devil, AGSS-400
7/13/64 to 10/1/64 USS Salmon, SS-573
You can reach me by posting or private message here or by regular email: joyce at the same URL listed in the above link.
Many thanks in advance! |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 561
Location: Belleview, Fl | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Welcome to this bbs Joyce,
I hope that those whom sailed beneth the waves before I did can help you out in your wishes.. These men and yes some women who have been adopted by the miscreants of the deep here are a truly special breed of people who would do damned near anything for those shipmates and friends who they have met through here and other submarine bbs'.
Hopefully you will pull your chair up to your computer and stay a while, while a little rough around the edges this group is a damned fine one to be associated with. 
Darrin
Frmr TM3(SS), SSG, USA |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2191
Location: Port Ludlow, WA (the Olympic Penninsula) | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
For Ship’s Histories and Photo Information try:
Naval Historical Center LY Washington Naval Yard Washington, D.C. 20374-5060
For photos only:
Photo Library U.S. Naval Institute 118 Maryland Ave Annapolis, MD 21402-5035 410-268-6110
NARA Still Picture Branch 301-713-6625
Ships Plans
NARA Cartographic and Archive Branch 301-713-7030
For Ship’s Logs, Muster Rolls and WWII War Patrol Reports try:
Archives II Reference Branch 8601 Adelphi Road College Park, MD 20740-6001 301-713-7250 email: inquire@arch2.nara.gov
National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 phone 314-263-3901 (Switchboard) 314-538-4261 (Army) DSN 639-3901 http://www.nara.gov/regional/stlouis.html
For deck logs from July 1945 through 1961, write to:
National Archives Suitland Reference Branch (NNRR-M) Washington, D.C. 20409
For deck logs from July 1962 through the present, write to:
Naval Historical Center (DL) Washington Navy Yard 901 M Street S.E. Washington, D.C. 20374-5060
You might call the reference archivist in the Operational Branch of the National Archives at the old Washington Navy Yard. Ask them for "anything on your boat?" Their numbers are 1(202) 433-3170 or 3171. You can also purchase reels of 16mm microfilm that contained the Personnel Diaries, NAVPERS 0001(Active) for the years 1960 through 1968 from BUPERS. This will give you the name, service number, rank/rate, date reported/transferred (except if reported prior to 1/60) You'll also need to get access to a 16mm micro film reader (your local library is usually a good source). |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 206
Location: Edina. MN | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Welcome Joyce,
You might try to contact people who were aboard the Sea devil at the same time your father-in-law was. Don has a crew list at http://www.submarinesailor.com/CrewList.asp and there is a website at http://www.angelfire.com/retro/seadevilss400/
edited a spelling eror
Edited by Pete 2008-03-28 6:12 PM
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Senior Crew
Posts: 186
Location: Chunky, MS | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Joyce, I can't help you much. But I did want to welcome you to this place. These guys can help you find a world of information with some patience. I hope you find what you seek! |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 566
Location: Inyokern, Ca. | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Good God John, you're just just full of ... info. 
BB |
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Old Salt
Posts: 461
Location: Medina, OH | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Joyce: While it appears your father-in-law served on Salmon 573 for just three months, the crew roster for the boat, shown on www.military.com, includes several submariners who might have served with him. http://www.usssalmon.org/gallery.html Photo galleries from Salmon web site. You'll note that there is a page for '64-'67 photos supplied by Jim Harney. I tracked him down via White Pages in Merrillville, IN, and left him a phone message. If you register on www.military.com you'll then be able to use "search units," type in "USS Salmon 573" and it will show about 70 registered crew members and the dates they served on the boat. (Not all dates are correct). Think Ray Armstrong would be a good try (will ask Harney if he has contact info for Ray or others in the l964 time period. Meanwhile, in your photos...can you see any hull numbers on the boat(s) shown? I'll try again, but was having trouble opening each picture. Have figured out that your father-in-law was probably around 20-21 in 1964. Is this right? Would Oregon be listed in records as his home state at that time? If he hadn't died young, would he be around 64-66 today? Hope this helps. Nancy (late brother was CO of USS Salmon 573, '70-'72.) |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
I was in Class 182 Diving Section 121 Graduated Aug 59...Our photo was taken in same location. I think I knew one of the lads in Friend 7 photo....and I am struggling to remember his name. Does Stinky Hinton or Jack Purdy ring a bell? DEX |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
There was a "Stinky" Hinton in Squadron 4, Charleston. I say Squadron 4 because he was a member of the crew, at one time or another, of every boat in Charleston. "Stinky" was a TM1(SS) when I knew him on the Odax SS484. I believe he was also SUBVETWWII. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 131
Location: Communist Humboldt County | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
These men and yes some women who have been adopted by the miscreants of the deep here are a truly special breed of people who would do damned near anything for those shipmates and friends who they have met through here and other submarine bbs'.
Darin, you've rattled my brain on this drizzly Sunday morning. (my new word "ponder" I love it) I sat here and pondered if it would be proper to add my feelings to your statement because I don't want it to be miss understood like bragging or taken for granted. Well my heart won out.
