NAVY BLUE

Visit caches near sites related to U. S. Submarines.  Visit the Submarine Force Museum and Library in Groton, Connecticut.  The nearby USS Croaker Memorial would be good.  If it could get a beer at the bar at the SUBVETS club there, that would be a real bonus (be sure to hjave a bowl of chili tyhere, it is excellent!)!  Be sure to take plenty of photos!  Here's a few more ideas:

 If this TB is taken to any events, please observe a moment of silence for those submariners we lost, who are now on eternal patrol. 

Navy Blue is a blue urethane ten pin bowling ball, representing the situation of the submariner, who is surrounded by blue waters.  Zekester served 22 years in the Submarine Force; his first day onboard his first boat, USS GROTON (SSN 694), his first Chief, QMC(SS) Roger Kirkpatrick (R. I. P.) told him this: "Every time we go to sea, we go to war; nevermind the enemy, the ocean is also trying to kill us."  During the Cold War, we were always taught about our heritage from the heroes of the submarine force during Workd War II.  Here's some World War II submarine facts:

The United States Navy Submarine Service lost 52 submarines, 374 officers and 3,131 enlisted men during World War II. These personnel losses represented 16% of the officer and 13% of the enlisted operational personnel. This loss rate was the highest among men and ships of any U.S. Navy unit.

Less than two percent of American sailors served in submarines, yet that small percentage of men and their boats sank 21 Japanese warships. This included 1 battleship, 4 large aircraft carriers, 4 small aircraft carriers, 3 heavy cruisers, 8 light cruisers, 43 destroyers, 23 large submarines and 1,178 merchant ships of more than 500 tons.

In all, U.S. submarines sank more than 55 percent of all Japanese ships sunk. More than surface ships, Navy air and the U.S. Army Air Corps combined.

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz summarized their efforts after the war by writing:

“"We, who survived World War II and were privileged to rejoin our loved ones at home, salute those gallant officers and men of our submarines who lost their lives in that long struggle. We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds."