|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
October 4, 2003 COBRA! Project 641, Russian Fox-trot Class Submarine Tour!
;)
The Russian Cobra Submarine, located at Pier 48 in Seattle, provided an interesting look in to the lives of Russian submariners. One example of the living conditions aboard this submarine given by our Tour Guide, a Retired Unites States Submariner, was that the 78 crew members shared only 3 toilets and 2 showers for up to three months at sea! (And you thought sharing with your family was bad!)
The submarine was assigned to the home port of Vladivostock, home of the Soviet Pacific Fleet. During her twenty year career, the Cobra regularly patrolled in the Artic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. ;)
The Submarine was commissioned in 1974 and decommissioned in 1994. It is 284 feet long, and has a 24 foot, 7 inch beam. The sub’s compliment was 56 sailors, 10 midshipmen, and 12 officers. There were three cooks that cooked four meals a day for the 78 crew members. 54 crewmen shared 27 bunks located in the aft torpedo room, with more located in the electric motor room. Only officers had their own bunks, but they were not “dream cabins” I assure you. I think the trunk of my car is bigger.
Even the Officers quarters were very tiny. We saw rooms with three bunks and barely enough room to turn around. The galley was so small that we were wondering how a human being could fit in there. ;)
Overall, it was a wonderful trip. I would encourage all of you to go see Cobra if you can. She is located at Pier 48 in Seattle, 101 Alaskan Way. It is a very interesting tour!
SM Samantha Lowrie PAO, McChord Composite Squadron |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
September 13, 2003 McChord AFB Composite Squadron's 2003 Dining-Out
Senior Members, Cadets, family and friends all gathered together at the McChord Officers' Club for our Squadron's 2003 Dining-Out.Mr. Ed Doyle (father of former CAP cadet and USAF Academy graduate Tom Doyle) was our guest speaker for the evening, sharing stories of inspiration about his son's participation in Civil Air Patrol. In keeping with what has really become a CAP tradition, our Dining-Out had a GROG bowl (a punch bowl filled with a concoction of ill-matched ingredients from which people who violate the 'rules of the mess' must drink). No one really knows what was in the GROG, but statements from those who consumed it indicate lemonade, chocolate, and catsup were among some of the ingredients. Other things that happened during the Dining-Out included a Change of Command ceremony where Cadet Matthew Andes assumed his new role as Cadet Commander, and the distribution of some prized CAP Emergency Services challenge coins. Judging from the expressions of everyone's faces, it's a sure bet that everyone in attendance had a wonderful time. Several photos from the Dining-Out are now available in this photo album. Hopefully more will be posted soon. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
June 29, 2003 Washington Wing Hosts Mission Aircrew SchoolTwo McChord Members Graduate
Ladies and Gentlemen, The first WA Wing Aircrew School graduated 12 newly rated mission observers on Sunday 29 June, at Mt Rainier Composite Squadron. The school was a huge success in large part to the world class efforts of the Instructor Observers, Mission Pilots, and the rest of the school's staff. The graduating observers from the Washington Wing Aircrew School Class 03-01 are: Lt Col Donald R. Long Maj John Lopez Maj Edward Lane Capt Todd Wigal Capt Darren Barker 1st Lt Michael Moore 1st Lt James Pratt 2d Lt Denise Brooks 2d Lt Jim Johnston 2d Lt Paula Shea 2d Lt Thomas R. Everts C/1st Lt Sidonie C. Schnabler Distinguished Honor Graduate: 1st Lt. Michael Moore Each member of the graduating class was awarded their observer wings at graduation on Sunday night. All of the student observers did an outstanding job, setting the standard for aircrew members. They are now fully rated aircrew members and are ready to assist WA Wing in what tasks are ahead. v/r Robert P. Nesbit Jr., Capt., CAP Director WA Wing Aircrew School Congratulations to McChord Composite Squadron members Maj John Lopez and 1st Lt Michael Moore. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
May 10, 2003 McChord AFB Composite Squadron Helping the Community;)
Cadets from the McChord Composite Squadron participated
in a joint venture with the Kiwanis Club of Federal Way
and the City of
Federal Way CERT program to promote disaster preparedness and CERT
training (Citizen Emergency Response Team). The event was held at
Sea-Tac Mall in Federal Way. The event also included child passenger
safety seat inspections and sales of custom fitted safety helmets for
bicycle and other recreational use.Other partners for the event included the Federal Way Fire Department, Federal Way Police, South King County Safety Team, Federal Way Helmet Coalition, and Cascade Regional Blood Services. Logistical support for disaster preparedness materials was received from Red Cross of King/Kitsap Counties, and the Washington State Emergency Management Department. Both entities provided printed information to be distributed to interested parties. CAP participants included Cadet MSgt Rohan Naldrett-Jays; Cadet Andrew Larson, Cadet Cody Stephens, Senior Member Teresa Stephens, Senior Member Wanda Thomas, Capt David Larson, and 1st Lt Michael Moore. Cadet Naldrett-Jays and Cadet Stephens are seen in the photograph next to the proud McChord colors. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
April 30, 2003
National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount | Cadet | Home Squadron |
| $1000 | Julia Bauler | Spokane |
| $750 | Elizabeth Young | Ft Vancouver |
| $500 | Raechelle Velock | Mount Rainier |
| $500 | Mayli Heiser | Mount Rainier |
| $500 | Dustin Mixon | McChord |
| $250 | Kristin Jones | Wing HQ |
Once in a while, we have the pleasure of meeting those people who have made both a significant contribution and a significant sacrifice in the name of freedom.