Joyce, on 25 Sept 2005 I went under the knife at the VAMC in SF at Fort Miley due to cancer. By all rights I shouldn't even be here pounding on the keyboard. Well the surgery to remove a 1/3 of my stomach and my entire Esophagus along with two lumph nodes went Very well but it was the hardest thing I've had to endure in my entire life. It was also a turning point in me that resulted in I feel making me a better person than before the surgery. I wasn't given anytime to even think about a decission whether to have the surgery or not because it turned out to be a very fast and agressive cancer. I didn't even begin to know what was going on around me for at least two weeks. When I was finally allowed to leave and go home (300miles north of SF) dragging an IV pole that I had to use because of my feeding tube poking out of my belly and taking Morphine twice a day which I'm still having to do along with a handful of other medications, I hadn't given ANY thought to not having an income because I had worked for myself for over 20yrs and hadn't planned for any emergency as powerful as this. A couple weeks at home and I began to move around a little dragging that pole with me wherever I went in the house only. I sat at my computer and checked in for the first time in over a month. Then I started on a large stack of mail which continued to come in for God knows how long. Inside most of the mail was a get well card with a note attached to either a check or cash, then reality set in. All I had was in the bank and would only carry me a couple month before my life was really gonna take a turn for the worst!
Now I'll cut to the chase.
I received over $4000 from people I've either only met via this BBS or at two of the conventions I was able to make. No questions asked, just use as you see fit. It took several months to actually start receiving a disability check because of the games that SS played while still having to see the doctors at the clinic here in Eureka and at Fort Miley which was a whole lotta fun riding a shuttle bus down and back. Just the ride alone was I feel enough to jar anything not bolted down inside me to become gear adrift. The outpouring of love and concern from my brothers of the Phin is . . . . . to say the least OVERWHELMING and reflects the commradrie within the Submarine community. I tried to answer each and ever card whether a donation was inclosed or not because that really didn't matter to me. That was the best medicen that one could possibly have! I tried to respond personally to every card received but I'm sure I had missed someone but not many thats for sure because one of the side effects of having 7 months of Chemo and radiation therapy is you lose your short-term memory. I mean in the worst way, I still can't remember something that just happened moments before and I've tried to remember things that happened 40yrs ago because the VA calls it a coincendence that we've lost over 14 of the original crew that I served with on Bonefish mostly due to some sort of cancer. I've found a book that is sanctioned by the DOD and it states that on the older snorkel boats there were over 1300 carcinagens we were exposted to on a daily basis. What the VA centered in on was the fact that I smoked. EVERYONE SMOKED coupled with the fact that my longest spec-op was in the vinicity of 63days without opening a hatch, snorkel was the only means of fresh air, COLD AIR at that but outside air. I'm getting off track here again. . .
What Darin said is truly the understatement of the year in my book. I know of no other special community that is as tight as being "qualified in submarines". To be accepted into this special group of men is of one of the highest honor's that in my opinion one can have. There is a set of unspoken rules that there is no need to explain to someone who has been a part of ships company and had qualified on that boat. At the time, around 21yrs old, I thought of myself as invinsible, I'd bite it and if it didn't bite back it was mine unless of course the one wanting it back was a 400 pounder Hawaiian native holding a pool cue and was determined to inflict a drastic attitude adjustment to my forehead. And even then he didn't realize that he may take a couple of us out but we weren't going without taking him with us.
People change as they age, some more cranky than others resisting change either good or bad, doesn't matter but to judge that person just isn't in the cards(for me anyway) because unless proven different, my house and anything I have or within my power to get or help, I offer without judgement with no strings attached to anyone who is a "submarine qualified" individual. My door is always open and GOOD coffee is always at the ready with a standing order of "no invitation needed". I've watched CLystie, who is my bestfriend and caregiver whom I wouldn't trade for all the tea in China, while me and whomever are out front setting up their motorhome for shorepower of whatever, shooting the breeze until like maybe 15mins Clystie has worked magic and produced a wonderful meal for all in the dining room even with cloth napkins and the nice silver ware that is only used on special occasions. Yep thats magic. But I'm the baker in this house. When I rode other boats and my presents wasn't needed in the radioshack I'd volunteer to night bake and it was nothing producing 15 loaf's of bread and 13 pies or 300 sticky bunns, anything sweet and fresh was the name of the game.
I didn't start out to write an essay but my alligator mouth got shoved into high gear going down memory lane here. Everything said is the gospel truth and is the result of a mini brain fart and you have to be quick and use them as they come because my brain just went into freewheel because it's time for noon meds and my belley is growling and it's time for a treat for the dogs.
So on that note, I hope this helps to explain away some of the myths of being a "boat sail" doesn't matter if it was an old Diesel boat or a newer and improved nuc, I give proudly the fact that being Submarine qualified is not just a term but a way of life with no expiration date.
PEP |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 561
Location: Belleview, Fl | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Thanks for your kind words PEP,
this bbs and a couple of others have passed around the hats when a shipmate or wife of a shipmate was in need.. We have also had some open their homes up to have large groups of submariners come and visit and tell old sea stories with the only thing that they asked was don't tear up the house or the yard too much. And sadly when a brother of the phin passes we have circled the wagons around the family and done what we could to help them in their time in need..
One of the men who used to open his ranch for submariners to reminisce was Garry "Cowboy" Mclaughlin and he used to hold an annual "bash at the ranch" for any and all who wore dolphins on their chests, Sadly he passed a couple of years ago after a USSVI meeting.. Those who knew Cowboy circled the wagons around his wife Sue and their dog Zeke and tried like hell to ease their pain, she still checks in from time to time to let us know how she is doing and to thank us still for helping her.
PEP give Clystie a big hug for me.. Take care shipmate and let us know if you need anything
Darrin |
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Old Salt
Posts: 461
Location: Medina, OH | Subject: RE: Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Joyce: Check white pages for James W. Harney, Merrilleville, IN, Salmon crew member in mid-60s. He and some others from those years having a mini-reunion in early May in San Diego. Perhaps he can check if anyone knew your father-in-law. I spoke with Jim yesterday via phone as he'd returned my call and, then, we communicated via e-mail. Hope this helps. Nancy |
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Looking for memories, friends or just some info.
Forums-> Submarine Discussion
