Subject: USS Dorado Lost Boat Memorial in Wichita
As many know, several days ago, the memorial to the lost WWII boat, USS Dorado in Wichita KS, was knocked down and must be replaced. The cause of the knockdown is a matter of conjecture, some saying it was an act of vandalism and the police report saying it was knocked down by a woman from a church group who ‘leaned on it.” Our men on the scene say this version is unlikely to be true. Whatever the cause, it is one of the SVWWII 52 lost boats memorials and needs to be repaired or replaced. Our local contact, Al Frasier, is both USSVI Base Commander of DORADO base and is dual-hatted as Chapter President of the SVWWII Drydocked Dolphins, the original constructors of the memorial. Al and some of his men have been actively seeking bids to reconstruct the memorial, taking safety into account, so that knocking it down will no longer be possible by anything less than herculean efforts. The latest preliminary estimates are around $ 7,500.00. The small group of SVWWII members in Drydocked Dolphins have several thousand dollars they will use in this rebuilding effort. USSVI bases around the nation have been taking over the care of all these memorials, and situations like this will probably occur again in the future. The USSV Charitable Foundation is accepting donations to the USSVCF Memorial Fund marked “Dorado Memorial” so that the donors may obtain a charity tax write-off if they are eligible. The USSVCF is a 501c3 charity and donations are tax deductable to the full extent of the law. The funds received will be held until such a time as the SVWWII Drydocked Dolphins Chapter need the funds to help pay for the reconstruction and at that time a check will be issued. The “CF” has also earmarked $ 1,000.00 of current funds towards the repair of this memorial. For those who can and will, please send any contributions made to USSVCF with marked with a comment for Dorado Memorial Fund, to: USSVCF Attn Dorado Memorial Fund PO Box 3870 Silverdale WA 98383
Thank you in advance for helping replace this memorial to our lost Shipmates in USS Dorado. NOTE: USSVI Memorials Chairman Ray Wewers is in contact with the USSVI Dorado Base, and the SVWWII leadership has been advised. Go to the link for the story and a picture. http://www.kansas.com/196/story/907790.html | 
USS Dorado Lost Boat Memorial in Wichita