HAWK, JOHN D.Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company E, 359th Infantry, 90th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Chambois, France, 20 August 1944. Entered service at: Bremerton, Wash. Birth: San Francisco, Calif. G.O. No.: 55, 13 July 1945.
Citation: He manned a light machinegun on 20 August 1944, near Chambois, France, a key point in the encirclement which created the Falaise Pocket. During an enemy counterattack, his position was menaced by a strong force of tanks and infantry. His fire forced the infantry to withdraw, but an artillery shell knocked out his gun and wounded him in the right thigh. Securing a bazooka, he and another man stalked the tanks and forced them to retire to a wooded section. In the lull which followed, Sgt. Hawk reorganized 2 machinegun squads and, in the face of intense enemy fire, directed the assembly of 1 workable weapon from 2 damaged guns. When another enemy assault developed, he was forced to pull back from the pressure of spearheading armor. Two of our tank destroyers were brought up. Their shots were ineffective because of the terrain until Sgt. Hawk, despite his wound, boldly climbed to an exposed position on a knoll where, unmoved by fusillades from the enemy, he became a human aiming stake for the destroyers. Realizing that his shouted fire directions could not be heard above the noise of battle, he ran back to the destroyers through a concentration of bullets and shrapnel to correct the range. He returned to his exposed position, repeating this performance until 2 of the tanks were knocked out and a third driven off. Still at great risk, he continued to direct the destroyers' fire into the Germans' wooded position until the enemy came out and surrendered. Sgt. Hawk's fearless initiative and heroic conduct, even while suffering from a painful wound, was in large measure responsible for crushing 2 desperate attempts of the enemy to escape from the Falaise Picket and for taking more than 500 prisoners.
Here's the aircraft we flew for the day. Recently repainted with CAP's livery colors, this plane was "Looking Spiffy!"
Assisted by the pilot, 1st Lt Dan King (left), and Deputy Commander for Cadets, 1st Lt Michael Moore (right), Cadet Morris is a little nervous as he gets ready for his first flight in a small aircraft.
By JEFFREY M. BARKER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
 | ||
| Mike Urban / P-I | ||
| Cody Stephens, 11, at center, joins his classmates in the oath of service during Civil Air Patrol graduation ceremonies held at McChord Air Force Base yesterday. | ||
McCHORD AIR FORCE BASE -- At 11 years old, he's joining the war against terrorism.
Yes, sir. Last night, he became Cadet Airman Cody Stephens, a full-fledged, uniform-wearing, oath-reciting member of the junior division of the Civil Air Patrol, the legendary militia born from the World War II era.
He'll be 12 at the end of the month.
Fourteen other Tacoma-area cadets -- ages 11 to 18 -- graduated last night in a ceremony at McChord Air Force Base. They and thousands like them across the country are apparently the youngest patriots defending our home turf...
Click here to read the entire Seattle Post-Intelligencer Article
;)
History reveals that, in the middle ages, it was not uncommon for soldiers in the field to be unaware who their commanders were or what they looked like. The formal Change of Command afforded the troops the opportunity to witness the proceedings and actually see their commanders. The Continental Army of the United States conducted the first official ceremonies in America. This was the basis from which the present day ceremony was derived.
Home | Information | Chain of Command | Schedule | Message Board
News | Forms | Links | Unit
Calendar | Virtual Call-Down
