Lockwood Internet Base
February, 2010 On-Line Meeting

“Doing What Must Be Done”

“There are wooden ships and metal ships that sail upon the sea.
But the best ships are friendships and may they always be.”

February 2010  Lockwood Internet Meeting: This meeting is a discussion session open to all members of LIB. Please give us your input, suggestions, ideas.

Although our Creed is always up on the page you look at when you read this or any other post for LIB, I think it appropriate that we include it here.

USSVI Creed: To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments. Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States of America and its Constitution.


Let us not forget the men lost in service to their country in the Submarine Service. A moment of silence and in respect is in order. Boats lost:
USS Barbel SS-316  Lost on Feb 4,1945 with the loss of 81 officers and men on her 3rd war patrol.  Based on Japanese records, she was  bombed near the southern entrance to the Palawan Passage.  The day before, she reported she survived 3 depth charge attacks.  USS Shark SS-174  Lost on Feb 11,1942 with the loss of 59 officers and men on her 1st war patrol.  Shark was the 1st US submarine sunk by enemy surface craft in the Pacific. She was most likely sunk by depth charges. USS Amberjack SS-219  Lost on Feb 16,1943 with the loss of 72 officers and men on her 3rd war patrol.  Off Rabaul, she was attacked by a Japanese patrol plane, attacked by a torpedo boat and then depth charged by a sub chaser. USS Grayback SS-208 Lost on Feb 27,1944 with the loss of 80 officers and men on her 10th war patrol.  She appears to have been caught on the surface in the East China Sea by a Japanese carrier plane whose bombs made a direct hit.  During this patrol she sank 4 ships totaling 21,594 tons and was tied for 11th in the number of ships sunk.

Prayer:

Almighty God, Lord and Creator of all that is and ever will be,
we come before you, our hearts filled with praise and thanksgiving
for this great country of ours, the land of the bold and the brave and the free.
We begin this meeting by honoring the memory of shipmates now living
within the embrace of your eternal and billowing sea.

Help us to be grateful for their sacrifice for us and for freedom.
May our mission for peace, like theirs, ever be
in the minds and purpose the leaders of this earthly kingdom.
Bless our discussions for the good of all whom we
seek to serve and pay tribute using our combined fraternal wisdom.

Finally Lord, help us always to aim at those things that help to strengthen one another
In the fraternal bond of all those who sail and have ever sailed beneath the ocean's waves.
We ask this in the Name that is above all other names.  Amen.

In Christ,
Fr. Aaron

LIB members who have birthdays this month are  Dutch Holland and Jim Merritt on Feb. 4, Larry Duncan on Feb. 5, Thomas Newberry and David Paoletta on Feb 6, Master blaster John Crouse has a birthday on the 7th, Gumba has a birthday on the 9^th, Stan Ratcliff on Feb. 11, Bob Smith on Feb 12, Bill Wasil on Feb. 13,  JK Davis and Schell Harmon on Valentine’s day, Roland Bispo and Jim Rankin on Feb. 17, Jack Jackson on Feb. 23, Carl Putman and Joe Cassel on Feb. 25, Fred Huwe on Feb. 26, and Gene Diaz on Feb. 28

Meeting Format:
1)Opening comment-Silence-List Lost Boats-Prayer
2)Committee Comments
3)Officers Comments/Reports
4)Old Business: This is business/suggestions from previous meeting that E-Board did not handle and is being brought back to the table for voting.
5) New Business: This is where members make suggestions for programs/changes/ideas, etc. These items are then discussed by E-Board on the 15th-18th of the month for resolution or deciding to bring it back as old business for a vote.

6)Closing Comments by Officers
7)Closing statement

I”ll now ask for our financial report and other reports by officers.

Then we’ll go to old business. The meeting now is open.

Bill